From February 2008:

Nora Floersheim is a spunky, energetic person who likes to stay busy. She enjoys tennis and traveling, is a grandmother of five, and is also the recipient of the Chamblee Teacher of the Year Award for 2008-2009.
Floersheim, who teaches Spanish, first cultivated a love for the language at a young age in Florida, where she grew up. She started studying Spanish in sixth grade and immediately thought it as a “neat and fun talent to have.” She always enjoyed being able to speak a different language at will, and living in Florida gave her plenty of opportunity for real life interaction with the language.
A University of Georgia graduate, Floersheim says she did not arrive at college with the plan to be a Spanish teacher in her head, but was struck by how fitting it seemed.
“When I realized that I had already completed about half of the necessary credits doing what was fun to me, something just told me that this is what I needed to do,” said Floersheim.
She brings her boundless energy and zest for life into the classroom. According to Floersheim, being the grandmother to “five beautiful yet uniquely different grandchildren” has helped her gain insight into her contemporary students.
“You really realize all of the differences within just one class,” said Floersheim. “I try to approach each student and target their strengths and weaknesses on an individual basis.”
Her students recognize this effort in her and appreciate the positive impact it has on the class environment as well as the curriculum.
“I love Ms. Floersheim. She is one of the best teachers I have ever had, and she is so nice,” said current Spanish I student Carter Tenney. “Every time someone needs help saying a word in Spanish, she’ll help without asking any questions.”
The results of this specialized approach to teaching speak for themselves. Not only is she recipient of the Chamblee Teacher of the Year Award, but she won the same award in 1993 while teaching at Shamrock. The trophy still stands on her dresser.
“I think it’s the highest honor you can receive here at Chamblee,” said Floersheim. “This [being selected Teacher of the Year] has been so fun, exciting and surprising. I’m getting the celebrity treatment!”
There is also a touch of irony in Nora Floersheim being selected by her peers as Chamblee’s teacher of the year- she almost retired last year.
“It’s not a duty or calling but I know I am still able to give,” said Floersheim.
After 28 years of teaching- 14 spent at Chamblee and the rest at Shamrock and Lakeside- she has impacted the lives of thousands of students, including a very familiar face in the Chamblee faculty.
“She was absolutely the best, and she still has the same passion and desire as she did 18 years ago,” said Chamblee discipline principal and former student Marcus Searcy. “She always understood students and allowed us to be ourselves.”