Katie Liakos, an educator who has served for 12 years at PA, has been named the school’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. Virginia Beach Public Schools recognizes outstanding educators through an award system where teachers can be nominated by their peers for the Distinguished Educator award at their individual schools. Then, a selection committee identifies finalists from the distinguished educator pool, and one person is chosen as the school-wide Teacher of the Year. From there, multiple school-wide recipients compete for the city-wide Teacher of the Year designation.
This year, Liakos teaches IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK), a philosophy course. However, her background is deeply rooted in biology and science. She taught IB Biology for 11 years, beginning in 2014, as well as Environmental and Applied Science (APES). Before joining the Virginia Beach City Public School system, she spent a year teaching in Norfolk.
“Not everyone is science-minded, and I see students in a different light in TOK,” Liakos explained. “It’s about helping them think critically, regardless of their background.”
In addition to her work in the classroom, Liakos serves as the Diploma Programme Project coordinator, a role she has held for seven years. Liakos oversees the Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) programs, teaches lessons on these components, coordinates with other teachers, and assigns students to their advisors. She also organized service learning activities such as Julklapp or a project with the With Love Foundation, where students designed handmade gifts for classmates and learned about mental health through origami. “It is a lot of juggling,” Liakos acknowledged, describing the multifaceted nature of her responsibilities.
The Teacher of the Year award came after Liakos was named a Distinguished Educator for four years at PA. The selection process for the award’s recipient is rigorous: nominees must complete an application with five essays, which is then reviewed by a panel consisting of former teachers of the year, school counselors, a PTA representative, and the school principal. PA has produced many city-wide and school-wide recipients of the award, which Liakos said created an ideal environment for professional growth. “PA has really strong teachers,” she noted. “It’s a good environment to learn from some of the best teachers in the city, to be mentored by really good teachers, and to contribute to the betterment of the school as a whole.”
As a teacher, Liakos emphasizes connection rather than content. “I love the people I work with and truly interacting with the students, especially juniors and seniors who are little adults trying to figure out who they are,” she said. “I see their personalities develop, and I bring in what I like into what we’re learning. Even small things like warm-up activities and getting-to-know-you exercises help students become more engaged with the content.” She added that one of her favorite classroom memories with her students involved interactive outdoor learning in the wetlands and marshes.
Liakos’s journey to teaching began with uncertainty. When she started college, she was unsure of what her future career path would hold. Liakos initially explored communications before being drawn towards science. “I grew up in a coastal area and spent time collecting seashells at the Outer Banks,” she recalled. “There was a natural pull for science and the outdoors.”
Liakos earned her degree in biology with a minor in education from Old Dominion University. During her senior year, she worked full-time at the Virginia Aquarium’s education department as a gallery educator and outreach specialist, working mainly with schools. She also led summer and weekend camps and served as a dolphin and whale watching educator for the Virginia Aquarium.
Liakos says that her high school experiences, combined with her aquarium work, led her to formal education. “It was during that high school age when I saw how impressionable students were, and I had a desire to be that person for someone and share my knowledge of science.”
“I really liked the tangibility of science,” Liakos said. “I learned better by doing, and I loved watching students attach to mesocosms.”
Outside of teaching, Liakos remains active in the PA community. She coaches the Cavalettes dance team, as she used to dance for Old Dominion University’s collegiate dance team during her college years. She is also an avid hiker, enjoys crocheting, and is a huge “Golden Girls” fan. Liakos has two children at Tallwood Elementary, and her husband serves as a firefighter.
