Post on 23-May-2020
transcript
Okaloosa County School District Past Teachers of the Year
1979 - Warren Jones 2000 - Keith Kyker
1980 - Debbie McGee 2001 - Jeff Welsh
1981 - Mary Jo Yeager 2002 - Kimberly Nihill-Taylor
1982 - Helen Windsor 2003 - Matthew Clark
1983 - Elizabeth Kentosh 2004 - Valerie Chubb
1984 - Terry Hecker-Bevino 2005 - Suzanne Kruger
1985 - Janice Gordon 2006 - Rowena (Dood) Wood
1986 - Phyllis Merrit 2007 - Claudia Hesse
1987 - Carol Haass 2008 - Tavia Marez
1988 - Linda Evanchyk 2009 - April Branscome
1989 - Beverly Sandlin 2010 - Cindy King
1990 - Kathleen Baratelli 2011 - Dawn Pack
1991 - Deborah Hadd 2012 - Stephanie Thetford
1992 - Alice Thoreen 2013 - Duscha Ross
1993 - Susan Duhon 2014 - Heather Erickson
1994 - Toby Ford 2015 - Victoria Hurley
1995 - Shawna Crist 2016 - Catherine Beaudoin
1996 - Keitha Bledsoe 2017 - Charlotte Wadsworth
1997 - Donna Boles 2018 -Andrea Brown
1998 - Joan Peavy 2019 - Heather Phillips
1999 - Caryn Turner 2020 - Angela Hritz
Teacher of the Year Banquet January 23, 2020
Welcome .......................................................... Beth Russell Master of Ceremonies; Fort Walton Beach High School
Pledge ....................................................... Dr. Diane Kelley Okaloosa County School Board
Opening Remarks .................................... Jordan Appelberg OCEA President
The Honorable Marcus Chambers
Superintendent of Schools
Dinner .............................................. Banquet Coordinators
Recognition of the 2021 Teachers of the Year ............................... Beth Russell
Presentation of 2021 Teacher of the Year ................................ Angela Hritz TOY Selection Committee
Congressional Proclamation .............................. Kalli Close District Aide office for U.S. Congressman Gaetz
Selection Committee
Alyson Lofe’ – Chair, Bluewater Elementary School Tim Bryant- Okaloosa County School Board Member
Angela Hritz – Davidson Middle School Veronica Chubb – Choctawhatchee High School
Leslie Sintes – Pryor Middle School
The Selection Process
Selection of the 2021 Teacher of the Year actually begins in the fall of 2019 when each school announces its honoree. In December, each school’s Teacher of the Year submits a portfolio that includes a detailed resume, responses to questions about their teaching philosophy and practice, and comments about the teaching profession. Finalists are announced by the selection committee in January, and committee members visit their classrooms to observe them in action before selecting the winner announced tonight.
Okaloosa County’s Teacher of the Year will compete with teachers from 71 public school districts and other institutions in Florida for the state’s top honor. As our district’s winner, the Okaloosa County Teacher of the Year will participate in the Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Roundtable and the Macy’s Gala Awards Ceremony in July when the state winner will be announced.
Special Thanks Anelique Cox and Stephanie Hicks– Banquet Committee
Eric Mitchell and Brandon McSween– Slideshow Presentation Debbie Buchanan—Photography
Perry Rich and Sean DeWitt--Print Shop Pat Mixon – Program Design
Teachers of the Year 2021
Margaret Dorsey ................................. Antioch Elementary
Linda Peaden ................................................. Baker School
Linda Crane .............................................. Ballet Academie
Claire Erk ........................................ Bluewater Elementary
Natalie Richter ................................. Bob Sikes Elementary
Lisa Ryland ......................................... Max Bruner Middle
Becky Perez ...................................... Choctawhatchee High
Melissa Brown ........................................... Crestview High
Tammie Portillo ....................................... Davidson Middle
Donna Barton ....................................... Destin Elementary
Patrick Carnahan ........................................ Destin Middle
Lora Phillips............................................ Edge Elementary
Chelley DeGennaro .............................. Edwins Elementary
Dorothy Negley ...................................... Eglin Elementary
Belinda Blalock ........................... Elliott Point Elementary
Felisha Carnley .................................... Florosa Elementary
Devon LaMonica ........................ Fort Walton Beach High
Allison Pulliam ................................. Kenwood Elementary
Kimberly Chandler ..................................Laurel Hill School
Bethany Culps ........................................... Lewis School
Diane Dunn ................................ Longwood Elementary
Terri Hudgens .......................... Mary Esther Elementary
Jared Hill .................................................. Meigs Middle
Justin Reichard ........................................ Niceville High
Adelia Slade ...............................Northwood Elementary
Marcus Hencinski .................... OTC and CHOICE High
Stephanie Leavins ................................ Plew Elementary
Dana Mayer .............................................. Pryor Middle
Paige Saludez ...................................... Richbourg School
Megan Creel .................................. Riverside Elementary
Allison Marello ........................................ Ruckel Middle
Peggi Jeffcoat ................................ Shalimar Elementary
Melaine Rose ................................... Shoal River Middle
Anita Dunn ..................................... Silver Sands School
Candis Sharon ......................... Southside Primary School
Jennifer Mallet-Smith ....................... STEMM Academy
Deloris Meadows ............................. Walker Elementary
Laura Steele ..................................... Wright Elementary
CareerSource Okaloosa Walton Carr, Riggs & Ingram Chick-fil-A Fort Walton Beach Costa Enterprises--McDonald's Fort Walton Medical Center J & B Medical Niceville Insurance Agency Northwest Florida State College
We would like to thank the following businesses for their monetary or in-kind contributions to the 2021 Teachers of the Year.
2021 Finalists
As a teacher, I love to see the light in a struggling student’s eyes who finally understands a difficult math concept. Their excitement at Space Camp or working on a STEM project at our May the Fourth Day makes all the hard work worth it. By making math and science fun, I hope my 5th graders will continue to excel in middle and high school and remember school and learning can be fun! I am forever grateful for all the wonderful teacher friends I have made as a parent, volunteer, substitute, and, ultimately, teacher at both Antioch and Bluewater who helped me become the best teacher I can be. In my spare time, I love movies, reading, Star Wars, traveling with my husband Chris and children, Stephen, Matthew and Laura, as well as spending time with my dogs Jedi and Zelda.
Claire Erk Bluewater Bay
Elementary
It is an honor to represent Fort Walton Beach High School as Teacher of the Year and the Okaloosa County School District as a Teacher of the Year finalist. As a college science major, I didn’t dream of becoming a science teacher, nor did I know that teaching science would be even more rewarding than actually performing scientific research or applying my scientific knowledge in industry. But life has a way of making sure you are in the right place, and now I can’t imagine being anything other than a teacher. It has been a true joy launching and teaching the Biomedical Science program at FWBHS for the past thirteen years; igniting a passion for science in my students is the accomplishment I am most proud of as a teacher.
Devon LaMonica Fort Walton Beach
High School
I am completely humbled to represent Ruckel Middle School as our Teacher of the Year. In following God’s plan for my life, I have been able to fulfill my love for reading through teaching English for the last 22 years. As a product of Okaloosa County schools, I have been blessed with the opportunity to give back what was so generously given to me by so many beloved, devoted educators. This wonderful career field, which I share with my very supportive husband Charlie, has also provided me the enjoyable experience of teaching our son, Brock, and eventually our daughter, Sara. As a parent and educator, I understand the enormous responsibility of what I do each day and it is through that lens that I create the lessons that I use.
Allison Marello Ruckel Middle
School