JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 175 teachers have been nominated by their principals for the 2021 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year award.
In an announcement Monday, the Jacksonville Public Education Fund said these nominees will be considered as semi-finalists, and later finalists, for the school district’s top teaching honor.
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Nominees will also be invited to apply for JPEF’s Teacher Leadership Initiative, a professional learning community that connects teachers with best practices in equity and school quality.
The winner of the award will be announced on television Jan. 27, at the 30th annual EDDY Awards: Live from Jacksonville! The hour-long awards show will be televised live on Channel 4 and emceed by Melanie Lawson, anchor of The Morning Show.
“As our community and country are seeing, like never before, the critical role our schools and teachers play in our lives and in our economy, we are so proud to celebrate teachers this year,” JPEF President Rachael Tutwiler Fortune said. “We are also so proud to support them through a professional learning community as they take on new challenges.”
Teachers selected as their school’s Teacher of the Year qualify for the award, and the winner in Duval County will compete against their peers statewide for Florida Teacher of the Year.
Teachers accepted into the Teacher Leadership Initiative will have the opportunity to choose an area of study and learn from experts. Throughout the year, they will work on action-research projects in hopes of making a lasting impact on equity and school quality in their schools.
The JPEF, a nonprofit think tank that works to close the opportunity gap for low-income students and students of color in public schools. Its goal is to identify and then circulate best practices for equity and school quality among administrators, teachers and parents.
“Research shows teachers value professional learning with their peers that they guide themselves,” said Warren Buck, JPEF Director of Teacher Leadership and a former teacher and principal in Duval County. “Our Teacher Leadership Initiative is designed to help retain great teachers in Duval County by supporting their leadership in schools.”
Below is the list of nominees for the 2021 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year:
- Philip Randolph Career Academies - Jacqueline Williams
- Abess Park Elementary School - Heath Matz
- Alden Road Exceptional Student Center - Cathlyn Cabuco
- Alfred I. duPont Middle School - Augustine Kaiwa
- Alimacani Elementary School - Aida Oliver
- Andrew A. Robinson Elementary - Kiana Hendon
- Andrew Jackson High - Shamariton Ashley
- Annie R. Morgan Elementary School - Katasha Jackman
- Arlington Elementary - Rishena Hicks
- Arlington Heights Elementary - Karla Meyer
- Arlington Middle School - Sonya Russell
- Atlantic Beach Elementary - Spencer Carper
- Atlantic Coast High School - Donna Mathis
- Baldwin Middle-Senior High - Susan Seagraves
- Bartram Springs Elementary - Rebecca Huth
- Bayview Elementary School - Paulya Fields
- Beauclerc Elementary - Emma Araya
- Biltmore Elementary - Amneris Rodriguez-Lugo
- Biscayne Elementary - Gladys Barrington
- Biscayne High School - Matthew Janus
- Brentwood Elementary School of the Arts - Anne Tomko
- Bridge to Success Academy High School - James Cushion
- Bridge to Success at West Jax High - Valeria Handy
- BridgePrep Academy of Duval - Katherine Sands
- Brookview Elementary School - Lynn Bartlett
- Carter G. Woodson Elementary - Kenneth Ford
- Cedar Hills Elementary School - Kayla Santiago
- Central Riverside Elementary - Michelle Schurott
- Chaffee Trail Elementary - Jonalyn Tamares
- Chets Creek Elementary - Christine Bell
- Chimney Lakes Elementary - Stacey Eliason
- Crown Point Elementary School - Rachel Nunnally
- Crystal Springs Elementary - Sherri Johnson
- Darnell Cookman School of the Medical Arts - Bradley Winkler
- Dinsmore Elementary - Wendy Prince
- Don Brewer Elementary - Tracey Brown
- Douglas Anderson School of the Arts - Brad Lyda
- Duval Charter School at Mandarin - Maria Chachra
- Duncan U. Fletcher High School - Nicole Gilbert
- Duncan U. Fletcher Middle School - Lynette Smiley-Belle
- Duval Charter School at Southside - Ivania Woodmore
- Duval MYcroSchool - Hillary Lee
- Duval Virtual Instruction Academy - Leslie Jones
- Edward H. White High School - Cassandra Howell
- Englewood Elementary School - Megan Marsh
- Englewood High School - Shagara Bradshaw
- Enterprise Learning Academy - Georgette Cooper
- First Coast High School - Kaylee Petik
- Fishweir Elementary - Susan Burns
- Florida Cyber Charter Academy - Samantha Kimmel
- Fort Caroline Elementary - Marjorie Sellers
- Fort Caroline Middle School of the Visual and Performing Arts - Tikila Shakespeare
- Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology - Tiffany Abbott
- Garden City Elementary - Leslie Wilkinson
- George Washington Carver Elementary School - Tess Nettles
- Grand Park Education Center - Monte King
- GRASP Academy - Keaton Spillman
- Greenfield Elementary School - Jill Vaccaro
- Greenland Pines Elementary - Stephanie Boswell
- Gregory Drive Elementary School - Janelle Rodriguez H.
- Terry Parker High School - Rebecca LaMance
- Hendricks Avenue Elementary - Ashley Halil
- Henry F. Kite Elementary - Lakeshia Love
- Highlands Elementary School - Natalie Miller
- Highlands Middle School - Blakely Johnson-Lee
- Hogan-Spring Glen Elementary - Kimberly Gilmore-Bryant
- Holiday Hill Elementary - Danielle Hernandez
- Hyde Grove Elementary School - Mia Dughi
- Hyde Park Elementary - Jordan Swartz
- J. Allen Axson Montessori School - Robyne Dubberly
- J.E.B. Stuart Middle School - Jamel Dunn
- Jacksonville Beach Elementary - Lori Cheanvechai
- Jacksonville Heights Elementary - April McRae
- Jacksonville Youth Academy/Impact House - Tashaunda Lynch
- James Weldon Johnson - Charlotte Wintz
- Jean Ribault High School - Quenitra Sams
- Jean Ribault Middle School - Jamie Bailey
- Jefferson Davis Middle School - Lajuana Smith-Jones
- John E. Ford PK-8 English/Spanish Montessori - Staci Pendry
- John Stockton Elementary - Emma Johns
- Joseph Stilwell Military Academy of Leadership - Edward Grant
- Julia Landon College Preparatory and Leadership Development School - Mathew Schemer
- Kernan Middle School - Andrew Grindle
- Kernan Trail - Jill Snodgrass
- Kings Trail Elementary - Hailey Ellis
- KIPP Bessie Coleman Academy - Logan McNatt
- KIPP Impact Academy - Jalencia Singleton
- KIPP VOICE Academy - Ayana Wilkins
- Kirby-Smith Middle School - Cherie Montoya
- Lake Lucina Elementary - Kimberly Parker
- Lake Shore Middle School - Alicia Henderson
- Landmark Middle School - Andrew Ohmann
- LaVilla School of the Arts - Karen Sheard
- Lone Star Charter High School - Alexandra Kanioros
- Lone Star Elementary - Sara Cameron
- Long Branch Elementary School - Jill Fritz
- Loretto Elementary - Joan Vogt
- Louis Sheffield Elementary School - Alexis Bizzell
- Love Grove Elementary - Shannon McKinney
- Mamie Agnes Jones Elementary - Vicki Wall
- Mandarin High School - Jim Schmitt
- Mandarin Middle School - Kathy Stilley
- Mandarin Oaks Elementary - Margaret Rogero-Hastings
- Marine Science Education Center - Charles Carney
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School - Shyrell Brown
- Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School - Katie Kiefaber
- Mattie V. Rutherford Middle School Alternative Education - Alfreda Denson-Butler
- Mayport Coastal Sciences Elementary School - Maria McMahon
- Mayport Coastal Sciences Middle School - Donyale Garvey
- Merrill Road Elementary - Jeanette Mueller
- Mt. Herman Exceptional Student Center - Avery Vaughn
- Neptune Beach Elementary - Karly Heal
- New Berlin Elementary - Lauren Herrington
- Normandy Village Elementary School - Samantha Ulmer-Harris
- North Shore Elementary School - Kenya Mayhew
- Northwestern Legends Elementary School - Teva Monroe
- Oak Hill Academy - Demetria Johnson
- Oceanway Elementary School - Amy Elliott
- Oceanway School - Rebekkah Link
- Ortega Elementary - Maddie Ragland
- Palm Avenue Exceptional Student Center - Beverly Castro
- Parkwood Heights Elementary - Donna Poole
- Paxon School for Advanced Studies - Hannah Lakatos
- Pickett Elementary - Rebecca Lester
- Pine Estates Elementary School - Lindsay Williams
- Pine Forest School of the Arts - Michelle Lovelace
- Pinedale Elementary School - Melanie Mitchell
- R. V. Daniels Elementary - Terrence Sellars
- Ramona Boulevard Elementary School - Latina Brewer
- Reynolds Lane Elementary - Allison Warnock
- Richard Lewis Brown GIfted & Academically Talented Academy - Jameea Jackson-Gaines
- River City Science Academy - Jessie Crews
- River City Science Academy at Mandarin - Kerry Billingsley
- River City Science Academy Elementary - Nicole Spanbauer
- River City Science Academy Innovation - Erica Leatherbarrow
- Robert E. Lee High School - Lindsay Jones
- Rufus E. Payne Elementary School - Evelyn Garland
- Ruth N. Upson Elementary School - Sara Dean
- Rutledge H. Pearson Elementary - Melanie Jackson
- Sabal Palm Elementary - Maryjane Cassette
- Sadie T. Tillis Elementary School - Stephanie Scannapieco
- Sallye B. Mathis Elementary - Devin Moore
- Samuel A. Hull Elementary - Ayesha Hill
- Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies - Brandi Benga
- San Jose Elementary - Leah Teuschel
- San Jose Prep - Kari O’Connor
- San Jose Primary - Lisa Herring
- San Mateo Elementary - Erica Franklin
- San Pablo Elementary School - Heather Ledford
- Sandalwood High School - Emily Louis
- Seabreeze Elementary - Casey Kyne
- Smart Pope Livingston Elementary School - Laronya Finn
- Somerset Academy Eagle Campus - Sabrina Martinez
- Somerset Academy Eagle Campus - Karen Cleare
- Southside Estates Elementary School - Katy Lambert
- Southside Middle School - Nadine Ebri
- Spring Park Elementary - Chelsea Ragan
- Stanton College Preparatory School - Amanda Hohne
- Stonewall Jackson Elementary School - Leah O’Connor
- Susie E Tolbert Elementary - Ta’Nee Rogers
- The Bridge to Success Academy at West Jacksonville - Andrew Goldberg
- The Bridge to Success Academy at West Jacksonville (High) - Richanda Fudge
- The LEADERSHIP Academy - Takita Williams
- Tiger Academy - Jasmine Butler
- Timucuan Elementary - Erica Robinson
- Twin Lakes Academy Elementary - Anthony Catamas
- Twin Lakes Academy Middle School - Sequan Curry
- Venetia Elementary - Shannon Miller
- Waterleaf Elementary - Kimberly Vilagi
- Waverly Academy - Hailey Molloy
- Wayman Academy of the Arts - Juliette Hammonds
- West Riverside Elementary - Gabriella Solano
- Westside High School - Nicole Richmond
- Westview PreK-8 - Brittiany Smalls
- Whitehouse Elementary – Winner announced tomorrow
- William M. Raines High School - Shayla Baylock
- Windy Hill Elementary School - Sheila Cullum
- Woodland Acres Elementary - Tamara Halyard