ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A K-8 band director has been named St. Johns County Teacher of the Year.
Andrew Burk, band director at Valley Ridge Academy, was named as the Teacher of the Year among teacher finalists from St. Johns County last week. Kaitlyn Holle, a middle school science teacher at Mill Creek Academy, was named as this year’s Rookie Teacher of the Year.
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St. Johns County Superintendent Tim Forson spoke and congratulated Burk and Holle, along with accolades from local business leaders and recognition for all Teacher of the Year finalists.
Since 2017, Burk has been teaching sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade music classes beginning in South Florida, and in 2019, he started teaching the same grade levels in band at Valley Ridge Academy.
According to Burk, his proudest accomplishments outside of the classroom is being the co-founder of Collegiate Music Education Day at the Florida Capitol and advocacy for a legal provision in a large education bill that lists music as a core subject in Florida public schools. He has partnered with the Florida Music Education Association and worked with more than 20 house and senate offices while hosting the first-ever legislative advocacy event related to music education in the State of Florida.
As a music teacher, Burk’s philosophy is to focus on students working together, exerting effort, and making sacrifices as a team. He requires all students to help set up chairs and stands each morning, with responsibilities to move equipment, perform instrument maintenance, and organize paperwork for the band to emphasize personal ownership of the program. Burk assigns every student to perform three minutes throughout the year to present their favorite song to the band and to help build a caring, supportive band family. Burk teaches students that as individuals and through cooperation, they will benefit from their class experience as they work to provide value to the group.
“I am so proud to have played a role in educating students and music teachers in and beyond the classroom,” said Burk. “Within St. Johns County School district, I have taken on the role of leading the Professional Learning Community for middle school band directors where I guide
teachers during monthly band director meetings. We are currently planning the 2023 St. Johns County Honor Band,” he said. “Inside my classroom, I have hosted three college interns and directed them through a day in the life of a young middle school band director.”
As Teacher of the Year, Burk, who lives in Jacksonville, will be awarded a car to drive from Beaver Toyota and a $500 gift certificate from Staples. He also becomes the representative from St. Johns County in the State of Florida Teacher of the Year competition. Burk will begin a year-long professional development and leadership program with fellow Teachers of the Year from all 67 counties around the state. As Rookie Teacher of the Year, Holle will receive $500 from Equitable.
Additional Teacher of the Year finalists this year include Veronica Fuata, second-grade teacher at Cunningham Creek Elementary School; Robie Hagan, instructional literacy coach at Wards Creek Elementary School; Patricia McElhone, academic interventionist at St. Johns Virtual School; and Sharon Warwell-Murden, fifth-grade teacher at R.B. Hunt Elementary School. The countywide awards program commemorates recipients as local scholastic leaders who help to build community awareness of the region’s best educators.
