More than 175 teachers selected as nominees for 2022 VyStar Teacher of the Year

The release below is from the Jacksonville Public Education Fund and is being republished with their permission

Oct. 15, 2021 — The Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF) is proud to announce the Teachers of the Year in public schools across Duval County, after principals nominated more than 175 outstanding educators for the district’s top teaching honor of 2022 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year.

The school winners will go on to be considered as semi-finalists and finalists for the county’s top teaching honor and they will be invited to apply for JPEF’s Teacher Leadership Initiative, a professional learning community that connects teacher leaders with best practices in equity and school quality, to drive measurable improvements in their schools. JPEF would like to thank VyStar Credit Union, the largest credit union headquartered in Northeast Florida, for their investment in the recognition of exemplary Duval County educators.

JPEF is proud to host the EDDY Awards on January 22, 2022. The event will take place as an evening gala and an hourlong TV Special, the EDDY Awards: Live from Jacksonville! Through a partnership with Channel 4/The Local Station, News4Jax Morning Show anchor Melanie Lawson will take audiences live to the event where the winner of the top honor will be announced as school communities tune in to watch across the county.

“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,” said JPEF President Rachael Tutwiler Fortune. “We are also so proud to support them through a professional learning community as they take on new challenges.”

Through the Teacher Leadership Initiative, JPEF will offer Teachers of the Year an unparalleled learning opportunity with other leading teachers across the county. Teachers will be able to choose an area of study and learn from leading education experts, including from partner organizations such as the University of North Florida College of Education and Human Services, and Restore More. Then, they will engage in cohorts with teacher leader coaches who were selected to facilitate learning through a rigorous application process. Over the year, they will work on action research projects in their schools to make a lasting impact on equity and school quality.

School-level Teachers of the Year will be eligible to apply for the county-wide honor of 2022 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year. The winner of the Duval County title will go on to compete for the state-wide Florida Teacher of the Year.

Contact Betsy Penisten, Associate of Communications and Development, at (319) 270-0739 or [email protected] for more information.

LIST OF SCHOOL-LEVEL TEACHERS OF THE YEAR (ALPHABETICAL BY SCHOOL NAME)

SchoolFirst NameLast Name
A. Philip Randolph Career AcademiesCaronSchellenger
Abess Park ElementaryMistyFleming
Alden Road ElementaryGeorgeNye
Alfred I DuPont MiddleAmberHodges
Alimacani ElementaryAshleyHollingsworth
Anchor AcademyCameronMorris
Andrew Jackson HighSabrinaStargill
Andrew Robinson ElementaryValerieJackson
Annie R Morgan ElementaryRebeccaBrayley
Arlington ElementarySaraBowles
Arlington Heights ElementaryAbacaDowling
Arlington MiddleStephanieJenkins
Atlantic Beach ElementaryKaraHooker
Atlantic Coast HighCrystalWilkening
Baldwin Middle-Senior HighMichaelTakach
Bartram Springs ElementaryJenniferRogers
Bayview ElementaryJenaeRentrope
Beauclerc ElementaryFallonLundy
Biltmore ElementaryCortneyLee
Biscayne ElementaryShakeyaLee
Biscayne MYcroschoolLawrenceNelson
Bridge Prep Charter SchoolBreterricaWhite
Bridge To Success HighCharmelitaRoyster
Bridge To Success MiddleKimberlyGodwin
Brookview ElementaryJulieMcAvity
Cedar Hills ElementaryYolandaGarner
Central Riverside ElementaryPennyMendez
Chaffee Trail ElementaryFayeHunt
Charger AcademyArnoldBulanadi
Chets Creek ElementaryTeresaLehane
Chimney Lakes ElementaryJessicaFinocchiaro
Crown Point ElementaryAmandaHildenbrand
Crystal Springs ElementaryJazmynePonds
Darnell Cookman School of the Medical ArtsTBATBA
Dinsmore ElementaryAscensionOsorio
Don Brewer ElementaryMichelleRouse
Douglas Anderson School of the ArtsShanekaFerrell
Duncan U. Fletcher HighJamesAllen
Duncan U. Fletcher MiddleKimberlyPierce
Duval Charter at MandarinFranGarica Lanz
Duval Charter at SouthsideLisaChesney
Duval MYcroSchoolAnneRichoux
Duval Virtual Instruction AcademyKaraCecil
Edward H. White HighHolleeMitchell
Englewood ElementaryLordslienneExantus
Englewood HighKatieLovell
Enterprise Learning AcademyAprilMoore
First Coast HighAntonioBellamy
Fishweir ElementaryReneeMunoz
Fort Caroline ElementaryTrudyLe
Fort Caroline MiddleAmberLettsome
Frank H. Peterson AcademiesNancyYazdiya
Garden City ElementaryCortinaFloyd
George Washington Carver ElementaryWashetteBudwah-Carter
Global Outreach AcademyTBD 
Grand Park ElementaryLakitaHutchinson
GRASP AcademyRobinPierce
Greenfield ElementaryElizabethJenkins
Greenland Pines ElementaryMirandaMurdock
Gregory Drive ElementaryEdwardSauk
Hendricks Avenue ElementaryAntwiwaHyman
Henry F. Kite ElementaryJillWithrow
Hidden Oaks ElementaryChanteCaines
Highlands ElementaryAshantiTaylor
Highlands MiddleDorcusEthridge
Hogan-Spring Glen ElementaryVedaBlanche
Holiday Hill ElementaryLindsayDennis
Hospital HomeboundWilliamWhite
Hyde Grove ElementaryStephanieHamm
Hyde Park ElementaryJakesiaFelton
J. Allen Axson MontessoriMaggieFickling
Jacksonville Beach ElementaryJenniferDeSantis
Jacksonville Classical AcademyJenniferMills
Jacksonville Heights ElementaryJeremyGreene
James Weldon Johnson College PreparatoryLatashaLawrence
Jean Ribault HighCharlesMagdaluyo
Jean Ribault MiddleRosandraOrtiz-Langner
John E. Ford ElementaryMelniquaJohnson
John Love Early Learning CenterJanetBrooks
John Stockton ElementarySarahSmith
Joseph Stilwell Military AcademyCleonEdwards
Julia Landon College Preparatory & Leadership DevelopmentCarrieRobinson
Kernan MiddleIsabellaAraujo
Kernan Trail ElementaryAbigailHorton
Kings Trail ElementaryAllisonStaves
KIPP Bessie Coleman AcademyJalisaRocker
KIPP Impact AcademyTiffanyReid
KIPP Jacksonville VOICEReginaEdwards
Lake Lucina ElementaryMary LynnGeier
Lake Shore MiddleShawnPecott
Landmark MiddleSarahSkinner
LaVilla School of the ArtsKoriWithers
Lone Star ElementaryRobinWilliams-Bivins
Lone Star MyCroschoolMarilynFree
Long Branch ElementaryGenniferWilliams
Loretto ElementarySamanthaFox
Louis S. Sheffield ElementaryAmyFinnila
Love Grove ElementaryJoannieDescardes
Mamie Agnes Jones ElementaryChariseJackson
Mandarin HighDawnHolcomb
Mandarin MiddleLindsaySchaeffer
Mandarin Oaks ElementaryCandiceLilly
Martin Luther King, Jr. ElementaryTiffanyHarris
Matthew W. Gilbert MiddleChassidiJenkins
Mattie V. Rutherford Alt Ed CenterYolandaDavis
Mayport ElementaryRachelPittman
Mayport MiddleDebraSkipper
Merrill Road ElementaryElizabethVandeweerd
Mt. Herman ESE CenterMary RoseBulanadi
Neptune Beach ElementaryAmyAllen
New Berlin ElementaryAmyLallement
Normandy Village ElementaryLizaPereles
North Shore ElementarySharkenaBrooks
Northwestern Legends ElementaryKevinDunbar
Oak Hill ElementaryPeytonEnfinger
Oceanway ElementaryJaclynGallagher
Oceanway MiddleStacieGill
Ortega ElementaryRobinNelson
Palm Avenue Exceptional Student CenterMarcusGreen
Parkwood Heights ElementaryShakevaPalmer
Paxon School for Advanced StudiesHolliHiltbrand
Pickett ElementaryAmyGrissinger
Pine Estates ElementaryPrincessPedro
Pine Forest ElementaryMichelleMoser-Herkel
Pinedale ElementaryAliciaMatthew
R. L. Brown Gifted & Talented AcademyKelseyRodgers
R. V. Daniels ElementaryJantezAdams
Ramona Boulevard ElementaryGinnaTucker
Reynolds Lane ElementarySarahNorton
River City Science Academy at MandarinNicoleHollis
River City Science Academy ElementaryDeryaTozoglu
River City Science Academy InnovationAlisonLorimier
River City Science Academy Middle/HighJamieAzar
Riverside HighReginaldBenyard
Rufus E. Payne ElementaryLojonaHarris
Ruth N. Upson ElementaryMargaretTimm
Rutledge H. Pearson ElementaryNadineWarren-Nicholson
S.A. Hull ElementaryReginaBryant
Sabal Palm ElementaryNicholasNelson
Sadie T. Tillis ElementaryLeayraMervin
Sallye B. Mathis ElementaryAshleyBrass-Karran
Samuel W. Wolfson HighRonaldDavis
San Jose ElementaryMeaghanCahill
San Jose PreparatoryDeniseWinkler
San Jose Primary SchoolRebeccaBlenker
San Mateo ElementaryMelaniePoag
San Pablo ElementaryMariahGilbert
Sandalwood HighRobertDoty
Seabreeze ElementaryLynseyRuffell
Seaside Community Charter – San JosePaigeFridkis
Smart Pope Livingston ElementaryHilaryFoster
Somerset Academy Eagle CampusYolandaDavis
Somerset Academy ElementaryMarciaNaber
Southside Estates ElementaryMarissaBingham
Southside MiddleKristieWilliams
Spring Park ElementaryAnitaHammett
Springfield MiddleElviaFranco
Stanton College PreparatoryAmyJohns
Susie E. Tolbert ElementaryElanaHolland
Terry Parker HighDeborahKootsouradis
Thomas Jefferson ElementaryAshleyGalligher
Tiger AcademyMelissaDavis
Timucuan ElementaryMelissaGuns
Twin Lakes Academy ElementaryBethBradley
Twin Lakes Academy MiddleChristinaTalbot
Venetia ElementaryKelleyGast
Waterleaf ElementaryMaryGajnos
Waverly AcademyEricaNewton
Wayman Academy of the ArtsTonyBunion
West Riverside ElementaryIleanaGelinek
Westside MiddleShaylaMiddleton
Westside HighDanielFlint
Westview PK-8PaulOrfield
Whitehouse ElementaryJamesGarren
William M. Raines HighKurondeWashington
Windy Hill ElementaryMattricaKennedy
Woodland Acres ElementaryAlexandriaFarmand
Young Men’s/Women’s Leadership Academy at Eugene J. ButlerWendyCox
Youth Development Programs/Duval Detention CenterTamesheaWakefield

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