2024 Stellar Awards Program

February 2, 2024 Rosen Shingle Creek

Dear Stellar Award honorees and guests: Welcome to the 2024 Stellar Awards!

I am thrilled to celebrate alongside you as we recognize more than 500 stellar members of our Orange County Public Schools family this evening.

The OCPS Stellar Awards honors outstanding educators and district and school support personnel who exemplify the standards we strive for in supporting all our students.

Your unwavering support of our schoolchildren and belief in public education is why we are able to change lives and lead our students to success. As a school district, we provide our nearly 208,000 students with the tools they need to walk across the stage to receive their diploma and continue their education after they graduate from high school.

Please use this recognition as a springboard to expand on your ideas to lead and mentor others at OCPS. Congratulations again to our 2024 Stellar Awards honorees, finalists and soon to-be-named winners. We cannot succeed without your hard work and dedication to OCPS and our students.

Tonight is your night to shine!

Sincerely,

Maria F. Vazquez, Ed.D. Superintendent Orange County Public Schools

School Board of Orange County

Teresa Jacobs Chair

Angie Gallo Vice Chair | District 1

Maria Salamanca District 2

Alicia Farrant District 3

Pam Gould District 4

Vicki-Elaine Felder District 5

Karen Castor Dentel District 6

Melissa Byrd District 7

Orange County Public Schools Cabinet Michael Armbruster Deputy Superintendent, Division of Learning Bridget Williams Deputy Superintendent, Executive Services Robert Bixler Chief of Staff Rory Salimbene Chief Facilities Officer

Scott Howat Chief Communications Officer

Tashanda Brown-Cannon Chief Academic Officer

Doreen Concolino Chief Financial Officer

Harold Border Division of Strategy

Roberto Pacheco Chief Operations Officer

Amy Envall General Counsel

Maurice Draggon Chief Information Officer

John Palmerini Deputy General Counsel

Kathryn Shuler Chief Schools Officer

Ceremony Program PROCESSION OF STELLAR AWARD HONOREES Led by Windermere High School Winter Guard

WELCOME REMARKS Nancy Alvarez, WESH 2 News anchor and co-host of Mondays with Maria

DINNER SERVICE Music performance by the Dr. Phillips High Jazz Quartet

HONOREE AND FINALIST RECOGNITIONS AND WINNER ANNOUNCEMENTS Remarks by Chair Teresa Jacobs and Superintendent Maria Vazquez Spoken-word performance by Cypress Creek High School Theatre Program 2023-2024 Principal of the Year 2023-2024 Assistant Principal of the Year 2023-2024 Support Person of the Year 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year

A Special Thank You MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES NANCY ALVAREZ We are honored and grateful to once again have Nancy Alvarez as a part of the Stellar Awards! This year marks her sixth consecutive year of serving as the Stellar Awards’ mistress of ceremonies.

Nancy and her husband Chris are Orlando residents and proud OCPS parents with a daughter at Hillcrest Elementary and son at Howard Middle.

Nancy has always gone the extra mile to support OCPS by serving as PTA President at Hillcrest Elementary from 2020 to 2023, supporting the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools, hosting the annual OCPS Super Scholars event, and co-hosting Mondays with Maria, Superintendent Maria Vazquez’s weekly YouTube program.

Nancy is a news anchor with Central Florida’s NBC affiliate WESH Channel 2. She was previously an anchor and reporter at WFTV Channel 9 for 11 years and the senior vice president of Community Relations and Equity Impact at Heart of Florida United Way. Thank you, Nancy, for all you do to support Orange County Public Schools!

We would like to thank our Host Sponsor, Rosen Shingle Creek Orlando, and the following individuals who have contributed to tonight’s event: Kris Kahn Cypress Creek High Robert Strenth 2022-2023 Principal of the Year

Matthew Malhiot Dr. Phillips High

John Miller 2022-2023 Assistant Principal of the Year

Marc Kolodinsky Windermere High

Alex Rodriguez 2022-2023 Support Person of the Year

Francisco Cardoza 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year

P R I N C I PA L O Becky Watson East River High

OCPS alumna Becky Watson’s educational path shaped her life and career. “I did everything the hard way as a student. Neither one of my parents graduated from high school so it was really important to me to break that cycle,” said the East River High principal.

“I had a teacher in high school who was incredibly supportive. Every time I tried to give up, every time I tried to do things that would keep me from finishing high school, she refused.” That educator inspired her to become a teacher. Becky leads by example, from doing pushups in the Red Zone on Friday nights to playing UNO with students at lunch.

She makes employees and students feel loved and supported by attending many events, even out of town. Becky’s schools show vast reductions in staff turnover and have a positive climate.

Melanie Simmons Rock Lake Elementary

Melanie Simmons is known for helping struggling schools achieve their potential. Most recently, she helped move Rock Lake Elementary from a D to a B and an unofficial A in 20222023 by removing student barriers and building staff capacity. “I believe that it is my role to ensure that each teacher is treated as the person that they came in to be, to pull from them all of the greatness that lies within them, even if they don’t see that greatness,” she said. She is inspired when she sees her teachers grow in their teaching skills and when she sees children grow in self-confidence. A major focus of her work has been building school culture and empowering teachers.

She has also added fine arts and science to Rock Lake, resulting in better engagement and student performance.

OF THE YEAR Lyle Heinz

Apopka High

William Tovine BETA

Alyson Muse

Castle Creek Elementary

Jackie Ramsey Dr. Phillips High

Becky Watson East River High

Monica Emery Gotha Middle

Lindsey Smestad Sadler Elementary

Lindsey Smestad is a passionate principal who has made Sadler Elementary a place of joy for students and teachers. Sadler is the district elementary school with the highest percentage of English Language Learners, who hail from 20 countries and speak eight different languages.

“Embracing the different cultures and the uniqueness that everyone brings, I think that helps build a community, which then lends itself to collaboration,” she said. Lindsey has created a safe and inclusive learning environment for students and a supportive, collaborative workplace for teachers and staff. “Our staff goes above and beyond all of the time, and it’s all for our students,” she said. She has led Sadler Elementary to its highest school grade since the Florida Standards Assessment began in 2015.

Her staff is united behind her in their goal of creating lifelong learners.

Elizabeth Theis

Hospital Homebound

Mark Wieckowski Killarney Elementary

Nathan Hay

Lake Silver Elementary

Meigan Rivera

Lake Weston Elementary

Pamela Crabb

Lake Whitney Elementary

Karl Fox

Lakemont Elementary

Fredrick Brooks

Orange Center Elementary

Faythia Brown-Carpenter Palmetto Elementary

Melanie Simmons

Rock Lake Elementary

Lindsey Smestad Sadler Elementary

Delaine Bender

Summerlake Elementary

Amy McHale

SunRidge Middle

Isolda Antonio Fisher Union Park Middle

Danielle Arbelaez-Willis Waterford Elementary

Matthew Pritts

Wedgefield School

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ASSISTANT PRINC Adriene Anderson Pineloch Elementary

Since starting out as a substitute teacher 20 years ago, Adriene Anderson has been drawn to leading and encouraging students. This past year, she was part of a team at Pineloch Elementary that helped ensure fifth graders all had outfits for their class dance. She described seeing one student all dressed up: “Looking in the mirror, looking at himself, realizing that I am someone and someone believes in me…it made a difference. And I was just excited to be a part of that difference-making in his life.”

Adriene focuses on making effective academic improvements, especially in the areas of math and science. At Ivey Lane Elementary, she helped launch the Mini Black Nurses Program, the first of its kind in the district. One of Adriene’s strengths has been in engaging families and community partners to supercharge learning.

Charisse Hurdle

Rolling Hills Elementary

While at both Rolling Hills Elementary and in her previous role as assistant principal at Riverside Elementary, Charisse Hurdle has focused on improving teaching. A former juvenile probation officer, Charisse said she noticed “a troubling correlation between a lack of education and young children’s involvement in the juvenile justice system.

I knew that in order to break that cycle, I would need to provide a safe space for students to learn, build relationships with adults, and feel like their unique skills and abilities are accepted.” She has demonstrated leadership skills and an ability to help transform low-performing, fragile schools. At Riverside, she had a key role in the school’s increase from a low D to a high C. She also volunteers her time developing future leaders in an after-school mentoring program for her school’s fifth-grade girls.

CIPAL OF THE YEAR Kanishia West Apopka High

Danielle Brancato

Baldwin Park Elementary

Ashley Glover

Citrus Elementary

Eboni Montenegro

Dover Shores Elementary

Chastity Pelham Jones High

Ima McCray

Juvenile Detention Center

Bridget Bresk Windermere High

In nearly 20 years as an administrator, Bridget Bresk has been guided by the philosophy that every student is valued.

When she helped open Lake Buena Vista High as assistant principal, she conducted home visits to welcome students. “We entered with this idea that there’s a place for you here,” she said.

When the school opened, she brought counselors out to find students who weren’t seeking help. With an intense focus on helping individual students by partnering with families and counselors, she helped the school achieve a 93% graduation rate. “When you see your kids out there afterwards, and you hear what they’re doing, it just makes it that much more amazing that you knew you were a part of it. You push them to where they need to be.”

Alisa Hambrick

Lake Como School

Carmen Dottavio

Lake George Elementary

Cristina Mrozek

Lakeville Elementary

Wendy Lee

Magnolia School

Vaughnsha Thompson Maitland Middle

LaQuanda Fedrick

Mollie Ray Elementary

Adriene Anderson Pineloch Elementary

Autherene Leighvard Pinewood Elementary

Charisse Hurdle

Rolling Hills Elementary

Rebecca Young

Rosemont Elementary

Holly Watts

Sally Ride Elementary

Faye Roman

Stonewyck Elementary

Kimberly Allen Jackson Walker Middle

Emilio Vitulli

Westridge Middle

Bridget Bresk

Windermere High

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All Cigna Healthcare products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of The Cigna Group. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. 960227 a 12/23 © 2023 Cigna Healthcare. Some content provided under license.

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SUPPORT PERS Andrea Teixeira da Silveira Endeavor Elementary

Proficient in Portuguese and English, Andrea Teixeira da Silveira is a bridge narrowing the language barrier between English Language Learners and their teachers at Endeavor Elementary. “I work with students who don’t speak English so my biggest reward is to be able to see these students participate for the first time inside the classroom and to be able to witness how much confidence they gain.” She was inspired to become a paraprofessional after seeing her daughter’s experiences as an English Language Learner in school.

An acknowledged leader at school, Andrea helps plan multicultural events and assists in the cafeteria as well as with arrival and dismissal. She also works to increase both parental involvement and support for English Language Learners. “I care about public education because public education is the foundation of a fair and equitable society,” she said.

Rina Santiago Evans High

Besides managing finances as the external bookkeeper at Evans High, Rina Santiago is a compassionate advocate for students. She encourages youth overcoming personal obstacles to succeed academically. She has become indispensable, consulting daily with multiple colleagues to see how she can best assist. Rina also goes the extra mile to reduce truancy by conducting weekly home visits and calling parents. Last year, Rina and fellow staff members visited more than 1,500 families and made 1,000 phone calls. “We go knocking on their doors and we tell the parents how grateful we are that their kid is at our school,” she said. “Parents even say, ‘Oh my God, you took the time to come here and tell us that.’

And we leave with their parents being so excited.” As a result, Evans High saw an 87% improvement in attendance and/or grades among struggling students.

ON O F TH E YEAR Tatiana Cozzo

Tara Quintal

Bonnie Kelly

Hunter’s Creek Middle

ITS Southeast Region

Union Park Elementary

Tatiana Cozzo’s heart belongs to the students of Hunter’s Creek Middle. She started out as a Portuguese-speaking bilingual paraprofessional helping students acquire English language skills about 2 ½ years ago and even as she has transitioned to her current role as the school’s secretary, she has continued to provide emotional support and serve as a “safe adult” for students. “Hunter’s Creek has this culture that the student comes first, always,” she said. “So we are all there for the students – from the custodians to the secretary to the front office.”

Described as the foundation of the school, Tatiana is now studying to become a school counselor. She helps parents, particularly those in the Brazilian community, learn how to volunteer and navigate OCPS. “People struggle a lot when they come here to understand the school system,” Tatiana said. “So I love being the connection between the parents of the school.”

Senior Technology Support Representative Tara Quintal takes pride in ensuring our school district’s IT systems work properly.

“There are so many different roles here. That’s what gets me excited about going to work - going to see what they’re doing and making sure that they can do what they need to do,” she said.

“When people are frustrated with their technology, I love being the person who can walk in and make it better for them.” In addition to schools and departments, she supports the Assistive Technology team. She helps students learn as independently as possible, such as a blind student who uses software to compose music and another who attends classes through the use of a robotic device. Highly effective and empathetic, Tara is frequently requested by schools and work sites. She is a leader among her peers.

For more than nine years, Bonnie Kelly has ensured the well-being of Union Park Elementary students as program assistant in the health clinic. “If you have a student that needs something – let’s say their lips are chapped or they’re hungry – it’s hard for them to sit in a classroom and focus,” she said. “So if I can take care of that and send them back to the classroom ready to learn, that’s what makes me happy.” But her impact extends far beyond student health. Bonnie is the glue that holds the school together.

Recognizing that students’ basic needs must be met for them to succeed in the classroom, she reached out to Operation Warm, which provided every student with brand-new winter coats and shoes.

She also organizes food donations, plans staff morale events and works to strengthen relationships with committed Union Park Elementary community partners.

SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR HONOREES Gloria Corredor Acceleration East

Cynthia Perez Blankner School

Heidi Santiago Perez Colonial High

Joanna Rafiq Dr. Phillips Elementary

Leah Fambrough Acceleration West

Lynaida Berrios Capo Bonneville Elementary

Patricia Gonzalez Colonial 9th Grade Center

Debbie Hobbs Dr. Phillips High

Sarah Giesler Aloma Elementary

Jamie Longmire Boone High

Mary Ann Mann Columbia Elementary

Shelia Colon Cancela Dream Lake Elementary

Ladaisha Dawkins Alternative Education

Jaime Villanueva Bridgewater Middle

Grisellys Lopez Aponte Conway Elementary

Beatrice Villanueva Eagle Creek Elementary

Michelle Gonzalez Andover Elementary

Gabriella Suarez Brookshire Elementary

Nelida Colina Conway Middle

Andrea Miranda Eagle’s Nest Elementary

Marilyn Sims Apopka Elementary

Exor F. Torres Camelot Elementary

Erica Reese Corner Lake Middle

Charles Thew II East Lake Elementary

Milagros Cevallos Apopka High

Jennifier Collier Carver Middle

Kacie Hough East River High

Evangelina Gardon Apopka Memorial Middle

Wanda Orellano Castle Creek Elementary

Yanisi Franco Curriculum and Digital Learning

Linda Kuhl Arbor Ridge K-8

Ivan Gaines Castleview Elementary

Lydia Hobbs Audubon Park School

Rita Young Catalina Elementary

Ivonne Olmeda Avalon Elementary

Eileen Strickland Chain of Lakes Middle

Carolina Lopez Avalon Middle

Joshua Arroyo Cheney Elementary

Haydenisse “Heidy” Heredia Azalea Park Elementary

Johana Carrillo Oriquin Chickasaw Elementary

Angela Gallego Baldwin Park Elementary

Alyce Young Citrus Elementary

Suzanne Fagan Bay Lake Elementary

Christine Muchow Clay Springs Elementary

Douglas Highfield Bay Meadows Elementary

Claudia Taylor College Park Middle

Jesus Marrero Cypress Creek High Tammie Hall Cypress Springs Elementary Dawn Azzarito Deerwood Elementary Chris McGee, Jr. Dillard Street Elementary Schenika Cooke Discovery Middle Demond Murphy District Police Kimberly Musante Dommerich Elementary Jessica Nunez Dover Shores Elementary

Julius Miles Eccleston Elementary William Stratton Edgewater High Andrea Teixeira da Silveira Endeavor Elementary Sheynid Rojas Engelwood Elementary Dorshea Redhead ESE Policy & Procedures Jill Woodham ESE Special Programs Melanie Thorner ESE Supplemental Services Dalondis Braunskill ESE Transition Karla Buckles ESTEEM Academy

SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR HONOREES Rina Santiago Evans High

Johnny Lai Horizon High

Tara Quintal ITS Southeast Region

Antoinette Dolvin Lake Weston Elementary

Jon Belanger Facilities Service Maintenance

Danielle Gutierrez Horizon West Middle

Angelo Levrano ITS Southwest Region

Sahra Musa Lake Whitney Elementary

Rhonda Judd Hospital Homebound

Shaqunna Morris Ivey Lane Elementary

Alex Cruz Colon Lakemont Elementary

Denise Sevigny Howard Middle

Gisela Soto John Young Elementary

Maria D. Santiago Lakeview Middle

Abraham Dossiere Human Resources

Latrina Wilcox-Hill Jones High

Shannese Anderson Lakeville Elementary

Alicia Haynes Hungerford Elementary

Maridith D’Amico Keene’s Crossing Elementary

Wisguy Joseph Lancaster Elementary

Lianna Robles Hunter’s Creek Elementary

Stephane Paul Kelly Park School

Gladys Fitzherbert Laureate Park Elementary

Tatiana Cozzo Hunter’s Creek Middle

Rosanna Rocha Killarney Elementary

Sabrina De Jesus Lawton Chiles Elementary

Marien Ortega Independence Elementary

Jacinda Rodriguez Lake Buena Vista High

Diego Gonzalez Escobar Legacy Middle

Michelle Pacheco Innovation Middle

Kayla Vazquez Lake Como School

Mariluz Richiez Liberty Middle

Ivette Rivera Ferrufino ITS Business Office

Yolanda Martinez Lake Gem Elementary

Jacqueline Arnaiz Little River Elementary

Jessica Ledesma Mestre ITS Customer Care

Elizabeth Tamayo Lake George Elementary

Branden Montalvo Lockhart Elementary

Vincent Boothe ITS East Region

Lisa Wilcox Lake Nona High

Keliah Peterson Lockhart Middle

Michael Claud ITS Infrastructure

Virginia Weil Lake Nona Middle

Alicia Mellano Lovell Elementary

Efrain Vazquez ITS Network

Jolene West Lake Silver Elementary

Charles Benedetti Magnolia School

Robert Harvey ITS North Region

Ligia Martinez Lake Sybelia Elementary

Chester Wharton Maintenance Logistics

Keila Garcia Food and Nutrition Services Leiam Diaz Forsyth Woods Elementary Abbycee Williams Frangus Elementary Robert Caraballo Freedom High Estevan Torres Freedom Middle Dorothy Rowden Glenridge Middle Cindy Jones Gotha Middle Loan Ngo Grounds, Landscaping & Pest Control Roxana Ramirez Hamlin Elementary James Rodriguez Hamlin Middle Jose Cruz Hiawassee Elementary Nicole Kyhos Hidden Oaks Elementary Nayira Ortega Hillcrest Elementary

SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR HONOREES Paul Merizalde Chavez Maitland Middle

Judith Hamilton Oak Ridge High

Sanopeia Stevenson-Smith Maxey Elementary

Keysha Sepulveda Rodriguez Oakshire Elementary

Laurimar Hernandez McCoy Elementary Mayra De Jesus Meadow Woods Elementary Nelson Maldonado Meadow Woods Middle Sara Johnson Meadowbrook Middle Marie A. Brown Memorial Middle Taz Zamjahn MetroWest Elementary Ciara Collado Millennia Elementary Rubin Fairo Millennia Gardens Elementary Netisha Thornelant Mollie Ray Elementary Elena Barahona Moss Park Elementary Serena Virzi NorthLake Park Community School Ingried Carattini Northwest Area Maintenance Cora Curry Oak Hill Elementary

Racha Bawab Orange Technical College West Campus

Brittney Oliver Princeton Elementary

Laura Hirata Orlando Gifted Academy

Gledys Galban-Carrion Professional Learning Department

Ruby Ingram Ocoee Elementary

Martha Cross-Alta Orlo Vista Elementary

Tralaynia Gibbs Ridgewood Park Elementary

Kimberly Tersegno Ocoee High

Maria Laura De Mello Kotscho Palm Lake Elementary

Tammy Elliott Risk Management

Annette Ruth Ocoee Middle

Ivonne Le Hardy Palmetto Elementary

Marisol Velasquez Rodriguez Riverdale Elementary

Ed Love Panther Lake Elementary

Tiffany Theophile Riverside Elementary

Robert Robinson Odyssey Middle

Victoria Kline Pershing School

Anacelia Andrews Roberto Clemente Middle

Jai Baijnauth Olympia High

Virgil Reddick III Phillis Wheatley Elementary

Thomas Lugo Robinswood Middle

Kiyada Moton Orange Center Elementary

Julie McNair Piedmont Lakes Middle

Errol A. Austin, Jr. Rock Lake Elementary

Ana Lugo Orange County Virtual

Florence Balarinho Pinar Elementary

Denise Hoffstead Rock Springs Elementary

Milagros Dominquez Orange Technical College Avalon Campus

LaToya Beauford Pine Hills Elementary

Fanta Smith Rolling Hills Elementary

Karla Rentas Diaz Pineloch Elementary

Paul James Rosemont Elementary

Lucila Rosado Pinewood Elementary

Maria Flores Sadler Elementary

Nataly Gallego Orange Technical College Main Campus

Yolanda Irizarry Positive Pathways Transition Center

Yahaira McCullough Sally Ride Elementary

Magaly Rivera Orange Technical College South Campus

Melissa Chinelly Prairie Lake Elementary

Mervyn Samuels OCPS Academic Center for Excellence

Margarita Carrion Hernandez Orange Technical College East Campus

Nicole Escobar Ortiz Sand Lake Elementary

SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR HONOREES Megan Lovett Shenandoah Elementary

Ana Miranda Camacho Sunshine Elementary

Jean Bellamour Shingle Creek Elementary

Elizabeth Lockey Tangelo Park Elementary

Jaquan Williams Silver Pines Academy

Kiara Lee Thornebrooke Elementary

Yvonne Rosado South Area Maintenance

Odalys Gomez Three Points Elementary

Zenaida Arguelles South Creek Middle

Frank Bresk Tildenville Elementary

Fabiola Turriago Southwest Middle

Janette Martinez Timber Creek High

Margarita Rodriguez Southwood Elementary

Geralynn Esposito Timber Lakes Elementary

Maria Guillen Spring Lake Elementary

Janira Arroyo Timber Springs Middle

Robin Sarber Stone Lakes Elementary

Bonnie Kelly Union Park Elementary

Jennifer Walker Stonewyck Elementary

Carrie Walker Union Park Middle

Janet White Summerlake Elementary

Christina Larsen University High

Karen Czarniecki Sun Blaze Elementary

Cindy Arias Ventura Elementary

Elizabeth Arendt SunRidge Elementary

Jose Huertas Village Park Elementary

Emily Hart SunRidge Middle

Magaly Escobar Vista Lakes Elementary

Jair Garces Sunrise Elementary

Rebeca Escalona Vista Pointe Elementary

Asmaa Elhadad Sunset Park Elementary

Luz Ramos Walker Middle

Buffy Harp-Poole Washington Shores Elementary LaShameka Jones Washington Shores Primary Learning Center Beth Ruby Water Spring Elementary Alicia Nellans Water Spring Middle Robecca Brooks Waterbridge Elementary Evelyn Rodriguez Waterford Elementary Laura Pacheco Lopez Wedgefield School Jessica Lefkowitz Wekiva High Noemi Nieves West Creek Elementary Donna Quintana West Oaks Elementary Rajh Brijbasu West Orange High Dee Rochon Westbrooke Elementary Taz Zamjahn Westpointe Elementary Cathy Hewes Westridge Middle Maria Cuevas Wetherbee Elementary

Connsuela Feeney Whispering Oak Elementary Lisa Coultoff Windermere Elementary Karen Ramirez Toro Windermere High Priscila De Freitas Windy Ridge K-8 Yodiliz Zavala Morales Winegard Elementary Lula Cannon Winter Park High Angela Barton Winter Park 9th Grade Center Gene Nobles Wolf Lake Elementary Daniela Viridiana Villeda Camacho Wolf Lake Middle Stephanie Melendez Mendez Wyndham Lakes Elementary Angela Smith Zellwood Elementary

TEACHER O Deborah Parsons

Kathryn Gunter

Deborah Parsons has created a loving and accepting environment in her K-5 music classroom. “One of my core beliefs as a music educator is that music is for everybody,” she said. For three years, she has put together an ESE Inclusion concert, with support roles played by Lake Silver Elementary gifted students and those in her before- and afterschool music enrichment group.

“It was lovely to see those kids get to be on stage in the spotlight, and everybody else got to cheer for them,” she added. She works with the middle- and high-school music teachers in the school’s feeder pattern to connect through music and build each other’s programs. Deborah is involved in organizing seasonal celebrations, cultural performances and a collaborative mural. She is also chair of the committee that runs the Elementary All-County Honors Concert, one of OCPS’ largest AllCounty events.

Media Specialist Kathryn Gunter has made the Media Center the heart of Lovell Elementary by creating a vibrant and evolving library program. Under her management, book circulation has increased, and the library has grown into a place for research, academic centers, Makerspace, STEM and more. She aims to help younger students learn through play. Her older students learn through projects based on topics such as national parks. “It’s all about, for me, those moments where I know kids have learned something new and they’re excited about it. You see the passion in their eyes and they want to come to school because of that,” she said.

She leads student groups, including Safety Patrol, National Elementary Honor Society, student council and book, journalism and STEM clubs.

She also runs an academic-tutoring program that supports at-risk students.

Lake Silver Elementary

Lovell Elementary

F THE YEAR Jacqueline Russell

Sara Hudson

Vanessa McMillion

Meadowbrook Middle

Prairie Lake Elementary

Washington Shores Elementary

A teacher leader with 15 years of experience, Jacqueline Russell’s innovative teaching methods and her stimulating and inclusive sixthgrade math-classroom environment light a fire in the souls of many Meadowbrook Middle students.

“Math became something that I really wanted to teach these students because I struggled with it. So I want to give it to them in a way that they wouldn’t struggle, that they wouldn’t be stressed about it,” she said. That includes using rap music to help students learn the steps to problems. Beyond the classroom, she initiated the “Young Girls on the Move” mentoring program and supports colleagues in delivering quality math instruction. “We protect students, we support them. We encourage them, we inspire them. We build character.

We love them. We nurse them. We do so much for our students because we love what we do.

I love what I do.”

Sara Hudson creates a welcoming environment in and beyond her fifth-grade English Language Arts classroom at Prairie Lake Elementary. In her 11 years as a teacher, she has developed deep relationships with students and families that last. “In my classroom, I say I don’t just enroll a student, I enroll their entire family,” she said.

“We hung out on Wednesdays and went to the park and did relay races. I got a chance to get to know the parents and the families and the kids. And they get to see that I’m a person as well.” She creates a culture of high expectations and expects students to set goals. She also transforms her room into student-inspired locations such as the jungle and an operating room. “When you put the energy, and you put the time into it, it can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life. And you won’t even know.”

For 28 years, Dean of Discipline and Science Coach Vanessa McMillion has felt joy from seeing a concept click with a child. She said it takes support to succeed. “I’ve had some great administrators, great leaders, people who have helped to hone my own skills and challenge me to grow at OCPS,” she said. “I think you want to be where you’re not just having an impact but where they have an impact on you as well.” She advocates for student needs outside her Washington Shores Elementary classroom and connects her teaching to future-focused technology, such as robotics. As the teacher leader in science, she blends mentoring, innovation, collaboration and advocacy. And she said she is still learning. “Every year, teaching is new. You’re never bored. You never get the same kids so you always have to try to innovate to meet their needs.”

TEACHER OF THE YEAR HONOREES Amanda Dean Acceleration East

Bryan Burckle Bay Lake Elementary

Denae Colwell Chickasaw Elementary

Nery Sanchez Discovery Middle

Doug Katutis Acceleration West

Jessie Fiffick Bay Meadows Elementary

Ilda Spurgeon Citrus Elementary

Ashley Robbins Dommerich Elementary

Alexandra Clarke Aloma Elementary

Lisa Nieves Blankner School

Brandy Winterrowd Clay Springs Elementary

Kathryn Milton Dover Shores Elementary

Chris Kunze Alternative Education

Brandon Norman Bonneville Elementary

Kristy Hurst College Park Middle

Christian Hepler Dr. Phillips Elementary

Jacqueline Rivera Andover Elementary

Jennifer Hilley Boone High

Christina Torres Colonial High

Afiya Smith Dr. Phillips High

Jessica St. Gelais Apopka Elementary

Caroline Wong Bridgewater Middle

Aimee Havrilesko Colonial 9th Grade Center

Mary Beeman-Griffith Dream Lake Elementary

Lara Brennan Apopka High

Kristin Cooper Otto Brookshire Elementary

Gary Edwards Columbia Elementary

Jean Heredia Eagle Creek Elementary

Laura Donlon Apopka Memorial Middle

Nicole Shaw Camelot Elementary

Taina Y. Ortiz Rodriguez Conway Elementary

Erica Lawrence Eagle’s Nest Elementary

Sean Nagy Arbor Ridge K-8

Tammie Jordan Carver Middle

Shannon Santiago Conway Middle

Becky Thomas East Lake Elementary

Elizabeth Register Audubon Park School

Julie Aguiriano Castle Creek Elementary

Michelle de Sousa Corner Lake Middle

Jamie Judson Smith East River High

Joseph Brown Avalon Elementary

Nicole Freeman Castleview Elementary

Rebecca Valente Cypress Creek High

Victoria McFarley Eccleston Elementary

Jessica Lucas Avalon Middle

Kay-Andrew Gayle Catalina Elementary

Lisa Almonte Cypress Springs Elementary

Alexa Corbo Edgewater High

Amber Pressly Azalea Park Elementary

Daniel Davis, Jr. Chain of Lakes Middle

Almary Benitez Deerwood Elementary

Parvin Giraldo Endeavor Elementary

Jennifer Sullivan Baldwin Park Elementary

Audrey Wallace Cheney Elementary

Alexandria Hempstead Dillard Street Elementary

Xiomara Perez Engelwood Elementary

TEACHER OF THE YEAR HONOREES Heather Whalen ESE Policy & Procedures

Reginald King Hidden Oaks Elementary

Roberto Mendez Keene’s Crossing Elementary

Gail Chambers Lakeview Middle

Nell Akoon ESE Supplemental Services

Kathleen Palasz Hillcrest Elementary

Chareika Parrish Kelly Park School

Carla Maxwell Lakeville Elementary

Daniel Robinson ESE Transition

Darlene Brown Horizon High

Nikki Middleton Killarney Elementary

Rina Carey Lancaster Elementary

Michelle Crawford ESTEEM Academy

Brad Boland Horizon West Middle

Dariana Hidalgo Lake Buena Vista High

Tiffany Ong Laureate Park Elementary

Melshaun Randolph Evans High

Rachel Maloney Hospital Homebound

Jennifer Zwolinski Lake Como School

Marjorie Jones Lawton Chiles Elementary

Nelmari Fehl Forsyth Woods Elementary

Latisha Lee Howard Middle

Deborah Stancil Lake Gem Elementary

Franchesca Yearby Legacy Middle

Micah Sarita Frangus Elementary

Kristal DeClou Hungerford Elementary

Melissa Montijo-Rosado Lake George Elementary

Natalie Gonzalez-Vazquez Liberty Middle

Michael Hellmund Freedom High

Julie DuBois Hunter’s Creek Elementary

Alexander Botchen Lake Nona High

Erin Moore Little River Elementary

Kassandra Cruz Freedom Middle

Angela DeLuca Limose Hunter’s Creek Middle

Katherine Bayona Lake Nona Middle

Adrianne Nelson Lockhart Elementary

Mariela Rojas Glenridge Middle

Mallory Benedict Independence Elementary

Deborah Parsons Lake Silver Elementary

Larissa Smith Lockhart Middle

Joshua Arunakul Gotha Middle

Matthew Fox Innovation Middle

Rachael Hodges Lake Sybelia Elementary

Kathryn Gunter Lovell Elementary

Charlene Xu Hamlin Elementary

Karina Burgos Ivey Lane Elementary

Carmen Espinoza Lake Weston Elementary

Amber Conti Magnolia School

Amy Wacksman Hamlin Middle

Narmy Rodriguez John Young Elementary

Eileen Warder Lake Whitney Elementary

Angel FitzPatrick Maitland Middle

Ashlee Woods Hiawassee Elementary

Nicole Blackmon Jones High

Noel Volence Lakemont Elementary

Sinya Wilson Maxey Elementary

TEACHER OF THE YEAR HONOREES Chentella Graham McCoy Elementary

Ashley Dillon-Verneau Ocoee Elementary

Jordan Potrzeba Meadow Woods Elementary

Amy Anderson Ocoee High

Mabeliz Rivera Meadow Woods Middle

Arin Crowell Ocoee Middle

Jacqueline Russell Meadowbrook Middle

JaMia Weaver OCPS Academic Center for Excellence

John Buckley Palm Lake Elementary

Madalen Abuaram Odyssey Middle

Jesse Hariton Palmetto Elementary

John Puchein Olympia High

Christie Jewell Panther Lake Elementary

Sharon Bullard Orange Center Elementary

Toni Vincent Pershing School

Stephanie Bivins McCormick Orange County Virtual

Janice Redding Phillis Wheatley Elementary

Tiphonie Reid Memorial Middle Cris Collazo MetroWest Elementary Megan Toledo Millennia Elementary Krystle Loftin Millennia Gardens Elementary Debra Nobles Mollie Ray Elementary Amy Beaudet Moss Park Elementary Amanda Francis NorthLake Park Community School Roslyn Coddette Rogers Oak Hill Elementary Danny Young Oak Ridge High Alina Prisacariu Oakshire Elementary

Yolanda Duarte Orange Technical College Avalon Campus Michael “Andy” Weeks Orange Technical College East Campus

Ellen Logue Orange Technical College West Campus Zhen Cybulski Orlando Gifted Academy MegAnn Lego Orlo Vista Elementary

Shanavia Swasey Piedmont Lakes Middle Monica Perry Pinar Elementary Naomi Chapman Pine Hills Elementary

Geisa Dennis Orange Technical College Main Campus

Sophia Rodriguez-Phillips Pineloch Elementary

Zulma Cintron Alamo Orange Technical College South Campus

LaNell Tate Pinewood Elementary Ana-Alicia Myers Positive Pathways Transition Center

Sara Hudson Prairie Lake Elementary Debra Brown Princeton Elementary Keneisha Monroe Ridgewood Park Elementary Naomi Montilla Riverdale Elementary Tricia Boutwell Riverside Elementary Jennifer Longbrake Roberto Clemente Middle Sadinaz Madar-St.Clair Robinswood Middle Latequa Strachan Rock Lake Elementary Brittany Child Rock Springs Elementary Rachel Flash Rolling Hills Elementary Rodney Wallace Rosemont Elementary Stephanie Hernandez Sadler Elementary Sulmari Torres Sally Ride Elementary Jeri Conner Sand Lake Elementary Natalie Showalter Shenandoah Elementary

TEACHER OF THE YEAR HONOREES Sean Salazar Shingle Creek Elementary

Tameshia Brown-Griffin Tangelo Park Elementary

Matthew Owens Silver Pines Academy

Alison Long Thornebrooke Elementary

Erin Kessler South Creek Middle

Brittany Anderson Three Points Elementary

John Jacobs Southwest Middle

Esther Londoño-Scott Tildenville Elementary

Coral Torres Southwood Elementary

Michelle Ann Moran Timber Creek High

Lauren George Spring Lake Elementary

Kelly Tourné Timber Lakes Elementary

Amy Guenthner Stone Lakes Elementary

Stacie Albee Timber Springs Middle

Darlene Grande Stonewyck Elementary

Constance Malanga Union Park Elementary

Maria Notrem Summerlake Elementary

Angela Yowler Union Park Middle

Travis Alvarez Sun Blaze Elementary

Alex Mendez University High

Roseann Ndisi SunRidge Elementary

Maria Burgos Ventura Elementary

Melissa Breaud SunRidge Middle

Ricardo Aviles Village Park Elementary

Bradley Waltz Sunrise Elementary

Steffanie Yopp Vista Lakes Elementary

Jacqueline Hool Sunset Park Elementary

Nayda Nieves Vista Pointe Elementary

Charlene Barbieri Sunshine Elementary

Theresa Fernandez Walker Middle

Vanessa McMillion Washington Shores Elementary Wilchris Ortiz Guerra Washington Shores Primary Learning Center Michelle Reeves Water Spring Elementary Angela Meechin Water Spring Middle Sabrina Lopez Rodriguez Waterbridge Elementary Jeannette Soto Rosario Waterford Elementary Kristin Johnson Wedgefield School Michael McKee Wekiva High Emma Harmon West Creek Elementary Deborah Wegener West Oaks Elementary Priscilla Long West Orange High Sonia Haynes Westbrooke Elementary Olga Maria Marrero Westpointe Elementary Craig Bonawandt Westridge Middle

Vanessa Rivera Wetherbee Elementary Clara Rivera Whispering Oak Elementary Ninabeth Frank Windermere Elementary Brittany Brockmeier Windermere High Robbi Lucas Windy Ridge K-8 Lissette Piedra Winegard Elementary Whitney Norton Winter Park High Danielle Exposito Winter Park 9th Grade Center Beverly Torrance Wolf Lake Elementary Kelly Green Wolf Lake Middle Lillian Rivera Wyndham Lakes Elementary Deanna Lucas Zellwood Elementary

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#OCPSStellar OCPS EEO Non-Discrimination Statement The School Board of Orange County, Florida, does not discriminate in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities, on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by law. The following individuals at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center, 445 West Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida 32801, attend to compliance matters: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer & Title IX Coordinator: Keshara Cowans; ADA Coordinator: Jay Cardinali; Section 504 Coordinator: Tajuana Lee-Wenze. (407.317.3200).