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