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 betsy@jaxpef.org for more information.

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