Polk County Public Schools
Ruth Teets, a reading teacher at Mulberry’s Purcell Elementary, was named the Polk County Public Schools 2009 Teacher Of The Year at a special event held on February 12 at the Lakeland Center.
More than 1,200 teachers, staff members, community members, event sponsors and guests attended this event at the Lakeland Center. Click here to view Teets’ profile.
Prior to the eventual naming of Teets as the winner, Teacher Of The Year finalists were announced.
Teacher Of The Year finalists received $1,000 from event sponsors.
The Polk County Public Schools are the largest employer in Polk County with more than 13,000 employees. Nearly 7,300 are employed as teachers.
Language Arts, 11 years experience
Boone Middle (Haines City)
Audrey is known for her creativity. She has taken the practice of “graffiti” and turned it into a positive teaching tool used in her language arts classroom in a legal, thought-provoking manner. She took something negative and turned it into a positive. Teachers in other subject areas have used her “graffiti” teaching theme and used it in lessons. Audrey volunteers as a reading and writing tutor to struggling Hispanic and Haitian-Creole students. When her school needed a teacher to help prepare special needs and English-language deficient students for the writing portion of the FCAT, she was the first to step up. Audrey also acts as the school interpreter for Haitian-Creole students and their parents.
Second grade, eight years experience
Highland City Elementary
Keli has taught at her school for only a short time. Yet, she is one of the most requested teachers from parents. Keli has a master’s degree and is national board certified. Other teachers seek her out for advice. She has the dual ability to reach students who seem to be disinterested in school and able to challenge students who are high achievers. Parents appreciate her honest approach when she communicates on how she will take their children to a higher level academically. Keli took a leadership role in a program called “Adopt A Class” where community partners are recruited to sponsor a classroom through monetary donations.
Third grade, 30 years experience
Alta Vista Elementary (Haines City)
Barbara has a leadership role at her school in both the Learning Focused Solutions and Positive Behavior Support programs. She and other teachers at her school devoted many hours over the summer to implementing these initiatives. Barbara is very much aware of the impact she can have on a young child. She knows that she might be the only positive adult role model for many of her students. Barbara constantly researches new ideas to use in her classroom. She consults with other teachers and reads Web sites and books for new, effective approaches. Barbara has had articles published in national teaching publications and once was chosen to travel to London, England to observe and compare methods with British teachers.
History, four years experience
Bartow Middle
Nicole gives her all for her school. She uses her vacation time to attend professional development conferences and is the first to volunteer for school projects. Nicole willingly serves on committees including the School Advisory Committee. When the school needed a homebound teacher for an injured student, Nicole taught her normal schedule and then went to the injured student’s home afterschool to deliver assignments and helped the student keep up with studies. This was just one example of how she goes above and beyond for her students.
Kindergarten, 19 years experience
Garden Grove Elementary (Winter Haven)
Wanda never gives up on a child. When her school has a child with special problems, she will say “Let me work with him or her.” Her evening hours are often spent on the telephone communicating with parents. Wanda will provide a child with a jacket or snack when she knows a parent cannot provide it. She was chosen to work on the school district’s new kindergarten assessment report and has been her school’s grade chairman numerous times during her career. She is quick to help new teachers on planning, organization and new programs.
Library media specialist, 36 years experience
Kingsford Elementary (Mulberry)
Saralyn uses themes in her library media center to get students excited about reading. She has transformed her school’s media center into Pirate Island, complete with a pirate ship, treasure chest and cozy reading cove. The media center’s motto is “Get Hooked On The Treasure In Books.” Each fall, her students decorate pumpkins with the image of their favorite book character. Saralyn is her school’s Reading Is Fundamental coordinator, book fair chairperson, accelerated reader facilitator and Book Bowl coach.
She is aggressive in obtaining literacy grants adding enrichments and enhancements to her school’s reading programs.
Exceptional Student Education and Reading, 35 years experience
Westwood Middle (Winter Haven)
Joan is her school’s exceptional student education chairperson. She has been involved with the school district’s inclusion reading program, educating special needs students in traditional classroom settings. Joan tutors students after school and works to obtain needed services such as eye care and eye glasses for students. Her students know she cares and that she will always be there for them. Joan organizes her school’s annual community food drive and the school has collected more than 25,000 canned foods during the drives. In 2005, Joan was a Bright House Networks National Star Teacher and she has also been honored by the A&E and History Channel cable television networks.
