Polk County Public Schools
Four Polk teachers were named finalists for an award in science or mathematics instruction as part of a program of the Central Florida Public School Boards Coalition (CFPSBC). PRISM, an acronym for Promoting Regional Improvement in Science and Mathematics, is a project of the CFPSBC and coordinates the PRISM Exemplary Mathematics and Science Teacher Awards in the ten-county region that makes up the CFPSBC.
At a September 14 event held at Lakeland’s Southeastern University, four Polk teachers were named finalists for the regional award and will participate in a September 24 event at Sea World with finalists from the other nine counties in the CFPSBC. In addition to Polk, the CFPSBC is composed of school districts in the following counties: Brevard, Hillsborough, Lake, Manatee, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia.
Polk’s four finalists for the regional award are Christina Cambronero (Haines City High), Michelle DiGioia (Lakeland’s Lawton Chiles Middle Academy), Nicole McClain (Lake Wales’ Janie Howard Wilson Elementary) and Caroline Power (Lakeland’s Dixieland Elementary).
Cambronero, DiGioia, McClain and Power were named finalists at the September 14 event among 28 nominees from Polk. Nominees for the regional PRISM Exemplary Mathematics and Science Teacher Awards are listed by community and school.
Auburndale
Stambaugh Middle: Natalie Pitts
Babson Park
Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary: Jason Brewer
Dundee
Dundee Elementary: Jessica Palomaki
Eagle Lake
Lake Region High: Angela Chapman
Frostproof
Frostproof Middle-Senior: Nancy Cannon, Kathryn Keller
Haines City
Haines City High: Jamie Gillmartin
Lake Wales
Bok Middle: Leanne Thrift
Janie Howard Wilson Elementary: Holly Madore
Hillcrest Elementary: Anna Powell
Lakeland
Blake Academy: Stacy Erickson, Laura Gipson
George Jenkins High: James Dunne
Lake Gibson High: Rozalia Muhlhan, Kelly Rogers
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy: Susan Leroy
McKeel Academy: Dana Lang, Carolyn Orr
Tenoroc High: Deborah Jones
Valleyview Elementary: Marjorie Caron, Maggie Miller
Wendell Watson Elementary: Wendy Nations
Poinciana
Palmetto Elementary: Theodore Eldridge, Jennifer Longley
PRISM has an objective of producing math and science scholars from the nine counties that make-up the CFPSBC. As a way of reaching this objective, PRISM and CFPSBC are working to support recruiting, developing and retaining teachers in science and mathematics.
Contact Rebecca Braaten, Polk schools curriculum coordinator, at (863) 534-0632 for further information on PRISM or the PRISM Exemplary Mathematics and Science Teacher Awards.
