High Springs Teachers Sarah Rendek and Elizabeth Treese Honored

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Two local educators have been recognized for their excellence in teaching. The High Springs City Commission awarded two local teachers with certificates at the Dec. 14 High Springs City Commission meeting.

Sarah Rendek and Elizabeth Treese received the certificates presented Mayor Katherine Weitz, “In appreciation of your remarkable contributions and commitment to the students at High Springs Community School and Santa Fe High School, and the students of our community. Your efforts have made a significant impact and we are grateful for your dedication and service.”

Sarah Rendek is a team leader and seventh grade reading teacher at High Springs Community School as well as the Community School Middle School Reading Department Chair. She has taught for 13 years, with the last nine of those years at High Springs Community School.

School Principal Lynn McNeill was unable to attend due to family illness but asked Mayor Weitz to read what she would have said had she been able to attend.

“Sarah has been instrumental in developing a successful approach to ensuring that our struggling readers, as well as all other students, make the most possible learning gains each year. Her success has not gone unnoticed as District level supervisors often observe and arrange for teachers to observe in Sarah’s classroom.

“Mrs. Rendek focuses on building strong relationships with students and creates a strong learning community in her classroom. This relationship building stretches out further than her classroom as she and her team members go above and beyond to build trusting relationships with all of our seventh graders.

“Sarah serves as a personal role model for her students and provides daily encouragement as her seventh graders navigate these in between middle school years.

“And just on Monday, High Springs Community School learned that Sarah was selected as the Alachua County Public School’s Middle-School Teacher of the Year. This means that Sarah’s one of the three finalists for the Alachua County Teacher of the Year.”

Santa Fe High School Principal Dr. Timothy Wright was on hand to talk about Business Instructor and Department Chair Elizabeth Treese.

In summary he said, “I have the privilege and was asked to come and talk about Santa Fe High School’s Teacher of the Year, Beth Treese. Beth started teaching in 2009 in Lake City and she joined the staff at Santa Fe in 2014.

“She was an algebra and geometry teacher, and for the last six years, our computer teacher. She teaches digital information technology, digital design which, as [one] can imagine, spans a large field of opportunities for students.

One of the amazing things about Mrs. Treese is that for all of the classes that she teaches and all of the certifications that her students have the opportunity to earn as high school students, certification in Microsoft, the whole suite of Microsoft, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, all of those students that have Mrs. Treese have the opportunity to earn those certifications by passing the test at the end of the year.

But to be able to teach those classes, Mrs. Treese has to be certified. So in all of the courses that she teaches and the certifications that her students have the opportunities to take, she’s already earned certification.

“I know she would never ever say it about herself, but last year in the Microsoft Suite” (i.e., word, power point, excel) “her students have a 97 percent pass rate for earning certifications. In the Adobe Suite, she had a 96 percent pass rate.”

Elective teachers like Mrs. Treese survive on students wanting to be able to be a part of their classroom. “In Mrs. Treese class, 100 percent of the students are there because they want that class. And so, “I’m very thrilled that Beth was chosen by our faculty to represent Santa Fe High School as Teacher of the Year.”

Weitz presented the certificates to each of the teachers to a round of applause from Commissioners and audience members.

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