Alachua County’s Teacher of The Year to Be Announced Jan. 25

 

GAINESVILLE -  Alachua County’s Teacher of the Year will be announced this Thursday, Jan. 25 at a special ceremony hosted by The Education Foundation for Alachua County Public Schools and sponsored by Cox Communications, Florida Credit Union, SWI Photographers and many other business, organizations and individuals.

The three finalists for Teacher of the Year honors are Dwynette Smith, music teacher at Metcalfe Elementary School; Sarah Rendek, a reading teacher at High Springs Community School; and Jenifer Knowles, a science teacher at the Professional Academies Magnet @ Loften High School.

Smith, the elementary finalist, has been teaching music in private settings and public schools since 1998. She’s been teaching at Metcalfe for nearly four years, and also spent six years at Buchholz High School. She says music can be a ‘spark,’ a catalyst for students to succeed in other areas.

“I love giving them that joy, that place where they can be successful,” she said. “Even when you have a child that’s struggling, to have that one victory, where they can play the notes you want, play their own melody or create something that they know is theirs, there’s nothing that can compare.”

Rendek, the middle school finalist, has been a teacher for more than 13 years, more than eight of them at High Springs, where she teaches reading. She says she loves teaching middle school students, who are starting to consider who they are and where they want to go in life.

“I want to be a light in their lives, their positive role model and their cheerleader,” she said. “In class I give them the freedom to express themselves, which allows them to grow as human beings, but also under the guidance of appropriate expectations.”

Knowles, the high school finalists, has been teaching science for 19 years in a variety of locations, including Michigan and even in New Zealand. Here in Alachua County she taught at Oak View Middle in Newberry in addition to the three years she’s been at Professional Academies Magnet @ Loften High School. She wants her students to understand that science and learning in general is ongoing.

“I’m excited to share science with my students,” said Knowles. “It’s important for them to see how what they’re learning translates to life outside the classroom. Sometimes the content lends itself well to this goal and other times the less are in life, technology, collaboration or other soft skills.”

The three finalists and 36 other nominees from Alachua County Public Schools will be honored at the upcoming Robert W. Hughes Teacher of the Year ceremony, which is named after the former Superintendent of Schools who established the program. The winner will go on to represent the district in the state recognition program.

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