'They inspire': Here are Polk Schools' teacher and employee of the year finalists

BARTOW – The finalists for Polk County Public Schools Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year have been chosen and include several special education teachers and paraeducators, along with a school nurse and a school guardian.

“All of these finalists have demonstrated outstanding commitment to serving our students – especially during these difficult times,” Superintendent Frederick Heid said. “Every day, they go above and beyond their normal duties and responsibilities to make sure our students feel loved, respected and safe. They encourage students to work hard in order to reach their fullest potential. They inspire them to struggle through challenges and to never give up.”

Throughout October and November, Heid, School Board members, union officials and senior district staff went from school to school to surprise the finalists with a banners their schools can proudly display for the rest of the school year.

Major sponsors for the event include Lakeland Automall, which awards a car to the Teacher of the Year, and MIDFLORIDA Credit Union, which gives $650 prizes to finalists in both categories. The School-Related Employee of the Year receives $2,500, while the Teacher of the Year is given $5,000.

District 1

Tracy Single is the local education agency facilitator at Scott Lake Elementary in Lakeland, working with the parents and teachers of exceptional students to develop and implement individual education plans. She has devoted her entire 30-year teaching career to students with disabilities.

“Together, they create meaningful goals for students that build their academic, social and independent functioning skills,” district officials said in a press release.

But her work doesn’t stop at the classroom door.

Several years ago, Single organized her school’s first Special Olympics event, with fifth-graders applying to volunteer as helpers.

“Having the general education students participate in this leadership role by assisting our students with special needs was heartwarming,” Single said in the release. “This event became so inclusive that every year, students were asking when the applications were going to be handed out.”

Principal Tangela Durham said the event, now held annually, creates positive bonds between students and puts smiles on their faces.

“Our special needs students felt like kings and queens thanks to our Teacher of the Year,” Durham said.

Betty Goldwire, District 1’s school-related employee of the year finalist, also works with special education students as a paraeducator, helping with small group instruction, working one-on-one with struggling readers, assisting students with physical disabilities and collaborating with teachers to determine the best strategies to help students.

She has spent 15 of her 40 years in PCPS at Southwest Middle School.

“Over the years, she has served in multiple capacities as a paraeducator, but no matter the placement, she always seeks to help her students become the best they can be,” Principal Sybille Oldham-Jackson said.

Last year's winners: Blake Academy's Maude Graham named Polk's 2021 Teacher of the Year

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More: Polk County Public Schools names principal and assistant principal of the year

District 2

Davenport Elementary School this year boasts both the Teacher of the Year and School-Related Employee of the Year finalists in District 2.

Kindergarten teacher Robynn Hamrick has devoted herself to teaching some of the district’s youngest learners their ABCs and 123s, along with colors, shapes, socialization skills and fine motor skills as they write.

She is also the grade chair at her school, supporting her colleagues and making sure Sunshine State Standards are being taught.

“I believe that mentoring does help improve the overall school culture,” Hamrick said in a press release. “It builds trust between staff members and opportunities to better ourselves at our craft … working together is part of best practices to enhance student learning.”

Administrators at Davenport Elementary said Hamrick has “poured her heart and soul” into teaching.

“She maintains an exciting and energetic classroom, and has a special talent for teaching children how to read and communicate,” district officials said in the press release. “Hamrick is regarded as a leader and innovator, but always keeps herself open to feedback and coaching to ultimately benefit her school.”

Davenport’s school nurse, Sandra Alls, retired from an upper-management health care position in 2015 and could be soaking up the sun or playing golf. Instead, she saw a need for school nurses, put her scrubs back on, and returned to full-time work after volunteering for a year at DES.

District officials said students call hello to her on campus and shower her with drawings and handmade gifts.

Her colleagues came to truly appreciate her in 2020 when the pandemic took hold. Alls is known for helping staff whenever a student is in need and has gained a reputation as a devoted supporter of the school’s students and staff.

Alls said it meant a lot to her to be chosen as Davenport Elementary’s School-Related Employee of the Year.

“It speaks loudly to me,” she says. “I know it is heartfelt.”

District 3

Bartow High School, BHS International Baccalaureate, and Summerlin Academy English teacher Lindsey Hanger is the kind of teacher that alumni contact long after graduation.

“I receive feedback every year from students about how this writing instruction has taken the sting out of their freshman year of college,” she said in a press release.

She told district officials that she wants her students to care more about learning than grades, letting students know that a failure will never diminish their value, or her respect for them.

She chooses literature and reading materials that teenagers can not only relate to, but are also thought-provoking.

“I fully believe that higher-level thinking questions and engaging texts are vital to creating interest, which then leads to better comprehension,” she said in a release.

Hanger said she is proud that, after a year of her tutelage, her students can write a successful first draft within 45 minutes.

In addition to being a highly effective teacher, Hanger is also a leader, serving for the last four years as chair of the school's English department. She also works as a mentor for new teachers.

Floral Avenue Elementary School paraeducator Diana Tinker goes beyond helping students in the classroom.

She has established a food and clothing program to help her students, many of whom live below the poverty line, and has taught students techniques to help identify and regulate their emotions.

In addition, Tinker finds creative ways to support students’ academic growth — working with them in small groups to strengthen their skills, as well as finding new and fun literacy activities.

“Her heart is for those children that are sometimes lost in the shuffle, and the students that are having difficulties in their young lives,” Floral Avenue Principal Rebekah Eckman said in a press release. “She listens to them and empathizes with their struggles.”

Tinker has been a PCPS employee for 16 years, the last seven at Floral Avenue.

Eckman said Tinker is rarely seen standing still, but instead looks for ways to help students and colleagues.

“She is always willing to do whatever is necessary to make our school shine,” Eckman said, adding that Tinker is always willing to help students, staff, and their families whenever a tragedy or difficult situation hits.

“If a family ever needs anything, they know she will be the first one to make sacrifices to help them out,” Eckman said.

Teacher of the Year Finalists:

Ashley Brannon — Curriculum coach, Karen M. Siegel Academy

Jennifer Campbell — Reading teacher, Lake Gibson High

Robynn Hamrick — Kindergarten teacher, Davenport Elementary

Lindsey Hanger — English teacher, Bartow High/International Baccalaureate/Summerlin Academy

Kailyn Reynolds-Keller — Physical education (PE) teacher, R. Clem Churchwell Elementary in Lakeland

Tracy Single — LEA facilitator, Scott Lake Elementary in Lakeland

Kent Viles — ESE teacher, Lake Region High

School-Related Employee Finalists:

Sandra Alls — School nurse, Davenport Elementary

Tiffany Berrien — Physical education (PE) paraeducator, Rochelle School of the Arts in Lakeland

Betty Goldwire — ESE paraeducator, Southwest Middle in Lakeland

Jacquelyn Mulford — Finance secretary, Auburndale High

Diana Tinker — Paraeducator, Floral Avenue Elementary

Tracy Walling — Principal’s secretary, Eagle Lake Elementary

John Winghart — School safety guardian, Brigham Academy, Winter Haven

District 4

Special education curriculum coach Ashley Brannon said it is a “privilege” to serve students with severe physical, cognitive and behavioral disabilities at Karen Siegel Academy.

She helps other teachers use best practices in their classrooms to ensure student success and also implemented a schoolwide writing program to make sure every student can express themselves through text, no matter the level of their disability.

In addition, she helps with the planning and chaperoning of extracurricular activities and special events at her school, including prom, graduation and seasonal fun. She also volunteers to assist new educators from neighboring schools, helping them study for certification exams, and sharing strategies that will benefit their students.

“My community, school and students provide me with so much happiness,” Brannon said in a release. “My only hope is that I can one day repay them with the same.”

John Winghart is more than the school safety guardian at Brigham Academy in Winter Haven. According to school officials, he has earned “celebrity status” on campus with an “amazing” rapport with students and staff, who regard him as “a role model and true gentleman.”

Most importantly, they say, he is fully committed to keeping the campus safe by constantly patrolling the grounds and checking gates. He also does additional tasks, like escorting kindergartners to class and staying late if he thinks a situation might warrant extra security.

He is also a teacher outside of his regular school duties, working as a divemaster who volunteers his time with programs that teach students underwater diving. He’s a fast mover on land, as well, participating in 5Ks with Brigham’s running club.

Before his career with PCPS, Winghart retired as a shop foreman and HAZMAT team commander.

But, he said, his new career as a school guardian “has allowed me to interact and be surprised daily with the new encounters and open sincerity children share,” Winghart said in a release. “It has been a truly unique and rewarding opportunity. It is an honor for me.”

District 5

District 5’s finalists know a thing or two about staying active, eating right, and being healthy. Both are involved in their schools’ physical education programs.

R. Clem Churchwell Elementary School PE teacher Kailyn Reynolds-Keller said she enjoys helping her students develop a clear understanding and appreciation for being active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“Much of my success is from building relationships with students when they first arrive, whether that’s in kindergarten, fifth grade or anywhere in between,” she said in a release. “Through these relationships mutual respect is built, and they can come to PE class to have fun, be safe and learn.”

Reynolds-Keller's work doesn’t end at the edge of the blacktop. She finds creative ways to engage her students, including inviting the Tampa Bay Lightning’s street-hockey team to conduct interactive lessons on campus.

And she literally puts money where her mouth is: During the past six years, Churchwell Elementary students have raised more than $19,000 for the American Heart Association through the Kids Heart Challenge. Reynolds-Keller’s students also participate in the InnerAct Alliance Red Ribbon Run to help fight substance abuse.

“All of these events have had a positive impact on my students,” she said. “They are excited to learn new things associated with being physically active.”

Tiffany Berrien has spent four years as a PE paraeducator at the K-8 Rochelle School of the Arts.

She incorporates things she learned as a college and semi-pro basketball player, coaching Rochelle’s girls and boys basketball teams.

Along with coaching duties, she tutors students in their lessons and teaches them how to be good citizens. She also takes the time to talk to and learn about each student. In turn, they respect her because they know she cares about them.

“Her focus is to create a positive environment where students will work hard and strive for success,” district officials said in a press release.

District 6

Lake Region High School special education teacher Kent Viles says that one of his goals is to impact as many students as possible on his campus. He does that by building meaningful connections with students by simply talking with them and listening to their issues.

Showing empathy and making students feel important is a key part of their academic success, Viles said in a press release.

He is a former business owner who developed an interest in teaching after serving as a PCPS volunteer, mentor and substitute teacher.

Viles uses his Spanish fluency to translate for parents during Individualized Education Plan meetings, putting them at ease as they navigate the sometimes-confusing world of special education.

“Teacher leaders make a difference in the lives of others,” Viles said. “A teacher leader must look in the mirror and reflect on their practice. They must look for strengths and weaknesses and adjust.”

Tracy Walling is described as the rock on which Eagle Lake Elementary stands, and administrators say this principal’s secretary does whatever it takes to help those around her, “truly (making) a difference in the lives of students, teachers, staff and parents.”

She not only assists with monitoring the school’s financial status and greeting each visitor every day with “a warm, inviting smile,” she also helps tutor students.

“The children are always at the forefront of her mind,” district officials said in a press release. “She has a humble presence and is willing to take on any role or responsibility that contributes to the success of Eagle Lake’s students … with a positive energy and attitude, as well as a desire to maintain high standards and support everyone in the school’s community.”

District 7

At Lake Gibson High, reading teacher Jennifer Campbell plays an essential role by helping students earn the reading requirements they need to graduate and, along the way, hopes to instill in them a love of reading.

“One of the first conversations that we have is that they are not defined by the score they receive on any test … but by the effort they give and the positive attitude they portray,” she said in a press release. “Additionally, my aspiration is that they will handle any challenge in life the same way: create a goal and take necessary steps until achieving success.”

Campbell is a teacher mentor and heads the reading department at LGHS. She also began an initiative that allows colleagues to visit and observe each others’ classrooms as a way to pick up new ideas to benefit students.

In addition to her classroom duties, Campbell serves as a senior class sponsor and helps with awards, graduation and other activities.

District officials call finance secretary Jacquelyn Mulford the “money maven” at Auburndale High School. But administrators say her true value is being a “very special person who devotes herself wholeheartedly to the school community.”

In addition, Mulford is quick to help out in the school’s main office and guidance department when things get busy. Administrators say even in hectic moments, Mulford keeps her cool and pitches in wherever needed.

Mulford is also a community leader, serving with local organizations for causes that include Alzheimer’s disease, neighborhood beautification and efforts to assist students in need at local schools.

Every year she also organizes a Christmas luncheon with a volunteer Santa and gifts for all children who attend.

The 14 finalists will find out who has earned the top spot at an awards dinner on Jan. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The Polk Education Foundation and the district’s Department of Public Relations & Strategic Partnerships collaborate to present this event.

During the event, nominees will be recognized with video tributes and receive sponsored gifts.

The Inspire Awards will also recognize PCPS Principal of the Year Amy Heiser-Meyers from Horizons Elementary and Assistant Principal of the Year Tammy Ruhl from Floral Avenue Elementary.

Last year’s event was scaled-down because of the pandemic, but this year’s plans call for a return to a traditional banquet, as well as inviting all teacher and school-related employee honorees, along with other special guests. But district officials said those plans could change and they continue to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 omicron variant on the community.

Ledger reporter Kimberly C. Moore can be reached at kmoore@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. Follow her on Twitter at @KMooreTheLedger.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Meet Polk Public Schools' teacher and employee of the year finalists