Florida
Clay County Educator Named 2023 Florida Teacher of the Year
July 14, 2022
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Clay County Educator Named 2023 Florida Trainer of the 12 months
~ Melissa Anne Matz was chosen from almost 185,000 public faculty lecturers and can function Florida’s Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Schooling ~
Tallahassee, Fla., July 14, 2022 – Tonight, Florida Commissioner of Schooling Manny Diaz, Jr. named Melissa Anne Matz, a seventh-grade math trainer at Lakeside Junior Excessive College in Clay County, the 2023 Florida Division of Schooling Trainer of the 12 months. Ms. Matz was chosen from almost 185,000 public faculty lecturers all through the state for her exemplary classroom excellence and contributions to her college students and faculty.
Because the 2023 Florida Trainer of the 12 months, Ms. Matz will function the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Schooling for one 12 months and create better public consciousness of Florida’s distinctive lecturers and the schooling occupation. She can even have the chance to advertise and have fun the numerous contributions of Florida’s educators, in addition to present skilled studying alternatives for educators and recruit future lecturers for Okay-12 faculties.
“I’m honored to acknowledge Melissa Anne Matz because the 2023 Florida Trainer of the 12 months,” stated Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. “Melissa has risen to the highest by onerous work, ardour and placing her college students first. I’ve little question she’s going to symbolize Florida with excellence within the coming 12 months, simply as she has accomplished in her classroom.”
Ms. Matz has served because the Lakeside Junior Excessive College math division head and management workforce member since 2015. She is the chairperson for Lakeside’s College Advisory Committee, a cooperating trainer for school interns, and a college consultant for district curriculum-map writing. She believes that constructing rapport with every of her college students is a necessary step within the means of educating math, and she or he makes it a degree to talk with every pupil as they enter her classroom. Ms. Matz takes the strategy that stepping exterior of 1’s consolation zone and taking constructive dangers are how extraordinary good points are achieved.
“Melissa Matz’s college students see firsthand that the abilities they purchase in her classroom might be utilized to a broad spectrum of fields, and due to this fact, they will turn into well-rounded members of our neighborhood,” stated Clay County Superintendent of Colleges David Broskie.
Because the 2023 Florida Trainer of the 12 months, Ms. Matz will obtain a $20,000 award from the Florida Division of Schooling, a tuition waiver to pursue a graduate diploma from the Florida State College School of Schooling, and a two-year Florida School scholarship from the Florida Pay as you go School Board to current to a pupil of her selection.
The remaining 4 Trainer of the 12 months finalists will every obtain $15,000 from the Florida Division of Schooling – Seema Naik, a fourth-grade trainer at Eagle Ridge Elementary College in Broward County; Deelah Jackson, a fourth-grade trainer at Samoset Elementary College in Manatee County; Dr. Jennifer Jaso, a social research trainer at Sarasota Center College in Sarasota County; and Trinity Brooke Whittington, a fourth-grade English language arts and social research trainer at Bell Elementary College in Gilchrist County. The sixty-nine different Trainer of the 12 months district winners have been additionally acknowledged for his or her achievements and excellence in educating and can every obtain a examine for $10,000.
The Florida Division of Schooling endeavors to offer each pupil with a world-class schooling, which includes having high-quality educators in all Florida school rooms. Governor Ron DeSantis, Commissioner Diaz and the Florida Legislature have persistently elevated lecturers, together with by document funding for recruitment and retention. Total, Florida has dedicated over $2 billion in new funding for trainer salaries since 2020.
Along with asserting the 2023 Florida Trainer of the 12 months, a number of particular awards have been additionally offered tonight:
Excellent Trainer Chief Award – Michelle Lapointe, South Elementary College, Okeechobee County
The Excellent Trainer Chief Award was established to honor the legacy of educators who’ve handed and whose ardour for educating and lifelong studying impressed others. The award is offered to a trainer who demonstrates a dedication to studying, pupil success and an general constructive contribution to Florida’s schooling system.
Mary Brogan “Excellence in Educating” Award – Wendy Stinson, Florida State College College
The Mary Brogan “Excellence in Educating” Award honors the late spouse of former Lt. Governor and Commissioner of Schooling, Frank Brogan, and is given to an educator who exemplifies the core values of excellence, dedication and the power to instill ardour, pleasure and love of studying in college students.
State Farm Life Abilities Award – Nancy Welch, Orange Technical School-Orlando Campus, Orange County
The State Farm Life Abilities Award acknowledges an educator devoted to bettering the decision-making, vital considering and monetary duty of their college students, ensuring they’re ready and prepared for the longer term.
Ron Nieto Digital Educator Award – Jessica Robust, Florida Digital College Full-Time Center College, Florida Digital College
This award honors the late Ron Nieto, former Florida Division of Schooling Deputy Commissioner of Innovation, and is given to the educator who excels in utilizing expertise within the classroom to positively affect pupil outcomes.
Consortium of Florida Schooling Foundations’ “Invested in Excellence” Award – Alexandria Wicker, Andrew Jackson Center College, Brevard County
The Consortium of Florida Schooling Foundations’ “Invested in Excellence” Award is given to an educator who goes above and past to develop studying alternatives for college kids.
In partnership with the Florida Schooling Basis, the Florida Trainer of the 12 months program is made potential by these beneficiant sponsors: Florida Pay as you go School Financial savings Plans, State Farm Insurance coverage, Florida State College School of Schooling, Helios Schooling Basis, Florida Blue Basis, the Florida Lottery, Florida Schooling Affiliation, Herff Jones, Publix Charities, PNC Financial institution and Florida Energy & Gentle Firm.
To be taught extra in regards to the Florida Trainer of the 12 months program, please go to Florida Academics Lead.
Learn Extra Information…
The Florida Gators play against the Tulane Green Wave in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. The matchup will begin at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN 2. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
The Gators enter this matchup with a 7-5 record, and they have played well recently. The team has won three consecutive games, including two victories against ranked opponents.
In their most recent game, the Gators defeated Florida State 31-11. During the victory, Florida accrued 368 total yards. The team rushed for 235 yards and averaged more than six yards per carry.
The Florida defense also played well against Florida State, forcing five turnovers.
The Green Wave enter this matchup with a 9-4 record, but they have lost back-to-back games. In their most recent game, the Green Wave lost 35-14 against Army.
During the loss, Tulane struggled defensively. The team allowed 335 rushing yards and conceded nearly six yards per carry.
Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A week removed from falling to Kentucky in the Battle of the Bluegrass, the Louisville men’s basketball program is back in action, traveling to Florida State for their first road game in ACC play.
While the Cardinals might have lost to their most hated rival in their last time out, they certainly gave the Wildcats a run for their money. Despite having only eight healthy scholarship players, Louisville kept within striking distance of Kentucky for the majority of the game before ultimately falling 93-85 in Rupp Arena.
As for the Seminoles, year 23 under head coach Leonard Hamilton is off to a solid start. While FSU is currently six games over .500 and heading into their matchup with Louisville on a two-game win streak, they’re 0-3 against teams ranked in KenPom’s top-100, including an 84-74 overtime loss at NC State.
This will be the 54th all-time meeting between Louisville and Florida State, with the Cardinals owning a 35-18 advantage. UofL won 101-92 back on Feb. 3, 2024 in the last matchup, snapping a seven-game losing streak to the Seminoles.
(Photo of Terrence Edwards Jr.: Jordan Prather – Imagn Images)
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If you don’t look carefully, you could easily miss the cameras set up outside schools. They, however, are watching you, and if you’re going at least 10 miles over the speed limit, you will receive a $100 surprise in the mail.
“If you don’t want to get one of those violations just stay within the speed limit, very simple,” said Village of Pinecrest Police Chief Jason Cohen.
Pinecrest and South Miami were the first cities in South Florida to take advantage of a new state law allowing automated cameras to catch speeders in school zones. Since their systems went online in October, they’ve sent out about 7,400 citations in South Miami and about 5,800 in Pinecrest.
“It’s too early to say from the data on the overall impact it’s going to have around the schools, but we believe it’s going to change peoples’ driving patterns, that they’re going to be cognizant that they’re near a school and they’re going to automatically slow down, that’s the goal,” Cohen said.
Diane Gilmore has been a security monitor for decades at Palmetto Senior High School. She said she sees speeders fly past the school all the time as students are trying to cross the street, and she’s glad the cameras have been installed.
“I think they did a good idea because a lot of times, they be going across the street, these cars don’t respect us at all, they come fast and I say it ain’t careful, somebody gonna end up getting killed,” Gilmore said.
Students spilling out of school seem to appreciate the cameras.
“I think it’s good, ‘cause it controls the drivers so the drivers don’t speed and especially in a school zone,” said Nicholas Henriquez, a senior at Palmetto who drives to school.
Not everyone agrees. Christian Gutierrez picks up a student regularly and he’s not impressed with the cameras’ impact.
“Even speedbumps, I feel like, stops speeding,” Gutierrez said. “More than the cameras, yeah, for sure.”
The school zone cameras operate only on school days, starting a half hour before school starts and ending a half hour after school ends, no matter what the speed limit is during those hours. The police departments make $39 for each citation issued.
“But I think it’s important to highlight that the funds coming in have to be used for public safety,” Chief Cohen said. “Anything that can help make our city safer, especially around the children and the schools, we looked at it as a win.”
Soon, police departments in Miami Gardens, West Miami, Davie and Plantation will be starting up their own school zone camera systems. Miami-Dade Police have also installed cameras outside eleven schools with many more to follow. Cohen predicts almost all South Florida police departments will join the trend.
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