Four North Fort Myers teachers named Golden Apple finalists
From among the 300-plus applications, the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools has named 30 finalists for the 29th Annual Golden Apple Teacher Awards.
And as is usually the case, several North Fort Myers teachers are among them with two others were named Teachers of Distinction.
The local finalists include:
Jennifer DeCicco, J. Colin English Elementary; Denise Fenicle, North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts; Gwen Gregg, North Fort Myers High School; and Susie Hassett, Dr. Carrie D. Robinson Littleton Elementary.
Of the 30 finalists, six will be selected as Golden Apple winners. The recipients will be honored at the Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Banquet, a black-tie affair to be held at Harborside Event Center on April 8.
“It’s our way of paying homage to the best of the best in the district,” said Marshall T. Bower, president and executive director of the foundation. “North Fort Myers is usually well represented every year.”
More than 2,000 teachers were nominated by students, administrators and others. Those teachers were asked to apply, of which nearly 300 did.
The Foundation’s Golden Apple selection Committee, made up of community and business leaders, reviewed the applications “blind” to remove bias, Bower said. They reduced the field to 103 before deciding on the finalists, with the remaining teachers becoming teachers of distinction.
Finalists are interviewed and observed unannounced in their classrooms and six teachers are selected as Golden Apple recipients.
“We see if they are imparting on the child the joy of learning, engaging the students and working with them, and showing what we expect of a Golden Apple teacher,” Bower said.
The Teachers of Distinction also will be honored at the Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Banquet and Golden Apple Social.
North Fort Myers teachers who earned this award are Sherri Donnell, Dr. Carrie D. Robinson Littleton Elementary, and Richard A. Jeter, North Fort Myers High School.
North Fort Myers teachers have received numerous honors in recent years. Last year, Adam Malloy of North High was a Golden Apple recipient. Early this year, Matthew Kaye was named Teacher of the Year by the Lee County School Board.
Principal Matt Mederios said Gregg, who teaches chorus, has a chance to continue the winning streak.
“If you look at us being a high-performance school, we have high-performance teachers who are getting results,” Mederios said. “Having all these awards is a reflection on the kind of teaching that goes on here.”
Khrystine Bosland of Bayshore Elementary won the Golden Apple in 2014. In 2012, three teachers, Kim Smith, at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts; Laura Reed, at Littleton; and Billy Lansberry, at North Fort Myers High, were among the honorees.
For the principals, it’s as much an honor for them and school as it is for the teachers who earn them. Dr. Douglas Santini is proud of Fenicle, a 30-year veteran.
“She gets great results and is highly effective. She does a lot of things for the school. She’s in charge of our wellness program. She organizes weekend hikes and canoe trips for the faculty,” Santini said. “If anyone deserves a Golden Apple it’s her.”
“I’m very proud of (Hassett). It helps to solidify Littleton as a quality student school and we have quality teachers,” Littleton principal Monica Broughton said. “It’s an honor to have a Golden Apple teacher.”
For Hassett, this is the fifth time she has been named a finalist. She said it’s an honor to just be nominated and great to be able to pick the brains of other finalists.
“I’m honored and grateful. It’s amazing to get to the finalist level and to network with all the other finalists and hear what they do in their classroom. It’s a golden opportunity, pun intended,” Hassett said. “It’s humbling to be among so many great teachers.”
The Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program was founded and developed by The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools in 1987, and has awarded 165 educators with the Golden Apple.