Last week, Superintendent E. Wayne Gent, accompanied by School Board Chair Dr. Donna Mills, School Board Vice Chair Troy Ingersoll, Board Members Debbie Hawley and Jennifer Richardson, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jon Prince, Thom Jones from the Education Foundation, and Assistant to the Superintendent, Dr. Kevin Perry, paid surprise visits to this year’s finalists for School Related Employee of the Year and Outstanding First Year Teacher.
School Related Employee of the Year Finalists
School Related Employee of the Year is a program that is supported by the Florida Department of Education in which outstanding education support personnel are recognized for the significant impact they make on their schools and district school systems. Locally, one individual will be selected to represent St. Lucie Public Schools at the state level during the Night of the Stars gala scheduled for February 5, 2022.
Ahmed Shahid, a behavior tech at C.A. Moore Elementary; Linda Nelson, a school attendance clerk at Southport Middle; and Alicia Gomez, a school registrar at Manatee Academy, are the finalists who have the distinction of representing the School District at this year’s Night of the Stars event.
“The SREY and finalists represent the outstanding services our support staff provide to the District. Their commitment and contribution are vitally important to the overall success of our students,” said Superintendent E. Wayne Gent.
Ahmed Shahid, C.A. Moore Elementary
Ahmed Shahid, a former law enforcement officer, serves as a behavior tech at C.A. Moore Elementary. He is an outstanding role model and mentor to the students. His extraordinary people skills, communication, and problem-solving have helped to instill character and manners in the students at C.A. Moore Elementary.
Linda Nelson, Southport Middle School
Linda Nelson, the school attendance clerk at Southport Middle School, is the first person who greets visitors. Her smiling face and welcoming manner instantly puts guests and visitors at ease. She prides herself on knowing almost every student by name and is diligent and detailed to ensure all attendance records are accurate and timely.
Alicia Gomez, Manatee Academy
Alicia Gomez serves as the school registrar at Manatee Academy. Ms. Gomez has a myriad of responsibilities and each one is completed with a smile and positive attitude. She is the first one to jump in and volunteer to help in any way she can.
Outstanding First Year Teacher Finalists
The Oustanding First Year Teacher is a program in St. Lucie Public Schools where first year teachers are recognized who demonstrate a superior ability to foster excellence in education and contribute to the continuous improvement of school learning and the school environment. One individual will be selected as St. Lucie Public Schools Outstanding First Year Teacher during the Night of the Stars event scheduled for February 5, 2022.
Mary Putko, a third-grade teacher at Bayshore Elementary; Dr. Karen Lynn, an ELA teacher at Dale Cassens; and Yiranny Guzman Ramirez, a technology/computer science teacher at Samuel S. Gaines Academy, are the finalists who have the distinction of representing the School District at this year’s Night of the Stars event.
“The OFYT finalists represent the best of our talented and committed rookie teachers. Embarking on a teaching career under the most ideal conditions can be a challenge, however, these teachers have taken on this challenge during an unprecedented year and flourished. I appreciate their hard work and dedication to our students,” said Superintendent E. Wayne Gent.
Mary Putko, Bayshore Elementary
Mary Putko, a third-grade teacher, is a graduate of Port St. Lucie High School and is a recipient of A Promise Is A Promise. This program guarantees a teaching job to SLPS graduates who obtain their teaching credentials. Ms. Putko takes the time to enhance the partnerships with families by communicating students’ progress on a regular basis. She holds high expectations for her students and has made a positive impact on student learning.
Dr. Karen Lynn, Dale Cassens
Dr. Karen Lynn is an ELA teacher at Dale Cassens. Dr. Lynn, who is a highly talented educator with 10 years of experience as an adjunct college professor, quickly proved herself as an invaluable member of the staff who brings diverse teaching and leadership experience to her classroom. Her students are eagerly engaged and making remarkable improvements in their learning.
Yiranny Guzman Ramirez, Samuel S. Gaines Academy
Yiranny Guzman Ramirez is a technology/computer science teacher at Samuel S. Gaines Academy. Ms. Guzman has earned the adoration and respect of everyone at the school. She is a ray of sunshine who brings positive energy and a can-do attitude to every team and task. Students enjoy learning coding and computer animation through the Amazon Future Engineers Grant that is being implemented in her class.
St. Lucie Public Schools congratulates all our finalists!
