Volusia Schools Select Teachers of the Year

Volusia County Schools’ 69 Teachers of the Year were announced and honored in a special outdoor ceremony hosted by VCS, FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools, The Daytona Tortugas, and presented by AdventHealth, the official healthcare champion of VCS.

Each of Volusia's public schools completes a formal process to select its Teacher of the Year. The winners, chosen by their peers, are nominated to compete for the honor of Volusia County Schools’ 2024 Teacher of the Year, to be announced on January 20. The current Volusia County Teacher of the Year is Madison Miller who was nominated while at Chisholm Elementary in New Smyrna Beach and is now assistant principal at Palm Terrace Elementary in Daytona Beach.

Miller and 2021 VCS Teacher of the Year Josie Ruth Stumpf were among the VIP speakers at Thursday evening’s all-star-themed Teacher of the Year reception held at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. School Board Chair Ruben Colón brought greetings on behalf of the School Board, and Superintendent Dr. Carmen Balgobin praised the Teachers of the Year for leading with grace and respect. FUTURES President Heather Bond Vargas thanked the many sponsors who make the Teacher of the Year program possible including AdventHealth represented by Vice President of Ancillary Services Scott Clifton.

Click here to watch the reception video.

The 2024 district Teacher of the Year winner will be announced in January and will be nominated for the state Teacher of the Year program. The Teachers of the Year and their schools are:

Wendy Jefferies, Alt. Education – Highbanks Learning Center

Glenda Carreira, Atlantic High
Kelsi Quicksall-Jones, Beachside Elementary
Cecilia D. Helton, Blue Lake Elementary
Jennifer N. Mills, Campbell Middle
Tiffany Warren, Champion Elementary
Allaina Dixon, Chisholm Elementary
Wendy Lynn Fontaine, Citrus Grove Elementary
Jennifer Scalo, Coronado Beach Elementary
Aaron Shank, Creekside Middle
Michelle Deibler, Cypress Creek Elementary
Valerie Marcus, DeBary Elementary
Michelle Lyle Bishop, DeLand High
Heather Robinson, DeLand Middle
Kristy Garthwaite, Deltona High
Heather Mooney, Deltona Lakes Elementary
Cecilia C.M. Lott, Deltona Middle
Dominique A. Clark, Discovery Elementary
Jessica VanderMeulen, Edgewater Public
Natalie Maynard, Enterprise Elementary
Erica Jeria, Forest Lake Elementary
Angie Vogelzang, Freedom Elementary
Robin Shank, Friendship Elementary
Jacqueline Drescher, Galaxy Middle
Margaret Tambini, George W. Marks Elementary
Joshua Jordan, Heritage Middle
Akrisza Kemp-Brown, David C. Hinson, Sr. Middle
Charlise Robinson, Holly Hill School
Mark Petko, Horizon Elementary
Mercedes Booth, Indian River Elementary
Cassandra Stewart, R.J. Longstreet Elementary
Tara Gardner, Mainland High
Holly McPherson, Manatee Cove Elementary
Emily Naghdi, Louise S. McInnis Elementary
Paul Woodard, New Smyrna Beach High
Dr. DeAnna Haught, New Smyrna Beach Middle
Cheryl Turner, Orange City Elementary
Ashley Cowin, Ormond Beach Elementary
Lohree Pulver, Ormond Beach Middle
Jaime Potts, Osteen Elementary
Kristina Schmitt, Palm Terrace Elementary
Matthew Coleman, Pathways Elementary
Christie Y. Henry, Pierson Elementary
Holly Taylor, Pine Ridge High
Doug Witter, Pine Trail Elementary
Abigail Clowers, Port Orange Elementary
Evelyn Irizarry, Pride Elementary
Jenny Graham, Read-Pattillo Elementary
Luz Mariella Sullivan, River Springs Middle School of Technology & Innovation
Dodi Gaines, Seabreeze High
Hai Chi Saber Bride, Silver Sands Middle
Mary Nave’, South Daytona Elementary
Victoria Langston, Southwestern Middle
Ashley McCormick, Spirit Elementary
Joyce Swain, Spruce Creek Elementary
Vonda H. Morris, Spruce Creek High
Christa Bryant, Edith I. Starke Elementary
Amanda Frantz, Sugar Mill Elementary
Judy Picone, Sunrise Elementary
Kim Perry, Sweetwater Elementary
Jaime Davis, T. DeWitt Taylor Middle-High
Brad Culpepper, Timbercrest Elementary
Beccy Leigh Schulze, Tomoka Elementary
Porscha Morrow, Turie T. Small Elementary
Linda Berner, University High
Jennifer Algard, Volusia Online Learning
Shandris Hinson, Volusia Pines Elementary
Tamika S. Harvard, Westside Elementary
Samantha MacHardy, Woodward Avenue Elementary