Twenty-one out of 54 teachers selected for the 2011 Subject Area Teachers of the Year Award were from Cape Coral schools.
There were 23 subject areas that a Lee County School District teacher could be nominated for. Those included art/visual, dance/drama, drivers education, environmental education, ESOL, exceptional student education, health education, instructional technology, JROTC, language arts, math, media specialist, music, physical education, reading, school counselor, school nurse, school psychologist, school social worker, science, social studies, technical/career education and world languages.
Assistant Director of Curriculum Pattie Elkin said the district went live on Feb. 3 with an online website, so individuals could nominate a teacher in a specific subject area through Feb. 28. She said they received more than 100 nominations.
The teachers who were chosen were selected by committees that were made up of administrators, teachers, peers and various associations.
“Anyone can nominate a teacher,” Elkin said about the process.
The recipients of the award will be recognized during a school board meeting in May. Elkin said the teachers will receive a certificate and have the opportunity to attend an award ceremony and meet the school board.
“I think it is a great way to recognize teachers and all they do in their subject area in the district,” Elkin said. “I am very proud of all of our teachers and thrilled that they are a part of the Lee County School District family.”
The Subject Area Teachers of the Year award has been given to Lee County School District teachers for more than 25 years.
The 2011 Subject Area Teachers of the Year recipients for Cape Coral schools are:
Art/Visual: Marquerite Husebye from Cape Coral High School and Randy Markgraf from Diplomat Elementary School
Dance/Drama: Josh Hart from Diplomat Middle School
Environmental Education: Elizabeth Kominar from Cape Coral High School
ESOL: Lucrecia Lucero from Mariner High School
Health Education: Brooke DeCarlo from Caloosa Middle School
Language Arts: Lisa Blanco from Trafalgar Elementary School and Alicia Miller from Cape Coral High School
Math: Jane Nordquist from Ida S. Baker High School and Gay Page from Caloosa Elementary School
Media Specialist: Patricia Jackson from Colonial Elementary School and Sue Los Huertos from Diplomat Middle School
Music: Sarah Hamilton from Mariner High School
Physcial Education: Charles Muller from Ida S. Baker High School
School Counselor: Susan Shoemaker from Island Coast High School
School Psychologist: Stephanie Spector from Caloosa Elementary School, Caloosa Middle School, Challenger Middle School, Cape Coral High School and Ida S. Baker High School
School Social Worker: Pat Nelson from Caloosa Elementary School, Hector Cafferata Elementary School, Pine Island Elementary School, Skyline Elementary School, Trafalgar Elementary School and Caloosa Middle School
Science: Linda Hamstra from Trafalgar Elementary School
Social Studies: Tanya Norris from Diplomat Middle School
Technical/Career Education: Christina McDaniel from Island Coast High School and Ann Tikka from Caloosa Middle School
Other district recipients include:
Art/Visual: Randy Markgraf from Bayshore Elementary School and Theresa West-Taylor from North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts
Drivers Education: Colin Kelly from Dunbar High School
Environmental Student Education: Barry Jenkins from Alva Middle School, Terri Kramer from Manatee Elementary School, Shannon Peckham from Gateway Elementary School and Cynthia Webb from Dunbar High School
Instructional Technology: Chuck Baack from High Tech North, Karen Dreussi from Allen Park Elementary School and Alan Klingensmith from North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts
JROTC: First Sergeant Bryant Robinson from Estero High School
Language Arts: Rebecca Jamme from Dunbar High School and Jonathan Martin from Alva Middle School
Math: Judy Harris from Alva Middle School
Media Specialist: Cynthia Jeffcott from South Fort Myers High School
Music: Susan Hamilton from Littleton Elementary School and Tropic Isles Elementary School
Physical Education: Pam Forsyth from Three Oaks Middle School and Melanie Menard from Bayshore Elementary School
Reading: Susan Barnes from Fort Myers High School, Irma Benejan from Pinewoods Elementary School and Jane McElree from Alva Middle School
School Counselor: Eileen Cherbini from Lehigh Acres Middle School and Jan Moretti from Bayshore Elementary School
School Nurse: Corinne Nelson from the Early Childhood Center
Science: Dana Sanner from The Sanibel School and Cathy Tucker from Fort Myers High School
Social Studies: Jaine Constantine from Sunshine Elementary School and Paula Sizemore from Riverdale High School
Technical/Career Education: Chris McElroy from High Tech Central
World Languages: Rocio Broyles from Fort Myers High School, Mirta Medina-Pardo from Lehigh Acres Middle School and Nohora Rivera from The Sanibel School
“I am very proud to honor these teachers for all they do every day for our students,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Lawrence Tihen said in a prepared statement. “I’ve seen first-hand the difference they make in the lives of children, and they are truly deserving of this recognition.”

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