Commissioner Stewart Announces Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year Finalists

January 28, 2016

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Commissioner Stewart Announces Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year Finalists

Tallahassee, Fla., January 28, 2016 – Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart today announced the finalists for Florida’s 2016 Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership (Principal of the Year) and the Outstanding Assistant Principal Achievement Award (Assistant Principal of the Year). The annual awards recognize principals and assistant principals for their exceptional contributions to their schools and communities.

“Principals and assistant principals set the tone for their schools, and I am pleased to acknowledge these finalists who embody qualities that inspire educators and students to work hard and do their best,” said Commissioner Stewart. “Our school leaders deserve to be recognized for their commitment to Florida’s students, and I look forward to announcing the winners at the Commissioner’s Summit for Principals.”

The three finalists for Principal of the Year are:

Tamie Stewart, Parkside Elementary School, Collier County

With more than 30 years of experience working in K-12 education, Tamie Stewart is in her fourth year as principal at Parkside Elementary School. Her colleagues praised her for working closely with her faculty to ensure they have the skills and training necessary to provide rigorous, challenging and well-planned lessons to their students. Stewart’s strong leadership skills, use of data and commitment to student-centered learning have been credited with enabling Parkside Elementary School to improve its school grade from an F to a C (based on 2014-15 simulated school grades).

Rhonda Hunt, Eustis Heights Elementary School, Lake County

Rhonda Hunt has been a principal for 10 years, during which time she has been involved in a new school opening, establishing parent-teacher organizations, building mentoring programs and drafting grant applications, which have benefitted her students. She is described as an exemplary instructional leader and has been commended for empowering her teachers to be leaders. Under her leadership, Eustis Heights Elementary School has improved its school grade from an F to a C (based on 2014-15 simulated school grades).

Steven Royce, Tara Elementary School, Manatee County

In the four years that Steve Royce has served as Tara Elementary School’s principal, he has set high expectations for both students and adults, which has resulted in tremendous progress. Royce is known for engaging community partners to enhance the academic experience for his students and educators. Under his leadership, the school improved its school grade from a C to a B (based on 2014-15 simulated school grades) and achieved the highest numeric grade in its history.

The three finalists for Assistant Principal of the Year are:

Anne Bieber, Vero Beach High School, Indian River County

Over the last 15 years, Anne Bieber has served as assistant principal at Vero Beach High School, where her principal says she “exemplifies the passion for life, learning and service that one would expect from a leader in the education profession.” Bieber developed and shared a district-wide scheduling method that increases preparedness by enabling students to know the classes in which they are enrolled and educators to know which courses they will be teaching before classes end for the summer. Bieber is also an adjunct instructor at Indian River State College.

Chad Frazier, Eustis Heights Elementary School, Lake County

Chad Frazier’s colleagues expressed an appreciation for his passion for learning and the willingness to take on challenges toward an identified goal, as well as his dedication to creating innovative solutions. In just one year, he has already made an impact on Eustis Heights Elementary School. With the support of his principal and through collaboration with school faculty, Frazier was able to reduce truancy by 50 percent during the 2014-15 school year.

Kahlil Ortiz, Dommerich Elementary School, Orange County

During his 3½ years as an assistant principal, Kahlil Ortiz has made a difference for countless Orange County students. Prior to joining the faculty at Dommerich Elementary School, Ortiz worked at Cheney Elementary School, where he initiated a tutoring program for low-performing students that contributed to a significant improvement in the school grade. On the school campus, he is known for taking the time to get to know students and faculty on a personal level to ensure he can best meet their individual needs.

The state’s top administrators will be named in a ceremony at the Commissioner’s Summit for Principals on February 8. The recipient of the 2016 Principal of the Year will receive a cash prize of $5,000 and $1,000 for their school. The 2016 Assistant Principal of the Year will receive a cash prize of $2,500 and $500 for their school.

Candidates for these awards were nominated by the superintendent from their respective school districts. Complete lists of candidates from each district for both categories are available online: 2015-16 Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership District Winners and 2015-16 Outstanding Assistant Principal Achievement Award District Winners.

For more information about Florida’s educator recognition and recruitment programs, visit http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/recognition-recruitment.