Kissimmee Elementary School Teacher is Named a Teacher of the Year Finalist and Received $15,000 from Macy’s and the Florida Department of Education!
May 4, 2016
Melissa Goff, Macy’s Media Relations
Melissa.Goff@Macys.com
305-577-2171
Melody Regalado, Macy’s Media Relations
Melody.Regalado@macys.com
305-577-1973
Kissimmee Elementary School Teacher is Named a Teacher of the Year Finalist and Received $15,000 from Macy’s and the Florida Department of Education!
~ Macy’s Partners with Florida Department of Education to Celebrate Extraordinary Teacher with Surprise, Magical Announcement as one of five finalists named to compete for distinguished 2017 Macy’s/Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Award ~
Miami, FL – May 4, 2016 – Like every other school day, at 9:30 a.m. today, Amy Miller and her class were focused and on task to complete the day’s assignments. She had no idea that she was about to receive the surprise of a lifetime! From a group of 72 teachers, Amy Miller of Kissimmee Elementary School in Osceola County was chosen as one of five finalists to compete for the 2017 Macy’s/Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Award!
For the past 28 years, Macy’s along with the Florida Department of Education has honored the most exceptional educators in Florida who make magic in and out of their classrooms every day. The Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors the contributions of outstanding classroom teachers who have demonstrated a superior capacity to inspire a love of learning in students of all backgrounds and abilities.
At 9:30 a.m., Florida Department of Education Commissioner, Pam Stewart, along with Lee O’Rourke, Macy’s District Vice President, was on-hand to make the big surprise announcement. The K-5th grade Math and Science Coach was teaching her class when the Commissioner made the surprise visit and told her that she had been chosen as one of five finalists for the prestigious honor.
“Being named a finalist for this prestigious award is an incredible accomplishment and a true testament to Amy Miller’s dedication to academic excellence for her students. Through Amy’s encouragement, her students become risk-takers with a passion for learning which will further strengthen the future of the state of Florida,” said Dennis Witte, Macy’s Executive Vice President and Regional Director of Stores.
Upon receiving the good news, Amy Miller was presented with a $15,000 check from Macy’s and The Florida Department of Education and a $500 Macy’s gift card. A $1,000 check funded by Macy’s, was presented to the finalist’s school. Macy’s will contribute over $100,000 in cash to the state-run Teacher of the Year program, as it has done since 1988. This year, Governor Rick Scott secured additional state funds for teachers in the Teacher of the Year program to significantly increase these awards for Florida educators.
“Macy’s has been presenting these awards for almost 30 years because we know that exceptional teachers are one of the most important factors of our students’ learning and success. That’s one reason why we’re proud of our long-standing commitment to education in Florida,” continued Witte. “To be a teacher is to be a ‘change agent.’ It is a dynamic profession that promotes lifelong learning. This comes to life in Ms. Miller’s classroom, where students are engaged while innovation and achievement rise. The Teacher of the Year program gives us the opportunity to honor the best educators in the state as well as motivate teachers to strive for excellence in their own communities.”
“I am honored to recognize Ms. Miller as a Teacher of the Year finalist for her dedication to Florida’s students,” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “Her colleagues praised her for consistently going above and beyond to provide her students the additional assistance they need to achieve academic success. Math and science are two subjects that are sometimes challenging for young students, and I am grateful for teachers like Ms. Miller who put in extra effort to ensure our state’s students have the foundation needed to excel in the future.”
The winner of the 2017 Macy’s/Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year award will be announced during a ceremony on Thursday, July 14, 2016. The event, hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist Deborah Norville, will be held at Orlando’s Hard Rock Live at Universal Studios CityWalk.
In addition to a $20,000 award funded by The Florida Department of Education and Macy’s, the Teacher of the Year will receive awards from Macy’s including an all-expense paid trip for four to New York City to attend the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The winner will also serve for one year as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education, touring the state to spread the word about educational opportunities and challenges in the Sunshine State. To date, Macy’s has contributed almost $3 million to teachers throughout the state.
During the gala event in July, the remaining nominees will be presented with a $10,000 personal cash award from the Department of Education and Macy’s.
This year’s five finalists were chosen from more than 194,519 public school teachers throughout the state by a Department of Education-appointed selection committee representing teachers, principals, parents and the business community. Each finalist is selected on the basis of outstanding ability to teach and communicate knowledge of the subject taught, professional development, philosophy of teaching, and outstanding school and community service
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