The School District of Lee County is proud to announce Taylor VanDemark is the 2023 New Teacher of the Year. Miss VanDemark teaches second grade at Colonial Elementary School and was surprised by District Administrators, School Board members and her co-workers this morning.
“Teaching is a passion of mine,” VanDemark says. “My mom was a teacher and my uncle was a teacher, so it ran in the family. When I started doing it I realized how much I loved it, loved the kids and loved watching them grow. I can’t see myself doing anything else.”
VanDemark was a competitive cheerleader and coach before joining the staff at Colonial Elementary. Her passion for coaching led her to become a teacher, and she says she quickly realized the job was just as much about being a role model and guiding light for her students.
“Miss VanDemark has demonstrated superior ability in how she fosters excellence in her students, holding all to high expectations, maintaining an orderly, safe environment, and making all of her students feel welcome and supported,” said Colonial Elementary Assistant Principal Yelennys Ochoa. “She brings with her years of professional cheerleading coach experience and naturally transfers those skills to establish clear expectations, and a positive learning environment. She demonstrates strength in character, decision making, and in her ability to be flexible in different situations.”
The School District of Lee County’s New Teacher of the Year program recognizes newly certified personnel for the significant contributions they make to their school and the School District. The nominees are individuals who have demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication in the performance of their jobs, thereby earning the respect and admiration of students, teachers, administrators, coworkers, parents and the community.
The District is also proud to announce that Jessica Heckler is the 2023 APPLES Mentor of the Year. Miss Heckler teaches Language Arts at Challenger Middle School and was also surprised by District administrators, Board Members and co-workers this morning.
“This is my favorite thing to do,” Jessica Heckler said. “To mentor new teachers and help them be successful. I love being a teacher and I love paying it forward. It’s hard to be a new teacher and I just want to help them grown.”
The School District of Lee County’s APPLES Program (Accomplished Professional Practices for Lee County Education System) offers a multi-tiered system of support to new and beginning teachers. The APPLES Mentor of the Year recognizes the work and dedication of mentors serving first-year teachers for their time and expertise in building the capacity of their first-year colleagues. The nominees are individuals who have demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication in the performance of their jobs thereby earning the respect and admiration of students, teachers, administrators, coworkers, parents and the community.
“Mrs. Heckler is a very supportive mentor and goes above the call of duty to ensure our new teachers are prepared for a successful career in education,” says Jamie VanCleve, Assistant Principal at Challenger Middle School. “She conducts observations and provides specific feedback to help develop the teacher's strengths. Mrs. Heckler is kind and patient and makes sure that her mentee has everything he needs to feel supported at Challenger.”
A selection committee composed of TALC members, principals, teacher representatives and District administrative staff reviewed nominations for APPLES Mentor of the Year. They identified and interviewed the finalists before choosing the winner. A similar committee reviewed the nominations, identified and interviewed the finalists before selecting the New Teacher of the Year.
Miss VanDemark and Miss Heckler will both be recognized for their achievement by the Lee County School Board at their May 23rd meeting.