The votes are in, and readers have chosen Madeline Thomas as Brevard’s Teacher of the Week.
Each week, in an effort to honor educators from across the Space Coast, FLORIDA TODAY publishes a poll on Friday with the names of four teachers nominated by readers. Votes can be cast until noon on Thursday, and the winner of that week’s poll will be announced online Friday and in print Sunday along with the new poll.
This week’s winner, Thomas, is an educator at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School. Here’s what her nominator said:
“Mrs. Thomas is an exceptional teacher who makes learning important and fun for her fourth graders — the class pet, ‘Mona Lisa,’ a leopard gecko, would agree. She takes the time with each student to make sure they are giving the very best from themselves every day. And her commitment to them means she’s giving her very best every day as well. Performing Arts is also her baby. She’s now working on her second show at the school with more than a quarter of the school’s student body actively involved. Why? Because Mrs. Thomas makes it a fun experience for everyone and instills the idea that the arts are important and for everyone.”
Scroll down to find out who’s nominated for the upcoming week.
Jennifer Guthrie, Titusville High School
What the nominator said: “Jennifer is the consummate educator of my 30 year teaching career. She is the leader of the Mathematics department at THS, and goes out of her to insure all her peers are well prepared for their classes. Her students love her positive attitude tempered with understanding, compassion, and unconditional acceptance for who they are as people, and taking them from where they are in their understanding of math to where they need to be to be successful. She freely shares her expertise of mathematics curriculum with her peers to help make an impossible career possible and less stressful!”
Christine Thomas, Pineapple Cove Classical Academy
What the nominator said: “(I’m nominating her) because she helps me with math and is very patient and kind.”
Jodie Wright, Meadowlane Elementary School
What the nominator said: “Mrs. Wright works tirelessly to build relationships with her students and their families. She is dedicated to supporting all students with a kind heart. BPS is lucky to have Mrs. Wright as an educator!”
Katundra Stewart, Odyssey Charter School
What the nominator said: “She teaches art on a cart, meaning she travels to a different classroom each period. That’s a big challenge she carries out with a smile. She’s very (organized), develops wonderful lessons that engage her students.”
Nominate your favorite teacher
If you want to see your favorite teachers recognized, you can nominate them through FLORIDA TODAY’s online form, and we’ll include your nominees in future polls. Please include your nominees’ first and last names, the names of the schools where they teach and a few sentences on why you’re nominating them.
Any current teacher in Brevard can be nominated, including daycare teachers; K-12 teachers and instructional assistants; speech therapists and other instructors from gifted programs; teachers for after-school programs or summer schools; and professors at Florida Tech and Eastern Florida State College.
The form will stay open indefinitely, and there’s no deadline to nominate a teacher.
FLORIDA TODAY Multimedia Editor Rob Landers contributed to this report.
Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@floridatoday.com. X: @_finchwalker. Instagram: @finchwalker_.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Holy Name of Jesus educator is Brevard’s Teacher of the Week
Reporting by Finch Walker, Florida Today / Florida Today
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