First Coast High Teacher Marjorie Nolan Selected
as Duval County’s Teacher of the Year
JACKSONVILLE - Marjorie Nolan, a Reading Coach at First Coast High School, has been selected as the 2009 Duval County Teacher of the Year.
The announcement was made by one of Ms. Nolan’s former students, Vincent Hall, who is now a Duval County public school Principal. The event, held Thursday evening at the Hyatt Regency, was hosted by the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, formerly the Alliance for World Class Education.
"The Duval County Teacher of the Year program honors a representative of all the wonderful teachers in our district, and I congratulate Marjorie on this well-deserved recognition," said Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals. "Marjorie is a role model to her students and peers, and she is wonderful example of the high quality teachers we have in Duval County.”
Nolan has been teaching for 31 years, teaching at Raines High School from 78’- 2003, before switching to First Coast. She was named as her school’s Teacher of the Year previously at Raines in 95’-96’ and at First Coast in 2004-2005. She was also named as a finalist for the district Teacher of the Year both years. Nolan received National Board Certification in 2005, and that same year also received the Gladys Prior Award for Teaching Excellence.
In one of the essays in her application, Nolan said, "As a teacher, I believe there is no organization that has loftier goals or a weightier mission than America’s public schools. Our goal is to prepare each child for his or her best possible future. Our mission is to give all students a belief in the power of their own mind, a desire to continuously improve their own mind, and the tools they will need to continue the life-long process of learning, which will enable them to have a bright future.”
Nolan will now go on to compete for the state-wide title of Florida Teacher of the Year.
Nolan’s announcement as Teacher of the Year came after the presentation of the district’s five finalists at the EDDY Awards: Nolan from First Coast High; AuGena White-Sapp, fourth-grade English and Language Arts teacher at Rutledge Pearson Elementary; Alice Smith, second-grade teacher at Henry Kite Elementary; John Garman, seventh-grade Math teacher at Matthew Gilbert Middle; and Matthew Campese, Math teacher at Sandalwood High.
Hosted by The Jacksonville Public Education Fund, the EDDY Awards ceremony is a black-tie event that honors every candidate for Teacher of the Year.
"The Jacksonville Public Education Fund is committed to recognizing and supporting Duval County’s outstanding teachers," said Gary Chartrand, Chairman of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund. "It is an honor to host the EDDY awards each year to celebrate these teachers’ accomplishments. We congratulate Ms. Nolan on her selection as Duval County’s new Teacher of the Year."
The selection process began with 157 school representatives throughout the district who were selected as their school’s Teacher of the Year. The 157 were narrowed by the District Selection Committee to 15 semi-finalists and then five finalists.
For a complete list of all 157 of Duval County’s Teachers of the Year, please see the attached list.
For a detailed description of all five finalists, as well as pictures of all the district’s Teachers of the Year, visit http://www.duvalschools.org/TOY/2009/Home.html.
Duval County Public Schools operates more than 160 schools and serves approximately 123,000 students. The school district is committed to providing high quality educational opportunities that will inspire all students to acquire and use the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a global economy, and culturally diverse world.
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