St . Johns County School District
_ TEACHER OF THE YEAR
INK !’ s ( Investing in Kids ) 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year awards campaign culminated on January 20 with a special recognition banquet and program , along with honors and a tribute to Andrew Burk , band director at Valley Ridge Academy , who was named as the Teacher of the Year among teacher finalists from St . Johns County , Florida , public schools . Kaitlyn Holle , a middle school science teacher at Mill Creek Academy , was named as this year ’ s Rookie Teacher of the Year .
As Teacher of the Year , Burk will be awarded a car to drive from Beaver Toyota and a $ 500 gift certificate from Staples . He also becomes the representative from St . Johns County in the State of Florida Teacher of the Year competition . Burk will begin a year-long professional development and leadership program with fellow Teachers of the Year from all 67 counties around the state . As Rookie Teacher of the Year , Holle will receive $ 500 from Equitable .
Additional Teacher of the Year finalists this year include Veronica Fuata , second-grade teacher at Cunningham Creek Elementary School ; Robie Hagan , instructional literacy coach at Wards Creek Elementary School ; Patricia McElhone , academic interventionist at St . Johns Virtual School ; and Sharon Warwell-Murden , fifth-grade teacher at R . B . Hunt Elementary School . The countywide awards program commemorates recipients as local scholastic leaders who help to build community awareness of the region ’ s best educators .
Since 2017 , Burk has been teaching sixth , seventh and eighth-grade music classes beginning in South Florida , and in 2019 , he started teaching the same grade levels in band at Valley Ridge Academy . He holds a bachelor ’ s degree in Music Education and majored in Instrumental Music Education at Florida State University in Tallahassee , Florida . Burk resides in Jacksonville , Fla .
“ I am so proud to have played a role in educating students and music teachers in and beyond the classroom ,” said Burk . “ Within St . Johns County
Andrew Burk
School district , I have taken on the role of leading the Professional Learning Community for middle school band directors where I guide teachers during monthly band director
Kaitlyn Holle meetings . We are currently planning the 2023 St . Johns County Honor Band ,” he said . “ Inside my classroom , I have hosted three college interns and directed them through a day in the life of a young middle school band director .”
Burk added , “ I am honored and humbled to receive such an amazing distinction as Teacher of the Year . We have an exceptional group of educators in St . Johns County , and it is a privilege to collaborate with them each day ,” said Burk . “ The school year has been challenging in many ways . Yet , it has provided us with a unique opportunity to reflect on our teaching practices and think about our relationships with our students . And it reminds us that what matters most is to help students truly engage in their own learning experiences ,” he said .
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