2017 Teachers of the Year

Allison Bear

J. Allen Axson Montessori School

Allison is a truly dynamic educator. She is a trained Montessori Teacher and believes strongly in the Montessori Method. She is a constant advocate for young learners. In the eleven years that Ms. Bear has been at J. Allen Axson, she has taught Pre-K, 3, 4 and 5 year olds.

As a leader in her school, Ms. Bear works to model highly effective teaching and helps her colleagues to do the same by sharing lessons, materials and working collaboratively to grow their success across all grade levels. She has also served as a Teacher-Coach for Reading and Writing in grades K – 2 for the past three years. Through coaching, Ms. Bear developed a love for teaching writing and has lead her grade level in creating a standards driven and age-appropriate writing rubric.

Allison takes pride in her work and mentors new teachers on her team. For the past several summers, she has come to school to help first year teachers set up their Montessori classrooms prior to preplanning. Her principal wrote, “Allison is truly a master teacher and works really hard with her students and families to make sure they get the best education possible. She is very popular with parents and one of my most requested teachers at the primary level.”

Allison Bear is representative of the district’s goal of retaining world class educators and serves Duval County Public Schools as a model educator.

Michael Bostic-Jones

William M. Raines High School

Michael Bostic-Jones currently serves as U. S History teacher, Social Studies department chair, Leadership team member, Rainesmen sponsor and an athletic coach. As a teacher, Mr. Bostic-Jones provides instructional support to a unique group of students. His ability to build productive relationships and solid knowledge of his content has helped him emerge as a respected leader in his role as an educator.

Michael is not your average teacher, as his high level of teacher efficacy is authentically evident in everything he does for his students. He consistently reflects on his childhood experiences and takes advantage of every opportunity to give students what he lacked as a result of growing up in the foster care system and attending multiple schools. “Be great!” is often loudly reverberating in the corridor as he monitors students transitioning from one class to the next.

Mr. Bostic-Jones’ innate ability to reach students through teaching goes beyond the four walls of the classroom. As a teacher of history, he plans lessons that will journey the students through the various eras, the United States and regions of the world through his genuinely engaging delivery. Having experienced being locked into a system of deprivation throughout his childhood, Michael has worked hard to provide his students opportunities to break those locks. He has raised funds that have allowed him, over the past two years, to take students to Costa Rica to provide volunteer services, gain an experience in another country’s culture and ultimately realize that they can do anything, go anywhere and be anything they dream. He is a dream weaver for many of his students.

Holly Hultgren

Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology

Mrs. Hultgren introduces students to the agricultural world and makes them part owners. She engages the business world in the program through classroom demonstrations, field trips, mentoring and internships. Mrs. Hultgren took on the challenge of ensuring seniors in the Agriscience/Biotechnology Academy at Peterson were successful in obtaining the opportunity to intern with a veterinarian or animal shelter. Through her efforts, the Agriscience/Biotechnology Academy received the designation as a “National Model Academy” through the National Career Academy Coalition.

A former student says that she would not be where she is today were it not for Mrs. Hultgren’s constant encouragement and challenge to do better. That same student lost her best friend in a car accident in her senior year. She writes that Mrs. Hultgren comforted her and encouraged her to keep pushing through and not give up.

Holly Hultgren’s work is inspiring to her students, the school and educators across the nation. She has achieved 100% graduation rate from her academy. She does not just teach students, she prepares them for a lifetime of service, collaboration, innovation, integrity equity and excellence. As the nation is examining the importance and impact of Career and Technical Education (CTE), Holly Hultgren is on the forefront of that movement.

Caitlyn Stetson

Reynolds Lane Elementary School

Mrs. Stetson is a shining star at Reynolds Lane. Her positive attitude and willingness to help others is an inspiration to everyone. She has a special fondness for all of her students and makes it her personal mission to help each and every one of them become successful. Her enthusiasm about her students and her work is uplifting and makes her classroom a wonderful environment in which to learn.

Mrs. Stetson’s classroom is an amazing place to learn. It is bright, inviting, and full of students’ work. She is a math whiz, who involves her students in hands-on, interactive lessons. She leaves a lasting impression on her students. She not only strives for the very best in her classroom, but she also works to ensure that the school is a wonderful place to work and learn.

Mrs. Stetson continually exhibits outstanding leadership abilities in the classroom and within her school. She is a driven individual who strives to provide the best education for her students every day. Although she is truly a master of her craft, she embraces any opportunity for professional development and frequently seeks new ways to present material to her students in a fun and engaging way that will increase their understanding.

Caitlyn Stetson’s students very often begin to mimic the growth mindset of their teacher. This contributes to a classroom culture in which everyone is growing, learning and striving for high achievement every day.

Latrece Brown-Sudduth

Andrew Robinson Elementary

2017 Florida Blue Duval County Teacher of the Year

Latrece Brown was named the 2017 Florida Blue Duval County Teacher of the Year at the 26th Annual EDDY Awards. Brown, a fourth grade math and science teacher at Andrew Robinson, was selected by a committee of volunteers from nominees from 173 public schools. As the 2017 Florida Blue Duval County Teacher of the Year, Brown will go on to compete for the statewide title.

Brown is a champion for education and displays all of the qualities of a highly effective teacher. She is passionate about learning and often spends many hours beyond the work day, preparing learning tasks or activities to meet the needs of her students. Brown consistently demonstrates exemplary leadership qualities. She serves as the anchor of her grade level and the STEM committee as the chair. In recognition of high quality instruction in the classroom, she is designated as a model teacher for the DTO Transformation Region by Superintendent Iranetta Wright.

As a teacher leader, Latrece serves as the chairperson for the 4th grade team. She demonstrates a deep understanding of the content and works collaboratively with her team to plan and deliver rigorous instruction in the classroom. As a member of a few committees, Ms. Brown single-handedly planned STEM week, FSA parent night and a pep rally for the school. She is truly the “cheerleader” of Andrew A. Robinson and her positive demeanor and personality make her a “go to” faculty member in her building.

In addition to being a phenomenal teacher, Latrece serves as a great resource to parents. She created a closed group Facebook page to help parents understand the concepts of mathematics she is teaching. Weekly she goes live to model strategies for solving a variety of problems or review commonly missed questions from parents and students in real time. Because of her ability to think outside the box, Ms. Brown has created a firestorm at the school as it relates to the Facebook page. Students and parents from other classes frequently request information for participation in the group.

Brown is charismatic and creative. She has shown classroom management skills and develops a rapport with students, colleagues and parents that is characterized by mutual respect. Beyond her strengths as a math teacher, she is also a talented sports enthusiast. She works to see the whole child be developed.

“The passion, dedication, and commitment to excellence our teachers show every day as they strive to help students excel in the classroom and in life are the best examples of service to improve our communities and the outcomes for children regardless of their obstacles. On behalf of Duval County Public Schools, it is my honor to congratulate Latrece Brown and all of the teachers of the year!” said Dr. Nikolai P. Vitti, Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools.