Heritage High School's Brandon Jenkins was named Brevard Public Schools 2018 Teacher of the Year Wednesday night at the ABC Awards.
Jenkins is the band director at Heritage High in Palm Bay, where he's taught for the past five years. Under his leadership, the band has quadrupled in size with 130 students and improved from "poor" to "superior" ratings at competitions.
“I must be honest, I did not believe I would be awarded this great honor tonight. I’m so shocked and I’m humbled. I’m so glad they made us write a speech because I would not know what to say,” Jenkins said after receiving the award.
“Every teacher in Brevard County works hard for our students every single day. Every single finalist here tonight are just a small presentation of what this great county has to offer,” he said. “It has always been a dream of mine to touch the lives of students, as mine was touched many years ago. As I stand here today I feel like proof of that our hard work is not in vain. I want the world to know what great teachers Brevard County has.”
Recognized at the King Center in Melbourne Wednesday night, Jenkins was chosen from 90 nominated teachers. The winner was chosen based on teaching philosophy and practice, leadership, professional development and parental engagement in the learning process.
Read about all the finalists: HERE
“I can count on Mr. Jenkins to arrive at school ready to impart his love for music to eager students," Heritage Principal John Harris said. "He has developed our Heritage High School band program into a superior-rated concert band for the past three years.”
The 2018 Employee of the Year was also announced.
Dinah Kramer is a senior human resources partner and has worked for the district for 29 years. In that role, she makes sure all teachers are certified and vetted, gives administrators advice about personnel issues and recruiting and guides college senior interns through the certification process.
"She has ensured for decades that Brevard Public Schools employs only the best and brightest to serve our most precious community members, our children," said human resources director Carol Kindt.
More: Brevard Schools names principal, assistant principal of the year
The night also celebrated Brevard Public Schools Principal of the Year, Rick Fleming, and Assistant Principal of the Year Candace Jones.
Headed into his 12th year as principal of West Shore, a choice school in Melbourne, Fleming has already implemented a handful of programs to help students get through his school's rigorous academic curriculum. West Shore has consistently been an "A" school dating back to 2001, regularly landing among the best public high schools in the nation.
Jones has been the assistant principal at Anderson Elementary in Rockledge for the past six years.
2017 Teacher of the Year: This job takes love, compassion
2017 Employee of the Year: 'So much more than a lunch lady'
Glenn is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY.
Contact Glenn at 321-576-5933
or caglenn@floridatoday.com.
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