We had an incredible time celebrating Hillsborough County Public Schools super teachers and support staff at our 2023 Excellence in Education Awards, presented by Suncoast Credit Union!
“When choosing this year’s theme, Calling all Superheroes – it really was a no-brainer. You truly are our Superheroes. I know to be an educator or support personnel, you have to have more than one superpower,” said HEF CEO Kim Jowell.
Out of 667 nominees from across the district, 12 finalists were highlighted over the course of the night, with the help of their student escorts, before we unmasked Nicolette Barone, Muhammed Conteh and Chinovia Shedrick as Teacher of the Year, Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year and Instructional Support Employee of the Year, respectively.
2023 Teacher of the Year
Nicolette Barone
Oak Park Elementary
5th Grade Teacher
2023 Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year
Muhammed Conteh
Plant High
JROTC Instructor
2023 Instructional Support Employee of the Year
Chinovia Shedrick
Memorial Middle
ESE Paraprofessional
Watch the heartfelt messages from the finalists’ students
Click on their names to play the video
Teacher of the Year Finalists
- Nicolette Barone, Oak Park Elementary
- Josette Daley, Forest Hills Elementary
- Elizabeth Hawley, Dowdell Middle
- Rebecca Oakeson, Kingswood Elementary
- Elizabeth Osborn, Alonso High
Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year Finalists
- Muhammed Conteh, Plant High
- Sherly Gervais, Sumner High
- Lynda Taylor, Gaither High
- Mary Valesano, Burney Elementary
Instructional Support Employee of the Year Finalists
- Donreece Brown, Lopez ESE Center
- Pamela May, King High
- Chinovia Shedrick, Memorial Middle
Don’t miss a moment!
Catch the entire awards ceremony:
Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year
While EIE focuses on teachers and staff, we also know our schools couldn’t be SUPER without the hard work and dedication of their Principals and Assistant Principals, like Principal of the Year Katie Rocha and Assistant Principal of the Year Angela Brown!
Katie Rocha has been Principal at Newsome High for three years and was previously an HCPS Chemistry teacher for nine years.
Angela Brown, who has recently been promoted to Principal at Sligh Middle, was Assistant Principal at Liberty Middle and had been with the school since it opened 20 years ago.