Marion County Teacher of the Year finalists, Rookie Teacher of the Year announced

Six Marion County Public School teachers were awarded golden apples from superintendent Diane Gullett Tuesday morning in recognition as teacher of the year finalists.

The finalists (listed in alphabetical order by last name):

Beth Abel – Lake Weir Middle School

Abel is an English Language Arts teacher for Exceptional Student Education. Abel joined the district in 1989 and has 35 years of classroom experience.

Leah Bender – West Port High School

Bender teaches Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature and Composition, AP Capstone Seminar, and AP Capstone Research. She joined the district in 2014.

Jennifer Bourque – Harbour View Elementary

Bourque is a Self-Contained Exceptional Student Education teacher. She joined the district in 2014 and has 14 years of classroom experience.

Joanne Houghton – Fort McCoy School

Houghton is a seventh-grade Civics and eighth-grade U.S. History teacher. She initially joined the district in 2010 and has eight years of teaching experience with MCPS.

Hannah Whitston – Madison Street Academy

Whitston teaches Music to kindergarten through fifth-grade students. Whitston has been with the district since 2015.

Melinda Kimball, an agriculture teacher at Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks, was recognized as the 2022 rookie teacher of the year for Marion County.

Teachers with three years of experience or less are eligible for recognition as the rookie teacher of the year. The winner is also presented with a golden apple award.

All six teachers will be recognized at the Golden Apple Gala on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. at the Reilly Arts Center in Ocala. The event will be broadcast live on the Marion Education Channel and livestreamed on YouTube at www.youtube.com/MCPSmedia.

At the Gala, one of the five Golden Apple teachers will be revealed as Marion County’s 2022 Golden Apple Teacher of the Year and will drive away in a new, pre-paid, three-year leased vehicle from Jenkins Auto Group.

For more information, contact Meghan Magamoll with the Public Education Foundation of Marion County at [email protected] or 352.671.4160.

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