Tracy Clauson named 2022-2023 St. Johns County District Teacher of the Year

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Feb. 8, 2023 - PRLog -- Tracy Clauson, a Spanish language teacher at Sebastian Middle School was named the 2022-2023 St. Johns County District Teacher of the Year at a special recognition banquet on February 2. Melinda Gillespie, an elementary school teacher at Patriot Oaks Academy was named as the 2022-2023 St. Johns County Rookie Teacher of the Year.

Clauson is a seventh and eighth grade Spanish teacher at Sebastian Middle School with more than 12 years of teaching students in English, Spanish, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and reading. As the New Teacher Lead for her school, Clauson facilitates monthly sessions to support teachers transitioning into their roles in the classroom. She created and hosts professional development training for fellow educators focused on student engagement and classroom management through her work with the Professional Development Certification Program (PDCP) and Clinical Education Training (CET). Clauson is also the district leader for middle school Spanish and a participant in the 2022-2023 Instructional Literacy Coach Academy.

Gillespie, Rookie Teacher of the Year for 2022-2023, is a first-grade teacher at Patriot Oaks Academy. Inspired by the book Teach Like a Pirate, Gillespie implements new and creative lesson plans in the classroom to empower students and encourage an excitement for learning. In her social studies classes, she teaches students about the state of Florida by creating an edible map using a soft tortilla shell, icing, candies, and an edible pen to provide a learning-by-emersion method for students to be in charge of their own learning.

As Teacher of the Year, Clauson will represent St. Johns County at the State of Florida Teacher of the Year event in July 2023. She will participate in a yearlong professional development and leadership program with fellow Teachers of the Year from around the state. Clauson was also awarded an opportunity to lease or purchase a new car from Beaver Toyota St. Augustine and a $350 gift certificate from Staples. She will be inducted into INK!'s Teacher Lead Network to engage and collaborate with previous St. Johns County Teachers of the Year. As Rookie Teacher of the Year, Gillespie will receive $500 from Equitable and an opportunity to engage with INK!'s Teacher Lead Network. For more information, contact Donna Lueders at Donna.Lueders@stjohns.k12.fl.us or 904-547-7120. Visit the website at www.ink-stjohns.org.