Susan Bell, Physical Education, Woodland Acres Elementary School

Jeffrey Clayton, Choral Music, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts

Cleo Reddick Jones, Kindergarten, Rufus E. Payne Elementary School

Laurie Stucki, 4th Grade Inclusion, Atlantic Beach Elementary School

Mr. Gilchrist Berg, established the Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence in 1998 to honor Gladys Prior his fourth grade teacher at Ortega Elementary School. Mr. Berg will give four teachers $15,000  $15,000 each to use as they wish. Mr. Berg, the founder and president of Water Street Capital, a Jacksonville investment firm, has entrusted the UNF College of Education and Human Services with the administration of these awards which are among the most generous in the United States.

2008 Winner Profiles

Susan Bell, Physical Education, Woodland Acres Elementary School
When Governor Crist mandated that all students receive 150 minutes of physical education a week, Susan Bell gave every teacher detailed daily lessons plans. She was featured in a Times Union front page story spotlighting her school as the only one in Duval County meeting this requirement. Now she helps other schools set up similar programs. She also teaches swimming to the over 500 children in her school.

Jeffrey Clayton, Choral Music, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts
A choral music teacher for 20 years, Jeffrey Clayton matches his high standards with deep compassion for his students. He encourages them to help each other with their academic studies as well as their music. In 2007 Mr. Clayton and his vocal music department received the designation of Signature Grammy Gold School, one of two in the nation, sponsored by the Grammy Awards Foundation.

Cleo Reddick Jones, Rufus E. Payne Elementary School
Cleo Jones, a 40-year veteran, teaches kindergarten. Her students and their parents have no choice but to be excited about learning. If parents don’t come to her, she shows up on their doorstep with a bag of books for them to read to their children. A former student said, “Mrs. Jones sparked a drive in me that led me to Florida A & M University’s College of Pharmacy and to the quarterback position on the football team.”

Laurie Stucki, Atlantic Beach Elementary School
Laurie Stucki enthusiastically welcomes children with and without disabilities into her 4th grade inclusion class. She develops the strengths and abilities of all her students and finds a way for each one to contribute to the classroom learning community. Her students (even those with disabilities) consistently score high on FCAT reading and writing.

Previous Gladys Prior Award winners:

2007: Cindy Fitch, Ben MacKay, Mai Dinh Keisling, Maria Perez Randle

2006: Janet Coburn, Patrick Nolan, Jacqueline Simms, Gregory Whaley

2005: Timothy Clark, Dan Hall, Margie Nolan, Nancy Lotowycz

2004: Clifford Buggs, Lisa Crosby, Denise Rambach, Michael Tetlow

2003: Donna Hamm, Marilyn Olin, Elizabeth Renfroe, Jan Tipton

2002: William Babcock, Jane Feber, Sandra McCoy, Beverly McMillan

2001: Carmen Adkins, Marie Girardeau, Carol McQueen, Carroll Stevenson

2000: Janet Hall, Kenneth Hatcher, Norma Hedgecoth, Susan Tucker

1999: Edward M. Lange, Susan Piltz, Laura Pratt, Victoria S. Register-Freeman

1998: Mary Alice Fryar, Terri J. Largen, Marcia Kay Rivas, Mary Helen Solomon

Call for Nominations: March 20, 2009

Nominations for the 2008 Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence are now being accepted. Teachers are nominated by letters that describe how they inspire students to learn though excellent teaching. The two criteria for selection are sustained teaching excellence and sustained inspiration of students. Teachers must have at least 10 years of teaching experience and currently be teaching in a Jacksonville public or private school. Teachers may be nominated by colleagues, administrators, parents, students or community members. Teachers may not nominate themselves. Nomination campaigns are discouraged. Nomination letters are due by 5:00 P.M. March 20, 2009 in the Dean's Office.

If you have questions about the Gladys Prior Awards, please contact Patti Robbins at probbins@unf.edu or 620-1799.