Schoolhouse Flock
In our new series titled "Schoolhouse Flock" we highlight local schools and the Ospreys who run them.
Clay High
Located on Highway 16 in Green Cove Springs, Clay High School is the fastest growing high school in Clay County with a population of 1,800 students, 100 teachers and 95 staff members. UNF alumna Jen Halter (’10, ’23), a 19-year educator, serves as principal for the school. She said, “UNF has prepared me to be successful in this current role as Principal of Clay High, as an advocate at the state and national level for educational leaders, and as an aspiring district leader and future superintendent.”
Halter is joined by many other Ospreys, including Ciara Viner-Boots (‘15), Joshua Persinger (‘14), Wale Leyimu (‘08), Cole Cottet (‘23), Dana Brock, Bria Havener (’04, ’06, ‘07), Olivia Sweat, Susan Horn (’98, ‘98), Kimberlee Roberts (‘23), Caleb Milligan (’14, ‘15), William Weeks (’13, ‘15), and Lacey Elrod (‘06).
Molding Clay
Halter started her educator journey at Orange Park Junior High teaching eighth grade students. She also served as the Head Girls Track Coach in addition to starting the Cross-Country program at the junior high level. She also served as sponsor for the Debate Club and Writing Club. After eight years of teaching and coaching, she moved up to assistant principal at Green Cove Springs Junior High, followed soon after by a promotion to vice principal, and finally principal.
She led Green Cove Springs Junior High for six years, and in that time, the school became a Best and Brightest School, a School of Excellence, and increased in school grade every year, all while starting to close achievement gaps in reading and math for Black and Hispanic students. In 2021, Halter received awards for the 2021 Clay County Principal of the Year and the 2021 Florida Principal of the Year.
Later that year, she joined Clay High and is currently in her fourth year as principal. In the last three years, Clay High went from the most underperforming high school in the district with 52% grade of a C to a 65% grade of an A. This past year, Clay High had the highest learning gains and lower quartile learning gains in reading in the history of the school.
Clay High Study Guide
Steeped in a tradition and a huge legacy of leaders and a community of alumni, the Clay High Blue Devils recently earned an A-rating on the state assessments. Clay High has a very high-performing athletics program that boasts many state titles, national placements and famous alumni, including Olympic swimmer Caeleb Dressel, World Series Champions Dane Dunning and Jake Dunning, and former NFL players, Nolan Carroll, Will Holden and Super Bowl Champion Cliff Avril. They also have many alumni serving as local and state leaders.
Clay High offers many pathways and academies, including offerings in criminal justice, veterinarian technology, digital design, VyStar Academy, introduction to teaching, agriculture, auto mechanic, carpentry, 911 dispatch, computer science and health science with CNA and EKG certifications.
Their FFA chapter is currently ranked in the top three finalists in the nation for a Model of Excellence Chapter award and their NJROTC unit just received accolades as a National Distinguished Chapter. With their large veteran alumni base, Halter honored their legacy by creating the Military Hall of Fame in the science wing, which displays seals from each branch of the military and every alumni who has served or will serve.
Educating the Educator
As she pursued her undergraduate studies at Florida State, she realized she wanted to be an educator. Her father taught high school science before becoming an administrator. “I want to provide positive learning experiences for all students,” Halter said. “If everyone can look back fondly on their time in school, I feel that there would be more support from the parents and community.” Her favorite part of the job is celebrating the students and all the wonderful things they’re doing in and out of the classroom. She said, “It brings me the most joy to watch our students come in as freshmen, watch them grow throughout their four years, and graduate with options for life beyond high school.”
While at Orange Park Junior High, her principal encouraged her to get her master’s degree in educational leadership, and the UNF College of Education and Human Services recently started a local group that allowed her to learn alongside her peers. She said, “It was convenient and I loved the idea of a cohort of learners from the same district together.”
Not only did she earn her master’s at The Graduate School , but she went on to earn her Doctorate in Educational Leadership, as well. “Both degrees have helped prepare me for success in my career through opening doors to promotions and understanding how to view instructional practice and leadership through the lens of current research,” she said.
Her dissertation is an autoethnography and the first to be published at UNF, and she wants to thank her doctoral committee for allowing that to happen. Dr. David Hoppey served as an advocate during the doctoral process and remains her mentor. Dr. Meghan Parkinson, Dr. Dan Dinsmore and Dr. Robert Lake, encouraged her to push her thinking. And finally, Dr. Linda Skrla who ushered her cohort into the doctoral journey, Dr. Carolyne Ali-Kahn who continues to guide and encourage her, and Dr. Christian Winterbottom who “was such a delight to have as a professor.”
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 11/13/2024)
Coppergate School of the Arts
This month’s alumni spotlight takes us from the football field to the classroom as we highlight Melissa Metz (’04, ’10), two-time Silverfield alumna, former captain of The ROAR and current principal of the Coppergate School of the Arts.
X’s and O’s
Metz originally planned to attend FSU, but after talking with Dr. John Kemppainen during a SCOEHS Open House, she learned about UNF’s high pass rates on the state board exam. “That conversation ultimately shifted my decision — I was confident that UNF’s COEHS offered a stronger and more supportive program,” she said.
Meanwhile, Metz had tried out for The ROAR during her senior year of at Terry Parker high school, and although she advanced to the last day, she didn’t make the final cut. The same thing happened the following year. But the third time proved to be the charm. “I was determined,” she said. “I kept practicing, improving my dance technique and focusing on my overall fitness.” She officially joined the team in 2003.
Metz graduated from UNF in December 2004, and by January 2005, her teaching career began at Ed White High School, teaching math for the World of Work, Career and Job Preparation and Intensive Reading. In 2007, after marrying her husband, John, she transferred to Loretto Elementary to be closer to home.
School of Hard Flocks
After cheering on the Jaguars for six incredible seasons, she retired her pom poms to focus on obtaining a master’s degree. When it came to deciding on a program, returning to the UNF Graduate School was a natural decision. She started at Loretto as a teacher but over time transitioned into their middle school literacy specialist. Working at the district level helped her grow professionally, which paved the way for her next role as assistant principal. Three years later, she became the principal at Chimney Lakes Elementary.
During her tenure, Chimney Lakes was recognized as an A-rated Title I school and received national recognition from Magnet Schools of America as a School of Distinction their Multicultural Magnet Program. After 15 years in the Duval County Public School system, the pandemic shutdown gave way to a moment of reflection and transition, as her current role became open. “It was not an easy decision to leave DCPS after so many years,” she said, “but I couldn’t pass up the chance to lead an arts-integrated school.” Coppergate felt like a full-circle moment where she could reconnect with the creative roots that helped shape her. She also had an opportunity to join Project PREP and pursue a doctorate, so she decided to return to UNF. She’s looking forward to joining the alumni association for the third time in 2027.
ROAR Galore
When she’s not running the school or working on her own studies, she’s still able to connect with The ROAR as president of The ROAR Alumni Association. “Being part of the team was never just about performing,” Metz said. “It was about representing something greater than ourselves.” The culture of service and connection drew her into the program, and now she and her fellow alumnae help carry that legacy forward, ensuring they remain connected to each other, the organization and their mission. She creates opportunities for them to give back, whether it’s organizing charitable events, supporting causes or mentoring current team members.
“Caring for each other, our community, and our kids isn’t just a tagline—it’s a mindset we lived then and one we carry with us for life,” she said, “and I’m so proud to still be part of that.”
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 6/3/2025)
Doctors Inlet Elementary
For some, a career in education begins with a love for helping others. Just ask Carolyn Ayers (’04, ’10 ), the principal of Doctors Inlet Elementary School and focus of this month’s #SchoolhouseFlock.
The Path to Administration
Originally from the small town of Avon Park, Florida, Ayers appreciated UNF’s combination of small class sizes, friendly staff and plentiful campus activities. She initially studied communication but switched majors after taking Introduction to Education. “I was hooked,” Ayers said. “From the moment I started working with students who have special needs, I fell in love with teaching.”
After graduating from UNF with a bachelor’s degree in special education, Ayers began her career as a teacher in inner-city schools across Jacksonville, where she felt she could make the biggest impact on students. While she found teaching fulfilling, she also felt becoming an administrator would provide her with more options to promote student success. This feeling fueled her return to UNF, where she earned a master’s degree in educational leadership.
With graduate school in the rearview mirror, Ayers became an assistant principal at Lake Asbury Junior High School in Clay County, where she stayed for three years before moving to S. Bryan Jennings Elementary School. A year later, she became principal of Doctors Inlet Elementary School, where she has proudly supported students for the past seven years.
Standing On Principal
The Home of the Mustangs, Doctors Inlet has around 580 students and 80 staff members on site. Despite the school’s Title I status, the school’s high expectations for its students have helped it retain its “A” school grade. She said Doctors Inlet differentiates itself by building a positive culture and leveraging family involvement where possible. The school benefits from a deep connection to the community, with many families attending Doctors Inlet for multiple generations.
As she celebrates her 21st year working in education, Ayers loves her career because it gives her an opportunity to help others and build positive relationships. She finds joy in helping her students and teachers grow, and she never hesitates to step in to help when needed. “I love to watch both teachers and students have their best days, Ayers said. “When they are happy and thriving, so am I.”
Ayers said her time at UNF prepared her for her career, both in and out of the classroom. Her classes provided her with the hands-on, real-world experiences needed to succeed as a teacher, while the small class sizes and approachable faculty helped her thrive during her studies. She remains friends with many of her undergraduate professors to this day.
Outside of work, she is an active member of the Delta Kappa Gamma sorority and travels the world with her incredibly supportive husband, Brandon, and their two Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers, Wallace and Riley.
(Written by Kai Edu, Assisted by Natalija Vukidonivic and Kara Hogue, Published 2/19/2025)
Holy Family Catholic School
The holiday season is best spent with family, so we visited alumnus Michael Kavanagh (’11), principal of Holy Family Catholic School, for this month’s #SchoolhouseFlock.
Rise Up and Shine
“I think being an educator chose me more than I chose to teach,” said Kavanagh. As a child, both of his parents were teachers, and as he grew up, they both became principals as well. His journey began in 2007 in New York City, while as a college student he was serving as a substitute teacher. At one point, he was asked to cover an extended leave for a third-grade teacher, and a two-month assignment turned into a full school year.
From there, he doubled down on his education. He settled down in Florida where friends had raved about their experiences at UNF. He checked it out and found it to be the right fit for him. He completed his bachelor’s degree in English, got married and moved back up to the Big Apple to teach fourth grade.
Four years and two kids later, he and his wife felt strongly about returning to Florida. In 2016, he started teaching middle school English and Social Studies at Holy Family Catholic School. A few years later, he returned to school to pursue a degree in educational leadership which he completed in 2020. Life moved quickly for him as he was offered the role of assistant principal, and then when his boss left in 2023, he was once again elevated to principal.
Holy Family Study Guide
Holy Family is a Catholic School on Baymeadows Road, just a short drive from UNF. They enroll students from PK3 through 8th grade, currently serving over 450 students from around 300 families. They believe in providing a rigorous academic program in a caring and loving environment, inspired and guided by their Catholic faith.
Over the past few years, they have developed a strong academic intervention team, which has helped raise math and reading scores for over 85% of their most needy learners. Overall, more than 80% of their students are proficient in Math and more than 90% are proficient in Reading. Recently, they have constructed a brand new, state-of-the-art STEM lab, and have adopted two new tortoises into their family.
In addition to Kavanagh, assistant principal Amanda Robison (’11, ’22), teachers Krystal Berrios (’07), Kimberly Exum (’99), Nichole Walker (’14) and Jessica Tripp (’05), and administrators Sandy Salem (’05), Kelli Fletcher (’90, ’93) and Amy Galloway (’91, ’05) are all Osprey alumni.
Mass Appeal
Kavanagh loves his job because no two days are the same. Because of the smaller size of the school, he can keep up with how the teachers and students are doing in class, even filling in as a substitute when it’s called for. Since he earned his degree in English, he is able to utilize his education to develop skills to teach his students. He said, “I especially benefited from the excellent instruction in composition, rhetoric and creative writing.” He loves sharing his passion with the students to teach them how to be effective communicators and appreciate the power of words.
He also loves being surrounded by Ospreys and the many teachers, administrators and staff members who earned their degrees from UNF. Plus, many of their extended day workers are current UNF students. “I am proud to know that so many Ospreys stayed local and continue to give back to the community as educators,” Kavanagh said.
(Written by Alex Achorn & Natalija Vukadinovic, Published 12/23/2024)
Lake Forrest Preparatory School
There’s something to be said about loyalty, and while many teachers are often forced to bounce around from school to school, alumna Michele Purvis (’94) just celebrated 30 years with the only institution she’s worked for, Lake Forrest Prep, which serves as this month’s #SchoolhouseFlock.
Jacksonville Born and Bred
Ever since she was a little girl, Purvis knew she wanted to be a teacher. After attending Fletcher High School, she wasn’t quite ready to leave Jacksonville. She applied to the University of North Florida, honestly expecting to attend for a year or two before transferring to a larger school, but got heavily involved with organizations like Alpha Chi Omega and loved her experience. She served as an officer on the Panhellenic council and in her sorority, which is where she discovered she had a knack for leadership. She ended up staying until she completed her degree in elementary education. “I was fortunate to have professors who loved what they did, which had an enormous impact on me as a student and as an educator,” she said.
Thirty and Thriving
After graduation, she landed her first teaching job at Lake Forrest Preparatory School – a school that had recently opened in 1991 in the Orlando area. She quickly made an impact, and as the school grew, the administration asked her to take on more responsibilities. For several years, she was teaching full-time while also overseeing the elementary grades. In 2004, the owner sadly discovered she had cancer and asked Purvis to fill in as principal. “I was honored, sad and terrified all at the same time,” she said. At nights, she would attend classes at UCF to earn her master’s degree.
Lake Forrest Study Guide
Located in Casselberry, Lake Forrest Preparatory School is a private school with infants through 8th grade, with 310 students and about 60 staff members. “This is a small school where everyone knows everyone and students feel safe,” said Purvis. “We strive to help students build strong character education and love learning.”
“I love so much about my job!” she said. “It is tough, but the rewards outweigh the challenging times.” The excitement and genuine love of learning that sees in her students in incomparable, and she loves helping the teachers to grow as well. She and her husband Joey raised two daughters, Paige and Avery, through LFPS, who have now graduated from UCF and FSU respectively. After 30 years, she’s starting to see her former students come back to enroll their children.
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 4/8/25)
Mandarin High School
Join us for this month’s #SchoolhouseFlock featuring alumna Sara Bravo (’99, ’27), principal of Mandarin High School.
The Age of Exploration
Teaching always seemed to be on the syllabus for Bravo. She grew up in DeLand with a family of educators and remembers playing teacher as little girl, setting up classrooms for her stuffed animals. She attended high school in Daytona Beach where she fell in love with history. Once it was time to choose a college, the only child wanted to be close to her parents but still have her independence. “When we visited [UNF], I felt very much at home,” she said.
After graduation, she secured her first teaching job at Landon Middle School teaching 7th grade Geography. Soon after, she joined the inaugural faculty at LaVilla School of the Arts. She taught there for five years before serving as the school’s instructional coach for three more. During that time, she got married, earned her master’s degree and became a mother of twins. She has the opportunity to move back to Landon to serve as assistant principal under her mentor, and four years later she was promoted to principal, leading the school for the next three years.
In 2015, she was promoted to the principalship at Englewood High School, where she had an incredible five years. She worked with an incredible team to increase the graduation rate from 78% to 91%, opened the Johnson and Johnson Early College Academy and started a Dual Language Program. Then in 2020, she moved to her current position at Mandarin High where she was tasked with improving the school’s ranking, which had recently slipped into the “B” range. Bravo said, “It is truly where my heart belongs, and I’m so grateful to serve the students and community each day.”
The Renaissance
Mandarin High is the third-largest high school in Duval County with 2,400 students and over 100 faculty and staff, of which a third earned their degrees from UNF. They have a prestigious Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Program with 99% of those students earning their AICE diploma each year. They also have three career academies – medical, culinary and business. They have a 97% graduation rate that’s on the rise and earned the highest number of total points on the state assessments of all non-dedicated magnet high schools, earning back their “A” rating among the Duval County Schools.
The Mustang athletics program is the largest in the county, offering 37 high performing varsity and JV sports. Their Navy JROTC program and stellar theatre, chorus and brand programs, in addition to their courses in visual art, film, debate and creative writing, truly offer their students a well-rounded high school experience. Additionally, Mandarin High will be completing construction on a new wing which features state of the art culinary and medical facilities for their career academies later this year.
While Bravo leads the charge for the Mustangs, she couldn’t do it without her amazing staff full of Ospreys: Michelle Adams-Manning (’19), Conner Andrews (’18), Jacqueline Bensen (’11), Kenneth Edward Dern, Jr. (’22), Sommer Farhat Valent (’25), Valerie Fees (’01), Chelsi Forrester (’18), Natalia Gonzalez (’00), Erin Heinze (’13), Alissa Kester (’08), Hannah Lakatos (’11, ’23), Ashley Mallory (’14), Darryl Markle (’13), Valeria Dawn McConatha (’00), Calvin McFarland, Jr. (’92, ’97), Carmen Nye (’99), Beth Pecarek ('03, '10), Brian Rado ('01), Michael Santana (’12), Brittany Scott , Tanu Seymore (’07), Patrick St. Laurent (’10), Meredith Sullivan (’18), Corey Waxman (’02) and Sara Zeigler (’13).
The Age of Enlightenment
When Bravo first arrived at UNF, she lived in Osprey Hall, but sort of struggled with the transition to life on her own. Things got even tougher when her father passed away in 1998. But nevertheless, she persevered, completing all her classes to earn her bachelor’s degree in social sciences secondary education. She also engaged in three internships during her final few semesters, working with teachers at Arlington Middle and Sandalwood High before taking on a full semester internship at Landmark Middle that truly allowed her to teach. “In the last month, I had complete autonomy and control within the classroom,” she said. “This allowed me to walk into my first teaching position with tools and strategies I wouldn’t have had otherwise.” She crossed the graduation stage in 1999, and while he wasn’t there in person, she knows her dad was with her in spirit.
In December of 2023, with both of her children graduating from high school, she wanted to find a way to grow without leaving her role at Mandarin, so she applied for the Ed.D. program at UNF. He father had earned his doctorate in educational leadership from UCF, so for her, “to earn the same degree he earned makes me feel connected to him.” With the support of her husband, she dove headfirst into this new challenge. “I absolutely love my program and my cohort,” she said. “And being back on campus at UNF brings me to a reflective and full circle point in my life.”
Her daughter, Maggie, has always been passionate about photography, and landed an internship with Cady Studios for this year. Her son, Ben, followed her Osprey footprints, and is a sophomore on the Dean’s List who currently works at Publix. She considers Mandarin her third child, as there’s not a day that goes by that she’s not excited to get to work. “I know I will be able to apply much of my doctoral work to Mandarin, and much of my work at Mandarin to my UNF program,” Bravo said. “I am a very fortunate educator, mom, wife and Osprey!”
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 1/1/2025)
Middleburg High School
Martin Aftuck’s path to becoming a principal at Middleburg High School started back when he visited some friends at UNF and fell in love with the campus environment. “I loved that UNF always felt smaller than it was,” he said. Aftuck found that the smaller program UNF provided helped him form friendships and make connections.
The Osprey Experience
After just two semesters at UNF, he knew that he wanted to be a teacher and a coach. Aftuck’s dream job quickly became his reality. At his internship with UNF, he got to experience some of the joys of teaching for the first time and loved working with junior high students. He eventually got connected to Lakeside Junior High through one of his UNF friends and became a teacher and head baseball coach at that school!
Afterwards he went on to pursue other opportunities in high schools and taught at Orange Park High for 10 years. He became assistant principal at the alternative school in Clay County and then took over as the principal. By working with students in need of a second chance, he got to see “just how big of an impact a principal can truly have,” he said.
Aftuck currently serves as the principal at Middleburg High School and has been a proud Bronco for five years.
Middleburg High Study Guide
Middleburg High School on County Road enrolls close to 1,900 students in grades 9-12 and has over 160 staff members. Their hard work in the past few years has earned them an “A” rating, making it just the third time in history that the school has achieved this accolade.
Middleburg offers many options for students looking to expand their horizons. Students can get an early start in earning college credit with the Cambridge program through St. Johns River State College. They also can get involved with one of Middleburg’s Career and Technical Education programs to get exposed to a variety of vocations and gain hands-on experience. These programs include Design Build Academy, VyStar Academy, Agriculture Horticulture and Technology, the Garber Automotive Academy and Computer Science Information Technology program.
The Bronco athletes certainly stand out in their community with their achievements throughout the years. They have won state championships in Volleyball, Softball and Cheer, and their football team is the only team in the county to make the playoffs in the past two years. Go Broncos!
Before and Aftuck
Though the role of a principal involves great challenges, to Aftuck, being able to impact student success and achievement makes it all worthwhile. Whether a student is a valedictorian or just meets the graduation requirements, Aftuck finds joy in seeing students grow from freshman to young adults.
As Aftuck looks back to think how UNF prepared him for where he is today, he emphasizes the power that a few connections had in his career. Aftuck said, “I loved the connections that I made with my classmates and the partnerships that UNF has with local school districts. The program never felt too big!”
Aftuck is now excited to see his stepdaughter, Myla, graduate from the College of Nursing as an Osprey! They get to share in the family community that UNF has together.
(Written by Kara Hogue, Published 3/12/25)
Seabreeze Elementary
By now, our audience has likely seen us brag about our UNF College of Education and Human Services alumni network. With so many talented educators locally, nationally and even globally, it’s hard not to get excited about all their accomplishments. As we focus on our University pillars of leadership and scholarship, we’d like to introduce our new series, #SchoolhouseFlock, where each month we dive into a new school led by Ospreys to give you the inside swoop.
Seabreeze Elementary Study Guide
Seabreeze Elementary is a neighborhood school located in Jacksonville Beach between JTB and Beach Boulevard. Led by alumna Aimee Kimball (MEd ‘11), Seabreeze services 530 students with 30 teachers on staff. Over half of their teachers have earned a degree from UNF, many of whom go above and beyond by sponsoring additional after-school activities such as Chess Club, Minecraft Club, Girls on the Run and much more. “I believe in both transparent and servant leadership,” Kimball said, “and I strive to be a supportive leader for my teachers and students.”
In addition to their faculty, Seabreeze is also supported by a phenomenal volunteer base through their nonprofit, Friends of Seabreeze. They help provide programming including STEM education, the Morning Mile run club and Kelp Club, focused on gardening and recycling. They even have a “SeaBroz” group that helps positive male role models become more involved with the school.
“Ultimately what I love about this school is how the heart of the community flows through our hallways,” Kimball said. “Everyone pours so much of their time and energy into our school, and we make a committed effort to give back to Jacksonville Beach.”
Any Way the Wind Blows
Originally from the “bootheel” of Missouri, a family of educators raised Kimball. Her mother worked as an art instructor and her father taught criminal justice courses for a high school vocational program, so her rural upbringing instilled in her community-based values and the importance of education. She did her undergraduate studies at Southeast Missouri State University, where she pursued everything from journalism to pharmacology to meteorology. Ultimately, she followed her parents and chose the educational field, which allowed her to utilize her strengths to develop the talents of others.
While she was thankful for where she grew up, she dreamed of being in a location with museums, concerts and sandy beaches. Jacksonville checked all those boxes and Duval County added another great educator to its roster. She taught at Lone Star Elementary in East Arlington for nine years, where she served as the math department lead and data coach. She felt a calling to do similar work at a larger scale, and many of her mentors and colleagues had gone through the UNF COEHS educational leadership program.
After earning her master’s degree, she served a couple of years as the assistant principal at Neptune Beach Elementary before transferring to that same position at Seabreeze Elementary. The following year, she was promoted to principal. “The best part of this job is the people I serve – our children and their families,” Kimball said. “Students are funny, naturally inquisitive, and so inclusive and kind. To be able to nurture those qualities while teaching them foundational skills is priceless.
The Education Connection
As she looks back throughout her own education, she credits her UNF professors and courses which prepared her for her principalship. Among them were Dr. Warren Hodge, Dr. Sandra Gupton and Dr. Mariane Beaton who covered topics ranging from education law, human resources, finance, research and the adult nature of learning. Kimball said, “There were several shuttle rides to the parking lot where we all sat fully saturated and completely exhausted, but we recognized how much we were learning and growing professionally.”
As mentioned earlier, currently 16 of the Seabreeze Elementary teachers have earned a degree from UNF: Brooke Axler (’99), Christina Chacon (’17), Carly Coffman (’10), Karen Johnson (’85, ’94), Cassandra Kyne (’04), April McFalls (’06), Tracy Pound (’95), Peter Priscott (’98), Melissa Remley (’04), Tricia Rigdon (’97, ’05), Lynsey (Parris) Ruffell (’13), Taylor Ruffell (’12), Jennifer Shepard (’15, ’22), Kelli (Conley) Tucker (’20), Tabitha Tuggle (’09) and Rachel Young (’06). One more Osprey is on her way as April Bonaventure (’25) approaches her graduation date.
“I believe education is both hard work and heart work—there are long hours, short days, and a lot of love put into these classrooms,” said Kimball. Her advice for anyone interested in pursuing a career in education is to listen to the calling. “You are so desperately needed,” she said. “Our children deserve brilliant, compassionate and ethical individuals to guide them to their future successes.”
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 10/17/2024)
University High School
For Thomas Ott (’11), a career in education was inspired by the teachers and coaches who guided him. Today, he is the principal of University High School in Orlando and the focus of this month's #SchoolhouseFlock.
A Knight for a Night
Ott journey doesn't start at UNF, nor does it even start in the education realm. He actually graduated with his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida, but he credits the many educators he was surrounded by while working for UCF’s Office of Constituent Relations for the start of his professional transition. “Those that had the most profound impact on me beyond family members were teachers and coaches,” Ott said. “It was then at 23 years old that I decided to become an educator and am so glad that I did as I immediately fell in love with it!”
Education Journey
In 2006, Ott began his teaching career as a business education instructor at University High School. After three years of teaching, he became the school’s administrative dean and was presented with an opportunity to pursue a master’s degree. Ott chose the UNF Silverfield College of Education and Human Services’ master's in educational leadership program for its unique blend of job-based competencies and convenient online classes to fit his busy schedule.
After earning his master’s degree, Ott served as an assistant principal at Glenridge Middle School and Jones High School before moving to Orange Technical College. He would go on to serve as principal at Osceola Technical College and the Professional and Technical High School in Osceola County before returning to University High, where he has proudly served as principal since 2020.
Feline Fine with Cougar Pride
For Ott, serving as principal creates opportunities to build relationships with students and staff. “I believe that the relationships that we build with students and staff set the tone for all that we do.” he said.
Ott takes pride in leading University High, which has consistently placed in the top third of high schools in the Orange County Public Schools system for academic achievement. The school’s 2,500 students have access to a wide array of courses and programs, including IB, several Advanced Placement subjects and the Performing Arts Magnet program, which was recognized as a School of Excellence in 2022 by the Magnet Schools of America.
Ott said his time at the University of North Florida helped him build the foundation of his career in education administration. He fondly remembers presenting before a panel of principals as a culminating experience. The presentation was “a wonderful learning experience that put the cherry on top of a program that I could not ask more of,” according to Ott. As he continues to lead University High, he is excited to continue building relationships and investing in the success of his students, faculty and staff.
(Written by Kai Edu, Published 5/13/2025)