Galaxy of the Stars
Posted on 02/17/2020
Jessica Price, Sam Himmel and Althea Council Citrus County Schools is proud to announce Jessica Price, a Spanish teacher at Lecanto High School, as Citrus County Schools “Teacher of the Year” for 2021 and Althea Council, a food services manager at Citrus Springs Middle School, as School-Related Employee of the Year for 2020.  

Superintendent Sam Himmel announced both educators among their peers at a gala hosted by the Citrus County Education Foundation on January 24th at the College of Central Florida in Lecanto.  Both were chosen from a group of 48 finalists who were all recognized during the ceremony.

Jessica, a Spanish teacher of nine years at Lecanto High School, and coordinator for Lecanto’s National Honor Society has a passion and persistence about her students and strives to see them succeed every day.  “Mrs. Price has established a reputation as an extremely capable, highly-effective school teacher,” Lecanto High Principal Jason Koon wrote in Price’s nomination letter. “She has consistently displayed qualities of initiative, conscientiousness, and professionalism.” LHS Assistant Principal Alex Stubenbort writes “she teaches with remarkable enthusiasm, thus creating an excellent work environment filled with innovative strategies.” 

Althea, who grew up here in Citrus County, has been working for the Citrus County School District for 25 years.  She is described by her peers as “willing to do whatever she can to make sure every child is fed and taken care of”, “all she wants is to make students laugh and smile when they come through the lunch line”, “She goes out of her way to point out a student she thinks needs an extra hug or a kind word.”  Roy Pistone, Director of the Food Services division, wrote in Council’s nomination letter: “Althea is a shining example of what it means to be a ‘true asset’ to not only her school but the entire Citrus County School District.