The Teacher of the Year and the School-Related Employee of the Year Program provides an opportunity to acknowledge these professionals who exemplify excellence in our schools/departments.
To celebrate and honor the outstanding candidates that are selected from each site, an annual “Galaxy of Stars” event recognizes our teacher of the Year and School Related Employee of the Year representatives with a catered dinner funded through the Citrus County Education Foundation.
The honorees for this year are as follows:
2024 Teacher of the Year
Joshua Lambert - Academy of Environmental Science
Valerie Anderson - Central Ridge Elementary
Sandra Pope - Citrus eSchool
Lita Stanton - Citrus High School
Clair Phillips - Citrus Springs Elementary School
William Green - Citrus Springs Middle School
Chantel Adkins - CREST School
Karl Sieg - Crystal River High School
Lanna Wentworth - Crystal River Middle School
Kelly Chandler - Crystal River Primary School
Crystal Bishop - Floral City Elementary School
Jennifer Irizarry - Forest Ridge Elementary
Shana Florio - Hernando Elementary School
Darla Crotsley - Homosassa Elementary School
Richard (Rick) Nelson - Inverness Middle School
Mary Tyler - Inverness Primary School
Angela Rausch - Lecanto High School
Terri Thibodeau - Lecanto Middle School
Rikako DeGroot - Lecanto Primary School
Taylor Cernich - Pleasant Grove Elementary
Stephanie Ottinger - Rock Crusher Elementary School
Michael Cambo - Withlacoochee Technical College
2023 School-Related Employee of the Year
Retha Applegate - Central Ridge Elementary
Joan Trehy - Citrus High School
Carolina Dowd - Citrus Springs Elementary School
Melody Garnett - Citrus Springs Middle School
Amy Hopp - CREST School
Joni Miller - Crystal River High School
Michael Rouse - Crystal River Middle School
Susie Starnella - Crystal River Primary School
Linda Hock - Floral City Elementary School
Sonia Tribble - Forest Ridge Elementary
Joseph (Joe) Poliseno - Hernando Elementary School
Mary Schaentzler - Homosassa Elementary School
Joelle Suydam - Inverness Middle School
Lory Wear - Inverness Primary School
Jennifer Hays - Crystal River Transportation
Tamra Landis - Inverness Transportation
Charles (Chuck) Dennett - Lecanto Transportation
Dianna Roughton - Lecanto High School
Crystal Litle - Lecanto Middle School
Angelica Lefevers - Lecanto Primary School
Carol Brendel - Pleasant Grove Elementary
Peggy Cooper - Rock Crusher Elementary School
Karleen O'Hair - Withlacoochee Technical College
Nicole (Nikki) Newhart - Exceptional Student Education
Teresa (Terri) Dodge - Facilities, Construction, Maintenance
Amanda Eberhardt - Finance
Beckie Baker - District Student Services
Nicole Rieck - Academy of Environmental Science