Santa Rosa Education Foundation's Rookie Teacher of the Year list released

Teacher retention and recruitment are vital to a quality education system. According to a 2003 study by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, after just five years, between 40 and 50 percent of all beginning teachers have left the profession.

Each spring, the Santa Rosa Education Foundation invites every school in the Santa Rosa School District to nominate one teacher for the Rookie of the Year award.

Any classroom teacher in his/her third year or less of teaching is eligible for this award. This includes total teaching experience, not just in Santa Rosa public schools.

All school nominees will be recognized at our Thirteenth Annual Rookie of the Year Reception on April 17 at 4:00 p.m. at B.C. Russell Elementary School. The Santa Rosa Rookie of the Year 2008, who will be announced at the reception, will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Santa Rosa Education Foundation is pleased to announce our 2008 Rookie of the Year nominees: Avalon Middle, Ken Maxwell;

Bagdad Elementary, Kari Carter;

Berryhill Administrative Complex, Teresa Covington;

Berryhill Elementary, Chris Davis;

Central High, Sara Mathews; Chumuckla Elementary, Julie Bryant;

S.S.Dixon Intermediate, Sarah Wolf;

S.S. Dixon Primary, Stephanie Shaner;

East Milton Elementary, Kristen Reuschel;

Gulf Breeze Elementary, Shelley Bielenda;

Gulf Breeze High, Tim Jordan;

Gulf Breeze Middle, Casey Fearon;

Hobbs Middle, Dennis Dolfie;

Holley Navarre Intermediate, Charlotte Brasell;

Holley Navarre Middle, Pam Rose; Holley Navarre Primary, Melanie Peters;

T.R. Jackson Pre-K, Mary Turcic; Jay Elementary, Aaron Lowry; Jay High, Rhett Rowell; King Middle, Floyd Smith; Milton High, Rhonda Waters;

Navarre High, Kasie Braaten;

Oriole Beach Elementary, Elizabeth Mann;

Pea Ridge Elementary, Tiffanie Brown;

Rhodes Elementary, Amy Allen;

B.C. Russell Elementary, Whitney Blakemore;

Santa Rosa High/Adult, Erin Munn;

Sims Middle School, Marcus Buchanan;

West Navarre Intermediate, Holly Crosby;

West Navarre Primary, Sara Mackey;

Woodlawn Beach Middle, Josh Odom