Santa Rosa County Schools Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick (left) explains what an honor it is to present Woodlawn Beach Middle School math instructor Jeff Baugus with the county’s Teacher of the Year honor. Pam Brannon/Gulf Breeze News Jeff Baugus said his first thought was “No Way!” when the local paparazzi and Santa Rosa County School District Superintendent came sweeping into his Woodlawn Beach Middle School classroom last Friday morning.

Baugus knew he was one of the finalists for the county’s Teacher of the Year Award, but said he could not believe it when he realized he was the winner.

“My wife told me I had to call her as soon as possible if anything happened, so when this is all over I guess I better make a call,” he told Gulf Breeze News, laughing. “It is a little overwhelming. I don’t think it is sinking in yet.”

Baugus was one of three finalists named last Thursday, and Friday’s announcement was a surprise. The district superintendent Tim Wyrosdick, along with some district staff and local media, rushed into the classroom to make the announcement as camera shutters clicked.

The focus almost always is on the students at Woodlawn Beach Middle School, but math teacher Jeff Baugus was the star of the hour last Friday when named Teacher of the Year. Pam Brannon/Gulf Breeze News Baugus has been a math teacher at Woodlawn since 2008.

“I actually got my first job, right here, the day my daughter was born in 2008,” he recalls. “It’s always been a special place.”

Now he has three children – his daughter Madeline, 3; daughter Audrey, 19 months; and son David, two months old. His wife, Lauren, is a Milton High graduate. He is from Mobile, Ala.

“We were in Mobile when I decided to try to get a teaching job back in Florida near my wife’s family. They hired me here, and I have been here ever since. I love it here and don’t plan on going anyplace else any time soon,” he said.

Baugus teaches 128 students Algebra I and eighth-grade math at Woodlawn Beach each day. After the announcement was made, he told his students and the crowd accompanying the superintendent. “I never had any idea until after I was nominated just how deep this process goes. I filled out a lot of papers, and there were several classroom visits. I am humbled and appreciate this honor so much.”

The last interview of the finalist candidates was held on Thursday.

“It was a very difficult decision,” said Cherry Fitch, and former Teacher of the Year herself. “We visited the finalists’ classrooms for a second time yesterday (last Thursday), then came back and spent a long time talking about it before we decided. All of them were so good this year! We have some really talented teachers in Santa Rosa County!”

After comments from staff and the Teacher of the Year 2012, chanting began in the hallway outside Baugus’ classroom. Several classes of students lined the halls to give him congratulatory handshakes and gifts.