Posted 2/1/2024
The School District of Palm Beach County, along with the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, honors the 2024 Principal, Assistant Principal, Teacher, and School-Related Employee of the Year during the third annual Celebrate the Great awards ceremony. Congratulations to this year’s winners:
• Principal of the Year – Scott McNichols, Forest Hill Elementary School
• Assistant Principal of the Year – Jamie Evans, Glade View Elementary School
• Teacher of the Year – Katie Judge, Palm Beach Public
• School-Related Employee of the Year – Doris Cabrera-Jerez, Wellington Elementary School
Winners were announced during a ceremony at the Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center. The winners will represent the District as they go on to compete at the State level as part of the Florida Department of Education recognition programs.
“We are fortunate in the School District of Palm Beach County to have the best team of employees in the country,” Superintendent Michael J. Burke said. “This group of finalists represents the collaboration of all of our administrators, teachers, and staff to provide the highest quality education to each one of our students.”
“No curriculum, book, plan, or pedagogical material can ever take the place of a teacher,” said James Gavrilos, President and CEO of the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County. “Education only succeeds in Palm Beach County because every one of our teachers, assistant principals, principals, and District employees succeed! Every one of them is great. Tonight, we honor four…but in honoring these four awardees, we honor every educator in this incredible school district who makes miracles happen on a daily basis in 182 schools.”
Principal of the Year – Scott McNichols, Forest Hill Elementary School
Scott McNichols works to support his Forest Hill Elementary School community both academically and socially. Mr. McNichols describes himself as a teacher who happened to become a principal, and he enjoys being in the classroom and having teaching opportunities whenever possible. His staff describes him as a great leader who motivates staff and students to aim high, and have a growth mindset. He makes it a priority to set high expectations and support students and staff as they strive to achieve their goals.
“I have high expectations for myself and strong work ethic, thanks to my parents,” Mr. McNichols said. “I’ve been very fortunate along the way to have amazing mentors, and it’s important to me to remember to lift others up any chance I get.”
See video about Mr. McNichols here.
Assistant Principal of the Year – Jamie Evans, Glade View Elementary School
As the Assistant Principal of Glade View Elementary School, Ms. Evans’ passion for teaching began at an early age, when her mother was an elementary school principal. Born and raised in Belle Glade, Ms. Evans is proud to be working where she grew up. She strives to inspire students to dream big, work hard, collaborate with others, and always believe in themselves. She led the effort to increase math academic achievement among third through fifth grade students, which contributed to helping improve the school’s grade from a D to a B.
“I serve amazing students and families and I appreciate the support from the community and everyone in the Glades Region," Ms. Evans said. “This work is hard and this work is rewarding and I’m grateful to my family and to God for allowing me to pursue my passion.”
See video about Ms. Evans here.
Teacher of the Year – Katie Judge, Palm Beach Public
For Katie Judge, it is inspiring to witness her students’ determination, resilience, and their spark of curiosity. The strong relationships she builds with her students and families are what energize and inspire her after 21 years of teaching. Her goal each year is to create a learning environment where her students feel successful, confident, and excited about learning each day. She also enjoys nurturing the school community with monthly bike rides to school and other events to help students feel more connected.
"I love teaching every single day and it truly is a testament to the training and support that I get from the School District, and the administration and staff at Palm Beach Public,” Ms. Judge said. “I have such an appreciation for all of the amazing teachers, all my friends and all the teachers I’ve taught with over the last 21 years.”
See video about Ms. Judge here.
School-Related Employee of the Year – Doris Cabrera-Jerez, Wellington Elementary School
Doris Cabrera-Jerez is very proud to be a school-related employee. She says she loves the fast-paced environment, and interacting with the teachers, students, parents, and staff. She has experience as an attendance clerk, a data processor, and is currently a school administrative assistant. She uses her skills and knowledge to relate to everyone and grow each day in her role. She enjoys helping teachers and staff with anything they need to create and promote a thriving environment for the entire school community.
“We all give 110 percent every day for the staff and the kids. I’m very proud to be a school-related employee," Ms. Cabrera-Jerez said.
See video about Ms. Cabrera-Jerez here.
The 2024 Celebrate the Great event is presented through a collaboration between the School District of Palm Beach County and the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County to recognize top educational leaders, with the support of presenting sponsor UnitedHealthcare, event sponsors Grand Canyon University, JPMorgan Chase, and PNC Bank, prize sponsor HCA Florida Healthcare, and gift sponsors: ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival, The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, Chick-fil-A, Cox Science Center & Aquarium, Hilton Palm Beach Airport, Hoffman’s Chocolates, Lion Country Safari, Longhorn Steakhouse, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Miami Open, Mission BBQ, Norton Museum of Art, Nostalgic America, and Red Apple Supplies.
