On Thursday, November 21st, the City of Coral Gables recognized the nominees for Teacher of the Year from the 12 schools in the City of Coral Gables.
The event was held at the annual Education breakfast held by the Coral Gables Chamber at the Biltmore Hotel and the teachers and school principals were invited.
Also in attendance were Coral Gables City Manager Peter Iglesias, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent, Alberto M. Carvalho, and School Board Member Mari Tere Rojas.
“Teachers are the freedom fighters of our generation. It is only through their inspirational teaching that students can gain the knowledge, critical thinking skills, and continued passion for learning that leads them toward a lifetime of success. I am grateful to partners like the City of Coral Gables School Community Relations Committee for making it a point to highlight the tremendous value and impact of our educators,” said Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools
School Board Member Rojas also shared her thoughts on the event, “I am so proud to be able to collaborate with the City of Coral Gables Education and Community Relations Committee and the City of Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce to make this dream a reality. Honoring the teachers of the year from the City Beautiful in this Education breakfast has been one of the most exciting events I have attended since I became a School Board Member. All the accolades and recognition Miami-Dade County Public Schools has received these past few years is due mainly to the incredible work our teachers do every single day. They deserve our respect, admiration, and our gratitude.”
The initiative was spearheaded by the City’s School Community Relations Committee and its Vice Chairman, Sam Joseph, who addressed the attendees and spoke of the importance of recognizing our teachers for the work they do. The School Community Relations Committee is a City board that advises the City Commission on issues related to education. Its members are Erin Anding, Sandy Dimitris, Ariel Fernandez (Chairman), Sam Joseph (Vice Chairman), Carmen Manrara Cartaya and Mary Snow.
The recipients of this year’s awards are:
| School Name | Teacher of the Year |
| Coral Gables Preparatory Academy | Ms. Kathryn M. Swain |
| Sunset Elementary | Ms. Lissette Ramirez |
| George W. Carver Elementary | Ms. Ashley Vangates |
| David Fairchild Elementary | Ms. Alicia Thompson |
| Frances S. Tucker Elementary | Ms. Sarah Tingle |
| Henry S. West Lab | Ms. Susan Hernandez |
| Ponce de Leon Middle | Ms. Marcela Doria-Mazorra |
| George W. Carver Middle | Ms. Maria Paula Castro |
| International Studies Preparatory Academy | Ms. Lianett Hechavarria |
| Coral Gables Senior High | Ms. Margarite de Paola |
| Somerset Academy Gables | Mr. Joshua Rugama |
| School for Advanced Studies | Mr. Stephen Pereira |
