Hillsborough Educator Winners To Be Named March 28

Hillsborough's best educators will be honored this month. On March 28, winners of the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator award, Teacher of the Year and Support Employee of the Year will be announced.

The banquet is scheduled for March 28 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa.

• See 2013 'Excellence in Education' Awards: 17 Finalists Surprised at Local Schools

• See 2012-13 Teacher of the Year: A List of Finalist Contenders

• See Teacher of the Year Finalist Reacts to 'Surprise Patrol' Announcement

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The finalists are as follows:

Teacher of the Year Finalists

• Cassandra Mattison, AP literature, writing resource, English department chair, Spoto High School

• Dakeya "Dre" Graham, band and orchestra director, King High School

• Brian Nanns, 7th grade computer applications in business, William Middle Magnet School

• Krysta Porteus, 7th and 8th grade math and math research, Young Middle Magnet School

• Sharon S. Smith, EET mentor, first-grade, inclusion, Claywell Elementary School

• Kyla Bailey, music, second-grade chorus, Lanier Elementary School

• Kathy Hill, second grade, Mitchell Elementary School

Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year Finalists

• Leticia Brull, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESOL) resource teacher, Dickenson Elementary School

• JoAnna Helak, kindergarten and second-grade reading coach, B.T. Washington Elementary School

• William F. Leonard II, social personal and reading teacher, for 6th, 7th and 8th grade exceptional student education (ESE) and EBD

• Stacey P. Hirn, fourth-grade math, science, writing and social studies, FishHawk Creek Elementary School

• Soccorito M. Claudio, fifth-grade language arts and social studies, for exceptional student education (ESE) and ELL

Instructional Support Employee of the Year Finalists

• Maryann Bordonaro, secretary, Essrig Elementary School

• Cindy Nunez, kindergarten assistant, Claywell Elementary School

• Susan Blackmon, kindergarten aide, Title I, Oak Park Elementary School

• Kelly Foss, secretary, Symmes Elementary School

• Brenda Gail Mosley, secretary, Robinson Elementary School