Florida TaxWatch recently announced the 2023-24 Principal Leadership Awards (PLA) winners, recognizing 15 of Florida’s most successful principals from high-risk K-12 public schools.
Principals in Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Clay, Duval, Hernando, Lake, Liberty, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, Suwannee, Taylor, and Washington counties were recognized.
The PLA program, established in 2013, recognizes educational leaders who are creating meaningful change in their students’ lives, while also promoting their uniquely effective practices among their peers. This year, there are five deserving winners each from elementary, middle, and high schools across the state.
“Principals are the lifeblood of Florida’s schools – as leaders in their schools, they support and motivate hard-working teachers and ensure students of all ages are provided ample opportunities to succeed,” Florida TaxWatch Acting President and CEO, and Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Jeff Kottkamp said. “That’s why Florida TaxWatch established this one-of-a-kind Principal Leadership Awards program, now in its 11th year, which uses comprehensive data to determine the most effective principals in our state and reward them for the transformational impact they are having both in their schools and in their communities. And this year, we have the privilege of honoring 15 deserving principals, the most in the history of the program, so that is extremely exciting. Congratulations to all of the winners!”
The 15 2023-24 PLA winners are as follows:
Elementary School
- Herb Bennett, Charlotte Harbor School (Charlotte County)
- James Bray, Steinhatchee School (Taylor County)
- Beth Myers, Riviera Elementary School (Brevard County)
- Gail Pasterczyk, Elbridge Gale Elementary School (Palm Beach County)
- Angela Whiddon, W.E. Cherry Elementary School (Clay County)
Middle School
- Linda Bartberger, Round Lake Charter School (Lake County)
- Saili Hernandez, Somerset Academy Bay Middle School (Miami-Dade County)
- Nancy Holley, Roulhac Middle School (Washington County)
- Rosemarie Maiorini, Challenger K-8 School of Science and Math (Hernando County)
- Annessia Powell, GRASP Academy (Duval County)
High School
- Nicole Howe, Team Success: A School of Excellence (Manatee County)
- Terry Huddleston, Branford High School (Suwannee County)
- Lauren Myers, Okeechobee High School (Okeechobee County)
- Diane Showalter, Franklin Academy, Pembroke Pines [K-12] Campus (Broward County)
- Eric Willis, Liberty County High School (Liberty County)
These PLA winners are being individually honored in ceremonies held on their schools’ campuses.
The PLA program would not be possible without the support of Florida TaxWatch’s generous sponsors, including Charter Communications, Dominic and Debbie Calabro, FBMC Benefits Management, First Horizon Bank, the Florida Lottery, Florida Power and Light, Florida Prepaid College Foundation, JM Rubin Foundation, Kyra Solutions, Maximus, Steve and Linda Evans, and Tampa Electric Company.
