2 Pasco County Educators Shine in Governor’s Eyes

PASCO COUNTY, FL — Two Pasco County educators were among eight from across the state awarded the Governor’s Shine Award during a Tuesday ceremony in Tallahassee.

The Shine Award is a recognition set aside for educators and administrators in Florida “who make significant contributions to the field of education,” according to a statement released by Gov. Rick Scott’s office.

All eight recipients are members of the Commissioner’s Leadership Academy. The academy is a collaboration between the state department of education, the University of Washington’s Center for Educational Leadership and the Council for Educational Change. It is presented by State Farm. The year-long program is designed to provide district-appointed educators with job-embedded and research-based activities to enhance their professional abilities.

Pasco County’s two Shine Award recipients are:

• Jeff Morgenstein, assistant principal for the Land O’ Lakes High School International Baccalaureate program.
• Sharon Sacco Slusser, Cotee River Elementary School’s principal.

“The Shine Award is presented to outstanding teachers like these who go above and beyond in the classroom to educate Florida’s future leaders,” Scott said. “I applaud these educators for continuing their professional development with this demanding program and preparing students for Florida’s workforce.”

Photo courtesy of Gov. Rick Scott’s Twitter page