Schools
High School Educator Named Sarasota County Teacher Of The Year
A Sarasota High School teacher took home the 2026 Sarasota County Teacher of the Year award, the school district said.
SARASOTA, FL — A Sarasota High School teacher was named the 2026 Sarasota County Teacher of the Year at Thursday’s Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Award celebration hosted by the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.
Andy Harshman leads the school’s MaST Research Institute, “a program recognized as one of the most prestigious high school science research initiatives in Florida and across the nation,” Sarasota County Schools said in a news release.
Harshman will represent the school district in the 2026 calendar year and is also Sarasota County’s nominee for the Florida Teacher of the Year contest.
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“We are thrilled to recognize Mr. Harshman as the 2026 Sarasota County Teacher of the Year,” Superintendent Terry Connor said. “He has had a tremendous impact on the lives of his students and school community. We are also proud to celebrate all of this year’s nominees for their contributions towards advancing student success and elevating the field of education.”
Other Sarasota County Teacher of the Year finalists at the awards ceremony were fifth-grade teacher Becky Hoffman from Pine View School, and art teacher Holly Pisaturo from McIntosh Middle School.
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Kelly Lile of Garden Elementary School also received the Innovation award, which “recognizes a teacher who is creative in approach, willing to think outside the box, and able to connect students with learning in unique ways,” the school district said.
“Each of the finalists recognized … [is] clearly driven by their love of teaching,” Jennifer Vigne, Education Foundation president and CEO, said. “We are fortunate and grateful to have teachers who care so deeply about their students, and we’re honored to celebrate and support them.”
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