By LINDA CHION KENNEY
One week before the start of the new school year, the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce continued a tradition started years ago by former Hillsborough school superintendent Earl Lennard.
His widow, Annabel Lennard, was at the Winthrop Barn Theatre on Aug. 3 for Teaching to Excellence, an event that aims to warmly welcome teachers new to public and charter schools in the Greater Riverview area. The Lennard family was an Honor Roll sponsor for the event, which pays tribute as well to each school’s Teacher of the Year.
Count among them Jennifer Ray, Teacher of the Year at Summerfield Crossings, now in her ninth year in education and her first year teaching second grade. She previously taught kindergarten and first grade.
Riverview High School cheerleaders in formation to welcome educators to Teaching to Excellence, held Aug. 3 at the Winthrop Barn Theatre
Summerfield Crossings Teacher of the Year Jennifer Gray, at Teaching to Excellence
“I always loved school,” Ray said, when asked what drew her to her profession. Her parents were deeply involved in school and her father was the PTA president, she said, “so we were always at school for after-school functions, and we had great relationships with all the teachers.”
Ray now makes a career out of making sure children and families have a similar positive experience, even in the most difficult of times.
In that regard, the COVID-19 pandemic definitely was a big change and challenge, Ray said. “But I just think it taught me how important it is to establish relationships,” she added, “because even in the most trying of times, we were still able to make it work and do our best.”
In years past, Teaching to Excellence involved a breakfast at The Regent in Riverview, but with that facility undergoing maintenance, the event moved to the neary Winthrop Barn Theatre. Outside, Riverview High School cheerleaders were on hand to give a spirited welcome. Inside, sponsors with fully stacked tables of school supplies invited teachers to take their fill.
Annabel Lennard, right, with Ny’Kole Krivda, president and CEO of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce
Summerfield Elementary School teachers, from left, Phil Dobbe, Kristina Teeter, Heather DeBrocke and Stephanie Alvarez
Also on hand was Robert Nelson, Hillsborough’s newly named High School Region 2 superintendent, who was principal at Sumner High from January 2021 through his appointment in July. He gave high marks to his replacement, Christine Wasylkiw, who, after Nelson and Dave Brown, is Sumner’s third principal in three years. Brown opened the school in August 2020.
“I love Sumner,” said Nelson, whose 28-year Hillsborough career includes 14 years as Plant High’s principal. “I love the foundation we built at Sumner. I love my kids. I love my staff.” While it’s bittersweet to leave, Nelson said he is excited to tackle his new job and the opportunities it presents. As for Wasylkiw, “she has the staff behind her,” Nelson said. “The kids love her, and she’ll do a great job.”
According to her online bio, Wasylkiw began her career as a social studies teacher at East Bay High and was a charter member of the teaching staff at Lennard High, where she served as student government sponsor. Before her July appointment, Wasylkiw was Sumner’s assistant principal for curriculum.
As for those, like Nelson, achieving decades-long tenures in the district, count among them Earl Lennard, who entered the school district as a first-grader at Palm River Elementary and retired as its superintendent of schools in 2005. Consider as well Hillsborough’s newly named interim superintendent, Van Ayres, who entered the school system as a kindergartner at Mort Elementary and graduated from Jefferson High, where he later served as principal.
Linda Chion Kenney Photos
Teachers from Boyette Springs Elementary School in Riverview at Teaching to Excellence
His deep roots were evident at the back-to-school press conference held Aug. 4 at Hillsborough High School, where Ayres promoted the district’s “Hillsborough Strong” mantra and took note that both his mother and father were students at the iconic high school, graduating in 1965 and 1966, respectively. His mother, Nuri, went on to achieve a 35-year career with the school district, including stints as principal at both King and Sickles high schools. His father, Van, taught career technical education for 33 years at Leto High.
Like Ray, the teacher of the year, Ayres is driven by the deep ties to education his family fostered throughout his youth. And now, as a new school year opens Aug. 10, one thing remains forever certain for career educators.
“There is nothing anywhere like the start of a school year, that energy that we feel and that we’re capitalizing upon,” Ayres said. “This is going to be the best year yet.”