HENDRY COUNTY, Fla. — With a brand-new "B" rating to celebrate, Hendry County put teachers in the spotlight their annual Huddle Up Hendry event.
Fox 4’s Hendry County Community Correspondent, Austin Schargorodski, works in the area daily, so the school district there knows him well. It’s how he got the opportunity to see how the school district honored and recharged the people students rely on most.
Watch to see the celebration and what it meant to Hendry County teachers:
Teachers from across the district brought the energy, filling the LaBelle Middle School gym to celebrate hard work that helped the Hendry County School District earn its first-ever B rating.
“The fact that we went to a B over the last four years is absolutely remarkable,” a said Superintendent Mike Swindle, speaking at the event.
The district handed out Summit Awards to teachers whose students made big gains, like Nina Bautista, who teaches 5th grade at Eastside Elementary.
“I’m happy that I was recognized for all the hard work that I put into it, because I don’t think people realize how much hard work we put into it to ensure the great outcome of our students,” Bautista said.
The district also announced they boosted teacher pay - a 4% raise across the board - pushing Hendry into the top ten for average salary statewide. Superintendent Mike Swindle says that investment is paying off.
“We had the fourth largest academic growth in the state this year. That’s amazing. But again that’s the result of our teachers working really hard, aligning what they teach to what’s really important in the testing with the state of Florida, and ensuring every student gets a learning gain,” Swindle said.
After the ceremony, teachers headed to workshops to gather new tools for the year ahead. They say they’re stepping into that first bell ready to give their best.
“It gets everybody really pumped up for the year,” one teacher said.
“When you bring that energy, that passion, that enthusiasm — the kids feel it,” another added. “We’re gonna get a higher ‘A’ this year,” a third teacher said.
