Shane Swezey, a music teacher at Oak Park School, was named the 2019 Sarasota County Teacher of the Year at the Dec. 12 Ignite Education celebration hosted by the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Dr. Todd Bowden made the announcement to a crowd of over 330 guests, thanking all 44 nominees for the work they do in their classrooms each and every day. Swezey will represent district educators at events throughout the 2019 calendar year and will serve as the district’s nominee for state Teacher of the Year. His fellow finalists, Tessa Healy, Wilkinson Elementary School, and Ashlee Middleton, Sarasota High School, also were honored onstage at the annual awards ceremony, and 41 Teacher of the Year designees representing local schools were recognized. Full Release
