Three Sarasota County teachers were surprised on Monday, December 12, when participants of a teacher tribute tour visited with exciting news: the teachers are finalists for the Sarasota County Teacher of the Year Award.  This year’s finalists are:  Elementary: Timothy Ferguson, Garden Elementary School. Middle school: Joseph Conner, Venice Middle School. High school: Courtney Smith, Booker High School. Participants of the teacher tribute tour honored these teachers in person at their schools with flowers and enthusiastic celebration that each school’s leadership planned. The tribute tour and announcement of the finalists is part of the annual Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Award Celebration, which the Education Foundation of Sarasota County sponsors in partnership with Sarasota County Schools. Participants in this year’s teacher tribute tour included Vigne; Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brennan Asplen; Assistant Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer Chris Renouf; Elementary Education Executive Director Dr. Brandon Johnson; and Sarasota County School Board members Bridget Ziegler and Tom Edwards. In addition, principals Amy Archer, Tomas Dinverno, and Dr. Rachel Shelley, along with family members of the honorees, participated in their schools’ celebrations.  This year’s Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Award Celebration will be held on Wednesday, January 18, at the Venice Community Center. All 40 school-based Teacher of the Year finalists will be honored, and one of the three finalists will be named the Sarasota County Teacher of the Year. The district Teacher of the Year will represent Sarasota County Schools at the Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Program and will serve as a spokesperson for and representative of the teaching profession at various events throughout 2023. This celebration is made possible because of generous sponsors. The Education Foundation is grateful for presenting sponsor Sunset Automotive Group as well as Publix Super Markets Charities and Suncoast Credit Union. For more information about the Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration, including ticket availability, visit EdFoundationSRQ.org/ignite.