Jacksonville, Fla. — On Tuesday Mandarin High School’s Jim Schmitt was named 2021 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year.
Schmitt has been in the classroom for nearly three decades, currently teaching history and global perspectives and research. He has served as a teacher, a teacher trainer, and assistant principal in schools all over Duval County. Schmitt has also coached championship-winning teams in cross country and track and field.
He was named winner during the Jacksonville Public Education Fund’s EDDY Awards, presented by the Jacksonville Public Education Fund and Vystar Credit Union.
In a statement by Duval County Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene, Schmitt is described as a ‘world-class educator who exemplifies the great foundational truth. “You can’t teach them until you reach them, Greene continued, “I am honored to have Mr. Schmitt as a part of Team Duval, and excited to celebrate him as the 2021 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year.”
[ RELATED: Vystar’s 2021 Duval County Teacher of the Year to be announced Wednesday ]
Jim Schmitt’s had this to say upon winning:
“A classroom is a living organism...you cannot teach what you don’t ‘grow’. Teachers’ love of students is the difference maker in society. This love matters far more than subject matter. Teaching is relationships. There is no way to reach a student and guide their learning if you haven’t set the table with a smile and a kindness. All the content knowledge and instructional strategies fall flat if we forget this component. And it is essential to ensure that this living organism is appreciated and celebrated.”
“After living through a closed society due to the pandemic, it is even more important to grow the relationships and recognize the impact that educators have every day and in every interaction. This is the message that needs to resonate. In today’s world, with uncertainty and, at times, fear for the future, we as teachers know that our class is a haven of hope for our students. The hours expended in our endeavors grow exponentially as each individual student grows their relationships. The tiny classroom of interactions multiplies and impacts the world.”
One of his Mr. Schmitt’s students, Naya Haddad, wrote him a letter of recommendation as part of the selection process:
“While most students don’t enjoy waking up very early and going to school, I genuinely look forward to it knowing that I am able to start my days with Mr. Schmitt. He has such a positive attitude towards learning; it is so contagious!