Photo by KELLY FARRELL

What a way to start Thanksgiving, exclaimed Tommie Barfield Elementary School teacher Elizabeth Braren, as she receives a hug from her first grade music class and Sandy Waite of the Board of Education Foundation. Braren received the Teacher of Distinction Award from the Board of Education Foundation Tuesday and is among 40 teachers who will be in the running for the Golden Apple Award. Nominations for the award come from peers, parents, students and class observers.

MARCO ISLAND — Marco Island and Lely teachers make the short list of the best teachers in Collier County, according to the Education Foundation. The Foundation named 40 Teachers of Distinction Tuesday, including Jonathon Mundorf and Lisa Braren of Tommie Barfield Elementary and Jacqueline Williams and Gregory Foote of Lely High.

TBE Principal Jory Westberry said she couldn’t be happier having two teachers from her school presented with the Teacher of Distinction Awards.

Mundorf, a fifth grade social studies and reading teacher, said he was shocked when Westberry and two members of the Education Foundation board, Sandy Waite and Lillian Roche, entered his classroom to make the announcement in front of his students.

Braren was bombarded by hugs from her first grade music class following receipt of her Teacher of Distinction award.

“This is a great way to start Thanksgiving!” Braren exclaimed.

Williams seemed dumbfounded when Principal Ken Fairbanks, assistant principal Christy Kutz and Collier Education representatives Fred Weinman and Danny Tyler walked into her EMH room.

“What a wonderful experience and such a surprise,” Williams said.

When Foote was surprised he was working with students in the Construction Tech Lab. He teaches students on the basics of residential construction.

Earlier in November, the Education Foundation named 100 teachers who would be considered for the Golden Apple. That list was narrowed down to the 40 Teachers of Distinction, who are now even closer to receiving the prestigious Golden Apple award, given out in May.

Teachers were selected for classroom observation as part of the Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program. The teachers were nominated by students and community members for the honor and have elected to participate in the program.

In December, the 40 teachers will also be inducted into the 2009 Academy of Teachers, a year-long leadership and professional development program further connecting the educators with the community.

Further classroom observation and interviews may lead to six of the Teachers of Distinction being among the 2009 Golden Apple recipients who will be recognized May 5 at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts.

The following teachers were also named among the top 100 educators earlier this November: Craig Fisher of Marco Island Charter Middle School; Kathy Anderson of Tommie Barfield Elementary; Elise Laviano, Darlene Momberg and Andromeda Reisig from Lely Elementary; Anna Bowe, Sharon Murray and Suzanne Waite of Lely High, and Kathryn Keeling-Rizzo of Parkside Elementary.

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