Two leaders in Marion County Public Schools received surprise visits earlier this week naming them as the district’s 2024 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year.
On Tuesday, November 14, shortly after 8 a.m., Ocala Springs Elementary School Principal Michelle Cino learned that she is this year’s Principal of the Year while training at another school campus. Superintendent Dr. Diane Gullett and an entourage of well-wishers stopped by to share the exciting news with Cino.
A 22-year veteran of Marion County Public Schools (MCPS), Cino joined the district as a teacher at Reddick-Collier, Sparr, and Evergreen Elementary Schools before being named assistant principal at Legacy, Anthony, and Wyomina Park Elementary Schools.
Since 2019, Cino has served as the principal at Ocala Springs Elementary School.
Cino earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at St. Leo University, and her master’s degree in Educational Leadership is from NOVA Southeastern University.
Shortly after visiting Cino on Tuesday morning, Dr. Gullett and the entourage headed south to Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks to surprise Rebekah Cook by naming her as Marion County’s Assistant Principal of the Year.
Cook joined MCPS in 2009 as a teacher at Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks. She has also worked as a math coach and program specialist at the district level, and as the assistant principal at Belleview Middle, Lake Weir Middle, and Liberty Middle Schools.
Earlier this year, Cook joined Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks as the school’s assistant principal.
Cook earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Saint Leo University while her master’s in Educational Leadership is from American College of Education.
Cino and Cook now advance to state-level competitions and are in the running for Florida’s 2024 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year.
For more information, visit the Marion County Public Schools website or call the Public Relations Office at 352-671-7555.