Finalists for Marion County Teacher of the Year announced

Five teachers are in the running to be named Marion County’s 2026 Teacher of the Year after receiving Golden Apple awards during surprise classroom visits this week.

The recognition program, organized annually by the Public Education Foundation of Marion County, honors top teachers across the district. A caravan of officials, including Interim Superintendent Dr. Danielle Brewer and Marion County School Board members, traveled to different schools on Wednesday and Thursday to announce the finalists.

In addition to the five Teacher of the Year contenders, the district also announced its Rookie Teacher of the Year and School-Related Employee of the Year.

Here are the finalists for the 2026 Teacher of the Year:

• Zanita Hendry (Hillcrest School): A graduate of Dunnellon High School, Hendry joined the district in 2015. She teaches students with exceptional needs in grades 6-12. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Central Florida and was recognized as the 2023 Florida Adaptive Arts Educator of the Year.

• Phyllis Hodges (Maplewood Elementary): A veteran educator with 29 years of experience, Hodges has been an elementary classroom teacher with the district since 1996. A graduate of Florida Southern College, she currently serves as a Content Area Specialist for math and science.

• William Lockley (North Marion Middle): Lockley has spent his entire 20-year teaching career instructing math students at North Marion Middle. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Leo University, a master’s in Mathematics Education from Florida State University, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Florida.

• Adjahnae Piner (Vanguard High School): Piner, who joined the district in 2015, teaches in and coordinates the Future Educators Academy at Vanguard. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida A&M University and a master’s in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University. She is currently pursuing a doctorate at Andersonville Theological Seminary.

• Jamesha Gilliam (West Port High): A West Port High alumna, Gilliam returned to her alma mater in 2018 to teach English and Journalism. She has 10 years of classroom experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida.

During the visits, officials also surprised Stephanie Stephens at Hillcrest School with the title of 2026 Rookie Teacher of the Year. Stephens, who holds a communications degree from Brigham Young University-Idaho, joined the district in 2024. The rookie award is reserved for educators with three years or less of teaching experience.

Stephanie Bulla, a registered nurse based at Anthony Elementary, was named the School-Related Employee of the Year. Bulla serves approximately 3,400 students across five schools. She joined the district in 2022 and is the first school nurse to receive this honor.

The finalists and honorees will be celebrated at the Golden Apple Gala on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Reilly Arts Center in Ocala.

During the event, one of the five finalists will be named the 2026 Golden Apple Teacher of the Year and will receive a pre-paid, three-year lease on a 2026 Genesis G70 sedan from Jenkins Auto Group.

The gala will be broadcast live on the Marion County Public Schools YouTube channel.