Alachua County Today

High Springs Teachers Sarah Rendek and Elizabeth Treese Honored

The High Springs City Commission honored two teachers at their Dec. 14 Commission meeting. L-R: Santa Fe High School teacher Elizabeth Treese, High Springs Mayor Katherine Weitz and High Springs Community School teacher Sarah Rendek. / Photo special to Alachua County Today

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Two local educators have been recognized for their excellence in teaching. The High Springs City Commission awarded two local teachers with certificates at the Dec. 14 High Springs City Commission meeting.

Sarah Rendek and Elizabeth Treese received the certificates presented Mayor Katherine Weitz, “In appreciation of your remarkable contributions and commitment to the students at High Springs Community School and Santa Fe High School, and the students of our community. Your efforts have made a significant impact and we are grateful for your dedication and service.”

Sarah Rendek is a team leader and seventh grade reading teacher at High Springs Community School as well as the Community School Middle School Reading Department Chair. She has taught for 13 years, with the last nine of those years at High Springs Community School.

School Principal Lynn McNeill was unable to attend due to family illness but asked Mayor Weitz to read what she would have said had she been able to attend.

“Sarah has been instrumental in developing a successful approach to ensuring that our struggling readers, as well as all other students, make the most possible learning gains each year. Her success has not gone unnoticed as District level supervisors often observe and arrange for teachers to observe in Sarah’s classroom.

“Mrs. Rendek focuses on building strong relationships with students and creates a strong learning community in her classroom. This relationship building stretches out further than her classroom as she and her team members go above and beyond to build trusting relationships with all of our seventh graders.

“Sarah serves as a personal role model for her students and provides daily encouragement as her seventh graders navigate these in between middle school years.

“And just on Monday, High Springs Community School learned that Sarah was selected as the Alachua County Public School’s Middle-School Teacher of the Year. This means that Sarah’s one of the three finalists for the Alachua County Teacher of the Year.”

Santa Fe High School Principal Dr. Timothy Wright was on hand to talk about Business Instructor and Department Chair Elizabeth Treese.

In summary he said, “I have the privilege and was asked to come and talk about Santa Fe High School’s Teacher of the Year, Beth Treese. Beth started teaching in 2009 in Lake City and she joined the staff at Santa Fe in 2014.

“She was an algebra and geometry teacher, and for the last six years, our computer teacher. She teaches digital information technology, digital design which, as [one] can imagine, spans a large field of opportunities for students.

One of the amazing things about Mrs. Treese is that for all of the classes that she teaches and all of the certifications that her students have the opportunity to earn as high school students, certification in Microsoft, the whole suite of Microsoft, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, all of those students that have Mrs. Treese have the opportunity to earn those certifications by passing the test at the end of the year.

But to be able to teach those classes, Mrs. Treese has to be certified. So in all of the courses that she teaches and the certifications that her students have the opportunities to take, she’s already earned certification.

“I know she would never ever say it about herself, but last year in the Microsoft Suite” (i.e., word, power point, excel) “her students have a 97 percent pass rate for earning certifications. In the Adobe Suite, she had a 96 percent pass rate.”

Elective teachers like Mrs. Treese survive on students wanting to be able to be a part of their classroom. “In Mrs. Treese class, 100 percent of the students are there because they want that class. And so, “I’m very thrilled that Beth was chosen by our faculty to represent Santa Fe High School as Teacher of the Year.”

Weitz presented the certificates to each of the teachers to a round of applause from Commissioners and audience members.

# # #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

Add a comment

High Springs Special Commission Meeting to Discuss Commissioner Tapanes' Resignation

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The City of High Springs will hold a special commission meeting this Thursday, Jan. 4 at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the process of moving forward with the current vacant commission seat, following the resignation of Commissioner Steve Tapanes, citing mandatory filing of Florida Ethics Commission Form 6 “Full and Public Disclosure of Financial Interests.”

In 2023, the Florida Legislature passed a new law requiring elected officials to file Form 6 by Dec. 31, 2023. Prior to the new law, mayors and elected city or town council members were required to file Form 1. However, Form 6 requires a more in-depth report of the filer's finances, including disclosure of net worth, information not required by Form 1. Form 6 filers must also disclose assets over $1,000, while the Form 1 threshold is over $10,000. Form 6 also requires filers to disclose clients that make up more than 10 percent of the filer's income.

# # #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

Add a comment

Toys Come Alive at Alachua's Christmas Parade

ALACHUA ‒ Main Street Alachua was alive with the holiday spirit this past Saturday, Dec. 9 as the Alachua Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual Christmas Parade through the downtown area. Annually, businesses, government departments, civic groups, churches and more sponsor floats to entertain spectators and compete for prizes.

On Saturday, children anxiously awaited the parade for a chance to see Santa Claus and secure sweet treats tossed from decorated floats or handed out by people walking alongside.

The parade featured some 73 floats decorated in this year’s toy land theme. The excitement and spirit of Christmas celebration were evident as children scampered around while waiting for the festivities to begin.

Parade participants lined up along North Main Street, and with a police escort of police cars and motorcycle patrolmen, the parade crossed U.S. Highway 441 to the sounds of wailing sirens accompanied by blue and red flashing lights.

Families and friends lined the street, some in lawn chairs, other perched on the curb, while still others stood, to watch the procession. Three law enforcement organizations were represented as Alachua Police Chief Jesse Sandusky was joined by High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard and Alachua County Deputy Chad Scott as they walked the parade route leading the procession.

The parade's grand marshal, longtime resident, businessman, and Chamber of Commerce member Jerry Smith greeted the hometown crowd from a vintage blue convertible Mustang.

The City of Alachua’s float, featuring a huge toy chest filled with oversized stuffed toys, carried members of the Alachua City Commission.

Volunteers, walking alongside the floats, were dressed in Christmas dress or portrayed characters such as Santa's elves, and handed out candy to the children along the parade route. For the children, it was an exciting experience, seeing the colorful floats and costumed characters, along with free candy and gifts.

Other float sponsors and participants included Mi Apa Restaurant, Girl Scouts, MatchMaker Realty, All Stars Twirling Academy, Momentum Dance Academy, Santa Fe Babe Ruth Baseball team, the Alachua Business League, Alachua County Property Appraiser Ayesha Solomon, Santa Fe Soccer Academy, the Mebane Cheer squad, Hare Krishna members and a long list of others.

Parade favorite Santa Fe High School Raider Regiment engaged the crowd with their holiday melodies and were accompanied by Santa Fe High School’s festively dressed dance teams and the varsity cheerleader squad.

As each float passed the judge’s stage at the intersection of 148^thPlace and Main Street, parade MC's Ben Boukari, Jr., Damon Messina and Robert Bonetti announced the sponsor of each float, oftentimes pausing long enough to chat with the participants.

The parade finale was the star of the show as Santa Claus waved to the children as he rode by perched on top of a firetruck. Excited youngsters waved and called out Santa's name, surely thinking about gifts he may leave under their tree to be discovered Christmas morning.

# # #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

Add a comment

Alachua Youth Council and Dollar General partner for ‘Restoring Dignity’ - Donation Support Students in Need

ALACHUA ‒ A local group of concerned and community-minded high school students are making a difference this holiday season. The City of Alachua Youth Advisory Council (YAC) members discovered an unmet need among their fellow students at Alachua’s Santa Fe High School.

In cooperation with the Santa Fe High School nurse, the YAC learned there are students coming to school who are in need of basic hygienic supplies. YAC members were deeply concerned about their fellow students and sought to find a way to help them out and at the same time restore their dignity.

YAC members devised a plan to elicit help from the community to collect items most in need. The group organized “Restoring Dignity – One Wellness Packet at a Time,” a collection drive for items such as deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bar soap, underwear and socks.

A number of businesses established drop off locations for donated supplies, and while many individuals and businesses have supported the students in the efforts, one local business has stepped forward with a large donation of supplies.

Each year the YAC takes a City-sponsored tour of Alachua. This year’s tour of Alachua included the Dollar General Distribution Center. Upon hearing of the students’ Restoring Dignity Project, Dollar General’s Matthew Lillard worked with Dollar General Headquarters and Alachua Deputy City Clerk and YAC advisor LeAnne Williams to procure a donation.

On Thursday, Dec. 15, YAC students gathered at the Dollar General Distribution Center to take possession of thousands of donated items valued at some $3,000 for delivery to Alachua City Hall.

“In living out Dollar General’s mission of Serving Others, we are proud to have donated more than 2,600 personal hygiene items—including socks, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap— to support the Restoring Dignity project and students at Santa Fe High School,” shared Peter Torres, Dollar General’s senior director of DG’s Alachua distribution center. “We are grateful for our partnership with the City as we are committed to giving back to our Alachua neighbors in need especially during the holiday season.”

All collected items will be packaged by the YAC and placed with the Santa Fe High School nurse.

Businesses that have partnered with the YAC by volunteering to be drop off locations for the supplies will continue to receive items through the months of December and January. These locations are:

Alachua City Hall
Alachua Family Eye Care
Decades on Main (High Springs)
Douglas M. Adel, DDS, P.A. (Alachua)
China Express (Alachua)
Great Clips (Alachua)
HCA Florida Hospital (Gainesville)
Hitchcock’s Markets Pharmacy Desk (Alachua)
Infinite Wellness Gym (Alachua)
New York Pizza Plus (Rolling Oaks Plaza)
O2B Kids (Alachua)
Publix (Alachua)
Santa Fe High School Guidance Office (Alachua)
Tony & Al’s Deli (Alachua)
Walgreens (Alachua)

The YAC serves as advocates for issues and initiatives to positively impact the lives of youth, discusses issues and offers suggestions for improvement to benefit youth in the community.

YAC members must be enrolled in a public school, private school or a home education program within the City of Alachua in grades nine through 12 or must be a City of Alachua resident enrolled in a public school, private school or a home education program in grades nine through 12 that is not within the City of Alachua's corporate limits.

# # #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

Add a comment