ALACHUA COUTY ‒ The principal and assistant principal of Williams Elementary School have been selected as Alachua County Public Schools’ Principal and Assistant Principal of the year, and will now go on to represent the district in the statewide recognition programs.

Principal Anyana Stokes and Assistant Principal Jennifer Roberson were selected by their peers districtwide based on their resumes and their responses to questions developed by the state on such topics as supporting teachers and student performance.

Stokes has been an educator for more than twenty years, having worked as a teacher, adjunct professor, dean and assistant principal at schools in Orlando and Gainesville. Since 2018 she’s been the principal at Williams, the school she attended as a child. Under her leadership, the school has seen significant improvement in student performance, including strong learning gains in English language arts (ELA) for all students and for the lowest-performing students. Stokes established the ‘Wildcat Pillars,’ underlying principals that anchor the work that the school’s administrators, teachers and staff are doing to boost student achievement.

Stokes says she’s honored by the recognition from her peers, but also gives credit to the entire school community.

“This is also recognition of the hard work and effort put in by the Williams teachers, staff, students, families, and community partners,” she said. “It’s so special for me to be serving at the same elementary school I attended as a child.”

Roberson also has years of experience as a teacher and school administrator, having previously served as assistant principal at both Shell Elementary School and High Springs Community School. She also supported Williams as a district instructional coach before becoming the school’s assistant principal in 2021. In that role, Roberson supports teachers through data-driven planning and professional development and serves as the school’s coordinator for testing and for the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program. She also implemented the United States of Readers Scholastic Program at Williams, which provides free books throughout the school year to students and teachers to promote excitement about reading.

Roberson says she feels its important to balance hard work with making learning fun for students.

“The work we do is difficult, but I’ve found that maintaining a positive outlook during any situation can help make it easier,” she said. “A little positivity can go a long way!”

The Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year finalists are expected to be selected this month, with the statewide winners in both recognition programs announced in February or March.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ It's not just Santa Claus who delivers presents at Christmas. Charities and organizations hold toy drives to gather gifts for underprivileged children and food for those in need, making Christmas special for kids and families that might otherwise receive little.

Since 2008, the High Springs Police Department (HSPD) and Fire Department (HSFD) have been making dreams come true through Operation Holiday Cheer. The first responders collect donations of new toys, shoes, clothing and books from the community so they can gift them to local children.

Beginning in the fall, HSPD and HSFD ask for donations, and working in conjunction with the City of High Springs CRA, Parks and Recreation Department and Public Works, they set up collection points within local businesses and city sites to gather donations.

This year Operation Holiday Cheer made six special deliveries, with additional families picking up their gifts directly from the police department. The event was organized by High Springs Police officer Jason Taylor with help from HSPD administrative assistant Angela Robertson. Taylor personally visited families, talked with the parents first and if approved, to the kids. Many of the recipient families, but not all, were chosen from a list provided by the High Springs Community School, that notified the School Resource Officer of families they felt could use help.

According to Robertson, donations come from all over the community. “About 60 percent are donations from businesses, 30 percent from individual citizens and about 10 percent come from organizations like the Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Women’s Club and other local organizations.

“The whole community pulls together for this,” said Robertson. “In addition, on cash gifts, we try to support local businesses by buying presents there. The families also receive a gift card to buy food for the holidays.”

Robertson said that donations grow each year, especially after the pandemic when so many families were hurt financially. “This year we were able to help over 50 families,” said Robertson. “But we don't want the community to become complacent and think we have enough.” Robertson says that any increase in contributions increases the number of families they can help.

On the morning of Dec. 20 its go time as a caravan of multiple police cars, a High Springs fire truck and a City of High Springs public works pickup truck formed at the police department, and lined up for the mission. The public works truck pulled a long trailer packed with bags of Christmas presents. At 9 a.m. the caravan headed north with lights flashing and a police siren to alert drivers at crossroads. Drivers pulled to the side of the road as the convoy passed, some waving or clapping, knowing the mission the police were on.

The first stop was a large family with five children. The children had not been informed of the surprise visit and were stunned by the multiple police cars with lights flashing. Two of the officers wore inflatable costumes as Santa and a Christmas tree. As the costumed characters and police officers holding large bags of presents approached, the children's eyes widened in wonder and the realization that the bags were for them. Each child was gifted a huge bag with multiple presents as the older ones helped the younger ones open the packages.

The second stop had not been suggested by the school, but rather through HSPD. Responding to a service call at the home, officers saw that the family with two teenage daughters had fallen on hard times and was struggling financially. On the delivery day, the mother was home with her daughter and the father was working, unaware of the event. Hearing that there were police cars with lights flashing at his house, he raced home in his work truck, and jumped out of the vehicle asking what had happened to his family. When informed it was a Christmas visit, he clutched his chest in relief and thanked the officers for their gifts for his family.

The third stop was at the Circle K gas station, where the mother of two pre-teen girls was working. Unable to change her shift, her daughters were brought to the store, unaware of why they were coming. When the convoy arrived, both girls were surprised, hesitantly approaching the police vehicles. Two large bags were presented to the girls with the older girl receiving a skateboard and a helmet to go with it.

The fourth stop was at a home with four children, all under the age of 10. The two youngest were unsure of all the attention until the mother helped them open gifts and they realized the gifts were for them. One young girl sat on her mother’s lap hugging a doll while the others quickly opened their gifts.

The fifth stop almost didn’t happen as no one would answer the door after repeated knocks. The police staff member who arranged the visit called the mother, only to find out she was at work, and the older teen son was not supposed to open the door to strangers—including multiple police officers with lights flashing. After she contacted her son, he timidly came out as did his younger sister. Their shyness gradually disappeared, replaced with joy as they realized the gifts were for them.

The final stop was also from a service call and did not involve children. In November, police and EMT's were called for a medical emergency with an elderly couple who only spoke Spanish. The couple became frightened by the situation and began to panic when officers tried to take the husband to a hospital.

HSPD officer Mayuly Mardase spoke Spanish and was called to the scene. While resolving the communication problem, Officer Mardase found out that the couple had no heat and no money. HSPD decided to make them one of the recipients of Operation Cheer. Again, the elderly couple did not know about the special holiday visit. With Mardase acting as interpreter, the HSPD presented the couple with electric blankets, a heater and warm clothing as well as gift cards for food and clothing.

Operation Cheer is well named. Through the commitment and hard work of first responders and a generous community that helps support it through donations, Operation Holiday Cheer brings happiness and cheer to those who might otherwise not have a merry Christmas.

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PRESS RELEASE

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Jan. 5, 2023) – Public outdoor lighting helps pedestrians and bicyclists stay safer at night. That is why Gainesville City Commissioners adopted new guidelines for sidewalk lights— specifically addressing where they should go, what brightness level to set, and how to place them uniformly while still preserving the local landscape and protecting wildlife.

Today’s adoption of revisions to the lighting ordinance of the city’s Land Development Code (LDC) will improve sidewalks and alleyways. The update means that new projects with areas used by pedestrians and bicyclists will have to meet Florida Department of Transportation lighting standards.

The recommendation is one part of a recently completed Pedestrian Lighting Study prepared by Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. The study lays out a plan for cost-effective, safety-focused lighting based on input from City of Gainesville Public Works, Gainesville Police Department, Gainesville Regional Utilities, and the Department of Sustainable Development. The Gainesville City Commission’s focus on enhanced outdoor lighting began in July 2022, when Commissioners requested a study in response to neighbors voicing safety concerns.

“This should help increase feelings of safety and also visibility for drivers in vehicles,” said Planner Dan Zhu, who worked on the revised ordinance.

Special Advisor to the City Manager Andrew Persons notes communities across the country are examining lights along sidewalks and walkways as part of urban improvement plans.

“Lighting is a major component of an approach known as Crime Prevention through Environmental Design—or CPTED. It’s how lighting and landscape can make spaces safer. Not only is there better visibility, but we can direct pedestrians and bicyclists to the best routes. We can also look at trimming trees near light poles to take advantage of fixtures already in place,” said Persons.

This is only the first phase of Gainesville’s plan for enhanced outdoor lighting. The next step will use study findings to begin updates for streets, roads, highways, bridges, curbs, curb ramps, crosswalks, bicycle facilities, underpasses, and overpasses used by the public.

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ALACHUA ‒ The Christmas spirit was alive and well in Alachua last Saturday night. The Gainesville based professional ballet company Dance Alive National Ballet (DANB) has been performing the Nutcracker for 56 years with hundreds of touring performances and over 30 school programs in the Continental United States. Over the past five years it has also become a Christmas tradition in Alachua as well.

The Nutcracker is an important part of the dance company’s history, and even in 2020 when many entertainment performances were canceled, the Nutcracker performance went on in Alachua’s new Legacy Park Outdoor Amphitheater where social distancing could be observed.

Last year there was a change of venues due to concerns about possible rain and the performance was moved indoors to the Legacy Park Multipurpose center. Neither the threat of bad weather nor the change of venue deterred an enthusiastic audience. This year, despite low temperatures from a cold front, an estimated 750 to 850 bundled up in coats and blankets, sitting on lawn chairs to watch the Nutcracker as more than 30 dancers performed in the almost two-hour show that is set on Christmas Eve.

Dance Alive is a dance academy and professional dance troupe that has always been the heart and soul of the Pofahl family. In 1966, professional dancer and teacher Mary Ellen Pofahl founded the DANB company and it has continued through the talents and efforts of her daughters, Judy Skinner and Kim Tuttle. Tuttle serves as Artistic Director and Skinner is Choreographer-In-Residence.

Pofahl Studios is the official school of DANB, and the faculty have been selected for their professional knowledge of a particular dance discipline as well as the ability to teach a particular age or ability level. The instructors also take part in performances by the DANB. According to Tuttle, the primary concern of the faculty is the development of each student’s skill and appreciation for the art of dance, teaching respect for their teachers and fellow students, and the development of their own personal self-esteem. Many of the school's students have gone on to professional dance careers throughout the world.

Both Skinner and Tuttle actively teach at the school as well as run the DANB. The Nutcracker performance is one of their best known and attended shows. During December, the company will perform the Nutcracker at a variety of venues, combining music and dance with one of the best-known Christmas stories, while keeping alive a half century tradition.

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