The School District of Lee County is proud to honor Allison Delude-Kerner with the Second Annual APPLES Mentor of the Year award. Delude-Kerner is Peer Collaborative Teacher at Harns Marsh Middle School. APPLES mentors provide support to new and beginning teachers.
“I think being a teacher is the best job in the world,” Delude-Kerner said shortly after being presented her award. “I wake up excited to go to work. I went into this field because I wanted to foster that feeling in other teachers. I want to keep that flame alive for us.”
Delude-Kerner joined the District and staff at Harns Marsh Middle School in August 2016. She spends half her day teaching English Language Arts. The other half is devoted to coaching and mentoring her fellow teachers. She observes them in class, helps them write instructional plans, and provides feedback so they can be the best teachers possible.
“Allison is beloved by our staff, administration, faculty, and students,” says Harns Marsh Middle School Assistant Principal Dr. Joseph Restino. “Her ability to connect to and support everyone is unparalleled. She is a relationship guru in the way she shows patience, understanding, and kindness while still encouraging those around her to be their best and to grow and
improve.”
The School District of Lee County’s APPLES Program (Accomplished Professional Practices for Lee County Education System) offers a multi-tiered system of support to new and beginning teachers. One layer of support is that of the APPLES Mentor. APPLES Mentors were nominated by their administrators, a selection committee picked finalists and then interviewed them to choose the award winner.
