BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
When he graduated from Bradford High School, Stephen Brown couldn’t have predicted he’d be back there working as one of the most celebrated teachers in the school district.
Brown was named Teacher of the Year by his peers at the high school, and more recently learned he won the districtwide Teacher of the Year award as well.
“When I won on the high school level, I was shocked. And then when I won at the district level, I was elated. I cried in front of all my co-workers,” he said.
Superintendent Will Hartley made the announcement during a luncheon right before the Christmas break.
“It was just a warm feeling. I feel incredible. I’ve never won an award like this ever in my life, and this has been a wonderful moment for me. For my students,” he said.
His worthiness for the honor is as evident as his passion for and commitment to his students. Brown began working at Bradford High as an English teacher six years ago. Education hadn’t been his plan until a UF professor nudged him in that direction. No push was needed when the opportunity arose to work with ESE students, however. He was inspired by his mother Kim’s nearly 20 years of working at The Arc of Bradford.
“Special needs individuals have always been part of my life,” he said. “I’ve found my calling.”
Brown teaches a self-contained classroom of 13 students with various needs.
“They’re my world. They make everything worth it,” he said.
“Working with special needs individuals is just my passion. They are individuals that don’t learn the same way. They act a little differently, and sometimes people just write them off for that. But in my classroom, they’re celebrated. They learn and they’re champions, and they’re brilliant. My classroom gives them the opportunity to shine and to be those incredible geniuses that they can be. They’re brilliant kids, and they have a unique way of showing it. If I get to bring that out in then, that’s the best thing in the world.”
“Mr. Brown is phenomenal in his classroom and students grow leaps and bounds.,” Principal Angela Tomlinson said. “Not only is he intune with their everyday needs he is well aware of their long-term goals. In addition, he has a plan to get them all to those goals and safety nets for when they need them. Mr. Brown has a great personality and it shows when you walk in his room. His environment is always welcoming and thriving. He truly believes in teaching from bell to bell with all students. Excuses are not an option!”
Brown is both teacher and head of the high school’s ESE department. There is a large number of ESE students at BHS, most included in general education classrooms. They are assisted by a team of teachers as committed as Brown to creating individualized education plans and providing “push-in” services.
Particularly helpful to Brown are the paraprofessionals who assist in his classroom — Susan Taylor, Joan Perez and Janet Townsend. They are integral to his success and the success of the students, he said.
Brown describes himself as a lifelong learner who loves educating himself and others. He said he’s an avid runner. He’s also a new homeowner learning to decorate. He loves cooking up vegetarian meals, and he plays seven guitars — one at a time, of course.
He has a proud family, including his mom, Kim, who hails from New Orleans; his dad, Johnny, who is a construction foreman from Starke; his twin brother, Jonathan, an insurance salesman; and an older brother, Gino, who is also in construction.
They lived in Lake Butler for several years before moving to Starke, which is where Brown has spent most of his life.
“I enjoy living in Bradford County. I always wanted to come back and give back to my community. I feel like I have and this award … it just gives me more of a passion to keep doing what I’m doing and to get better at what I’m doing.”
Brown strives to better himself, continuing his education to build upon his teaching credentials.
“When you get special needs individuals, you don’t know what you’re going to get and how they function. So, you’ve got to have as many tools in your toolbox as you can.”
Brown said he believes in the power of education and hopes to represent the state as Florida’s Teacher of the Year. Whether it’s a trade school, community college or post graduate degree, he said education can change the trajectory of one’s life, just like his.
