Johndrell Jones
Principal, Liberty Middle School

Johndrell Jones has reshaped Liberty Middle, improving its rating from a "C" to a high "B" for the first time in two decades. He has driven historical academic gains across subject areas, including a 17% increase in proficiency for students with disabilities and a 92% pass rate on the Algebra 1 end of course exam. 

Jones, who experienced homelessness as a child, sees himself in students. His leadership is “deeply felt and changes lives," increasing morale and a sense of purpose among staff. He fosters respect among students, leading to a 63% decrease in student suspensions through restorative practices. 

Amy Klaber 
Principal, Bridgewater Middle School

Amy Klaber has spearheaded academic and cultural turnarounds in three schools. At Bridgewater Middle, she enhanced student performance for students with disabilities by optimizing scheduling to increase instructional time. She also reduced disciplinary referrals by 50% with effective cell phone policy enforcement and communications.

Her "People First" approach and commitment to team-led improvement sets her apart. “Amy leads with heart. She knows every child by name and every staff member by strength,” said Atwater Bay Elementary Principal Matt Hendricks. Klaber actively mentors other principals, conducting workshops and even sharing her skilled staff with other schools. 
 

Cicely Marks 
Principal, Eccleston Elementary School

Cicely Marks is an exemplary principal who helped lift her previous school, Oak Hill Elementary, from a “C” to an “A.” Marks champions a "people first" philosophy, building strong relationships with students, families, and staff, leading to 93% staff retention at Eccleston. 

She never gives up on a child and believes "if you treat people right, they will walk over hot coals for you.” She works with partners to ensure her students have access to medical care, food, clothing and mental health services. And her behavior framework has reduced office discipline referrals by 23% and suspensions by 35%.
 

Joni Casamento
Assistant Principal, Rosemont Elementary 

Joni Casamento's “student-centered mindset” transformed lives at Vista Lakes Elementary, her previous school. She helped decrease student suspensions by 29% through restorative practices, and her reading intervention changes led to a 27-point increase in learning gains for the bottom quartile. Her mentorship has spurred student turnarounds. 

Casamento also co-founded "Keepin’ It Real with Key and Casamento" to provide in-person opportunities for parents and the community to share concerns. Her active engagement with the parents of students with disabilities contributed to a 4% increase in the performance of those students on federal accountability measures.
 

Elvon Nelson
Assistant Principal, Lockhart Elementary

Elvon Nelson is a dynamic assistant principal driven by the belief that every child can and will learn. At Lockhart Elementary, her leadership has significantly improved student performance, with math learning gains increasing from 42% to 50% and proficiency growth from 19% to 32% for students with disabilities. 

Nelson, who started out as an OCPS speech therapist 20 years ago, transforms school culture by shifting mindsets, prioritizing staff wellness, and building strong community partnerships. She has overseen a significant reduction in referrals and discipline incidents, leads data-driven decision-making and fosters a collaborative and positive school culture. Nelson's compassionate advocacy profoundly impacts students.
 

Rebecca Young
Assistant Principal, MetroWest Elementary 

Rebecca Young is an exceptional leader who helps transform school communities. At her former school, Rosemont Elementary, she spearheaded historic math proficiency growth, boosting annual scores to a 13-year high. Young created Rosemont Teams, an attendance incentive that became a school-wide movement promoting belonging and character.

She started “Girls on the Run" and helped with "My Sister's Keeper," supporting crucial extracurriculars and offering mentorship. Young fosters student resilience by drawing on her own personal challenges. Her leadership significantly boosted family engagement in the PTA and SAC and increased student enrollment. The Rosemont community gave her the "Elmer's Award" for being the school's 'glue.’
 

Kimberly Gilbert
Senior Executive Director, Federal Programs

With more than four decades of dedicated service to OCPS and our community, Kimberly Gilbert directs, oversees and evaluates state, local and federal funding of more than $214 million. She also supervises the collection and analysis of school-level data to provide data- driven decisions for grant-funded initiatives.

Her keen eye and expert leadership have guided the district through many program and financial audits with no financial findings. Known as a fierce protector of district resources, Gilbert recently allocated Title I funds to reduce class sizes in mathematics, which led to improved math proficiency in Algebra and middle school general math courses.

Carlos Hernandez
Assistant Director, Web and Graphic Design

A creative force with more than 26 years of expertise in design, digital content leadership and communications, Carlos Hernandez has worked tirelessly over the past four years to help grow the OCPS brand through innovative design management.

This year he demonstrated next-level customer- focused service in transitioning OCPS to its new web platform, delivering an intuitive, modern web site that has dramatically improved the online experience for students, parents, and staff. He was also responsible for the new look and feel of the OCPS 2030 Strategic Plan in a visually-appealing way that effectively communicates the district’s vision, mission, values and objectives.

Christopher Reed
Director, Warehousing and Distribution Services

Christopher Reed has been leading the district’s warehousing, distribution, printing, and mail services for 11 years. He led a shift toward a customer service and safety culture that transformed the OCPS warehouse into a logistics hub that supports schools and departments and coordinates large donations.

The warehouse seeks out opportunities for collaboration, such as handling donations of food, hygiene products and school supplies that totaled 69,863 pounds this past year. One of his recent successes involved his team receiving, sorting and labeling over 50 pallets of science materials for STEM programs and delivering them to schools throughout the district.