The Martin County School District named its 2024-2025 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year on October 18, 2024, honoring two of its exceptional school leaders with the recognition.
Sarah Tuthill of Felix A. Williams Elementary School was named Principal of the Year, and David Shaffer of Port Salerno Elementary School was named Assistant Principal of the Year. Superintendent Michael Maine and members of the District’s leadership team surprised the two educators during a Principals Meeting at Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School.
“Sarah has been an assistant principal in California. They moved to Florida here, and that’s when she started with us, first at Indiantown Middle School,” Superintendent Maine said. “The rest was kind of history when Felix A. Williams Elementary opened up and she applied, hands down was the number one choice to take over that school. Sarah got their ‘A’ back first year there... Every time you meet a single staff member on her campus, every time, doesn’t matter whether it’s a non-instructional staff member or it’s a teacher, they sing the praises of Sarah.”
Mrs. Tuthill joined the Martin County School District in August 2021 as a literacy coach at Indiantown Middle School, before transitioning to Principal at Felix A. Williams Elementary in 2022.
Mr. Shaffer started with the District in 2001 working in Extended Day at Felix A. Williams Elementary. He later came back to work as a teacher in 2013.
“When you got up on that stage to talk to staff this year, when you welcomed them back, which is good for me because usually I’m the one getting emotional,” Superintendent Maine shared about Mr. Shaffer. “You could feel the passion, and you could feel the commitment to the kids of Port Salerno, and you really truly knew that your heart and soul breathes that school, and you wanted everything to go right for your kids and your staff.”
The District will submit both administrators' names to the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) for consideration in the statewide Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership and Outstanding Assistant Principal Achievement Award recognition programs. Winners of these awards will be announced in spring 2025.
Congratulations, Mrs. Tuthill and Mr. Shaffer!