Marion's Lanza Selected as Finalist for Florida's School-Related Employee of the Year
Edward Lanza (center)
MARION’S LANZA SELECTED AS FINALIST FOR FLORIDA’S
SCHOOL-RELATED EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Veteran Honored for His Unparalleled Service to Students
MARION COUNTY – Florida’s Department of Education named Edward Lanza, a retired U.S. Army veteran and paraprofessional at Saddlewood Elementary School, as a finalist for Florida’s School-Related Employee of the Year.
Lanza was named Marion County’s School-Related Employee of the Year back in December 2023 by the Public Education Foundation of Marion County. He then advanced to the state competition, where the overall winner is expected to be announced in the near future.
Lanza is the father of a 2021 MCPS Golden Apple teacher. With education in the family, he was recognized for “exceeding every expectation every single time” when it comes to his principal asking his help for extra tasks, staying late, and providing innovative solutions to improve his school’s day-to-day operations.
Another nominator wrote Lanza’s interaction with students inspires her every day. “He listens to students and honors their humanity,” she wrote.
Lanza, who has worked at Saddlewood Elementary for eight years, often assists in the media center, helps with technology issues, oversees Chromebook® distribution to students, and cultivates a culture of caring among the school’s 1,034 students. In addition to his school and military service, he has been recognized for his life experiences as a former deputy chief in a New York volunteer fire department and project manager with a Fortune 500 company.
For more information contact Florida’s Department of Education at 850.245.9716 or visit https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/recognition/.
An Equal Opportunity School District
www.marionschools.net
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