District Announces Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year

https://www.marionschools.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=192&ModuleInstanceID=78982&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=158574&PageID=381

Posted on 11/15/2023

MARION COUNTY – Two leaders in Marion County Public Schools received surprise visits Tuesday morning naming them as the district’s 2024 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year.

Just after 8 a.m., Ocala Springs Elementary Principal Michelle Cino, in training on another school campus, learned the news during a visit from Superintendent Dr. Diane Gullett and an entourage of well-wishers.

Cino is a 22-year veteran of Marion County Public Schools. She joined the district as a teacher at Reddick-Collier, Sparr, and Evergreen Elementary Schools before being named assistant principal at Legacy, Anthony, and Wyomina Park Elementary Schools. She moved to her first and current principal position in 2019. Cino’s bachelor’s in Elementary Education comes from St. Leo University while her master’s in Educational Leadership is from NOVA Southeastern University.

A short time later around 9:30 a.m., Gullett and the entourage headed south to Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks to surprise Rebekah Cook and name her as Marion County’s Assistant Principal of the Year.

Cook joined MCPS in 2009 as a teacher at Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks. She also worked as a math coach and program specialist at the district level, and as assistant principal at Belleview Middle, Lake Weir Middle, and Liberty Middle Schools. She joined Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks as assistant principal this year. Her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration comes from Saint Leo University while her master’s in Educational Leadership is from American College of Education.

Cino and Cook now advance to state-level competitions from Florida’s Department of Education to become Florida’s 2024 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year.

For more information contact the Public Relations Office.