2025 SCPS Teach-In

Schools across our district celebrated Teach-In 2025 by welcoming community members, families, and local professionals into classrooms across the district. Volunteers spent the day sharing their careers, skills, and personal stories, giving students a real-world look at how what they learn in school connects to future opportunities.

From hands-on demonstrations to career talks, students of all ages enjoyed engaging lessons led by guest presenters. This event truly helps students see new possibilities for their futures.

SCPS thanks all volunteers for supporting our students and making this year’s Teach-In a meaningful success!

South Seminole Academy Hosts Inaugural Childcare Expo

South Seminole Academy proudly hosted its inaugural Childcare Expo, a dynamic and hands-on event led by Ms. DiBacco’s new Intro to Education class. This innovative course introduces students to the diverse career pathways within the field of education, from classroom teaching to administration and professional support services.

For the Expo, students worked in collaborative teams to design their own childcare centers from the ground up. Each team developed:


● A unique name and logo

● Operating hours and cost structure

● A detailed daily schedule

● A map of their center layout

● A professional trifold display showcasing all aspects of their center

● Examples of activities parents can expect their babies to be doing

● Health and Safety policies

To make the experience even more engaging, visiting teachers, administrators, and guest volunteers were given a “parent persona,” complete with specific needs and preferences for their fictional baby. These visitors toured each childcare center, asked questions, and evaluated how well each team’s center met their persona’s needs.

After visiting all the centers, guests selected their top two choices based on factors like affordability, programming, safety, and overall appeal.


This project was more than just a showcase, it was a powerful learning experience. Students applied real-world skills in:


● Leadership

● Communication

● Budgeting and administration

● Marketing and design

The top-rated childcare centers, as voted by the visitors, were M&M Childcare and Sunrise Childcare, recognized for their creativity, professionalism, and thoughtful planning.

Ms. DiBacco shared, “This project allowed students to step into the shoes of educational leaders and think critically about what families need. It was incredible to see their ideas come to life.”

It's so exciting to see learning experiences like the Childcare Expo, where students gain practical skills and explore future careers in education. Great job South Seminole Academy!

It's Party Time at Eastbrook Elementary

Students recently enjoyed a festive room transformation with the theme “It’s Party Time!” The celebration wasn’t just for fun, it was all about learning. Our young scholars rotated through engaging centers designed to target different benchmarks for literary texts. Each station challenged them to dive deep into stories, analyze details, and support their ideas with strong text evidence. This room transformation also turned ordinary lessons on place value, multi-digit multiplication, and division into an immersive experience. The energy was high, the collaboration was inspiring, and the learning was unforgettable!

Pine Crest Elementary's Esports Lab

Carole Moore Named 2026 SCPS Employee of the Year

On Friday, November 14th, 2025, SCPS held its annual Employee of the Year Celebration to honor the support staff that work hard behind the scenes to keep our A-rated school district going strong!

The Foundation is happy to support this event and help provide these employees with a memorable experience with their peers, family, friends, and SCPS leadership. We're thankful to have VyStar Credit Union join us once again this year as the Presenting Sponsor.

Congratulations to Carole Moore at the Educational Support Center for being the SCPS 2025 Employee of the Year! And thank you to all of our support staff that always go above and beyond!

2025 Seminole County Youth Summit

The Annual Seminole County Youth Summit, hosted by the Seminole County Youth Commission, was held on Tuesday, November 18, at Action Church Winter Park. The event hosted nearly 150 student leaders from various organizations on each high school campus.



The theme for this year’s Youth Summit was “Better Together: Why Not?”. The theme is based on a book titled “Why Not?” by Kobi Yamada. The book encourages leaders to Embrace the Power of Possibility, Be Bold & Courageous, and to Lead with Passion & Purpose, which applies to leadership by inspiring leaders to challenge limitations, foster innovation, and create opportunities for growth and collaboration.

Throughout the day, students heard from three profound speakers: Raevon Redding from the Walt Disney Corporation (Lake Howell graduate!), Kay Rawlins - Owner and Founder of the Orlando City Soccer Club (Including the Orlando Pride), and the highly requested, Christina Watkins from WESH 2 News (Oviedo graduate!)!

This event was a wonderful opportunity for students across our district to connect with their peers and strategize different ways to create a campus culture where every student feels valued and connected. We would like to sincerely thank the Seminole County Youth Commission for putting this event together, and Action Church Winter Park for allowing the Youth Commission to utilize such a beautiful facility.

Let this be a strong reminder that we are always, Better Together! Why Not?!

SCPS Students Experience The Nutcracker

Recently, students from Lake Mary High, Winter Springs High, and our postsecondary programs traveled to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts to experience The Nutcracker!



Many of our students rode the SunRail and then navigated their way to the theater, building real-world travel, independence, and community navigation skills along the way.

For many, this was their first time attending a live performance, and the joy on their faces said it all. The show, the music, the magic…it truly was an unforgettable experience.

We are incredibly thankful for opportunities like this that allow our students to learn, explore, and grow beyond the classroom.

SCPS' Annual Reorganization Meeting

The School Board of Seminole County elected Member Robin Dehlinger (District 4), to lead the Board as Chair, following the annual reorganization meeting held on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

Dehlinger was elected to serve on the School Board of Seminole County in 2024 and is a 34-year veteran in education, bringing significant experience after serving as an educator, school administrator, and assistant superintendent prior to her retirement from Seminole County Public Schools in 2022. 

Board Member Autumn Garick was also re-elected to serve as Vice Chair by her fellow board members. Member Garick (District 5) has served on the School Board of Seminole County since 2022.

SCPS Giving Tree

As we approach the season of giving, SCPS is excited to launch our annual Giving Tree from November 10th to December 9th, 2025. With your help, we can help make holiday wishes come true for our students in need!

Donate a gift or make an online tax-deductible donation by visiting www.scps.us/givingtree

Community Organizations Partner with SCPS for the Holiday Season

Parks Lincoln of Longwood, AAA, and Kamran's Hair Concepts have been longtime supporters of our SCPS Giving Tree! We are so thankful for them and all of the businesses and community organizations who have joined us to help make wishes come true this holiday season for our students in need! We couldn't do it without you!

Interested in helping this year? Find out more information at www.scps.us/givingtree or contact Caryn Hinrichs, Manager of SCPS Community Involvement at caryn_hinrichs@scps.k12.fl.us.

This is Michael Pfeiffer's 25th year as a proud SCPS Principal, currently serving at Seminole High School.

When asked about his favorite part of being a principal, he shared, "Working and laughing every day directly with the students, whether it is in classrooms, passing periods, performances, or sports!"

Interesting fact about Principal Pfeiffer, he loves to read and write poetry!

Thank you, Principal Pfeiffer, for your continued service and leadership. Your dedication makes a meaningful difference in our district each and every day.

It’s that time again! Our School Crossing Guard of the Year nominations are now open! Do you know an exceptional crossing guard who goes above and beyond to keep our students safe each day? We want to hear from you!

Submit your nomination here https://forms.gle/MGJv3bcDiBHE8rmf7

Deadline: November 23^rd

You can also nominate your favorite crossing guard for statewide recognition through FDOT: https://crossingguard.fdot.gov/goty.aspx

Let’s show our appreciation for those who help protect our kids every day!

Attention Class of 2026: The FAFSA Application is Now Open!

Class of 2026, It's giving season. Give yourself the gift of financial aid! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open. Completing the FAFSA is a critical step in accessing federal, state, and institutional financial aid for college, career school, or trade programs.

We encourage all seniors to be proactive. Start your FAFSA application today, and take the first steps in your post-secondary journey!

Please visit https://studentaid.gov/ to access the 2025-2026 FAFSA application!

Pack the Patrol Car 2025

Join Seminole County Sherriff's Offices' School Resource Deputies on Saturday, December 6 from 8:30 am - 2:30 pm, in support of our homeless and economically disadvantaged SCPS students. Please consider purchasing a toy for a student in need of a little holiday magic. Gifts will be provided to SCPS Community Involvement to be matched to families on our annual Giving Tree.

• Enroll your child for VPK or Kindergarten on-site
• Explore fire trucks, police cars, SWAT vehicle, school buses & more
• Free backpack and supplies for the first 100 VPK and Kindergarten students who enroll onsite.
• Learn about school choice options, kindergarten readiness tips, and navigating IEPs and 504 plans

Plus - Storytime, giveaways, food, and a visit from Clifford, the Big Red Dog!

Reserve your free tickets today at https://tinyurl.com/BigWheelsBrightFutures

Retired Educator Spotlight: Lemuel Stallworth

Lemuel Stallworth, a retired SCPS educator, is a “Marathon Man.” At age 92 he is still actively running the race for education and setting a wonderful example for others.

Lemuel, a Sanford resident, received his Bachelor’s Degree from Bethune- Cookman College in 1956 and remains a staunch “ Wildcats” supporter. Afterwards he entered the U.S. Army and was recently honored by the Seminole County Retired Educators Association (SCREA) on Veterans Day for his service. He began teaching in 1960 and continued his own education obtaining his master's degree in 1969 from Fisk University.

Lemuel taught in Seminole County Public Schools for 30 years, retiring in 1990. In addition to being a Guidance Counselor, he taught several subjects at Midway Elementary, Crooms High, Seminole High, Jackson Heights Middle, and finally Milwee Middle.

He remarks on the number of changes seen by educators since 1960, especially in technology. There were no computers for staff or students, desegregation occurred, and the opportunities for students continued to increase.

Mr. Stallworth continued to stay involved and worked part-time at Seminole State College from 1991 to 2007, supporting students in the GED department during those 15 years.

He continues his involvement in education with his SCREA support. He has been an active member for 32 years and has served as president-elect, then President for two terms, and the Chairman of the Information Services for 26 years. The President of SCREA recently honored him as their “ Star Member”.

Lemuel was married to his dear wife for “49 years & 10 months” as he fondly remembers. Together, they had four children, two of whom currently serve in the ministry. He enjoys teaching a mid-week Bible class at New Bethel Church in Sanford & if he has free time, you’ll find him watching sports, sports, sports; especially his beloved Wildcats!

Mr. Stallworth, your dedication to supporting our staff and students for over five decades truly speaks to your character. From all of us here at SCPS, thank you for your continued service to our district!