PCPS Announces District 6 Finalists for 2025-26 Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year
Inspire Awards season is here again, and we’re ready to announce our finalists for Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year!
Congratulations to our winners from District 6:
- Amanda Pope, Teacher of the Year finalist, gifted teacher, Dundee Elementary Academy
- Amanda Crutchfield, School-Related Employee of the Year finalist, attendance secretary, Fort Meade Middle-Senior High
Brief profiles of these two finalists can be found below.
PCPS is recognizing finalists from all seven districts, and the overall winners will be announced at the Inspire Awards presented by MIDFLORIDA Credit Union. The Inspire Awards will be held on Nov. 7 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The Polk Education Foundation and PCPS’ Department of Public Relations & Strategic Partnerships collaborate to present this annual event.
During the event, finalists will be recognized with video tributes and receive sponsored gifts. The Teacher of the Year and School-Related Employee of the Year will receive a cash prize generously donated by title sponsor MIDFLORIDA Credit Union.
Amanda Pope, Dundee Elementary Academy, District 6 Teacher of the Year
Amanda Pope has the resume of an extraordinary educator. She’s a three-time Teacher of the Year winner at three different PCPS schools, and has been lauded for her skills as a teacher mentor and leader. Administrators at Dundee Elementary Academy say that Pope also played a key role in the school earning its first-ever A grade.
Within the classroom, Pope is able to connect with students and encourage them to think critically, so they realize their potential to help change the world. She started a successful Odyssey of the Mind team at DEA, and also helped create the school’s National Elementary Honor Society program. Pope is active on multiple committees at school and contributes her expertise to many different organizations and projects within the education field. She lights up her school, and community, with positive and inspiring energy.
Amanda Crutchfield, Fort Meade Middle-Senior High, District 6 School-Related Employee of the Year
Amanda Crutchfield loves the fast pace of working in a school. At Fort Meade Middle-Senior, she organizes daily coverage with substitute teachers, tracks student attendance, greets visitors, manages tardies, and helps keep the entrance secure. She enjoys interacting with students and parents, and wants them to have positive experiences when they arrive on campus.
Crutchfield worked closely with school staff to develop new approaches that successfully reduced student tardiness. She also stepped up to serve as the coach of Fort Meade’s JV girls soccer team, where she has become a valued role model. In addition, she takes pride in volunteering with the band program. Administrators say Crutchfield not only keeps Fort Meade running smoothly, she elevates the school’s entire culture.
