Grace McAlister
news@greenepublishing.com
Stephanie Gray is the Suwannee Springcrest Elementary School (SSE) Grandmaster Teacher of the
Year. A Madison native, Gray attended Florida State University (FSU), where she pursued degrees in the fields of Fashion Merchandising and Business. While at FSU, one of her Zeta Tau Alpha sorority sisters encouraged her to consider entering the teaching profession, declaring she would
be a “natural” in the classroom.
Soon after, and with a few visits to one of her former teachers, Gray had an epiphany. She realized that her true calling was to teach.
While on the waitlist for her hopeful admission into the FSU College
of Education, she was accepted into the Early Childhood/Elementary Education Program at
Valdosta State University (VSU).
Thereafter, she attended VSU, graduating with high honors. Just prior to graduation, she was
offered and accepted a job a Madison Middle School as a Special Education teacher. After
performing in that role, she then took a fourth grade teaching position at Madison Primary School, eventually serving as the Grade Level Chair.
After six years at Madison Primary School, Gray joined her husband in the Suwannee County School District, teaching grades three through five in the Project Child program at the then-Suwannee Elementary East. After the consolidation of Suwannee elementary schools and the
termination of the Project Child program, Gray began her next journey as a fourth grade Math
and Science instructor at the new Suwannee Elementary School. For ten years, Gray
taught alongside Judy Jacobsen, one of Suwannee County’s
former District Teachers of the Year. Gray believes this era to be one of the best in her almost
three decades spent in the education profession. Following the retirement of Jacobsen, Gray transferred to Suwannee Middle School as a sixth grade math teacher, where she served
for five years. Feeling the need to return to her elementary roots, Gray transferred to the former Suwannee Intermediate School, now Suwannee Springcrest. In the past five years; back in the elementary setting, Gray has taught math and science, and for the past three years, has taught fourth and fifth grade ELA writing and social studies and is presently serving as the fifth grade LEAD Teacher. She greatly enjoys teaching at a Leader In Me school.
Being on the cusp of her 30th year in education, Gray has seen a world of change and has taught generations of students. With her career now in a full circle, she is steadfast and determined to continue to master her craft in hopes of empowering the future generations of Suwannee County as long as her body and mind will allow. Gray’s advice for those either entering or in the early years of the teaching profession is “students will never care about how much you know until they know how much you care” and “never underestimate the power of a Skittle!” Gray states that her greatest accomplishment to date, besides being a mother to her own children, has been the opportunity to serve as “school mama” for countless students throughout her tenure as a public educator.
Gray has been married for 26 years to Ronnie Gray, SCSD’s current Director of School Safety and Security. She is the mother of Kyler Gray, a third-year law student at the University of Florida, and Hayley Gray, who is also in Gainesville attending Nursing School. She is also mom to her most spoiled child, her basset hound, Daisy Mae Gray.
Gray feels very humbled and honored to have been named SSE’s Grand Master Teacher of the Year. She absolutely loves and adores her work family, her school administrators and their leadership and working for the children and families of Suwannee County.