Coreen Goerner, an instructional math coach at Tohopekaliga High School, was named Osceola County Teacher of the Year at a gala event held at Heritage Park last week, and Joe Castillo, a paraprofessional in the English as Second Language program at Lakeview Elementary, was named School-Related Employee of the Year.
“It’s hard to look at these finalists and not become emotional about how much our folks put in to our youth in this community,” said Osceola Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff. “It inspires me, it inspires our board members to do this work, and work as hard as we possibly can to do everything in our power to make things easier and better for the people who are doing this work.”
Goerner was chosen from over 50 schoolteacher nominees in the county who were also recognized at the dinner and awards gala. In her job as an instructional math coach, Goerner is responsible for improving math instruction among her team of 22 math teachers and 3,000 students. She has spearheaded initiatives that have increased overall math achievement by 26 percent over three years. She has a pivotal role in mentoring new teachers, designing professional development workshops for educators, and leading instructional coaching sessions.
Goerner has also developed after-school tutoring programs, organizes mathematics boot camps and competition teams, and serves in a variety of leadership roles at the district and state levels. She will now represent Osceola County at the Florida Department of Educations’ 2026 Teacher of the Year judging.
“This is not an award I deserve to receive as a solo act,” Goerner said. “It’s a team effort and tonight I feel more like a representative of our team than anything else. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with some of the most dedicated, compassionate and inspiring educators imaginable. I work alongside teachers who pour their hearts into their student—staying late to tutor, spending weekends finding creative ways to make lessons meaningful and showing every kindness. Whatever I’ve done right has simply been a reflection of what I’ve learned from others.” Originally from Sarasota, Goerner has been teaching in Osceola for 21 years, originally hired by Osceola High School where she taught for 10 years, then spent seven years at Harmony High, and the last four at Tohopekaliga.
When asked what her favorite part of the job is, Goerner responded, “Every part of the job is my favorite part, that’s the real answer. I love every minute of every day. It is the most rewarding job whether it’s seeing teachers trying new things and becoming more competent in their practice, or turning lightbulbs on for students, seeing them enjoy math or be willing to try new things. It’s the best job in the world, I’m really very lucky.”
School-related Employee of the Year Joe Castillo has been a paraprofessional for four years. After working many years and jobs in corporate America he says he wanted to do something that makes a real difference.
“Working with kids, making a difference in their lives truly brought me a purpose,” said Castillo. It has motivated him to go even further in the field. Castillo expects to earn his Master’s Degree in Education in May, and hopes to be a classroom teacher at Lakeview Elementary come fall.
“Mr. Castillo exemplifies dedication and care, the importance of building strong connections with students, and how to best provide invaluable support that enhances our school community each and every day,” said Shanoff.
Castillo will also represent Osceola County in statewide judging.
