MELISSA OWENS, A THIRD GRADE TEACHER AT BAY HAVEN SCHOOL OF BASICS PLUS IN SARASOTA HAS BEEN NAMED THE SARASOTA COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR. SHE WAS PRESENTED THE AWARD AT THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR LUNCHEON AT MICHAEL’S ON EAST WEDNESDAY. IN HER ACCEPTANCE SPEECH, OWENS SAID OF HER FELLOW FINALISTS; JERRY STOWELL OF HERON CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL IN NORTH PORT AND JEFFREY KAHLER OF SUNCOAST POLYTECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL THAT THEY WERE JUST AS DESERVING, AND SHE WAS HONORED TO BE IN THEIR LEAGUE. SHE THANKED HER FATHER FOR BRINGING THE FAMILY TO SARASOTA AND FOR SENDING HER TO COLLEGE, AND SHE SAID HER HUSBAND OF 21 YEARS, JUDGE ANDY OWENS OF THE 12TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT IS HER ROCK. SHE ALSO PRAISED THE WONDERFUL TEAM AT BAY HAVEN, INCLUDING PRINCIPAL BETSY ASHEIM-DEAN AND HER TEACHING COLLEAGUES, SAYING SHE REPRESENTS ALL OF THEM AND THEY MADE HER WHAT SHE IS TODAY. OWENS HAS TAUGHT AT BAY HAVEN FOR 26 YEARS.
