(Bradenton, FL - January 29, 2010) Palmetto High School Bookkeeper Sylvia Wood was named the Manatee County School District´s School-Related Employee of the Year during a special luncheon held at the Renaissance on 9th in Bradenton on January 29, 2010.

Ms. Wood has served in the Manatee County School District for 33 years, all of them at Palmetto High School. Her mother, Irene King, who served as a Registrar at Palmetto High for 23 years, joined her at the table during the luncheon along with Palmetto High Principal Willie Clark. Ms. Wood was honored for her exceptional skill and commitment to her job and her dedication to her school and community. In addition to her bookkeeping duties, Ms. Wood has been involved in Tiger Pride (an organization that honors student accomplishments), a junior cheer camp and she has helped collect thousands of dollars from the community for students in need. Ms. Wood embodies the EdVantage Core Value that states “All people have value and can add value.”

Four other Finalists were named in addition to Ms. Wood. They were: Shirley Solomon, a School Bus Operator; Maria Musselman, a Teacher Assistant and Guidance Secretary at Lakewood Ranch High School; Diann Minero, a Senior School Secretary at Braden River Middle School; and Patrick Gallagher, an Energy and Recycling Specialist at the District´s Matzke Complex.

School Related Employees of the Year are nominated by fellow employees and are recognized for outstanding service to the school district and the community. Friday´s luncheon was held to recognize all of the School Related Employees of the Year selected from school and district work sites across Manatee County.

L to R: Patrick Gallagher, Diann Minero, Sylvia Wood, Maria Musselman and Shirley Solomon.

District Administrators served dessert including, from left, Jane Dreger, Todd Henson and Joseph Stokes.