School District of Manatee County

There’s something different about Prine Elementary.

You don’t just walk through its doors. You don’t just teach and learn here. You grow. And for some, you never leave—not because you can’t, but because you don’t want to.

You belong.

When you meet Ana Garza, it only takes a few minutes to feel the depth of her connection. She's a Graduation Enhancement Tech now, but her journey began not in a classroom, but in the school cafeteria at Manatee Elementary.

“As a young mom, I just wanted to earn a paycheck,” she recalls. Her kids, now 33, 28, and 20, the youngest a student at Manatee Technical College, watched her grow from a food service worker to earning a psychology degree. 

Now she helps other families find their way.

Ana doesn’t just make attendance calls, she makes connections. She knows the families. She speaks their language: literally and emotionally. A bilingual bridge between home and school, Ana is often the reason a parent feels like they belong.

“I carry a piece of every educator I’ve worked with,” she says. “They shaped me.”

Spend five minutes with Tania Vidal, and it’s like flipping open Chicken Soup for the Soul.

For the past 28 years, Tania has been serving more than just meals, she’s been serving joy. A colorful hat, a tutu, or a superhero cape? If it brings a smile, she’ll wear it.

“I figured, if I’m going to be here all the time, I might as well get paid,” she laughs, remembering her early days as a volunteer mom whose kids went to Prine.

That four-hour food service position grew into a career and a calling. As the Cafeteria Manager for the last 12 years, Tania leads with heart, humor, and an unwavering commitment to every child who walks through her line.

“I really do love it,” she says. “This is what I live for… working here.”

Tania now serves the children and grandchildren of former students. Her legacy is love, served daily on a lunch tray.

But her favorite ingredient? Her team.

“I’m so extremely fortunate,” she says. “This is a true team effort. Everyone at this school jumps in to help each other. That’s just how it is at Prine.”

For Kathleen Mineo, Prine isn’t just a job. It’s a promise.

“Prine’s home. There’s no other way to put it,” she says. “I will protect this school with my last breath.”

A (New York) school bus driver turned teacher aide, Kathleen has been part of the Prine family for 21 years. She’s worked with nearly every grade level, every corner of the school, and now helps lead a Pre-K classroom alongside Ms. Katherine Yarbrough.

“She treats me like an equal,” Kathleen says. “We balance each other out.”

Outside their classroom, they’re building a sensory playground for their students—proof that learning can be joyful, inclusive, and deeply felt.

Kathleen’s legacy? It’s quite literally in the walls. Her children’s names were written on the cinder blocks before school renovations were finished decades ago. Now, her granddaughter attends Prine, and her daughter leads the PTO.

Three generations. One school. One home.

Principal Greg Sander has worn many hats: student athlete, teacher, tech specialist, and now, leader. But through it all, he’s remained rooted in Manatee County. He grew up here, learned here, fell in love here.

Now, he leads here.

“There’s something special about the people who stay,” he says. “Even though people come and go, there’s this core group, who loves the school and welcomes new people in.”

Greg’s first classroom was at Prine. Years later, he returned, not by accident, but by purpose. 

His journey may have started with a computer he was maybe spending too long fixing in a colleague’s classroom, but it led to his wife, Michelle, now a first-grade teacher at Myakka City Elementary. The couple has two children. A family built in education.

Principal Sander walks the halls now with a warm smile, dad jokes in hand.

“Koi fish always swim in groups of four,” he says with a grin. “So if attacked, the A, B, and C koi can scatter… leaving the D koi as the decoy.”

The jokes bringing light and laughter. And everyone feels just a little bit more connected.

Matt Murphy was once a student walking Manatee County’s halls. Now, he teaches in them, bringing imagination to life in Prine’s art room.

“Some people dream of meeting their favorite artists,” says his shirt. “I teach mine.”

Inspired by mentors and former teachers Jim Miller (mathematics) and Mark Rice (language arts) from Manatee High School, Matt returned to teach where his roots were first planted. 

He interned at Prine while studying at USF Sarasota-Manatee, and returned upon graduation. During COVID, he taught fifth grade, and now inspires students through creativity and compassion.

“I wouldn’t trade this job,” he says. “I want to help Title I students. This is where I’m meant to be.”

During those challenging days of remote learning, colleagues such as Scott Flynn (now Principal, Oneco Elementary), Coach Christian (PE Teacher), and Ms. Moore (former Media Specialist) provided support and strength.

“It’s just such a nice environment to be in,” he says. “My goal is to make a positive impact on everybody.”

Katie Copeland, a former Teacher of the Year and Reading Coach, walks the campus as a living example of what Prine inspires: excellence rooted in connection.

It was Katie who so kindly requested the school safety guardian be highlighted as Good News. 

Guardian Thomas, known as “Biggie”, is a retired sheriff’s deputy from Jefferson County, Missouri, now serving his third school year keeping the Patriots safe.

The caring school community has embraced him as one of their own and you can see it in the hallways, where students and staff greet him fondly and jokingly during his daily rounds.

As he puts it, “If I can come to work every day and make a kid smile, I know I’ve done my job.”

From the front office to the back kitchen, in classrooms and playgrounds, this school is powered by people. People who care deeply, give generously, and stay for decades not because they have to, but because they choose to.

At Prine Elementary, people don’t just show up.

They become.

They become educators. Mentors. Leaders. Family. They shape, and are shaped in return.

It’s Ana’s determination.
Tania’s love-filled lunch line.
Kathleen’s generational commitment.
Greg’s steady presence (and dad jokes).
Matt’s creative spark.
Katie’s guiding light.

And so many more.

Because some schools change your path.

But this school builds your soul.