Melissa Matz a seventh-grade mathematics teacher at Lakeside Junior High School in Orange Park, Florida, was selected as the 2023 Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year from among nearly 185,000 Florida public school teachers. Matz will serve as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education, elevating and celebrating the teaching profession by promoting the contributions of Florida educators.

Matz graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in education. She is passionate about teaching mathematics and inspires students to see math all around them. Matz builds confidence by creatively incorporating real-world examples into her lessons and connecting math concepts to everyday life, while continuously monitoring and celebrating the progress of her students.

Matz’s love for teaching math goes beyond the classroom. She helped develop the district’s curriculum map for algebra and seventh-grade math and served on the math textbook adoption committee. As the department head, she developed a collaborative professional learning community that resulted in the highest standardized test scores in Clay County for seventh-grade math for the past three years. She also raises awareness of water conservation and is an avid open-water swimmer. Matz participates in a mentoring program that supports students as they transition to high school and helps connect them to the community.

Matz is committed to building a rapport with each of her students, becoming their champion in and out of the classroom and motivating them to give it their all.