Jacksonville, Florida – Two Duval County Public Schools educators earned statewide honors at the 2026 SHAPE Florida Conference, the district announced Friday.
Laura Fraietta was named Florida Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year. Patricia Sitowitz was named Florida Health Educator of the Year.
Both will advance to the Southern District level of SHAPE’s awards program, where they will be considered for regional Teacher of the Year honors.
Heather Albritton, the district’s Director of Health and Physical Education, praised both teachers. “Laura and Patricia empower students with the skills and confidence to lead healthy, active lives,” Albritton said. “They are passionate advocates for students and consistently go above and beyond to help them succeed.”
Fraietta focuses on student confidence
Fraietta said the award reflects the everyday victories she sees from her students.
“Being named the 2026 SHAPE Florida Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year is an incredible honor,” Fraietta said. “The most rewarding part of my job is watching students gain confidence and accomplish goals they once thought were out of reach. Every student deserves the opportunity to experience success and the joy of movement.”
Sitowitz stresses healthy decision-making
Sitowitz is a longtime advocate for student wellness. She works to give students skills that support healthy decision-making.
“It’s important to me that my students can develop and are able to demonstrate informed, self-supportive, and mindful decision-making skills,” Sitowitz said. “It’s vital that when students leave my class, they are empowered to be active participants in advocating for their own health and well-being.”
For more local school coverage, see the education news section.