PBC Teacher Of The Year Kimberly Stalker Committed To Classroom Excellence
Story by Mike May | Photos by Denise Fleischman
Kimberly Stalker, a teacher at Polo Park Middle School in Wellington, was recognized recently for her outstanding teaching prowess and expertise. Out of the more than 13,000 public school teachers in Palm Beach County, she was named as the county’s Teacher of the Year.
Her recognition took place Jan. 30 at the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County’s new Center for Public School Excellence and Innovation, at the “Celebrate the Great” awards ceremony sponsored by United Healthcare. She was also honored at the Wellington Village Council meeting on Feb. 11.
Even though many months have passed since being honored as Teacher of the Year, Stalker remains thrilled, honored and humbled by this recognition.
“When they announced my name, it was an unreal feeling,” Stalker recalled. “For me, it was a Grammy moment. I was overwhelmed. Like all teachers, we take dignity and pride in our work.”
Stalker remains eternally grateful for the recognition, as she realizes that she is one of thousands of great teachers in Palm Beach County. It’s an honor that she doesn’t take for granted.
“It’s truly humbling to be representing the more than 13,000 teachers here in Palm Beach County,” Stalker said. “There are lots of amazing teachers in Palm Beach County who go above and beyond the call of duty every day in their classrooms.”
Even though Stalker was recognized for what she has done in her role as a sixth-grade pre-engineering teacher at Polo Park, she is well aware that the key to her past success has been her commitment to getting better as a teacher.
“When I get better, the students get better,” said Stalker, 35. “It’s a great honor to show up every day and give my very best in the classroom.”
Because of the recognition she has received as a Teacher of the Year, Stalker has used that platform to positively influence the professional lives of other teachers.
“I’m now doing speaking engagements where I get to meet, interact and inspire other teachers,” Stalker explained.
According to Stalker, the job of being a teacher continues to evolve, and it’s important to utilize new resources to get better.
“Learning and teaching are changing,” Stalker said. “And having access to such tools as AI [artificial intelligence] can help us.”
Before coming to Polo Park, Stalker taught for seven years in the Orlando area. During her first two years at Polo Park, she taught eighth-grade science, before moving to her current role teaching sixth-grade engineering.
One key to Stalker’s success is realizing that no two days are the same in her profession.
“Every day is a different day, and I have a different day with every student,” Stalker said. “As the students walk into the classroom, I must read their body language of the day.”
She stressed that every student is different, and it’s important that we recognize that every student comes from a different background.
“I am passionate about student engagement,” Stalker said. “As long as they know that I’m in their corner, and they realize that my classroom is a safe space, they will do well.”
For Stalker, it’s incredibly satisfying to see students achieve their goals in the classroom and to understand what is being taught.
“When you see students learn and are proud of their achievement, it’s a ‘wow’ moment,” Stalker said.
One of the keys to Stalker’s success in the classroom has been the support from her principal, Dr. Jennifer Galindo.
“She’s amazing,” Stalker said. “She is there for all the teachers at Polo Park. She lets us do our best as teachers — and then we shine in the classroom, and our students learn.”
Galindo has similar words of praise for Stalker.
“She is amazing and a ray of sunshine in our school,” Galindo said. “She is passionate about teaching and loves what she does. She is a dynamic teacher who teaches all the design processes and critical thinking in her sixth-grade engineering class. If I could clone her, I would. Every school deserves to have a Ms. Stalker on its staff.”
One of the great aspects of all this attention on Stalker is that she is home-grown talent. She is a Palm Beach County girl who attended public schools within the School District of Palm Beach County. She attended North Palm Beach Elementary School, Independence Middle School and Jupiter High School. She graduated from JHS in 2008.
From there, she headed to the University of Florida, where she earned her undergraduate degree in nutritional science and human nutrition in 2012, and her master’s degree in secondary science education in 2014.
In addition to teaching students in Palm Beach County, Stalker maintains a collegiate education connection.
“I’m an advisor for the Sigma Kappa sorority at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, which has allowed me to further inspire women in the STEM profession,” Stalker said.
Looking forward to the 2025-26 school year, Stalker remains focused on her own professional development. She realizes that she must continue to learn new ideas in order for her students to thrive in her classroom.
When the statewide winners were announced July 17, Stalker was not named as Florida’s Teacher of the Year. That honor went to Mark Harrison of Union County. However, Stalker did win the Educator Legacy Award. This award is presented to a teacher who instills a passion for learning in their students.
In mid-July, Stalker attended the five-day Florida Teacher of the Year Roundtable in Orlando. She was joined by other teachers of the year from counties across the State of Florida.
“It was exciting to be with other great teachers for professional development and to get new ideas,” Stalker said. “Every year, it’s a new reset. As teachers, we must evolve, learn and grow.”
Following the conference in Orlando, Stalker emerged excited and ready for the next school year, which gets underway for students on Monday, Aug. 11.
