Science teacher Tom Dale has been chosen the Teacher of the Year at Gulf High School. He was chosen by a vote of the Gulf faculty. His selection was announced at a faculty meeting on November 18.
Mr. Dale died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack on September 4. He had taught his classes as usual earlier that day. He was 50 years old.
Ray Rebensky, head of the Teacher of the Year selection committee, said that the award will be presented posthumously later.
Mr. Rebensky said that the vote was overhwelmingly for Mr. Dale. He said it was the first time that a Teacher of the Year award at Gulf High School has been made to a deceased faculty member. He did not know whether this has ever happened at any other school in the county.
Mr. Dale joined Gulf’s faculty in 1993 after a 20-year career in the Navy. He served in Vietnam and retired as a radioman senior chief. He also taught middle school for a year in Virginia before coming to Florida.
Mr. Dale’s wife, Linda, also teaches science at Gulf. Their classrooms adjoined each other’s along the school’s corridor of science labs.
