TAMPA
Hillsborough County's Teacher of the Year sat behind her desk, her second-period class preparing for a presentation on the Holocaust, when someone knocked on the door.
Diane McKee, an eighth-grade language arts teacher at Williams Middle Magnet School, looked up and watched as the herd spilled in, cameras and note pads led by Florida's education commissioner.
McKee rose, bewildered. Kids whispered. This was not part of the lesson plan.
"Boys and girls, this is teacher appreciation week," Commissioner Pam Stewart said, moving toward McKee as she complimented the teacher's hard work. "But," she paused, "I am also here to congratulate Ms. McKee on being a finalist for Florida's Teacher of the Year."
The kids cheered. McKee teared up.
"Are you kidding me?" she said.
"I am not kidding you," Stewart said. "This is for real."
The surprise announcement Thursday morning was the second time in three months McKee has been recognized for her teaching achievements. In February, she was named the Hillsborough County School District's Teacher of the Year, which qualified her to compete with educators across the state for Florida's Teacher of the Year award, sponsored by the Macy's Foundation. On Wednesday, she was named one of five finalists for the title. The winner will be announced in July in Orlando.
As if they were working for Publisher's Clearing House, Stewart and Macy's district vice president Teresa Burgess enthusiastically presented McKee with a check for $5,000 and principal Arlene Castelli with one for a $1,000 grant to the school. Stewart also have McKee a $500 Macy's gift card so she can "do a little shopping."
"I can do that!" McKee laughed.
If she wins Teacher of the Year, she'll receive another $5,000 for a total of $10,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. The Teacher of the Year also serves as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education for the following school year, traveling around the state to speak at workshops and share best practices.
"You ask yourself, 'Why me?' " McKee said. "There are so many other special teachers out there."
A selection committee praised McKee's commitment to finding creative ways to teach to state standards and noted her commitment to engaging parents in their children's education.
Students in McKee's second-period class Wednesday said she makes learning fun, pointing to a red bar dangling from white rope near the entryway to the classroom. On the first day of school, they said, McKee made each one of them walk through the door and touch the red wood bar. Some had to jump, others couldn't reach, but the point was to show them that every day, she'd be challenging them to raise the bar.
"Well, I can only say she's amazing," said Rishabh Ravi, 13, one of McKee's second-period students.
"She always puts us before herself," added Rebecca Larose, 14.
McKee, 57, welcomes her students to come work during her lunch hour and offers after-school tutoring.
She has been with the district since 2003, after she spent time in the early 1980s working for a now-defunct business that sold computers to physicians. She spent eight years going to school part-time to earn her teaching degree after discovering she had a knack for the discipline while helping her own children with homework.
She said the news Thursday morning was "beyond comprehension" and she thanked her principal, co-workers and especially her students.
"They challenge me every day to challenge them more," she said.
Before second period ended, the principal announced McKee's award over the intercom. Her kids cheered again, and McKee beamed.
Then one student rushed to hug her, then another, and another.
Contact Katie Mettler at kmettler@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3446. Follow @kemettler on Twitter.