About Cindy Edelman

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Cindy Edelman is a founding board member of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, a former educator and a lifelong advocate for public school teachers.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from Vanderbilt University and later earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Jacksonville University. In addition to teaching high school and college courses, Mrs. Edelman is an Art History lecturer at a number of venues in the Jacksonville community, including: The Cummer Art Museum, The Jacksonville Art Museum, Florida State University, the Jewish Community Alliance, and The Temple.  She has also worked with the Cummer Museum as a docent, member of the Steering Committee for Art Connections, member of the Board of Trustees, and as Chairperson to the Education Committee. As Chair of the Cultural Council Initiative, Arts as the Fifth Academic, Mrs. Edelman has worked to further arts awareness and help develop the Model School Arts Infused Program. 

Mrs. Edelman has served as President of the Congregation Ahavath Chesed, The Temple and as a Co-Chair on of its Capital and Endowment Campaign. A member of the Leadership Jacksonville Class of 1989, she was a founding board member of Youth Leadership Jacksonville, the Past Chairman of The Community Foundation, and the Chair of the Education Initiative. In 1999, she was named the Individual Arts Award Winner by the Cultural Council, and in 2001, Mrs. Edelman was named to One Jax's Circle of Honorees. She has also been awarded the Eve Award for Volunteer Service.

Mrs. Edelman is married to Daniel M. Edelman, she is the mother of two daughters and one step-son.

The Importance of Teacher Recruitment & Retention

Research shows that great teachers are the most important school-based factor for student achievement. But teaching in Title I schools is challenging work, and many Title I schools lose effective teachers to other schools where there are more resources and supports. Title I schools have a higher proportion of inexperienced teachers, and teachers of color are underrepresented, even though research shows that students of color have significantly better academic outcomes when they have the opportunity to learn from a teacher who looks like them.

Great principals play a pivotal role in recruiting teachers, developing them into outstanding educators and retaining them in their schools year to year. Effective principals support teachers to take on leadership roles as they grow in their careers, allowing them to advance professionally and support other teachers in the school, increasing their likelihood of staying at that school.

The Cindy Edelman Fellowship for Teacher Recruitment & Retention supports Title I elementary school principals to work on a project of their choosing to support great teaching in their schools.The fellowship includes grant funding, coaching and other professional development opportunities to help principals increase their positive impact in schools.

My principal, Mychelle Grover, is a powerful force who played the biggest role in achieving this milestone accomplishment so early in my career. She has modeled what authentic, quality leadership looks like and with grace and determination reached a broken school community and then turned that broken school community around into a positive, cohesive community." 
— Stephanie Bellino, 2019 Duval County Teacher of the Year

Meet the Inaugural Fellow

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Yvonne Spinner is the principal at Ruth N. Upson Elementary School in Murray Hill. Principal Spinner is working to retain top-performing teachers at her school. TNTP, a nationally renowned leader in promoting teaching excellence, calls the top 20 percent of teachers “The Irreplaceables” — teachers that are highly effective yet leaving the profession at an alarming rate. Principal Spinner has identified some of the highest performing teachers in her school and is working to provide them leadership and engagement opportunities that are proven to help retain top teachers.

"Teacher recruitment and development are critical for creating high-quality effective teacher teams that employ rigorous instruction in the classroom. Teachers are the building blocks of high-performing schools and student learning gains. I chose to focus on Teacher Recruitment & Retention because I look forward to helping my teachers continue to be top performers as well as build individual leadership skills and competencies. This body of work is critical for me as a school leader, as I hope to increase the performance of our Title 1 students to ensure they are prepared for middle and high school success as a result of this investment in teacher development." — Yvonne Spinner, Ruth N. Upson Elementary School Principal

DID YOU KNOW?

 

93%

of public schools in Duval County earned an "A," "B," or "C" in 2021-2022.