and now a teaching fellowship!

We sat down with the late Dexter Butler, a Key West native and former teacher at Horace O’Bryant Middle School, to ask him about why he has chosen to live and teach in the Keys.

What do you enjoy about working in MCSD?

There are so many things I love about MCSD our teachers and staff have been incredibly supportive of me in being a newer teacher.  What I love most is the relationship I have been able to build with my students and our youth. I live a busy life outside of school and I believe the more I run into and get to know my students outside of the classroom I have built a foundation of trust with so many of them.

What do you love about living in the Florida Keys?

What I love about the Florida Keys is obviously the weather, and our waters but I truly believe it is the people living day to day on this island that make it so special. I have a huge family presence in Key West, but I also have a huge extended family of people that may not be blood relatives, but I certainly look at them as if they are. These are my people, and I love sharing this beautiful island with my large Key West family.

Also with these being my people I cannot help but mention the way we all support one another from local sports, times of tragedy, and even how we celebrate good times and holidays this community supports one another

What would you say to a Black Educator that is considering teaching in the Keys?

If I were to say one thing to a young black educator I would say that our students are amazing, to say the least. We have a diverse group of youth from all types of backgrounds that appreciate different personalities and perspectives. Nothing or no one is perfect, but our kids are easy to get behind.

We sat down with Kevin Walden, the current assistant principal at Sugarloaf School, to ask him why he has chosen to live and teach in the Keys.

What do you love about our school system?

MCSD allows its educators many opportunities for growth. Our district has a strong belief in building from within and supporting educators that aspire to take on leadership roles whether it be in the area of school administration or curriculum. When I joined MCSD, I started out as a substitute teacher. Throughout my career, I have been supported by both school-based and district leadership to help me obtain my professional goals. There are many opportunities for every educator if they so desire to be exposed to leadership opportunities, collaboration with fellow educators, as well as the ability to work with district leadership in a variety of roles. Due to the support systems and opportunities mentioned above during my career with MCSD, I was able to obtain a teaching certification and teach for many years at the same school. Additionally, I have had many opportunities to take on both school-based and district-level leadership roles as well as participate in various aspiring leaders programs that were developed by our district. All of these things were assets as I pursued my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and as of January 2022 become an Assistant Principal at one of our K-8 schools.

Why is it great to work for MCSD?

MCSD allows for many opportunities for teachers to collaborate with fellow educators throughout the district. Even though our district spans from Key West to Key Largo, through the many professional development opportunities that include both face-to-face interactions as well as online components teachers have opportunities to learn together as well as work together and build professional relationships.

Our school district also offers a wide variety of free professional learning opportunities that not only allow teachers to get professional development points towards recertification but also address areas of need that support a teacher’s professional growth plan and also best practices in the classroom. The district’s professional development catalog is expansive and covers all curriculum areas as well as professional learning opportunities that address our diverse student populations.

What do you love about living in the Keys?

I feel that the Florida Keys truly embraces the mantra of one human family. Everyone is welcome and can find his or her own niche in the Florida Keys. There is something for everyone. Living in the lower keys I have noticed over the past 20 plus years a true sense of community, sometimes you cannot tell the difference between those born and raised in the keys from those that are transplants from other parts of the united states who

have made the Florida Keys their home. I have built familial-type relationships with many of my friends over the past 20 years and even though my family is up North, I have family here as well due to the relationships I have built.

I also like the many cultural activities and opportunities the Florida Keys has to offer. Art exhibits, theater, seasonal festivals, and much more, there is always something going on that you can participate in during your downtime.

What would you tell a young Black Educator that is considering moving to the Keys to teach?

Even though there are some areas of the keys without a large black population, there are communities in the keys that do have a strong black presence. I feel that this allows for Black educators that would like to make the Keys their home the opportunity to choose a community that fits their lifestyle as well as support what they want from a community as a person of color. For example, some churches may have a predominately-black congregation, while others may have diverse populations in the congregation. Additionally, even our schools throughout the district vary in the diversity of both their student and staff populations.