Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) announced Tuesday that a longtime Lake Forest Elementary School staffer has been selected as its 2026 School-Related Employee of the Year.
Sabrina Cook started her tenure at Lake Forest as a paraprofessional in an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) classroom, ACPS said in a press release, supporting students with a variety of needs. She later served as a behavioral paraprofessional before working in the school’s Head Start program.
Cook was later selected as Lake Forest’s database clerk, a complex role that required strong organizational skills and the ability to work effectively with staff and families, the release said.
Currently, Cook serves as Lake Forest’s executive assistant. In this role, the release states that she is in charge of managing budgets and payroll, coordinating special projects, maintaining records and calendars “and responding in many other ways to the needs of the school community.”
“I learned a lot from each job I had,” Cook said in the release. “I learned how to deal with all sorts of kids, all sorts of families, and all sorts of situations. It was a challenge, but a good challenge, and I’m still learning every day. You never stop learning when you’re in a school.”
Lake Forest Principal Karla Hutchinson said Cook’s commitment to the school extends well beyond her job description.
“When we need help, she’s the first to volunteer,” Hutchinson said in the release. “She truly cares and is dedicated to the students, families and staff of Lake Forest. She doesn’t just talk about her commitment to the school – she demonstrates it with her actions.”
As she approaches retirement, Cook’s tenure at Lake Forest is coming to a close. But she said she still plans to remain involved at the school.
“I’m so proud to have been able to work here for so many years,” Cook said. “I have such love for these kids, and I’m going to miss them.”
Hutchinson said it will be difficult to replace Cook when she decides to retire.
“She’s been a staple here for so long. I don’t think there’s anyone who knows the families, the staff, and the workings of Lake Forest better than Sabrina,” Hutchinson said. “She will leave very big shoes to fill.”
Cook and several other nominees from each school and most of ACPS’s departments will be honored at the district’s annual School-Related Employee of the Year celebration on Thursday. The release states that Cook will also represent ACPS in the statewide recognition program.