Hialeah Gardens Middle names Yaneli Lago T.O.Y

Whether it’s dressing up like a Dr. Seuss animated character or starting vocabulary wars in the classroom, Yaneli Lago is always seeking ways to make her class a place where students learn and grow. The Florida Department of Education has recognized her as a high impact teacher and the reasons are clear. Lago is professional, dynamic, knowledgeable, consistent and humble.
In recognition of her dedication and achievements, the school has named her 2019 Teacher of the Year.
Lago has been a teacher for 13 years with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She is committed to the education of all students. She doesn’t shy away from teaching intensive reading classes, preferring to show that daunting goals can be accomplished with a little grit and a lot of love. It is no surprise that during the summer, she spends her free time assisting the administrative team with placing students in the proper classes in order to provide an individualized approach to scheduling.
Lago is a respected school leader and advocates for teachers on a daily basis. If there is a shortage of supplies, she’d rather give up her own materials to help a fellow teacher. When it comes to helping colleagues, Lago always makes herself available. Thanks to such leadership, teachers in her department were able to effectively impact literacy scores, leading to many more highly effective IPEGS ratings.
Although Lago has brought about many positive changes to her school climate and culture, you will never catch her bragging. She does her job out of the pure love of the teaching profession.