Search for New Director Announced

December 16, 2020

P.K. Yonge Families and Extended Blue Wave Community — The Dean of the College of Education announced today (see below) that the search for the next director for P.K. Yonge will begin during the spring semester. Our current director, Dr. Lynda Hayes, will retire during the 2021-2022 school year.

We are grateful for the impact Dr. Hayes’ commitment to P.K. Yonge has had on P.K. Yonge and the entire Blue Wave community of students, families, faculty, staff, alumni and friends. She has accomplished much in her 34-year (and counting) career at P.K. Yonge, and the impact of her work will be felt for years to come.

Dr. Hayes will remain with us during the search for the new director and into the 2021-22 school year to support the school’s transition to new leadership.

 

Announcement from the Dean of the College of Education, University of Florida

 

Dear P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School and UF College of Education Communities,

It is with mixed emotions that I share this news. Dr. Lynda Hayes has informed me that she intends to retire not later than the end of the 2021-2022 academic year (June 30, 2022).

With her aim of ALWAYS doing what is in PKY’s best interests, Dr. Hayes is providing generous advance notice, to allow the process of identifying and orienting the next director the time needed for us to successfully complete this important transition.

The position will be posted on the UF HR website and the search will begin next semester. Associate Dean Thomasenia Adams will chair the search committee.

Lynda HayesA Triple Gator, Dr. Hayes began her time at UF when she enrolled as an undergraduate in 1979. She started working as a kindergarten teacher at PKY in 1987 while working on her dissertation. Lynda spent 17 years as a PKY classroom teacher, in kindergarten through third grade, and has more than 20 years of experience serving as a K-12 school leader.

As an administrator, Dr. Hayes has worked tirelessly, persistently and successfully to advance PKY. With the support of the PKY community, the school has achieved an “A” grade each school year since 2002, and in recent years has been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report (top 1% in Florida; top 10% nationally).

Although repeatedly hearing that it could never happen, Lynda accomplished the impossible and secured funding to transform outdated PKY facilities. In 2011, she was appointed director when the new elementary building was still under construction and has led fundraising, design and construction of the 78,000 square foot secondary building, scheduled to open in January 2021. Under her leadership, PKY has been an exceptional partner with the UF College of Education in leading learning innovations, transforming education across the state and the nation.

As a scholar, Dr. Hayes was a panel member for the USDOE Institute for Education Sciences Practice Guide on beginning reading; led $55 million in state- and federally-funded projects to transform reading and science instruction in partnering Florida school districts; served as PI for two USDOE Early Reading First Projects; and led professional learning for thousands of teachers and administrators. With Dr. Rose Pringle and 12 Florida school districts, Dr. Hayes served as the Principal Investigator for a seven year, $5 million National Science Foundation grant, U-FUTuRES: University of Florida Unites Teachers to Reform Education in Science.

While she is not leaving anytime soon, she will be greatly missed when she does officially retire. Please join me in providing hearty Blue Wave and EduGator thank you to Dr. Lynda Hayes for who she is and all she has accomplished!

 

Glenn

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Glenn E. Good, Ph.D.
Dean and Professor
College of Education
University of Florida
352/273-4135
GGood@ufl.edu
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