When Brooke Loyed walked across the stage at the Florida Teacher of the Year Banquet on July 22 to accept the 2026 Florida Principal of the Year award, it marked the culmination of months of recognition… and years of quiet, consistent leadership.
First announced as the statewide winner in late April, Loyed officially received the honor from the Florida State Board of Education during the annual celebration recognizing Florida’s outstanding educators. The award, the highest honor a principal can receive in the state, also marked a historic first for Bay County.
But ask Loyed about the recognition, and she’ll likely shift the spotlight somewhere else: to her students, her fellow admins, her teachers, or the families who make Patronis Elementary School feel more like a community than a campus.
That approach has become her trademark.
While impressive academic results have certainly helped earn statewide recognition, those who know Loyed say her greatest accomplishment has been creating a culture where students are excited to learn, teachers feel supported, and families know they belong.
Under her leadership, Patronis Elementary has earned an “A” school grade for five consecutive years. In 2026, 75 percent of students achieved proficiency in English Language Arts and 75 percent in mathematics. The school has also been recognized as a Purple Star School for its commitment to supporting military-connected students and their families.
Walk through the halls of Patronis, however, and you’ll quickly discover that numbers tell only part of the story.
Students proudly celebrate becoming “Millionaire Readers,” a milestone recognizing those who read more than one million words in a school year. Teachers are encouraged to innovate, collaborate, and build meaningful relationships with students. Every success, whether academic, artistic, athletic, or personal, is viewed as something worth celebrating.
“Brooke Loyed is an incredible leader, and her impact goes far beyond performance data,” said Bay District Schools Superintendent Mark McQueen. “She leads with both heart and purpose, creating a school environment where every child is supported and encouraged to succeed. This recognition is a testament to the difference she makes every single day.”
For Loyed, the Florida Principal of the Year award isn’t simply recognition of one school’s success. It’s a reflection of an entire community working together on behalf of children.
As the first principal from Bay County to earn the distinction, she has given the community another reason to celebrate and reminded educators across Florida that the most powerful leadership begins with something remarkably simple: putting students first.
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