Palmetto Bay residents can nominate a local principal for the Greg Zawyer Principal of the Year Award through Sept. 23.

The village posted the call for nominations on its website. Each nomination must explain how the principal made a significant impact on their school, community and education. The village described the award as recognizing a principal for outstanding leadership and commitment to education.

Award honors longtime area educator

The award is named for Greg Zawyer, who worked for Miami-Dade County Public Schools for about 50 years. Zawyer was the founding principal of Coral Reef Senior High School, Robert Morgan High School and MAST at Homestead High School. He also served as a consultant for MAST at FIU. He died Oct. 24, 2024.

After retiring, Zawyer sat on the Palmetto Bay Education Advisory Committee for years. A 2017 village announcement described him as a veteran principal, public school advocate and committee member. The Village Council appointed him an emeritus member of the committee in 2021.

Street renamed in Zawyer's honor

The village honored his legacy with a street naming ceremony on June 5, renaming a stretch of Southwest 143rd Street between 78th Avenue and Palmetto Road as "Greg Zawyer Street."

At the ceremony, Mayor Karyn Cunningham called Zawyer "one of the most influential educators in Miami-Dade County." She said he created opportunities for thousands of students and inspired generations of teachers and administrators.

Fuller award also accepting nominations

The village is also accepting nominations for the Rosemary Fuller Award, which honors individuals and organizations for contributions to education and community service in Palmetto Bay. The award is named for Rosemary Fuller, a longtime principal at Perrine Elementary, now Dr. Henry E. Perrine Academy of the Arts. Both awards share the same Sept. 23 deadline.

How residents can submit nominations

The awards cover principals and educators serving Palmetto Bay schools, including Coral Reef Senior High. Both are listed on the village's Schools Information page. Residents can email [email protected] for more information.