Alachua County Teacher of Year is ‘Madam Two Bits’

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dwynette Smith’s time teaching music in Alachua County schools dates back nearly 20 years. Her love for music dates a lifetime. Her love for the Gators dates her adult lifetime. 

Note: She married a music instructor who once gave guitar lessons to Steve Spurrier’s youngest son. 

 

So the voice on the other end of the phone last week was a familiar one. Smith’s principal at Metcalfe Elementary ducked into her classroom between bells and handed her a cell phone. Spurrier was on the line and extended Smith an invitation to be the celebrity “Mr. Two Bits” for the Florida-Samford game Saturday at Spurrier/Florida Field. 

 

“I lost it,” Smith said Tuesday. “My head almost exploded.” 

 

She was bestowed the honor because of another honor. Smith, based at Metcalfe the last four years and Buchholz High the 10 years before that, was named the 2024 Alachua County Public Schools Teacher of the Year last spring from a pool of 39 candidates. 

 

Smith has always believed music to be “the spark” that ignited her passion for teaching and something that can “spark” other elements of life, including learning. 

 

“Music can be a catalyst for explosive development academically and emotionally,” Smith writes in her bio. “Very few subjects in school can afford us the opportunity to express ourselves quite the way music and creative arts can. I let this idea guide my teaching. Always trying to find connections, entry points and hooks to engage students on a new level. Through song, story, instrument play and dance, I strive to give every student my classroom an experience that could be … that spark.” 

This weekend she wants to do her pre-game part to help spark “The Swamp” out of its doldrums, following last week’s 41-17 season-opening home loss to Miami. She can’t control what happens after kickoff, but as “Madam Two Bits” (the family nickname for her this week) Smith can control her passion and performance before kickoff. 
 
And considering her specialty is…