STUART – The Martin County School District bestowed its top honor on two long-term administrators in late October when officials named Palm City Elementary School Principal Lauren Rabener and Jensen Beach Elementary Assistant Principal Jaime Law its 2025-2026 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year.
Executive Director of School Improvement & Leadership Lauren Gifford and the MCSD leadership team surprised both employees with their awards during an Oct. 27 meeting. Afterward, Superintendent Michael Maine expressed his satisfaction in a press release.
“Great schools begin with great leaders,” he said. “Mrs. Rabener and Ms. Law exemplify the leadership, vision, and care that make Martin County schools exceptional. Their ability to inspire students, empower teachers and engage families truly sets them apart.”
Rabener, a New Jersey native who earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education at Rutgers University before joining the District in 2008 as a kindergarten teacher, told the Hometown News on Nov. 17 that she’d had no idea she was even in the running for the top award.
“It came as a complete surprise,” she said. “We work with so many deserving administrators, so hearing the news and seeing my family walk out during one of our regular monthly meetings was unexpected and exciting. It was an incredible honor and truly humbling. I felt proud for my MCSD colleagues who have supported my growth over the years, my family who is so understanding of the time my role takes and the community I serve that made this possible.”
Although Rabener admits she’d wanted to become a teacher from a very young age, she now acknowledges that it was her superiors in the District who put the idea into her head to seek a master’s degree from Florida Atlantic University and become an administrator. In addition to her first role at Port Salerno Elementary School, she served as the literacy coach at Bessey Creek Elementary and was named assistant principal of Palm City Elementary in 2017. She was promoted to the top post on the same campus in 2022.
“It never crossed my mind to be a principal,” she explained. “At Rutgers we were asked to make five- and 10-year plans, and I knew I wanted to be on what was then called the Child Study Team. Throughout my career in Martin County, I had administrators suggest I become a literacy coach. Then ultimately, a colleague of mine suggested I consider educational leadership.”
As to her laser focus on elementary students, that was also part of her childhood educational dream.
“I believe elementary education is incredibly rewarding,” she concluded. “It’s foundational and shapes a child’s love for learning. I find joy in creating that spark and supporting families during these formative years.”
As for Law, she cut her educational teeth with Martin County Schools as a J.D. Parker Elementary School teacher beginning in 2004. Since that time, the Stuart native has taught most of the upper grade levels in elementary education and eventually earned her master’s degree at FAU as well. In 2014, she was promoted to assistant principal, and like Rabener, the news of her win came as a shock.
“It didn’t feel real,” Laws said. “I was at a loss for words, which doesn’t happen often for me. That quickly turned into this deep sense of gratitude and pride, not just for myself, but for our whole JBE team. It was incredibly emotional to have our collective work recognized in such a big way.”
Although her career path more recently led to administration, Laws always knew she wanted to work with children, which led to her current career by way of the classroom.
“I didn’t originally plan on becoming an administrator,” she said. “Over time I realized how much I loved supporting teachers and shaping school-wide systems. That’s what led me into leadership. I love creating environments where young learners feel safe, seen, and excited about school. That purpose has kept me anchored in elementary education.”
As for remaining in one location for more than a decade, Laws credits that longevity to the relationships she’s built with students, families, teachers and the community over the years.
“When you feel connected to a school on that level, you don’t want to leave,” she continued. “I believe in consistency: Stability matters, especially for our exceptional education students and kids who’ve experienced trauma or frequent transitions. Being a steady presence for them – and for our staff – has always felt important.”
While the most rewarding thing in her educational career has been supporting the aforementioned ESE students and the staff under her care, Laws acknowledged an ongoing challenge in her AP role.
“Juggling the complex needs of our students, while also supporting staff and keeping the day-to-day of the school moving is the most challenging part,” she explained. “Some days the needs feel endless. Kids carry a lot with them, and honestly, teachers do too. I try to handle it by being present, communicating openly and working side-by-side with teachers.”
Laws attributes her success today to her colleagues and family cheering her up the educational ladder.
“Those would be the people around me,” she concluded. “The amazing teachers and staff, the mentors, the students who inspire me every day and a very understanding family who supports the long hours and the emotional weight that comes with this work.”
Both Rabener and Laws will now be in the running for the Florida-wide Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership and Outstanding Assistant Principal Achievement Award programs. Those winners will be announced next spring.