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Rockledge High School Resource Officer Chris Hattaway has been named the 2026 Florida School-Related Employee of the Year, capping a recognition arc that began with his selection as Brevard Public Schools Employee of the Year last fall and now elevates him to the top of his profession statewide.
The announcement was made Tuesday in a surprise ceremony at Rockledge High School, where district leaders, members of the Rockledge Police Department, and City of Rockledge officials gathered to honor the longtime SRO. Brevard County School Board Member Katye Campbell shared the news on social media, writing, “Congratulations, SRO Hattaway!!”
Hattaway, a Rockledge High alum and proud Raider, has served as the school’s resource officer for years and brings 13 years of law enforcement experience to the role. His previous honors include being named City of Rockledge Safety Employee of the Year and receiving the Outstanding Young Floridian Award for Public Safety.
In their announcement, Brevard Public Schools praised Hattaway’s leadership, consistency, and care, noting that his work has helped create a campus where students feel supported, safe, and encouraged to succeed. District officials said his commitment to service reflects the very best of Brevard Public Schools.
His impact at Rockledge High extends well beyond traditional law enforcement duties. Hattaway launched a lunchtime counseling program to support student well-being and has organized holiday gift drives that have benefited hundreds of students and families over the years. Colleagues have repeatedly cited his ability to build trust with students and strengthen ties between the school and the broader Rockledge community.
Hattaway was first named Brevard Public Schools Employee of the Year in November 2025 at the Applauding Brevard’s Champions Employee of the Year Breakfast at the Radisson Resort at the Port. That honor moved him forward as Brevard’s nominee in the Florida School-Related Employee of the Year program, administered by the Florida Department of Education.
The state program recognizes outstanding education support personnel for their contributions to schools and district school systems across Florida. Past statewide winners have included bus drivers, paraprofessionals, food service managers, and security officers, making Hattaway’s selection as a school resource officer a notable distinction.
Accepting his district honor last fall, Hattaway said Rockledge High School is his home and that serving its students and staff is the greatest privilege of his career. He credited his family, school community, and colleagues for inspiring him daily, closing with the familiar rallying cry: “Raider Pride!”
The recognition is, in many ways, a Rockledge story. Hattaway grew up in the city, graduated from the high school he now protects, and has built his career around the same hallways where he once sat as a student. The surprise celebration brought that full-circle nature into focus, with city officials and police colleagues standing alongside school leaders and students.
For Brevard Public Schools, the statewide recognition is a significant point of pride, placing one of its own at the top of a category that includes thousands of support professionals across Florida’s 67 county school districts.
