Teacher of the Year
Communications Office
Chief Communciations Officer,
Peggy Marshburn
925.942.3330
2010-2011 Teachers of the Year
About the Teacher of the Year Program
Donating to the Teacher of the Year Program
List of Donors
Past Teachers of the Year
2009-2010
2008-2009
2007-2008
Prior Years
2010-2011 Contra Costa County District Teacher of the Year Representatives
Steve Amaro, Liberty Union High SD, (Freedom High)
Kay Carlile, Knightsen SD, (Knightsen Elementary)
James Conrad, Contra Costa Community College District, (Contra Costa College)
Mary Dolan, Orinda Union SD, (Del Rey Elementary)
Kerry Flaherty, Byron Union SD, (Timber Point Elementary)
Sharon Geernaert, Martinez SD, (Las Juntas Elementary)
Nicole Giusti, West Contra Costa Unified SD, (J.O. Ford Elementary)
Kasey Graham, Antioch USD, (Dozier-Libbey Medical High)
Brendan Hurd, Walnut Creek SD, (Walnut Creek Intermediate)
John Korzick, San Ramon Valley Unified SD, (California High)
Nancy Krajcar, Mt. Diablo Unified SD, (Olympic High)
Michele Lamons, West Contra Costa Unified SD, (Pinole Valley High)
Lori Leach, Brentwood Union SD, (R. Paul Krey Elementary)
Brian Mangold, Lafayette SD, (Stanley Middle)
Alice Noyes, Moraga SD, (Donald Rheem Elementary)
Rebecca Pounds, Pittsburg Unified SD, (Hillview Junior High)
Daniel Reynolds, Mt. Diablo Unified SD, (Mt. Diablo High)
Seth Seavey, John Swett Unified SD, (Carquinez Middle)
Joy Snider, Oakley Union Elementary SD, (Gehringer Elementary)
Aster Tadesse, CCCOE, (Oakland Parole STAR)
Note regarding eligible participants:
- 17 of the 19 Contra Costa County school districts represented
- 1 Contra Costa County community college (Does not compete in the State Teacher of the Year competition)
- Due to the larger number of students in their district, both West Contra USD and Mt. Diablo USD are allowed to select two TOY candidates from their district.
About the Teachers of the Year Program
In 1972, California began recognizing outstanding teachers, establishing the Teachers of the Year Program. This program is open to all teachers in public & private schools who teacher pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Contra Costa County has participated in the program since its beginning, when Joseph E. Davis, Jr., of the Acalanes Union High School District, was named the county's first representative.
Since that time, four teachers from this county have been State finalists: Janet Neill, San Ramon Valley Unified (1975); David Eakin, John Swett Unified (1981); William Thomas, Mt. Diablo Unified (1982); and Janice Bergamini, Mt. Diablo Unified (1991). In addition, William Pence, San Ramon Valley Unified (1999), was selected to represent California at the National Teacher of the Year level. And, in the last two years, the County has had two other state representatives – Mary Allan, Antioch Unified (2001) and Janet Gower, Mt. Diablo Unified (2002).
With such a high caliber of teaching professionals to draw from, the county uses a three-stage selection process:
- Application Screening: In late April/early May, a committee of educators and business partners carefully reviews the 20-22 applicants that are submitted from the school districts. Members rate each application separately. The top five to six teachers selected then advance to the next phase.
- Classroom Observation: A committee observes the selected teachers interacting with students in the classroom & spends time interviewing them on their teaching philosophy and technique. The results of the two screening processes are then combined to determine the three finalists.
- In late August, the three finalists each give a three-minute speech at a district new-teacher orientation, which is judged by a panel of educators and business representatives. All scores are then combined to determine the County Teacher of the Year.
The County representative is announced at the Awards Dinner in September at a gala affair that honors each district's Teacher of the Year. Local business and community organizations generously donate classroom grants, services and other items to each of the district winners.
Learn more about donating to the Teacher of the Year program.
Honor Our Teachers: Donate to the Teachers of the Year Program
There are four major categories or levels for donating to the TOY Program:
- Visionaries: $5,000 to $10,000 range
- Benefactors: $1,000 to $4,999 range
- Sponsors: $500 to $999 range
- Contributors: $499 or below in amount or services
Most sponsors earmark their grants for the teachers' classrooms or schools; Contra Costa Newspapers, Inc. sponsors the dinner itself, and the cost of dinner for each of the Teachers of the Year and three of their guests.
For more information, or to donate to the Program, please e-mail Jonathan Lance at jlance@cccoe.k12.ca.us
Many thanks to our generous donors who make this program a success!
|
|
| Teacher of the Year Contact | ||
|---|---|---|
| Communications Specialist/Teacher of the Year/Media Relations | 925.942.3429 | |
| FAX, Communications | 925.942.3454 | |
Page Updated On:
Copyright © 2010 Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools.
77 Santa Barbara Road, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523