Contra Costa County's School Districts Announce Their 2015-2016 Teachers of Year

From Jonathan B. Lance, Contra Costa County Office of Education:

Currently, there are approximately 8,126 teachers educating more than 173,000 students in Contra Costa County’s public schools. To recognize their efforts and bring much-deserved honor to the teaching profession, the participating school districts in the county recently named their Teachers of the Year (TOY) representatives (See list below.)

The upcoming school year’s 22 TOYs represent 17 Contra Costa County school districts, the Contra Costa Community College District, and the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE). Most of these representatives, those who teach grades K thru 12, are eligible to compete in the Contra Costa County TOY competition.

The two top teachers in the county TOY program will represent Contra Costa County in the California State TOY Program this coming fall.

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“We are immensely proud of these amazing educators,” said Karen Sakata, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools. “They were thoughtfully chosen to represent their schools and districts, and truly represent what is best about public education.”

The county’s TOY program is directed by the CCCOE. With such a high caliber of teaching professionals to draw from, the CCCOE’s TOY program uses a three-stage selection process, with a point and percentage system to determine the final candidates as follows:

I Application Screening:
On March 20, a committee of 14 judges, representing the county’s education, business, and public-sector partners carefully review the applications submitted by the school districts. This committee independently rates each application. After the application screening and scoring are completed, four teachers will be selected to advance to the next two phases as finalists.

II Classroom Observation and Interview:
In March and April, a small committee of education specialists and business partners observe the four finalists interacting with their students. Immediately following, the committee interviews the candidates discussing topics such as their teaching philosophy and techniques.

III Speech Presentation:
On August 11, the four TOY finalists will each give a three- to five-minute speech to another panel of a dozen educators, business, and public-sector representatives who will judge the finalists on their speech and presentation skills.

On the evening of September 24, 2015, all 22 TOYs, accompanied by their families, friends, and co-workers (an audience of more than 400) will be honored at the annual Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Dinner Celebration, held at the Hilton Concord. Ms. Sakata, who serves as master of ceremonies, introduces the TOYs by sharing a special story that reflects her classroom visits of each teacher during the current spring and summer months. This will be followed by the four finalists giving their three- to five-minute speeches (same speeches given in August) to the filled banquet room. Finally, the night will come to a dramatic close with the announcement of the two 2015-2016 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year.

2015-2016 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Representatives:

Michele Bain Knightsen Elementary School District, Knightsen Elementary

Lourdes Beleche, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Cambridge Elementary

Kathleen Doerr, John Swett Unified School District, Carquinez Middle School

Paul Fitzgerald, Acalanes Union High School District, Miramonte High School

Dawn Foote, Brentwood Union School District, Ron Nunn Elementary

David Giordano, IV, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Olympic High

Sripriya Gopalan, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Live Oak Elementary

Debbie Henry, Oakley Unified School District, Almond Grove Elementary

Vickie Hilty, Orinda Union School District, Sleepy Hollow Elementary

Diane Klaczynski. Pittsburg Unified School District, Hillview Junior High

Georgeann Kurtz, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Gale Ranch Middle School

Maribel Lopez, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Dover Elementary

Maria McClain, Antioch Unified School District, Deer Valley High School

Juanita McSweeney, Lafayette School District, Happy Valley Elementary

Takeo Nobori, Byron Union School District, Excelsior Middle School

Laurel Patterson, Contra Costa County Office of Education, Marchus School

Katheryn Perry, Liberty Union High School District, Independence High School

Don Read, Moraga School District, Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School

Christina Schreiber, Martinez Unified School District, Martinez Junior High School

Shauna Tatum, Walnut Creek School District, Walnut Heights Elementary

Keith Valdez, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Hanna Ranch Elementary

Note regarding eligible participants:

• Seventeen of the eighteen Contra Costa County school districts represented, plus the CCCOE are participating in this year’s TOY program. (Because this year’s CCCOE candidate teaches ages 18-22, she is not eligible in the California State TOY competition.)
• Each year, one instructor from Contra Costa Community College District is submitted to the TOY program for his/her outstanding body of work with their designated college. The colleges rotate each year between Diablo Valley, Los Medanos, and Contra Costa. (These instructors do not compete in the State Teacher of the Year competition.) This is Las Lomas College’s turn, their chosen TOY will be announced in the near future.
• Due to the larger number of students in their districts, West Contra Costa USD, Mt. Diablo USD, and San Ramon Valley USD are allowed to submit two TOY candidates
  

Follow Contra Costa County’s Teacher of the Year program on Twitter: #CoCoTOY

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