Walnut Creek Teacher Named Teacher of the Year

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Las Lomas High School teacher China Harvey was recently named Acalanes Union High School District’s Teacher of the Year (TOY). Harvey, who teaches social studies, received a visit from Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) Superintendent of Schools Karen Sakata who personally congratulated her.

“While I went into teaching because of my love of history and my desire to share often untold stories, I have stayed a teacher because of my students,” says Harvey. “They enrich my life through their intelligence, humor, inquisitiveness, and love for life. I am happy to see them every time they walk into my classroom. Combining my love of history with the joy I get from teaching students motivates me every day.”

Three Walnut Creek teachers have been honored this year. The other two selected teachers will be featured in coming days.

On the evening of September 28, 2017, the 22 Contra Costa County TOYs, class of 2017-18, will be introduced and honored at the annual Teacher of the Year Dinner Celebration, held at the Concord Hilton. A crowd of some 500 are expected to attend.

Throughout the school year, Superintendent Sakata makes it a point to visit each incoming TOY in their classrooms, prior to the Dinner Celebration. This is a great way for her to meet the teachers and their students, as well as take in the day’s lesson plan. When individually introducing the TOYs at the Dinner Celebration, Sakata will tell the audience about her visit and will quote one or two of the students’ remarks about their revered teacher.

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Currently, there are approximately 8,400 teachers educating more than 176,000 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 named their TOY representatives in mid March. The incoming 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.

--Photo Credit: Terry Koehne, CCCOE

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