Top School Teachers Selected for 2009-10

Honorees Include Educators in Azusa, Glendora, Los Angeles, Lennox, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach and Whittier

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A total of 16 winners were named today as the 2009-10 Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year, representing the profession's "best of the best" in the state's largest honors competition for K-12 educators.

At a morning hotel ceremony, the "Sweet 16" were named by Los Angeles County Supt. of Schools Darline P. Robles as outstanding educators who have been serving with praiseworthy distinction. Judged as the county's top public school teachers for this academic year, they will serve as standard-bearers for the teaching profession and their 80,000 classroom colleagues countywide.

The winning educators, comprised of 13 women and 3 men, teach a range of grades and subjects at a diversity of school sites, including: Azusa, Glendale, Glendora, Lennox, Long Beach, Pacoima, Panorama City, Manhattan Beach, Monrovia and Whittier. (See full list on next page.) The entire field of 66 teachers who participated in the L.A. County competition had all been recently selected as teacher(s) of the year by their respective districts.

The L.A. County Teachers of the Year Program, presented by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, is the largest local competition in the state and is part of the nation's oldest and most prestigious honors contest for public school teachers. The number of winners -- 16 -- is determined by program rules based on the total number of teachers (80,000) in L.A. County.

"These teachers have been judged by their peers as shining examples of this shining profession. Every day they make the most of a precious opportunity -- to make a positive difference in the lives of their students," said Robles about the group, each of whom received a $1,000 cash prize courtesy of the California Credit Union, the program's main sponsor.

In addition to getting interviewed, contestants submitted essays, lesson plans and other materials to judging panels comprised of peers. At all levels, TOY contests are designed to focus public attention on teaching excellence and to honor exemplary dedication, compelling classroom practices, positive accomplishments and professional commitment.

The 16 L.A. County winners automatically advance with other county titlists from around the state to the California Teachers of the Year competition this fall. The state is scheduled to announce its five (5) co-winners in November. But only one (1) of those state co-winners will be chosen to represent California in the National Teacher of the Year contest next spring.

The 2009-10 L.A. County Teachers of the Year (alphabetical by district):

AZUSA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- YVETTE SERENA WALKER

Paramount Elementary School, Grades K-2; Years Teaching: 16; Residence: Los Angeles

BURBANK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- DAWN BROOKEY

Luther Burbank Middle School, Social Sci; Years Teaching: 12; Residence: La Crescenta

GLENDALE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- KRIS KOHLMEIER

Woodrow Wilson Middle School, History/Govt; Years Teaching: 22; Residence: La Crescenta

GLENDORA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- JANE THOMPSON

Stanton Elementary School, Grades 3-5; Years Teaching: 19; Residence: Glendora

HACIENDA LA PUENTE UNIFIED SCHOOL DIST -- BARBARA GENOVESE-FRARACCI

La Puente High School, Reading/ELD; Years Teaching: 32; Residence: Santa Monica

LENNOX SCHOOL DISTRICT -- APRIL MOSBY

Moffett Elementary School, Grades 4-5; Years Teaching: 21; Residence: Los Angeles

LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- JAMAICA LYNN ROSS

Signal Hill Elementary School, Grade 4; Years Teaching: 8; Residence: Long Beach

LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- AMELIA VALINSKY-FILLIPOW

Kettering Classical Elem School, Grade 3; Years Teaching: 15; Residence: Long Beach

LOS ANGELES COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION -- SCOTT AALUND

Phoenix Academy HS, Math/Eng/Sci/Soc Sci; Years Teaching: 16; Residence: Studio City

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- JEAN BEAUREGARD

Pacoima Skills Center, Adult Education; Years Teaching: 30; Residence: Valencia

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- CARRIE LUDWIG

Ivy Academia Charter School, Math/Algebra; Years Teaching: 6; Residence: Woodland Hills

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (DISTRICT #1) -- HALI METELAK

Vista Middle School, English; Years Teaching: 8; Residence: Reseda

MANHATTAN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- SHANNON VAUGHAN

Mira Costa High School, English; Years Teaching: 20; Residence: Manhattan Beach

MONROVIA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- JENNIFER BRYANT

Monrovia High School, Social Science; Years Teaching: 19; Residence: Pasadena

WALNUT VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -- BRIAN MASON

Walnut High School, Science; Years Teaching: 12; Residence: Yorba Linda

WHITTIER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT -- ANGIE BALTIERRA

Daniel Phelan Elementary School, Grades 1-2; Years Teaching: 14; Residence: Long Beach

SOURCE Los Angeles County Office of Education

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.lacoe.edu