Six alumni who have served as California Teacher of the Year, and 56 alumni who have served as Teacher of the Year in Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento and San Diego Counties, were honored this spring at five National University campuses with receptions and permanently-displayed plaques bearing their names.
“These alumni are the best of the best,” said School of Education Dean Carl “Kalani” Beyer, Ph.D., who greeted the honorees at all five receptions. “They are leaders within their school districts; role models for their colleagues; and most of all, they are heroes in their classrooms, an influential presence in the lives and futures of thousands of children.”
California Teachers of the Year Lewis Chappelear (2007-2008), Gregory McFall (2007-2008), Tamara Reina (2007-2008), Alan Sitomer (2006-2007), Jan Mongoven (2000-2001) and Sandra McBrayer (1994-1995), who went on to be named as U.S. Teacher of the Year, have all been recognized for their achievements with a series of plaques which have been prominently displayed in each of the five above-mentioned campuses.
Additionally, commemorative plaques bearing the names of alumni who have served as County Teachers of the Year in Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento and San Diego have also been posted.
“Thank you for acknowledging all those of us in the field of education,” said alumna Pamela Moorhead, who served as San Diego County Teacher of the Year in 2006-2007. “It was and is an honor to represent the teachers of San Diego County.”
“This was an exciting experience for me to meet… National University staff and other colleagues who have had the honor to be Teachers of the Year,” said alumna Cassandra Richards, who served as Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year in (2003-2004).
National University has closely followed the annual California Teachers of the Year program for several years. Since 1972, the California Department of Education has annually invited county offices of education, school districts, charter schools, professional organizations, and private schools statewide to participate in the program. It serves to showcase teacher quality and highlight educational innovation, student learning and the rewards of teaching, while focusing public attention upon the positive aspects of the educational system.
The selection process begins at the school district level, when applications are distributed to candidates across the state. County Offices of Education then select regional Teachers of the Year, whose names are submitted to the California Department of Education by early September. Finally, from a pool of numerous County Teachers of the Year, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction selects five teachers in late November, who are then named California Teachers of the Year.
The Superintendent ultimately selects one of the five California Teachers of the Year to represent the state in the National Teacher of the Year program. A national selection committee representing the major national education organizations selects a U.S. Teacher of the Year each April. That teacher is then introduced to the American people by the President of the United States, prior to traveling nationally and internationally as a spokesperson for the teaching profession.
The number of County Teachers of the Year varies according to population. Largely populated counties such as Los Angeles County, name several Teachers of the Year annually, while some smaller counties choose not to participate. Following is a list of County Teachers of the Year who have been recognized on the above-mentioned plaques:
Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year:
2008-2009 - Carol Shaw
2007-2008 - Lewis Chappelear
2006-2007 - Alan Sitomer
2006-2007 - Christine Barboza
2006-2007 - Janice Forte-Watson
2006-2007 - Robert Thomas Grebel
2006-2007 - Eugenia Gina Lopez
2006-2007 - K. Helen Papadopoulos
2006-2007 - Rebecca Williams
2005-2006 - Stuart Michael Albert
2005-2006 - Christine Berg
2005-2006 - Darci Ann Coppolo
2005-2006 - Patricia Nelson
2005-2006 - Sherwin Reyes
2005-2006 - Steven Steinberg
2004-2005 - Laura Aronson
2004-2005 - Don Mahoney
2004-2005 - Diana Velasquez
2003-2004 - Robin Nelson
2003-2004 - Cassandra Richards
2002-2003 - Richard Kravchak
2002-2003 - Cynthia Jezak
2002-2003 - Dee A. Qualls
2002-2003 - James Rosenquist
2002-2003 - Sandra S. Smith
2001-2002 - Sharon I. Cotterell
2001-2002 - Steven R. Hicks
2001-2002 - Evelyn Seto
2000-2001 - Elizabeth Carol Curtiss
1999-2000 - Judith D. Healey
1999-2000 - Norman Enfield
1999-2000 - Kristine H. Cvar
1999-2000 - Cynthia Barajas-Garcia
1998-1999 - Franci A. Bolen
San Diego County Teachers of the Year:
2008-2009 - Patricia Blome
2008-2009 - Bill Kvitli
2007-2008 -Tamara Reina
2007-2008 - Freddie Chavarria
2006-2007 - Pamela Moorehead
2002-2003 - Jess Johnson
2002-2003 - Carmen Elisa Holston
2000-2001 - Jan Patrick Mongoven
2000-2001 - Gualter Moura
2000-2001 - Alma Hills
1996-1997 - Belle Johnson Bohn
1995-1996 - Lillian Bosworth
1994-1995 - Sandra L. McBrayer
Orange County Teachers of the Year:
2007-2008 - Gregory McFall
2006-2007 - Tim Thomas
2003-2004 - Pauline Maranian
San Joaquin Valley Regional County Teachers of the Year:
2008-2009 - Neriada Barba (Fresno County)
2002-2003 - John Craft (Kings County)
1996-1997 - Anthony Ayerza (Fresno County)
Sacramento County Teachers of the Year:
2007-2008 - Jeannette Providence
2004-2005 - Chris Hoover (Schlueter)
