L.A. County Names Top Teachers
Two From Los Angeles Unified
VIRTUAL (Oct. 1, 2020) — Ten educators were announced today as the 2020-21 Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year, representing the best of the profession in the state’s largest honors competition for K-12 educators.
Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo presented the outstanding educators in a virtual ceremony broadcast on social media.
“During this time of extraordinary challenges to our school communities, it is especially important that we pay tribute to our outstanding teachers who, in the face of a pandemic, are bringing care, compassion and ingenuity to their virtual classrooms,” Duardo said. “I am truly impressed by their innovative practices and the partnerships they are building to keep students learning and thriving.”
The winning educators, comprised of seven women and three men, teach a range of grades and subjects at a diversity of school locales, including: Azusa, Baldwin Park, Burbank, Gardena, Los Angeles, Norwalk, Palmdale, Pearblossom, Redondo Beach and Santa Clarita.
Judged as the county’s top public-school teachers for this academic year, the 10 educators serve as standard-bearers for the teaching profession and their 72,000 classroom colleagues countywide. Each will receive a cash gift of $1,000 from the California Credit Union, the program’s main sponsor. Additional sponsors include Presenting Partner Arizona State University and Lakeshore Learning.
The 10 were selected from a field of 48 teachers representing 44 districts who participated in the 39th annual Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year competition, organized by the Los Angeles County Office of Education. All participants were recently selected as teacher(s) of the year by their respective school districts.
In addition to being 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 10 Los Angeles 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 co-winners in October. But only one of those state co-winners will be chosen to represent California in the National Teacher of the Year contest next spring.
The Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year Program is the largest local competition in the state and nation, and is part of the oldest and most prestigious honors contest in the U.S. for public-school teachers.
LACOE’s Teachers of the Year celebration doesn’t end with the Oct. 1 virtual event. For the first time, inpartnership with the Greater LA Education Foundation, LACOE has developed new program elements to elevate, celebrate and invest in teachers.
A year-long social media campaign is being launched to uplift teachers. The public is invited to use Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to share how teachers have made a difference in their lives, the importance of the teaching profession and other positive messages using the hashtags:
#💗LACoTeachers #💗MyTeacher
LACOE and Greater LA will develop a resource hub for strategies and best practices from TOY educators and professional learning networks featuring TOY honorees. Digital learning innovation grants will be available to teachers from across Los Angeles County. The goal is to expand student-centered learning approaches that will support underserved students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. To launch this expansion, Greater LA will match up $50,000 in new support for Teachers of the Year programming.
The Los Angeles County Office of Education, headquartered in Downey, is the nation’s largest regional education agency, providing a range of programs and services to support the region’s 80 K-12 school districts and two million preschool and school-age children.
The 2020-21 L.A. County Teachers of the Year (alphabetical by district)
Antelope Valley Union High School District — TIMOTHY GREEN
Highland High School — Engineering, Public Service, Fire Science/Fire Technology; Years Teaching: 20; Residence: Leona Valley
Azusa Unified School District — MARIA SIMS
Azusa High School — Mathematics; Years Teaching: 15; Residence: West Covina
Baldwin Park Unified School District — WENDY PAYAN
Sierra Vista High School — AP World History, US History, Geography; Years Teaching: 16; Residence: Baldwin Park
Burbank Unified School District — ERICCA DENT
Joaquin Miller Elementary School — 2nd Grade; Years Teaching: 8; Residence: North Hollywood
Keppel Union School District — ANNIE PALIZA
Keppel Academy — English/Language Arts, Social Studies, AVID, English Language Development; Years Teaching: 21; Residence: Littlerock
Los Angeles Unified School District — RHIANNON CHAVEZ
186th Street Elementary School — 4th Grade; Years Teaching: 15; Residence: Gardena
Los Angeles Unified School District — HAZEL KIGHT WITHAM
Venice High School — English; Years Teaching: 19; Residence: Los Angeles
Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District — DAN CALMA
D.D. Johnston Elementary School — 3rd Grade; Years Teaching: 23; Residence: Norwalk
Redondo Beach Unified School District — LESLIE SPAINHOWER
Adams Middle School — English Honors/Literacy Workshop; Years Teaching: 8; Residence: Redondo Beach
William S. Hart Union High School District — JIM KLIPFEL
Saugus High School — Social Studies/Athletics; Years Teaching: 26; Residence: Agua Dulce