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Region 1
Barbara Williams
English and Life Skills Teacher
Ridgway High School
An educator for more than three decades, Barbara Williams has significantly impacted her students, school and community. Many students arrive at her continuation high school struggling with issues of truancy, alienation, dysfunctional support systems, poverty and high risk behaviors. Barbara addresses these challenges by educating the whole student. She created one of the district’s first bilingual, cross-age tutoring programs in addition to American studies and humanities courses. In the English classroom, Barbara engages even the most reticent students in learning. Through differentiated instruction, literature circles, a lunchtime book club and other methods, she helps each student meet standards and enjoy literacy. For her life skills classes, Barbara focuses on helping students stay clean and sober, control their impulses, and gain self-confidence. She initiated a program to train students as HIV/STD prevention facilitators and established partnerships with local health agencies. According to one student, Barbara “made it possible for me to graduate this year by pushing me to do my best and always believing in my ability to do well.” |
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Region 2
Bill Lombard
Mathematics Teacher
Foothill High School
Bill Lombard loves math and the teaching of math, but students are his central focus. Bill’s classes are often filled with students who have already failed algebra, and he enjoys finding innovative approaches to help struggling students as well as those who are more gifted in mathematics. The author of over a dozen books on teaching math, Bill is an innovator in curriculum design. His books are used in almost every California district, and he provides professional development to elementary and secondary teachers throughout the state. Bill knows how to tailor a math concept to a math activity that will reach all types of students. He often sets a concrete foundation and uses visual and manipulative models to encourage higher-level learning in diverse students, a technique that is effective for remedial and Advanced Placement Calculus classes alike. Bill’s students regard his classroom as a safe place where they can make mistakes, try again, and succeed without becoming embarrassed or discouraged. As one colleague notes, he is the math teacher you wish your children had.
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Region 3
Christine Lanphere
French Teacher
Natomas High School
A tireless supporter of foreign language education, Christine Lanphere shines in her classroom, school, and the foreign language education community. For the classroom, Christine creates framework-aligned lessons that require students to use language naturally in real-world simulations to communicate. She regularly infuses her classes with culture. Students experience authentic music, literature, and area language events, in addition to the occasional trip to France. The results of her exceptional teaching are apparent in the ease with which her students converse in French. For her school site, Christine serves as a BTSA support provider and the mock trial team coach. In the past, she has served as department chair, site leadership team member, and WASC coordinator. She regularly serves in an advisory role for state language panels and is active in the state language teacher’s association. In 2004, Christine won a scholarship to attend a five-week language and culture program in Quebec. Upon her return, she developed and implemented a unit on the folk tales and traditional music of Quebec. |
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Region 4
Michael Amoroso
Menlo Atherton High School
History/Social Science Teacher
Michael Amaroso fosters a classroom environment of warmth, fun and learning for his diverse students. In his U.S. history, U.S. history SDAIE and world studies courses, he makes every student feel welcomed yet expects and promotes high standards. He differentiates instruction to ensure all students’ needs are being met. Additionally, Michael effectively integrates technology into his curriculum. Students conduct research on the Internet, design PowerPoint presentations, incorporate project-based learning tools, and use Inspiration software to brainstorm and organize their thoughts before writing. Michael also displays a passion for curriculum design. Recently, he intensified his curricular focus on civil rights so his students may learn about tolerance, justice, compassion, hope and non-violence – and put those lessons into practice. He is active in the “Sojourn to the Past” project, which offers students, educators and parents a 10-day journey though the South to visit key sites and hear speakers who witnessed and created the Civil Rights Movement. Michael serves as a WASC focus group leader and baseball coach. He is an asset to education.
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Region 5
Brian Oliver
History and Business Technology Teacher
Live Oak High School
Brian Oliver is a dedicated professional, loyal and empathetic to all his students. He came to Live Oak High School from a site in Virginia where he put his undergraduate majors of history and geography to good use by teaching International Baccalaureate European History. Now National Board-certified in social studies, Brian teaches U.S. and world history at Live Oak and spends a tremendous amount of time preparing, planning and implementing innovative lessons for his students. He also has considerable expertise in technology and teaches courses in the school’s computer business academy. For his students, Brian has created a digital history classroom; for his colleagues, he has provided staff development in areas such as web design, PowerPoint, DVD burning, SmartBoards, and digital gradebook creation. He is the head coach for the boy’s lacrosse team, community service coordinator for the computer business academy, and sponsor for two political discussion groups on campus, the women’s issues club and the forum. He serves as the chairman of the WASC review self-study. |
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Region 6
Nancy Scheer
Math Teacher
Fred C. Beyer High School
Nancy Scheer is an intelligent, resourceful and energetic teacher who has positively impacted students and staff at her school for two decades. A favorite teacher of many students because of her caring attitude, Nancy is also a master teacher who uses a variety of effective instructional techniques and activities to develop students’ foundational skills and provide them with ample opportunities to apply the materials they learn in class. Her enthusiasm is contagious and helps keep students on task. Nancy has served as department chair for nine years. Under her leadership, math teachers provide after-school tutorial services every day. Nancy’s expertise has also been tapped by the district; she has designed new curriculum, study guides, and common finals. As math club advisor, Nancy coaches students for numerous competitions. She was instrumental in creating Math in the Mall, which encouraged children to apply math skills in different retail businesses so they may discover that math is both fun and practical. She is actively involved in state and national math education associations and councils.
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2006 STATE EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
Region 7
Gursharan Rahal
Peer Coach/Reading Specialist
Caruthers High School
Gursharan Rahal is a change agent who is dedicated to improving student achievement and increasing school accountability. An outstanding teacher with a passion for people and learning, Gursharan’s classes are filled with students with the greatest needs. Her positive and dynamic classroom culture is a model for others. She advises the student Punjabi Club and assists students in mediation. Yet her biggest impact is at the peer level. In the past five years, Gursharan has designed the reading enrichment curriculum and taught the courses, initiated and overseen a school-wide SSR program, been the district PAR consulting teacher, and served as the BTSA coordinator and peer coach through an ongoing, intensive professional development process. She effectively works with teachers at all levels of experience, and to a person, they would each like more of her time. Her principal credits her with helping the school meet all API goals for the past five years. Gursharan is a powerful leader and she is widely regarded as the district’s most valuable resource for teachers.
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Region 8
Sarah Yue
Science Department Chair
Hoover High School
For Sarah Yue, teaching is both a joy and a constant adventure. Her science classes at Hoover High School feature innovative projects and ideas such as independent research projects, chemistry demonstration shows for the local elementary school, and inquiry-based experiments. She designed two new standards-based science classes for the district, raised the school’s AP test scores in chemistry, updated the science department’s safety plans and protective equipment, and created a comprehensive plan for the content and organization of the science stockrooms. As department chair and curriculum coach, Sarah is also a leader and mentor for her fellow science teachers. Sarah coaches the Science Olympiad team, serves as advisor for a student community-service organization, and runs an after-school tutoring program for her chemistry students. She also helps to guide school and district policies through service as a member of the site leadership council, a faculty representative of the district teacher’s association, a member of the curriculum steering committee for science, and the school-wide coordinator of the AP Challenge Grant.
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Region 9
Rob Atterbury
Director, Office of Secondary School Innovation
San Diego Unified School District
Rob Atterbury is recognized nationally as an expert in high school reform. He has spearheaded his district’s successful efforts to transform three comprehensive, urban, low-performing high schools into 14 autonomous, career-themed small learning communities. Distinguished by standards-based and career-focused curriculum, San Diego’s small learning communities such as High Tech High are now regarded as models nationwide. Rob has supported the development of innovative curriculum by providing intensive summer institutes for teachers in project-based learning and interdisciplinary curriculum design. An additional focus of Rob’s is the cultivation of partnerships with the local business community to authenticate the curriculum and help students develop the real-world skills they will need after high school or college. For example, State Farm Insurance is a partner in the Tiger Paw Auto Body Program at Morse High School. The district’s regional occupational program, which Rob oversees, blends with school curriculum and boasts an amazing 90 percent high school enrollment rate. Rob is a leader who transcends existing systems to better prepare students for the future.
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Region 10
Rudy Ramirez
Principal
Indio High School
Fourteen years ago, Rudy Ramirez arrived at his new high school site to find a culture of violence and hopelessness. Lunch periods were punctuated by fights, and tensions filled the passing periods. Today, safety and a focus on academics are the norm. Rudy guided this extraordinary transition from a culture of tracking and exclusion to one that promotes college for all by painstakingly leading his staff through all the necessary steps of self-analysis and achievement-oriented change. He provided his staff with collaboration time and core curriculum experts as they embarked on a journey through curriculum calibration, unpacking the standards, and developing common assessments. Math, English, social studies and science curricula are now fully aligned with state standards and quarterly common assessments are used. The result? A 128-point API increase over the past three years and all AYP subgroup goals met. Eighth-grade students visit the high school twice per year to meet with Rudy, all incoming freshmen enroll in algebra, and more than 250 parents have participated in the school’s parent institute.
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Region 11
Alexandra Ito
Curriculum Specialist
Educational Technology and Media Services
Santa Ana Unified School District
Alexandra Ito has a passion for developing educational technology solutions that engage students and boost achievement. As the high school educational technology liaison for a large school district, Alexandra collaborates with district staff to support and implement curricular goals. She has led the introduction of “eLocker” student electronic portfolios, better teacher and district website design, and the AB 294 pilot program for online advanced placement courses. She designs and delivers professional development and in-service training to certificated and classified staff on a wide variety of technology applications and strategies, always garnering excellent reviews for her gentle yet enthusiastic manner as well as her insight into the adult learning process. Constantly researching educational technology trends, Alexandra evaluates courseware and software, and makes those products accessible to district staff. For example, she recently led the production of a technically accurate, user-friendly manual for Oracle software. She also designed the digital high school program for one school site. Alexandra’s leadership and dedication have made her a highly respected role model in the district.
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