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CLHS 2009 EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR |
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Region 1 Sylvia Todd A 22-year educator dedicated to helping students and staff realize their potential, Sylvia Todd has been described as the heart of Healdsburg High School. Her ninth-grade survival skills classes shape the climate of the school and help ensure a positive future for the young people on campus. Health, life skills and safety strategies are delivered through activities such as challenge days, “project towards no drug abuse” (for which Sylvia is one of just two trainers recommended by the state), and guest speakers from community organizations. Sylvia’s peer coaching and advanced peer coaching programs put students to work for others as conflict mediators, elementary student mentors, tutors and community liaisons. Peer coaching students host an annual AIDS conference, challenge days, and eighth-grade orientation. For faculty, Sylvia serves as a mentor teacher, master teacher, department chair and district BTSA coordinator. Her statewide reputation as a conflict mediation expert stems from her belief that “there are no bad kids.” |
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Region 2 Sally vonDachenhausen Born and raised in Shasta County, Sally vonDachenhausen has a love for the area and a loyalty to its students. For 31 years, she has been an innovative teacher and an inspirational leader. In her classroom at University Preparatory School, a 6-12 grade charter school, Sally helps students discover their talents and develop into responsible adults. Students surround her before school, at lunch and after school; one described her as “my safe place.” Students in Sally’s classes produce award-winning yearbooks, score well on Advanced Placement exams, attend plays and conferences, visit colleges and other countries, and participate in meaningful service learning projects. For her colleagues and district, Sally serves as English department chair and has served as district department chair, PAR support, GATE coordinator, BTSA provider, and leadership team member. She also designed the senior project curricula for two schools, introduced cross-curricular writing and data-driven reform, and coordinated district-wide assessments. |
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Region 3 Erva Watts Erva Watts has a calm, quiet and confident demeanor that belies her strength in thinking “outside the box.” In the seven years Erva has led the health and physical education division at Cordova High School, she has made the physical education program a model and enhanced student awareness of the importance of maintaining health and fitness. The recipient of an EDS technology grant, Erva integrates technology into the curriculum through heart rate monitors and pedometers. Her “fitness for life” class incorporates cycling, hiking, local fitness facilities, inline skating and – per student requests – yoga. A 28-year teacher and 15-year track-and-field coach, Erva serves as a fitness curriculum liaison with California State University, Sacramento; has coordinated the Governor’s Challenge; and has rewritten all secondary physical education course outlines to meet state standards and frameworks. She is also a member of the executive council leadership team and a master teacher for teacher credentialing programs. |
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Region 4 Jarrod Harrison Jarrod Harrison’s energy is contagious, and his focus on learning is incredible. For the last nine years, he has worked tirelessly to improve his school. Jarrod became the yearbook advisor to open participation to all interested students – something he was denied as a high school student. His team devotes countless hours to producing exceptional yearbooks. In his social studies classes, Jarrod makes history come alive through use of a SMARTBoard and PowerPoint; he frequently uses the school’s portable MacBook lab for project based learning and differentiated instruction. As the social studies department chair, Jarrod has led an effort to revamp the curricula in multiple courses to engage all students and align with state standards and accountability tests. The result was a 19-point gain on the 2008 World History CST. As the advisor for MEAT (Mankind Eating Animals Together), the largest club on campus, he hosts barbeques to promote school spirit. |
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Region 5 Joan Kevorkian Joan Kevorkian is a true professional who is dedicated to her students, school and field. When her site had to cut four staff positions and essential programs as a result of tremendous budget cuts, Joan took it upon herself to tutor students three days a week after school with no compensation. She also facilitated Saturday school even though funding was not assured and gave up her prep to take on an additional class. When the school lost an administrator, Joan was one of the first to teachers to offer assistance, joining three committees to facilitate school operations. Despite this incredible workload, she exhibits collegiality, enthusiasm and an upbeat attitude, helping make the school a wonderful place to learn. A lifelong learner, Joan is currently earning an additional degree, for which she is conducting a study to examine her school’s algebra department in light of reform practices and current research. She shares her knowledge with her colleagues and is part of the leadership team. |
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Region 6 Greg Magni A committed and enthusiastic leader, Greg Magni lives out the mission statement of the new high school he helped create: “dedicated to every student’s success through academic rigor, personal relevance, meaningful relationships and thoughtful reflection.” Greg helped develop and implement school-wide instructional norms based on the direct instruction (DI) model. He also leads DI training and peer observation efforts for colleagues. As the varsity baseball coach, Greg believes that serving students both in and out of the classroom strengthens student connections to school. “The best thing about Coach Magni is that he cares,” his pitcher remarked. “We know he is always looking out for us.” Greg is constantly raising funds for the baseball program and models a positive attitude through humor; the flooding that submerges the baseball field each spring is widely known as Lake Magni. He also serves on the school safety team and staff social committee to help foster a collegial, safe campus environment. |
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Region 7 Cathlyn Dossetti Cathlyn Dossetti’s principal wrote of her, “She is one of the brightest and most talented educators I have ever had the privilege to work with.” As an English teacher in the school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program, Cathlyn excels at helping students achieve beyond their expectations. In her work with at-risk students enrolled in the marketing academy business partnership, she instills the skills they will need to succeed beyond high school. As the creativity-action-service (CAS) coordinator, Cathlyn guides students as they invest 150 hours into community service. Their pennies for peace project has already raised $3,000 to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. As lead English teacher, she trained colleagues in Robert Marzano’s best teaching strategies. She recently relinquished that role to concentrate on the school’s newly formed English Language Learner leadership team, implementing school-wide expository essays and forming a conversation club that pairs bilingual IB students with English Learners new to the country. |
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Region 8 Robin Geissler When Robin Geissler first came to Bowman High School – a culturally and racially diverse Title 1 continuation school – she encountered isolated teachers; students beset by poverty, drugs and violence; low API scores; and dismal graduation rates. After steadily supporting her talented staff and building a team, core values and a guiding vision over the past nine years, the results have been dramatic. API scores have increased by over 300 points, graduation and college enrollment rates both exceed 90%, and the school has twice been named a California Model Continuation High School. But most importantly, the school has redirected thousands of students who were headed for failure. Robin’s collaborative leadership, framed around the tenet that “failure is not an option,” was the driving force behind this transformation. Staff, students and parents worked passionately to co-create a culture of change and a vision of every student succeeding. Thanks to Robin’s leadership, Bowman is now a “school of promise.” |
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Region 9 Ellen Towers Nine years ago, as a teacher serving a student population spanning 35 home languages and 100% qualification for free and reduced price lunch, Ellen Towers envisioned an academy that would personalize the educational experience for all students and prevent them from falling through the cracks. She created the Academy of Information Technology, recruiting outstanding teachers, securing the latest technology, forming business partnerships, conducting fundraising events, writing grants, and establishing an exciting, inclusive environment. Today, Ellen’s dedication has created a model academy with 360 students, 11 teachers and eight computer labs. Classes pair technology electives such as web design and computer applications with content area classes such as world history and biology, ensuring student engagement through interesting, real-world, cross-curricular projects. Students also develop the “soft skills” needed for workplace success through field trips, job shadows and internships arranged by the local technology businesses and colleges that make up the advisory board. |
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Region 10 Linda Hanford Linda Hanford is a phenomenal educator who excels in her roles at Chaffey High School: small learning communities (SLC) coordinator and English department chair. She voluntarily took on the role of SLC coordinator after her school entered Program Improvement and SLCs were adopted as a turnaround program. Linda attended the CLHS Annual Conference and visited SLC sites to bring back the spark of ideas that would eventually catch fire on campus. She led meetings, co-wrote a successfully-funded grant proposal to the Center for the Advancement of Smaller Learning Environments (CASLE), and invested incredibly long hours to make SLCs a reality. Significant improvements in student achievement have since resulted and the program has become a CASLE model for other schools moving to SLCs. As English department chair, Linda has fostered a harmonious, effective faculty team that implements focus lessons and quarterly benchmark writing exams graded by at least three grade-level teachers. |
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Region 11 Laura Thompson Laura Thompson is dedicated, enthusiastic, and truly inspirational to students. A member of the inaugural staff at her high school, Laura pioneered the Advanced Placement (AP) European history program at her site. Each year, she provides a rigorous curriculum replete with in-depth readings and analytical writing assignments. Despite ever-increasing enrollment, the AP exam pass rate remains nearly 90%. Three years ago, Laura started teaching AP Art History as well, and once again, enrollment continues to increase and the pass rate is approximately 91%. As the GATE program coordinator, she meets with parents and students to set goals and share college planning information. Laura supports numerous student activities and organizes staff club activities. She has been the recipient of two National Endowment for the Humanities grants and two Fulbright scholarships. This summer, she will study in Germany through the Goethe Institute. Laura’s continuing love of learning makes her an inspiration to all at Tesoro High School. |
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