Contra Costa County Office of Education

2026-2027 Teachers of the Year

Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year Program Liaison / Teacher Information and Resources

Attention:

District’s Teacher(s) of the Year are due to CCCOE's Communications Department by Friday, February 13, 2026.

Forms and instructions related to the 2026-27 Teacher of the Year application:

Application deadline is Monday, March 16, 2026 at 5 p.m.
The 54th annual Teachers of the Year Celebration will take place on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

TOY Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for consideration as one of the two County Teachers of the Year and to qualify for the statewide competition, district TOY applicants must meet the following criteria:

Hold full credentials as a teacher

Be employed full-time or as a long-term substitute during the 2025-26 school year to teach any pre-kindergarten through grade twelve curriculum

Have primary responsibility for teaching, even if assigned some administrative duties

Have completed a minimum of eight years of teaching at the time of application submission

Please note that while a district may choose a teacher with less than eight years of teaching, such individuals would not be eligible for selection as a County Teacher of the Year or advancement to the state competition.

In terms of grants, if a TOY selected for a district does not teach during the 2026-27 school year, the classroom grant money remains with the school where they were chosen. Similarly, if the TOY relocates out of the district, the grant money stays with the originating school. If the TOY changes schools within the same district, the grant money remains with the teacher at their new school.

Meet 22 Teachers of the Year

2026-2027 School and College District Teachers of the Year

Read Press Release About 2026-2027 Teachers of the Year

Julee Henderson Acalanes Union High SD Acalanes High School	Arielle Foley Antioch Unified School District Black Diamond Middle School	Rebecca St. Michel Brentwood Union School District Brentwood Elementary School	Kimberly Berry Byron Union School District Timber Point Elementary School
Aaron Prater Contra Costa Community College Dist. Diablo Valley College	Destiny Castellanos CCCOE Schools Mauzy School	Angie Goularte John Swett Unified School District Rodeo Hills Elementary School	Noelle Gould Knightsen Elem School District Knightsen Elementary School
Melissa Johnston Lafayette School District Spring Hill Elementary School	Stephen Apel Liberty Union High School District Freedom High School	Katie Collins Martinez Unified School District Martinez Junior High	Christina Mignano Moraga School District Los Perales Elementary School
April Saldivar Mt. Diablo Unified School District Shore Acres Elementary School	Mary Acebu Mt. Diablo Unified School District Riverview Middle School	Wendy Perry Oakley Union Elem School District Geheringer Elementary School	Stephanie Sado Orinda Union Elem School District Various School Sites
Evette Evers-Threatt Pittsburg Unified School District Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High School	Austin Glimme San Ramon Valley USD Vista Grande Elementary School	Wally Bean San Ramon Valley USD Windemere Ranch Middle School	Brittany Forrette Walnut Creek School District Parkmead Elementary School
Benjamin Carpenter West Contra Costa USD Kennedy High School	Carolyn Landau West Contra Costa USD Kensington Elementary School

CONTACTS

TITLE	NAME	PHONE	FAX
Communications	communications@cccoe.k12.ca.us	(925) 942-3425	(925) 942-3454

Many thanks to our generous donors who make the Teachers of the Year program a success! To learn more about the Teacher of the Year program, visit cocoschools.org/toy. For donation questions, contact the CCCOE Communications office at the phone number or email above.