In 1972, California began recognizing outstanding teachers, establishing the Teachers of the Year Program. This program is open to all teachers in public schools who teach pre-kindergarten through college. Contra Costa County has participated in the program since its beginning, when Joseph E. Davis, Jr., of the Acalanes Union High School District, was named the county's first representative.
Since that time, four teachers from this county have been State finalists: Janet Neill, San Ramon Valley Unified (1975); David Eakin, John Swett Unified (1981); William Thomas, Mt. Diablo Unified (1982); Janice Bergamini, Mt. Diablo Unified (1991); and Shauna Hawes, Mt. Diablo Unified (2017). In addition, William Pence, San Ramon Valley Unified (1999), was selected to represent California at the National Teacher of the Year level. And, in the last two years, the County has had two other state representatives - Mary Allan, Antioch Unified (2001) and Janet Gower, Mt. Diablo Unified (2002).
List of past Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Representatives from 1977 to present (PDF)
2017-2018 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Representatives
Paula Raj
West Contra Costa Unified SD
De Anza High
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Marissa Ware
San Ramon Valley Unified SD
John Baldwin Elementary
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2017-2018 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Finalists
Paula Raj
West Contra Costa
Unified SD
De Anza High
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Kari Stewart
Walnut Creek SD
Tice Creek Elementary
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Tom Trowbridge
Mt. Diablo Unified SD
Concord High
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Marissa Ware
San Ramon Valley
Unified SD
John Baldwin Elementary
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2017-2018 County District Teachers of the Year
Shawna Borba
Brentwood Union SD
Bristow Middle
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Susan Boudreau
Orinda Union SD
Orinda Intermediate
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Trina Bradshaw
Liberty Union High SD
Liberty High School
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Tiffany Chieudjui
West Contra Costa
Unified SD
Grant Elementary
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Paige Colburn
Oakley Union
Elementary SD
Gehringer Elementary
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John Freytag
Contra Costa Community
College District
Diablo Valley College
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Kelly Giotta
San Ramon Valley
Unified SD
Gale Ranch Middle
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Paula Gonzalez
Knightsen Elementary SD
Knightsen Elementary
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China Harvey
Walnut Creek SD
Las Lomas High
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Michael Haase-Whitaker
Pittsburg Unified SD
Highlands Elementary
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Margaret Honey
Mt. Diablo Unified SD
Northgate High
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Erica Hornnes
Byron Union SD
Excelsior Middle
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Amanda Lorie
Moraga SD
Donald L. Rheem
Elementary
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Linda Mara
Lafayette SD
Stanley Middle
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Julie Quinn
Martinez Unified SD
Las Juntas Elementary
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Jacey Renfroe
Antioch Unified SD
Marsh Elementary
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Rhuepell Stroud
CCCOE
Court Schools
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David Taylor
John Swett Unified SD
Rodeo Hills Elementary
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Note regarding eligible participants:
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Seventeen of the eighteen Contra Costa County school districts represented (plus the CCCOE) are participating in this year's TOY program.
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Each year, one instructor from Contra Costa Community College District is submitted to the TOY program for his/her outstanding body of work with their designated college. The colleges rotate each year between Diablo Valley, Los Medanos, and Contra Costa. This year, it is Diablo Valley College's turn. (These instructors do not compete in the State Teacher of the Year competition.)
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Due to the larger number of students in their districts, West Contra Costa USD, Mt. Diablo USD, and San Ramon Valley USD are allowed to select two TOY candidates.
2017-18 TEACHER OF THE YEAR SELECTION COMMITTEE
Anne Battersby, Piedmont School District
Rena Cutright, West Contra Retired Teachers Assoc.
Barbara Diskowski, Diablo Vista Retired Teachers Assoc.
Karl Fischer, Contra Costa Health Services
Lori Herington, Comcast
Karen Hurd, Contra Costa County Schools Insurance Group
Emily Justice, Contra Costa County Office of Education
Jessica Leal, Travis Credit Union
Annette Lewis, 32nd PTA
Aimee Lohr, Phillips 66
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Alison McKee, Contra Costa County Library
Dr. Diane Mukerjee, California State University, East Bay
Elizabeth Nardi, Lindsay Wildlife Experience
Dr. Heidi Rambo, St. Mary's College
Michael Wasilchin, West Contra Costa Unified School District
Steve Woodhead, Chevron USA, Inc.
Susan Yamashita, Lafayette School District (ret)
Dr. Rona Zollinger, Former Teacher of the Year
Nicholas Zefeldt, Former Teacher of the Year
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ABOUT THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR PROGRAM
In 1972, California began recognizing outstanding teachers, establishing the Teachers of the Year Program. This program is open to all teachers in public schools who teach pre-kindergarten through college. Contra Costa County has participated in the program since its beginning, when Joseph E. Davis, Jr., of the Acalanes Union High School District, was named the county's first representative.
Since that time, four teachers from this county have been State finalists: Janet Neill, San Ramon Valley Unified (1975); David Eakin, John Swett Unified (1981); William Thomas, Mt. Diablo Unified (1982); and Janice Bergamini, Mt. Diablo Unified (1991). In addition, William Pence, San Ramon Valley Unified (1999), was selected to represent California at the National Teacher of the Year level. And, in the last two years, the County has had two other state representatives - Mary Allan, Antioch Unified (2001) and Janet Gower, Mt. Diablo Unified (2002).
The county's TOY program is directed by the CCCOE. With such a high caliber of teaching professionals to draw from, the CCCOE's TOY program uses a three-stage selection process, with a point and percentage system to determine the final candidate as follows:
I Application Screening:
On April 13, a committee representing the county's education, business, and public-sector partners will meticulously review the applications submitted by the school districts. This committee independently rates each application. After the application screening and scoring are completed, four teachers will be selected to advance to the next phase as semifinalists.
II Classroom Observation and Interview:
In May, a small committee of education specialists and business partners will observe the semifinalists interacting with their students. Immediately following, the committee interviews the candidates, discussing topics such as their teaching philosophy and techniques. The results of the two screening processes are then combined to determine the four finalists.
III Speech Presentation:
This coming July, the four TOY finalists will each give a three- to five-minute speech to another panel of a dozen educators, business, and public-sector representatives who will judge the finalists on their speech and presentation skills.
On the evening of September 27, 2018, all 22 TOYs, accompanied by their families, friends, and co-workers (an audience of approximately 450) will be honored at the annual Teacher of the Year Gala Dinner, held at the Hilton Concord. Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Karen Sakata, who serves as master of ceremonies, introduces the TOYs by sharing a special story that reflects her classroom visits of each teacher during the recent spring and summer months. This will be followed by the four finalists giving their three- to five-minute speeches (same speeches given in July) to the filled banquet room. The excitement-filled evening will come to a dramatic close with the announcement of the 2018-2019 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year.
The County representatives are announced at the Awards Dinner in September at a gala affair that honors each district's Teacher of the Year. Local business and community organizations generously donate classroom grants, services and other items to each of the district winners.
HONOR OUR TEACHERS: DONATE TO THE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR PROGRAM
There are four major categories or levels for donating to the TOY Program:
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Visionaries: $5,000 to $10,000 range (2 complimentary tickets to the Gala dinner)
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Benefactors: $1,000 to $4,999 range
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Sponsors: $500 to $999 range
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Contributors: $499 or below in amount or services
Most sponsors earmark their grants for the teachers' classrooms or schools; Chevron, Inc. sponsors the dinner itself, and the cost of dinner for each of the Teachers of the Year and three of their guests.
For more information, or to donate to the Program, please e-mail Diane Morrell at [email protected]
Many thanks to our generous donors who made our program a success!
Chevron, Title Sponsor
Visionaries
Bay Area Newspaper Group
Contra Costa County Office of Education
Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation
Diablo Magazine
Saint Mary's College of California, Kalmanovitz School of Education
Wells Fargo Bank
Benefactors
4Imprint
Allegro Copy and Print
C. Overaa and Company
Center REP/Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts
Fagen, Friedman and Fulfrost, LLP
Gillin Jacobson, Ellis, Larsen and Lucey Accident Attorneys
Kaiser Permanente
Mechanics Bank
Mike and Shari Maxwell
Phillips 66
Pleasant Hill Rotary Foundation
Shell Martinez Refinery
Sunset Development Company
The Oakland A's
Travis Credit Union
USS POSCO Industries
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Sponsors
ACSA Region 6
Barrett Rodda, Short Story Films
Broadway Plaza Shopping Center
California Symphony
Denalect Alarm
Keenan & Associates
Office Depot
Sun Valley Shopping Center, Concord
Contributors
1st Northern California Credit Union
Capitol Advisors
CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA Insurer
Dannis, Woliver and Kelley Attorneys at Law
Lakeshore Learning
O'Conner, Runckel, and O'Malley, LLP
Pete's Coffee, Pleasant Hill
Sloats Garden Center
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CONTACTS
TITLE |
NAME (click to email) |
PHONE |
FAX |
Manager, Events/Projects
Teacher of the Year Coordinator |
Diane Morrell |
(925) 942-3406 |
(925) 942-3454 |