Teachers of the Year & 54 Honorees
Amazing Educators Recognized in Kern County and Beyond
by Callie Collins
Amazing Educators Recognized in Kern County and Beyond
by Callie Collins
Jun 01, 2020
One teacher can make an amazing difference in the life of a child. The ability to adapt to specific needs is a characteristic Kern County’s outstanding teachers share.
The Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office has named three Teachers of the Year and honored 54 educators who stand out among the community’s more than 15,000 professionals.
Outstanding teachers who rose to the pandemic’s
challenges
“These teachers are truly incredible. Their commitment to service and helping students learn and grow academically as well as emotionally contributed to this year’s selection process, which was unique for all involved,” said Malaika Bryant, Director, Educator Development & Data Support in reference to the COVID-19 pandemic that unexpectedly cut California’s 2019-2020 school year short. “They are thinking about that balance all the time. Everything they do is through that lens. All 54 honorees are very dedicated to their students. They strive to meet children where they are and help them develop to the next level.”
Technology has occupied a more important role than usual this school year as a distance learning platform and a solution for continued connectedness despite quarantine restrictions.
“All three Teachers of the Year pivoted beautifully in this distance learning environment,” said Bryant. “They were innovative in their own way and said ‘How can I go beyond the curriculum handed to me, because I see that my students need more than the baseline, so I can meet them where they are and take them to that next level.’”
About the honor and its
selection process
According to the Office of the Superintendent’s website, the program “is designed to highlight educational innovation, student learning and the rewards of teaching. Each district is encouraged to hold its own district-wide selection process and forward nominations to the county office.”
The
Teacher of the Year selection process is to:
• Spotlight local excellence in education.
• Provide each district the opportunity to recognize, honor and celebrate selected individuals who demonstrate the qualities and characteristics of an exemplary teacher.
• Provide eligible district nominees the opportunity to submit an application and be recognized as the Kern County Teacher of the Year.
• Provide the Kern County Teacher of the Year finalists the opportunity to represent Kern County in the 2021 California Teacher of the Year event.
All nominees must have completed eight or more years of teaching, be employed full time, with teaching as the primary responsibility, and demonstrate leadership and innovation in and outside of the classroom walls that embodies lifelong learning.
“All three Teachers of the Year pivoted beautifully in this distance learning environment,” said Bryant. “They were innovative in their own way and said ‘How can I go beyond the curriculum handed to me, because I see that my students need more than the baseline, so I can meet them where they are and take them to that next level.’”
Out of the 54 district honorees, a portion submitted the official documentation required for the competitive application process for Teacher of the Year, including essays, answers to prompts and a resume, in addition to an interview. Two out of the three will go on to represent Kern County at the state level, a number based on population.
“This year, we were very intentional about doing a Zoom interview and asking about how teachers have stepped up in light of the COVID situation and evolved in response to this current distance learning environment because that’s something no one had experienced before. We asked what’s similar, what’s different, what they will continue to do and what they will do differently,” said Bryant, who described nominees’ answers as “wise” and “creative.”
Honoring Kern County’s teachers
Instead of an in-person celebration at the Bakersfield Museum of Art, teachers were featured in a series of videos broadcast on Kern Educational Television Network (KETN), Spectrum Channel 15 and on the district’s social media channels.
All 54 honorees received certificates and desktop awards. The three Teachers of the Year received cash prizes and celebratory yard signs as well. At the time of this interview, Bryant was driving to deliver gift bags as well.
Teachers of the Year: Q&A
Third grade teacher Wajeha Chaudhry of Loudon Elementary, seventh grade English teacher Nicole Negron of Sierra Middle School and eighth grade History/Social Studies teacher Joseph Andreotti are Kern County’s Teachers of the Year.
They can now move forward and apply for the same honor at the state level.
Each answered three important questions for us.
Q. What does this honor mean to you and why?
Chaudhry:I am extremely proud to be the first Pakistani Teacher of the Year finalist for Kern County. I also learned at the district board meeting that I am the first teacher from my school district (PBVUSD) to make it as a county finalist. This honor is important to me because it recognizes what many teachers do every single day. It honors teachers who go above and beyond to do what they can for their students. It is a wonderful feeling to be among many amazing teachers. I grew up with the kindest and most loving teachers in my family. My mom and maternal grandparents were professors in Pakistan. I learned so much from them and try to apply that to my daily practice. I feel that this honor belongs to them as much as it does to me. Teaching is a team effort. Many people working together and learning from one another allows us to give our best to our students. I love what I do and many times the profession of teaching is not one that people think of as a dream job, but to me, it is exactly that. I have wanted to teach since I was a young girl and I get to live out my dream every single school day.
Negron: It means a lot because it represents all of the hard work that has gone into what I’ve been doing and also the successes my students have had. This award shines a spotlight on what they’ve done, the struggles and obstacles they’ve overcome. The kids I’m working with now often come from backgrounds of poverty and adversity and a lot of them struggle with trusting people, including adults in particular. They may struggle to trust teachers and know we have their welfare and their interests at the forefront. We work for that at Sierra. We want them to be healthy and to be safe. Yes, we’re there to learn but also want them to know we want them to be taken care of and this award recognizes that we work for all students’ needs. Working with kids in the classroom is where my heart is.
Andreotti: Being chosen as the Lakeside Union School District’s Teacher of the Year and one of the Kern County Teachers of the Year are both amazing honors. These honors remind me of how lucky I am to be able to teach such inspiring students year after year, and how none of it would be possible without the support of their families, my fellow staff members and administration, my own former teachers, and from my amazing wife.
Q. What would you like families to know about public education in Kern County?
Chaudhry: Public education works and it works even better
when we all work together to do what's best for the kids. The teachers in Kern County, and all over the country, work hard to meet the needs of each student.
Negron:Regardless of politics and what they hear in the news, teachers aren’t in it for the money or to try to get a higher paycheck. We’re in it for the kids. We teach them to advocate for themselves and think positively and not to respond to situations with physical violence. We see challenges for families in our district and, in a way, their kids do become our kids. We worry about them, we want to know that they are safe, and we are still trying to keep a line of communication open and pursue distance learning. We are not on a break from learning. This is not a happy time or a relaxing time. We never got to say the proper goodbyes to our students and some of that is especially painful because of graduation and boundary changes. The situation took away those opportunities for closure. Just know that we care about your children.
Andreotti: Public education not only provides our students with academic learning in a variety of subjects, it empowers them with the opportunity to meet people from various ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds which helps them become more accepting, understanding, and empathetic of the world around them. They learn how to collaborate with other students that possess diverse abilities in a variety of situations that take place in our classrooms, in our athletic programs, in our theater and music programs, and on our playgrounds. They gain access to teachers and support staff who want nothing more than to see all of them succeed academically and socially.
Q. If you could offer one tip for learning over the summer, what would that be?
Chaudhry: My one tip for learning over the summer is for students to read and work on the summer packets (provided by your school) with an adult, when possible.
Negron: My best advice is keep it simple. Don’t overwork or overstress. Just have your kids read. Read anything. Read everything. Read what you like at any level. If you wanted to have your kids get better at basketball or baseball or soccer, you’d have them practice. It’s the same approach. Just reviewing basic math facts and get faster and faster at those can have an effect because those foundational skills serve them better in higher math.
Andreotti:Summer vacation can serve as a great time for our students to develop social skills by participating in activities such as sports programs, attending a summer camp or just by getting the opportunity to spend more time with friends and family. It can also provide additional time to review concepts or improve in an academic area before moving on to the next grade level. I suggest keeping it fun and collaborative. My students love playing Kahoot and Quizlet. A family could read a book together, watch the accompanying Movie, and then create a Kahoot or Quizlet together as a family to test comprehension. Learning and creating something together will encourage discussion and allow for both parents and children to teach and learn from each other.
Today, our students have access to vast amounts of educational tools online. I would also suggest having students explore the Google Music Lab. It is a free online program that teaches students and adults how to create their own music that can be shared with others. It is simple, rewarding, and my students absolutely love it. If your children love video games, then I suggest having them play the Oregon Trail game. We all remember playing this back in the 1980’s and early 90’s. It still exists, believe it or not, and it is another resource I use in my classroom. The game requires students to read, comprehend, and use math skills.
Ms. Chaudhry has provided commentary in the past with reference to her YouTube channel, Chaudhry’s Champions. We asked her one additional question:
Q. The 2019-2020 school year was an unusual one. Many teachers made use of technology to finish the year but we know you were involved with YouTube long before it became an everyday presence in families' homes as a teaching tool. What do you want families to know about the role of technology in education?
Chaudhry: Technology is a wonderful resource for teachers and students. While I truly believe that there is no substitute for classroom instruction, technology does allow teachers to reach students during this period of distance learning. It is important for families to know that technology assists teachers as they work with their students, but those teacher/student connections are most important. The use of technology does not replace that. Instead, it should be used to enhance those connections as instruction takes place. We are fortunate to have online resources to help us teach during these difficult times.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Verna Alejo, sixth grade, Pond School
Joseph Andreotti, eighth-grade history/social science, Lakeside School
Rebecca Baker, K-6th grade music, Charles H. Castle Elementary
Marcy Billdt, third grade, Highland Elementary
Patrice Bird, seventh-grade history, Freedom Middle
Lisa Borrecco, 9-12th-grade English, Taft Union High
Ellen Brockelsby, seventh-grade English, Jacobsen Middle
Darren Buckey, 9-12th-grade special education, Golden Valley High
Deanna Calley, fifth grade, Wayside Elementary
Summer Campbell, sixth grade, South Fork School
Jennifer Castillo, first grade, Palla Elementary
Wajeha Chaudhry, third grade, Loudon Elementary
Jennifer Ciaccio, English, California City High
Donna Cisneros, third grade, Rosamond Elementary
Yolanda “Lonnie” Edgmon, fourth- through eighth-grade social studies and physical education, Rio Bravo-Greeley School
Suzie Ferralli, geometry, GATE geometry and advanced algebra, Centennial High
Bobbie French, independent studies, West Kern Community
Alex Gonzales, ninth- through 12th-grade English, Cesar E. Chavez High
Anthony Gonzales, K-6th grade physical education, Castle Elementary
Carolina Grant, first grade, James A. Forrest Elementary
Kaley Hawkins, Health Careers Academy (science), Arvin High
Cynthia Inman, Frontier High
Stephanie Juve, kindergarten, Branch Elementary
Valaree Kincaid, teacher/librarian, Ridgeview High
Albert Kumpel, social studies and Criminal Justice Academy coordinator, South High
Sonia Martinez, first grade, Bear Mountain Elementary
Victoria Martinez, AP calculus and math analysis, Highland High
Amanda Mehciz, Kindergarten, Casa Loma Elementary
Ines Mendoza, math, Thompson Junior High
Kimberly Minter, second grade, Mount Vernon Elementary
Brent Mixon, physical education/activities, Kern Valley High
Dana Morataya, sixth grade, Edison Middle
Maira Munoz, Second grade, Planz Elementary
Nicole Negron, seventh-grade English, literacy leadership and video production, Sierra Middle
Jenna Odlin, theater, East Bakersfield High
Cara Parker, special education (math), Bakersfield High
Karen Pease, kindergarten through second-grade special education
Maria Pfeifle, third grade, Virginia Avenue Elementary
Carol Polston, first grade, Kernville Elementary
C.J. Pope, drama, Stockdale High
Teresa Rimmer, sixth grade, Voorhies Elementary
Sylvia Rios-Mendoza, kindergarten, Terrace Elementary
Shelly Robinson, second-grade dual immersion, Lamont Elementary
Socorro Robles, third grade, Horizon Elementary
Nicole Rodriguez, science and AVID, West High
Tyrel “Ty” Rose, 10-12th-grade history and government, Foothill High
Dana Ross, world history, North High
Kathy Rowland, ninth-grade GATE English and English Language AP, Mira Monte High
Yesina Sabala, fourth grade, Semitropic School
Lisa Smith, second grade, Norris Elementary
Heidi Sullivan, first grade, Elk Hills Elementary
Dana Thompson, first- and second-grade combination, Buttonwillow School
James Willey, Spanish and CTE biomedical sciences, Shafter High
Bob Williams, fourth grade, Harvest Elementary
The Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office has named three Teachers of the Year and honored 54 educators who stand out among the community’s more than 15,000 professionals.
challenges
“These teachers are truly incredible. Their commitment to service and helping students learn and grow academically as well as emotionally contributed to this year’s selection process, which was unique for all involved,” said Malaika Bryant, Director, Educator Development & Data Support in reference to the COVID-19 pandemic that unexpectedly cut California’s 2019-2020 school year short. “They are thinking about that balance all the time. Everything they do is through that lens. All 54 honorees are very dedicated to their students. They strive to meet children where they are and help them develop to the next level.”
Technology has occupied a more important role than usual this school year as a distance learning platform and a solution for continued connectedness despite quarantine restrictions.
“All three Teachers of the Year pivoted beautifully in this distance learning environment,” said Bryant. “They were innovative in their own way and said ‘How can I go beyond the curriculum handed to me, because I see that my students need more than the baseline, so I can meet them where they are and take them to that next level.’”
About the honor and its
selection process
According to the Office of the Superintendent’s website, the program “is designed to highlight educational innovation, student learning and the rewards of teaching. Each district is encouraged to hold its own district-wide selection process and forward nominations to the county office.”
The
Teacher of the Year selection process is to:
• Spotlight local excellence in education.
• Provide each district the opportunity to recognize, honor and celebrate selected individuals who demonstrate the qualities and characteristics of an exemplary teacher.
• Provide eligible district nominees the opportunity to submit an application and be recognized as the Kern County Teacher of the Year.
• Provide the Kern County Teacher of the Year finalists the opportunity to represent Kern County in the 2021 California Teacher of the Year event.
All nominees must have completed eight or more years of teaching, be employed full time, with teaching as the primary responsibility, and demonstrate leadership and innovation in and outside of the classroom walls that embodies lifelong learning.
“All three Teachers of the Year pivoted beautifully in this distance learning environment,” said Bryant. “They were innovative in their own way and said ‘How can I go beyond the curriculum handed to me, because I see that my students need more than the baseline, so I can meet them where they are and take them to that next level.’”
Out of the 54 district honorees, a portion submitted the official documentation required for the competitive application process for Teacher of the Year, including essays, answers to prompts and a resume, in addition to an interview. Two out of the three will go on to represent Kern County at the state level, a number based on population.
“This year, we were very intentional about doing a Zoom interview and asking about how teachers have stepped up in light of the COVID situation and evolved in response to this current distance learning environment because that’s something no one had experienced before. We asked what’s similar, what’s different, what they will continue to do and what they will do differently,” said Bryant, who described nominees’ answers as “wise” and “creative.”
Honoring Kern County’s teachers
Instead of an in-person celebration at the Bakersfield Museum of Art, teachers were featured in a series of videos broadcast on Kern Educational Television Network (KETN), Spectrum Channel 15 and on the district’s social media channels.
All 54 honorees received certificates and desktop awards. The three Teachers of the Year received cash prizes and celebratory yard signs as well. At the time of this interview, Bryant was driving to deliver gift bags as well.
Third grade teacher Wajeha Chaudhry of Loudon Elementary, seventh grade English teacher Nicole Negron of Sierra Middle School and eighth grade History/Social Studies teacher Joseph Andreotti are Kern County’s Teachers of the Year.
They can now move forward and apply for the same honor at the state level.
Each answered three important questions for us.
Q. What does this honor mean to you and why?
Chaudhry:I am extremely proud to be the first Pakistani Teacher of the Year finalist for Kern County. I also learned at the district board meeting that I am the first teacher from my school district (PBVUSD) to make it as a county finalist. This honor is important to me because it recognizes what many teachers do every single day. It honors teachers who go above and beyond to do what they can for their students. It is a wonderful feeling to be among many amazing teachers. I grew up with the kindest and most loving teachers in my family. My mom and maternal grandparents were professors in Pakistan. I learned so much from them and try to apply that to my daily practice. I feel that this honor belongs to them as much as it does to me. Teaching is a team effort. Many people working together and learning from one another allows us to give our best to our students. I love what I do and many times the profession of teaching is not one that people think of as a dream job, but to me, it is exactly that. I have wanted to teach since I was a young girl and I get to live out my dream every single school day.
Negron: It means a lot because it represents all of the hard work that has gone into what I’ve been doing and also the successes my students have had. This award shines a spotlight on what they’ve done, the struggles and obstacles they’ve overcome. The kids I’m working with now often come from backgrounds of poverty and adversity and a lot of them struggle with trusting people, including adults in particular. They may struggle to trust teachers and know we have their welfare and their interests at the forefront. We work for that at Sierra. We want them to be healthy and to be safe. Yes, we’re there to learn but also want them to know we want them to be taken care of and this award recognizes that we work for all students’ needs. Working with kids in the classroom is where my heart is.
Andreotti: Being chosen as the Lakeside Union School District’s Teacher of the Year and one of the Kern County Teachers of the Year are both amazing honors. These honors remind me of how lucky I am to be able to teach such inspiring students year after year, and how none of it would be possible without the support of their families, my fellow staff members and administration, my own former teachers, and from my amazing wife.
Q. What would you like families to know about public education in Kern County?
Chaudhry: Public education works and it works even better
when we all work together to do what's best for the kids. The teachers in Kern County, and all over the country, work hard to meet the needs of each student.
Negron:Regardless of politics and what they hear in the news, teachers aren’t in it for the money or to try to get a higher paycheck. We’re in it for the kids. We teach them to advocate for themselves and think positively and not to respond to situations with physical violence. We see challenges for families in our district and, in a way, their kids do become our kids. We worry about them, we want to know that they are safe, and we are still trying to keep a line of communication open and pursue distance learning. We are not on a break from learning. This is not a happy time or a relaxing time. We never got to say the proper goodbyes to our students and some of that is especially painful because of graduation and boundary changes. The situation took away those opportunities for closure. Just know that we care about your children.
Andreotti: Public education not only provides our students with academic learning in a variety of subjects, it empowers them with the opportunity to meet people from various ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds which helps them become more accepting, understanding, and empathetic of the world around them. They learn how to collaborate with other students that possess diverse abilities in a variety of situations that take place in our classrooms, in our athletic programs, in our theater and music programs, and on our playgrounds. They gain access to teachers and support staff who want nothing more than to see all of them succeed academically and socially.
Q. If you could offer one tip for learning over the summer, what would that be?
Chaudhry: My one tip for learning over the summer is for students to read and work on the summer packets (provided by your school) with an adult, when possible.
Negron: My best advice is keep it simple. Don’t overwork or overstress. Just have your kids read. Read anything. Read everything. Read what you like at any level. If you wanted to have your kids get better at basketball or baseball or soccer, you’d have them practice. It’s the same approach. Just reviewing basic math facts and get faster and faster at those can have an effect because those foundational skills serve them better in higher math.
Andreotti:Summer vacation can serve as a great time for our students to develop social skills by participating in activities such as sports programs, attending a summer camp or just by getting the opportunity to spend more time with friends and family. It can also provide additional time to review concepts or improve in an academic area before moving on to the next grade level. I suggest keeping it fun and collaborative. My students love playing Kahoot and Quizlet. A family could read a book together, watch the accompanying Movie, and then create a Kahoot or Quizlet together as a family to test comprehension. Learning and creating something together will encourage discussion and allow for both parents and children to teach and learn from each other.
Today, our students have access to vast amounts of educational tools online. I would also suggest having students explore the Google Music Lab. It is a free online program that teaches students and adults how to create their own music that can be shared with others. It is simple, rewarding, and my students absolutely love it. If your children love video games, then I suggest having them play the Oregon Trail game. We all remember playing this back in the 1980’s and early 90’s. It still exists, believe it or not, and it is another resource I use in my classroom. The game requires students to read, comprehend, and use math skills.
Ms. Chaudhry has provided commentary in the past with reference to her YouTube channel, Chaudhry’s Champions. We asked her one additional question:
Q. The 2019-2020 school year was an unusual one. Many teachers made use of technology to finish the year but we know you were involved with YouTube long before it became an everyday presence in families' homes as a teaching tool. What do you want families to know about the role of technology in education?
TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Verna Alejo, sixth grade, Pond School
Joseph Andreotti, eighth-grade history/social science, Lakeside School
Rebecca Baker, K-6th grade music, Charles H. Castle Elementary
Marcy Billdt, third grade, Highland Elementary
Patrice Bird, seventh-grade history, Freedom Middle
Lisa Borrecco, 9-12th-grade English, Taft Union High
Ellen Brockelsby, seventh-grade English, Jacobsen Middle
Darren Buckey, 9-12th-grade special education, Golden Valley High
Deanna Calley, fifth grade, Wayside Elementary
Summer Campbell, sixth grade, South Fork School
Jennifer Castillo, first grade, Palla Elementary
Wajeha Chaudhry, third grade, Loudon Elementary
Jennifer Ciaccio, English, California City High
Donna Cisneros, third grade, Rosamond Elementary
Yolanda “Lonnie” Edgmon, fourth- through eighth-grade social studies and physical education, Rio Bravo-Greeley School
Suzie Ferralli, geometry, GATE geometry and advanced algebra, Centennial High
Bobbie French, independent studies, West Kern Community
Alex Gonzales, ninth- through 12th-grade English, Cesar E. Chavez High
Anthony Gonzales, K-6th grade physical education, Castle Elementary
Carolina Grant, first grade, James A. Forrest Elementary
Kaley Hawkins, Health Careers Academy (science), Arvin High
Cynthia Inman, Frontier High
Stephanie Juve, kindergarten, Branch Elementary
Valaree Kincaid, teacher/librarian, Ridgeview High
Albert Kumpel, social studies and Criminal Justice Academy coordinator, South High
Sonia Martinez, first grade, Bear Mountain Elementary
Victoria Martinez, AP calculus and math analysis, Highland High
Amanda Mehciz, Kindergarten, Casa Loma Elementary
Ines Mendoza, math, Thompson Junior High
Kimberly Minter, second grade, Mount Vernon Elementary
Brent Mixon, physical education/activities, Kern Valley High
Dana Morataya, sixth grade, Edison Middle
Maira Munoz, Second grade, Planz Elementary
Nicole Negron, seventh-grade English, literacy leadership and video production, Sierra Middle
Jenna Odlin, theater, East Bakersfield High
Cara Parker, special education (math), Bakersfield High
Karen Pease, kindergarten through second-grade special education
Maria Pfeifle, third grade, Virginia Avenue Elementary
Carol Polston, first grade, Kernville Elementary
C.J. Pope, drama, Stockdale High
Teresa Rimmer, sixth grade, Voorhies Elementary
Sylvia Rios-Mendoza, kindergarten, Terrace Elementary
Shelly Robinson, second-grade dual immersion, Lamont Elementary
Socorro Robles, third grade, Horizon Elementary
Nicole Rodriguez, science and AVID, West High
Tyrel “Ty” Rose, 10-12th-grade history and government, Foothill High
Dana Ross, world history, North High
Kathy Rowland, ninth-grade GATE English and English Language AP, Mira Monte High
Yesina Sabala, fourth grade, Semitropic School
Lisa Smith, second grade, Norris Elementary
Heidi Sullivan, first grade, Elk Hills Elementary
Dana Thompson, first- and second-grade combination, Buttonwillow School
James Willey, Spanish and CTE biomedical sciences, Shafter High
Bob Williams, fourth grade, Harvest Elementary
