November 17, 2005
State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Names Five
Educators as California Teachers of the Year for 2006
O'Connell also nominates Fullerton teacher for National Teacher of the Year
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today named five extraordinary educators as California Teachers of the Year for 2006. Of these five, O'Connell nominated one to compete for the National Teacher of the Year honor. Also, for the second time in two years, one of the state winners is from a continuation high school.
Diana Barnhart of San Luis Obispo teaches science at Los Osos Middle School, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, San Luis Obispo County. Denis Cruz of Fullerton serves as a literacy coach in Katherine Edwards Middle School, Whittier City Elementary School District, Los Angeles County. Kenneth Dyar of Delano teaches physical education at Cecil Avenue Middle School, Delano Union Elementary School District, Kern County. Kelly Jean Hanock of Castaic teaches English-language arts at James Monroe High School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County. Shelbi J. Wilson of Colton teaches English and other subjects in the Teen Mother Program at Abraham Lincoln Continuation High School, Riverside Unified School District, Riverside County.
"All 305,000 teachers in the state deserve praise for all their hard work this past year in helping our students make gains toward meeting their academic growth targets in nearly every subject and grade level," said O'Connell. "The choice was very difficult, but the five educators I am naming California Teachers of the Year exhibited such extraordinary joy in teaching that their students loved learning from them. They set a wonderful example that I hope will draw more highly qualified teachers into this field."
O'Connell is nominating Cruz to represent California in the National Teacher of the Year competition because of his broad experience in elementary and middle school levels. He implemented a social skills program in response to incidences of aggressive behavior on campus. The winner will be selected in the spring by a panel convened by the Council of Chief State School Officers. All candidates for the National Teacher of the Year program will be honored at a White House ceremony.
"Denis Cruz's passion for teaching was quite evident in his application," added O'Connell. "He said teaching is the ‘greatest profession on the planet.' When he taught his first lesson, he described it as ‘magical.' His motto is to ‘never, ever, give up' on a student. He believes his students are his rewards for teaching."
"Kelly Jean Hanock treats education like a journey with her students. She found when her students learn to combine their courage, heart, and mind, they can then succeed and feel personal fulfillment. She feels teaching is an honor and even though she contributes to their education, she feels their contribution to her is even greater.
"Kenneth Dyar understands the crucial link between a child's health and ability to learn. That is, when kids eat well, exercise, and feel good about themselves, they will do much better academically. As a child, he suffered a traumatic head injury that required several surgeries. During his recovery, he came to appreciate how teachers positively affect children's lives and that became the basis for his desire to become a teacher.
"Diana Barnhart explains when her students learn, she feels such great joy that I'm sure they can sense the passion she feels for her job. She says her students don't just study science, they do science. She considers teaching a wonderful personal and professional journey."
For the second time in two years, one of the winning teachers is from an alternative school. Shelbi Wilson works at Abraham Lincoln Continuation High School. These type of programs are designed to meet the needs of students deemed at high risk of not completing their education by offering them more flexible schedules and emphasizing vocational or career goals.
"Shelbi Wilson brings great compassion to her job that's especially essential when working with students who are at risk of not completing their education," said O'Connell. "Her students face many challenges. Nonetheless, she insists on treating each one like potential Harvard graduate, knowing that if you have high expectations of a child, the student will meet the challenge."
The California Teachers of the Year program began in 1972 to pay tribute to the state's educators, the growing complexity of challenges that confront California's schools, and the need to promote collaboration among teachers to meet those challenges.
California continues to face a critical teacher shortage. The program plays a pivotal role in drawing new people into the field. The Superintendent selects five people each year who will best represent California's teachers and symbolize the profession's contributions to quality education by focusing public attention on noteworthy accomplishments of teachers.
The competition is open to educators who teach pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. County offices of education nominate winners of their regional Teacher of the Year competition. A state selection committee reviews the candidates' applications and conducts site visits to evaluate the teachers' rapport with students, classroom environment, presentation skills, use of teaching methods, among other criteria. Following interviews held in Sacramento, the State Superintendent then selects the awardees. They will be honored at a dinner January 10, 2006 in Sacramento made possible by donations from corporate sponsors. For more information about past award winners, please visit California Teachers of the Year.
