2015 top teachers named for Stanislaus County

The Modesto Rotary Club and the Stanislaus County Office of Education named 2015 Stanislaus County Teachers of the Year from among 12 finalists.

The 2015 Teachers of the Year are:

▪ Sarah Curry from Summit Charter School in the Ceres Unified School District for the early grades division;

▪ Andrea Fuentes from Orchard Elementary School in the Sylvan Unified School District for the fourth- through sixth-grade division;

▪ Aimee Hirsch from Mae Hensley School in the Ceres Unified School District for the junior high division;

▪ Helen Aleksani from Waterford High in the Waterford Unified School District for the high school division.

The Jane Johnston Civility Award was presented to Matthew Weinheimer from Hughes Elementary School in the Empire Union School District.

Teachers were nominated by their principal and finalists were selected from 78 nominees representing 17 school districts in Stanislaus County. A selection committee, composed of local Rotarians and educators, narrowed the nominations through a paper screening process and then visited the classrooms of 24 semifinalists before narrowing it down to the 12 finalists.

It is the 17th year for the Stanislaus County program, which honors local teachers and celebrates excellence in education. Two of the four teachers will be selected through an interview process to represent Stanislaus County in the state Teacher of the Year program.

Sponsors of the Stanislaus County Teacher of the Year program include the Modesto Rotary Club Foundation, Education Foundation of Stanislaus County, Stanislaus County Office of Education, Nasco and Mocse Credit Union.

This story was originally published May 11, 2015 at 6:36 AM with the headline "2015 top teachers named for Stanislaus County."