Stanislaus Teacher of the Year down to 12 finalists. Is your teacher one of them?
The Stanislaus County Office of Education and the Modesto Rotary Club are honoring the 12 finalists for teacher of the year and announcing the final four at a May 5 luncheon.
The finalists representing the TK to 3rd grade category are JoAnna Beck from Stockard Coffee Elementary in the Sylvan Union School District, Lindsay Nguyen from Stroud Elementary in the Empire Union School District and Richard Rocha from Bret Harte Elementary in Modesto City Schools District.
The finalists in the 4th to 6th grade category are Tami Compton from Crowell Elementary in the Turlock Unified School District, Carrie Ridenour-Jones from Lakewood Elementary in the Modesto City Schools District and José Robles Guzman from Empire Elementary in the Empire Union School District.
The finalists for the junior high category are Kathleen Borges from Cesar Chavez Junior High in the Ceres Unified School District, Gladys Martinez from Hanshaw Middle in the Modesto City Schools District, Ashlee Sloan from Emilie J. Ross Middle in the Hughson Unified School District.
And, the finalists in the high school category are Keith Bullock from Hughson High in the Hughson Unified School District, Joy Esquibel from Pitman High in the Turlock Unified School District and Aimee Shepherd-Matlock from Modesto High in Modesto City Schools.
A winner will be selected from each category and will receive $1,000. A slew of teachers who were originally nominated by their principals were narrowed down from 85 to 12 by a selection committee. The committee, composed of rotarians and educators, selected the finalists by going through an application screening process and visiting classrooms.
Two teachers will be chosen to represent Stanislaus County at the State Teacher of the Year Program, and one will be selected to represent the county nationally.
“We are honored to join Modesto Rotary in celebrating the exceptional work of educators across Stanislaus County,” County Superintendent of Schools Scott Kuykendall said in the press release. “These educators shape futures by motivating and supporting students to achieve their best. Their passion and dedication set a high standard for education in our region.”
