Teacher of the Year

Antelope Valley Union High School District
Teacher of the Year

The AVUHSD District participates in the Teacher of the Year Program. A teacher is selected from each school site as a Site Teacher of the Year. From this group, a teacher is chosen as the AVUHSD Teacher of the Year. The AVUHSD Teacher of the Year will participate further at the Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year Program. Recipients of the Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year Award proceed to State and National competition levels.

2008 AVUHSD Teacher of the Year is Michael McCullough from Palmdale High School
(Press: To arrange classroom visit, contact Palmdale High School Principal Tom Grady (661)273-3181. Note: Last day May 30, 2008)

Site Level Recipients
Sue Strom Antelope Valley HS
Jeremy Kriss Eastside HS
Major Conrad Hernandez Highland HS
William Lewis Knight HS
Kiley Craft Site Lancaster HS
Ramona Blanski Littlerock HS
Michael McCullough Palmdale HS
Carmelina Rocca Quartz Hill HS
Tom St. George Desert Winds HS

Nomination Period for 2008 is closed. Will reopen February 2009. Actual recipients of awards are announced at the annual Employee Recognition Ceremony. Please keep in mind that NOT ALL nominees can be chosen for an award. The volunteer voting committees are comprised of fellow teachers who have the difficult decision of selecting the award recipients from all of the outstanding nominees. To assist the committees, please be sure to include specific examples, stories, and background materials that fully support the reasoning for the nomination. Blank and unsigned forms, or forms without supporting documentation or explanation are difficult to consider and weigh against those that are complete and list full background and supporting information.

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Last Year's 2007 Teacher of the Year:
Eric Herman from Highland High School
(photo at right)

Congratulations to all our 2007 Site Level Teachers of the Year!
Antelope Valley HS John Crocker
Eastside HS Tom Hixon
Highland HS Eric Herman
Knight HS Linda Fabela
Littlerock HS Debra Earle
Lancaster HS Gavin McElroy
Palmdale HS Meta/Garry Phelps
Quartz Hill Pat Reed - RRex Parris/Alt Sites Chris Ferguson

2006 Teacher of the Year: Kathleen Astourian from Antelope Valley High School
2006 Site Teachers of the Year:
Matthew Fitzgerald Eastside HS
Brian Guthrie Highland HS
Nikki Gordon Knight HS
Thomas Shepardson Lancaster HS
Matthew Winheim Littlerock HS
Rose Gillissen Palmdale HS
John McQuilkin Quartz Hill HS
Tami Brumwell Alternative Ed Sites/R. Rex Parris HS

2005 Teacher of the Year: Ms. Michele Smith-Davis
Charles Slay Site Teacher of the Year Antelope Valley HS
Deborah Lindaman Site Teacher of the Year Highland HS
Lloyd Doster Site Teacher of the Year Littlerock HS
James Carlson Site Teacher of the Year Lancaster HS
Matthew Tassinari Site Teacher of the Year Palmdale HS
Susan Black-Errkila Site Teacher of the Year Quartz Hill HS
Sherry Gorman Site Teacher of the Year Knight HS
Michele Smith-Davis Site Teacher of the Year Alternative Ed sites/DWHSThe Nomination period for 2005 is closed. Nominations will re-open in February 2006. Recipients of awards were announced at the annual Employee Recognition Ceremony, May 5, 2005 at Littlerock High School. Please keep in mind that not all nominees can be chosen for an award. The volunteer voting committees are comprised of fellow teachers who have the difficult decision of selecting the award recipients from all of the outstanding nominees. To assist the committees, please be sure to include specific examples, stories, and background materials that fully support the reasoning for the nomination. Blank and unsigned forms, or forms without supporting documentation or explanation are difficult to consider and weigh against those that are complete and list full background and supporting information. Teacher of the Year Nomination Form (PDF Adobe Acrobat format)
Teacher of the Year Nomination Form ("e" version)

Congratulations to 2004 Teacher of the Year:
Mr. Michael Young, HIghland High SchoolBetty Carter, Site Teacher of the Year Antelope Valley High School
Michael Young, Site Teacher of the Year Highland High School
Joanne Haynes, Site Teacher of the Year Littlerock High School
Susan Ennis, Site Teacher of the Year Lancaster High School
Kelly Kriss Site, Teacher of the Year Palmdale High School
Tim House Site, Teacher of the Year Quartz Hill High School
Elvis Sersea Site, Teacher of the Year Knight High School
Karen Harrell Site, Teacher of the Year Alt Ed/Desert Winds High School - West Valley Campus
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2003 Teacher of the Year: Ms Jamie Goodreau

Excerpt from nomination form(s) written by faculty and staff on behalf of Ms. Jamie Goodreau, History Teacher, Lancaster High School, for consideration of Teacher of the Year. Ms. Goodreau was selected in May 2003 by the Teacher of the Year Committee as the Antelope Valley Union High School District’s 2003 Teacher of the Year."If you spend much time on the campus of Lancaster High School it is difficult to not be aware of the impact Jamie Goodreau has. As a teacher her sense of compassion, intensity, and drive shows through to the students and her peers. Along with classroom instruction, students develop their individual strengths through hands-on projects and activities. She has put on plays such as South Pacific wherein the play was used to expand the history curriculum through artwork, fund raising, and after the play students offered a refreshment hour to pay tribute to local veterans with applause, small gifts, and snacks. Last Year, she coordinated a dinner and dance production at the Chino Air Museum to help raised money to restore a WWII era plane – The Picadilly Lilly. She has honored Veterans on many occasions such as filling the lobby of a local movie theatre during the release of the Pearl Harbor movie with student created displays and had students dress in period costume. Students shared with community members and Veterans in attendance what they had learned.

Back in the classroom all these activities are used to teach the curriculum and increase learning due to the motivational nature and hands-on aspects of such projects. Beyond the instruction and the warm and safe environment of her classroom Mrs. Goodreau reaches out to the community each year to teach her history students beyond the limitation of the textbook. In their own words, students themselves have shared that Ms. Goodreau’s projects have helped to make them better persons, more involved citizens, and have greater caring for the school and themselves.”

Jamie Goodreau of Lancaster High School selected as a Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year...
Jamie Goodreau, the 2003 AVUHSD Teacher of the Year, was selected in September 2003 as one of twelve Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year. A history teacher at Lancaster High School, Ms. Goodreau was nominated and selected by her peers in the Spring of 2003 to represent the Antelope Valley Union High School District at the county level competition. School Districts across LA County submitted a total of 54 teachers for award consideration. During the summer months, the county level panel of judges reviewed a professional biography, including background experience and professional development, in conjunction with a series of essays written by each candidate covering topics such as teaching philosophy, issues and trends in education and community involvement. At the completion of the paper screening process, 20 semifinalists were chosen and further interviewed by the county panel of judges. Ms. Goodreau was chosen as one of twelve 2003 LA County Teachers of the Year. Congratulations to Jamie on her achievement! It is truly an accomplishment to be honored as a County Teacher of the Year. Special thanks go out to Jamie, and all teachers of AVUHSD family for their ongoing dedication to students!
2003 Site Teacher of the Year recipients

Gary	Holt	Antelope Valley High School	Site Teacher of the Year
Chuck	Stoll	DWHS/Alternative Ed Sites	Site Teacher of the Year
John	Johnston	Highland High School	Site Teacher of the Year
Jamie	Goodreau	Lancaster High School	Site Teacher of the Year
Richard	Roe	Littlerock High School	Site Teacher of the Year
Nancy	Allen	Palmdale High School	Site Teacher of the Year
Christine	LeBeau	Quartz Hill High School	Site Teacher of the Year

2002 Teacher of the Year:
Twyla J. Thomas, Quartz Hill High School

Twyla Thomas has been with the Antelope Valley Union High School District for over 30 years. During that time she has been a PE Teacher, Varsity Coach, Health Instructor, mentor teacher, Department Chair for the Behavioral Sciences Department, Professional Development Workshops Presenter, and has served on numerous academic and professional committees, including participation in the district’s Employee Recognition Committee. Twyla has a long standing record of excellence in teaching and dedication to her students and to the district.   For this excellence, she was awarded the District’s Distinguished Service Award in 1988. Since 1971, Twyla has played a fundamental role in the formation of many district programs. Volunteering her after school time, she has gone to lengths to explore and create new avenues to help students learn and grow. For this ongoing dedication to education and contributions, the Teacher of the Year Committee honored Twyla Thomas as the Antelope Valley Union High School District’s 2002 Teacher of the Year.

TwylaThomas at podium accepting award from Board of Trustees President Wilda Andrejcick at May 2002 Ceremony Site Teachers of the Year, 2002
The following individuals were nominated by staff, supervisors or community for outstanding contributions to the district, students or profession. Regardless of outcome, it is an honor to be nominated. Out of all nominations received, site's committee of peers had the difficult task of selecting each to represent their high school site as Site Teachers of the Year for 2002. From this distinguished group of educators, one is selected to represent the entire district as the 2002 Teacher of the Year:

Palmdale High School – Patricia Gilstrap
Highland High School- Mike Young
Antelope Valley High School - Elsa Steidl
Lancaster High School- Dave Rands
Littlerock High School- Lee Syer
Quartz Hill High School –Twyla Thomas
Alt Ed/Desert Winds High School - Cassandra Dumas 2001 Teacher of the Year:
Darwin Ochs, Antelope Valley High School“Mr. Darwin Ochs is a caring and highly competent teacher who has opened the doors of scientific discovery to students of all back grounds. He is highly regarded by his peers and has been an instructional leader on his campus for many years. Thousands of students have had their first taste of rigorous scientific training in Darwin’s classroom. Many of these have gone on to successful and prestigious careers in the many fields that science touches. Darwin was one of the first teachers in the district to fully utilize computer technology in the science classroom. Much of the equipment was purchased with funds that he obtained though his own initiative. He has a broad view of the educational process and his contributions have improved the site and it’s instructional programs. Mr. Ochs is most deserving of carrying the title of “Teacher of the Year”.

Excerpt from nomination form.At May 2001 Ceremony (left to right) Ray Monti, Deputy Superintendent, Darwin Ochs, Dr. Robert Girolamo, Superintendent.

updated 06/26/06 cj