2018 Stanislaus County Teachers of the Year Announced
Posted May 25, 2018
NEWS RELEASE
Date: May 1, 2018
Contact: Cynthia Fenech, Communications Coordinator, 238-1704
2018 Stanislaus County Teachers of the Year Announced
The Modesto Rotary Club and the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) announced the selection of four local educators as 2018 Stanislaus County Teachers of the Year at a Rotary luncheon on May 1. In addition, a Jane Johnston Civility Award was presented to one of the 12 finalists for exemplifying the principles of civility.
Teachers were nominated by their principals and finalists were selected from 79 nominees representing 16 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 semi-finalists before narrowing it down to the 12 finalists.
The 2018 Teachers of the Year are: Angelina Rafatti from La Rosa Elementary School in the Ceres Unified School District – TK-3 division; Gary Carpenter from Agnes Baptist Elementary School in the Stanislaus Union School District – 4-6 division; Leticia A. Rosales from Spratling Middle School in the Keyes Union School District – junior high division; and Ryan Richards from Central Valley High School in the Ceres Unified School District – high school division.
The four selected as Teachers of the Year each received a $1,000 cash award from the Modesto Rotary Club Foundation and a $700 Nasco gift card. Mocse Credit Union also sponsored the event and provided funding for the awards, decorations and lunch for the student entertainers.
The Jane Johnston Civility Award was presented to Eric Chipponeri from Waterford Junior High School in the Waterford Unified School District. The Civility Award is in honor of former SCOE Assistant Superintendent Jane Johnston, who helped launch the county-wide Choose Civility Initiative in 2010 and passed away unexpectedly in April 2012. Johnston was a member of the Modesto Rotary Club, co-chaired the Teacher of the Year Program, and was active with the Education Foundation of Stanislaus County. The Education Foundation once again honored her memory with this award.
The 2018 Teachers of the Year Finalists included:
Elementary (TK-3) Level School District
Crystal Blythe Eisenhut Elementary Stanislaus Union
Katie Long Woodrow Elementary Sylvan Union
Angelina Rafatti La Rosa Elementary Ceres Unified
Elementary (4-6) Level School District
Jon Blanc Cloverland Elementary Oakdale Joint Unified
Gary Carpenter Agnes Baptist Elementary Stanislaus Union
Brenda Castillo Fox Road Elementary Hughson Unified
Middle School Level SCHOOL DISTRICT
Eric Chipponeri Waterford Junior Waterford Unified
Micki Dias Oakdale Middle Oakdale Joint Unified
Leticia A. Rosales Spratling Middle Keyes Union
High School Level SCHOOL DISTRICT
Ann Amador Johansen High Modesto City
Christopher May Downey High Modesto City
Ryan Richards Central Valley High Ceres Unified
This is the 20th year that Modesto Rotary and SCOE have joined efforts to honor teachers in Stanislaus County. The program not only honors local teachers and celebrates excellence in education, but also provides an opportunity for teachers to receive state and national recognition. Two of the four Teachers of the Year will be selected, through an interview process, to represent Stanislaus County in the State Teacher of the Year Program. One state winner then proceeds to the national level.
“It’s an honor to partner with Rotary to recognize these outstanding teachers – each who helps inspire and shape the lives of young students in our county on a daily basis,” said County Superintendent of Schools Tom Changnon.
Sponsors of the Stanislaus County Teacher of the Year program include the Modesto Rotary Club Foundation, Stanislaus County Office of Education, Nasco and Mocse Credit Union.
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