News Release

May 23, 2008

Teachers Network celebrates outstanding teachers

Crystal Apple Awards, instructional strategy teams, and curriculum grants were awarded as the Teachers Network celebrated its 24th year of recognizing and sharing outstanding teaching ideas at a gala Education Celebration. It was held at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott in Buellton on Thursday, May 22 sponsored by the Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO).

Instructional Strategy Teams work together to develop effective teaching strategies for raising student achievement. These teams include nine teachers throughout the county. Their names are attached.

The Venoco, Inc. Crystal Apple Educator Awards were given in five categories in North and South County:

North County:
Elementary Teacher: Rosa Garcia, Mary Buren School, Guadalupe Union School District
Secondary Teacher: Elaine Furst, Lakeview Jr. High, Orcutt Union School District
Certificated Support Provider: Sue Smith, Peter B. FitzGerald Community School, SBCEO Juvenile Court and Community Schools
Administrator: Janet Bertoldi, Alice Shaw Elementary, Orcutt Union School District
Classified Employee: Linda M. Marshall, La Honda Elementary, Lompoc Unified School District

South County:
Elementary Teacher: Wendy Kanter, Santa Barbara Charter Elementary School, Santa Barbara School District
Secondary Teacher: Amir Abo-Shaeer, Dos Pueblos High School, Santa Barbara School District
Certificated Support Provider: Bonnie Barber, Dos Pueblos High School, Santa Barbara School District
Administrator: Nancy Knight, Kellogg School, Goleta Union School District
Classified Employee: Kenneth Kuroda, Los Prietos Boys Camp, SBCEO Juvenile Court and Community Schools

Many other teachers were honored. See below for geographical breakouts of the following: Four Santa Barbara County teachers were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments in cutting-edge action research and educational leadership. These four teachers are all Teachers Network Leadership Institute MetLife Fellows: Carlos Cohen, San Marcos High School, Santa Barbara School District; Mary Post, Foothill School, Goleta Union School District; Kristen Lewis, Lompoc High School, Lompoc Unified School District; Kristin Anderson, Maple High School, Lompoc Unified School District; Linda Edwards, Cold Spring School, Cold Spring School District; Sandra Robertson, Santa Barbara Jr. High, Santa Barbara School District; Kristen Burke, Taylor Elementary, Santa Maria-Bonita School District.

QAD TeachNet Technology grants were also given to Sarah Anderson, Carpinteria Middle School, Carpinteria Unified School District; Linnie Aikens Avila, Peabody Charter School, Santa Barbara School District; Jeff Foote, McKenzie Junior High School, Guadalupe Union School District; Cheryl Spence, Benjamin Foxen School, Blochman Union School District; Vicki Mitchell, Benjamin Foxen School, Blochman Union School District; Christian Garfield, Cold Spring School, Cold Spring School District; Kim Miller, Goleta Valley Jr. High, Santa Barbara School District; Victoria Blossom, Crestview School, Lompoc Unified School District; Alyssa Gies, Ontiveros Elementary, Santa Maria-Bonita School District; Lydia Morrow, Crestview School, Lompoc Unified School District.

Marvyn Melvin Career Technical Educator Awards, cosponsored by Frank Schipper Construction and Tradart, went this year to Ronald Fenenga, Santa Ynez High School and Marcene Newman, San Marcos High School.

The Teachers Network is designed to recognize and share outstanding teaching ideas that Santa Barbara County’s teachers have developed. It also provides opportunities for its teacher members to enhance teacher leadership skills for schoolwide reform. It is part of a national program with more than 30,000 teacher members. Business partners provide the funding, through this cost-effective program for teacher grants, teacher attendance at recognition events, and the annual Curriculum Catalog. The Santa Barbara County Education Office provides funding for day-to-day operation of the program.

Further information is available from Petti M. Pfau at the Santa Barbara County Education Office, 964-4711, ext. 5281.

2008 Education Celebration
Teachers honored by region
Geographical breakouts

(North County)

Venoco, Inc. Crystal Apple Educator Awards

Elementary Teacher: Rosa Garcia, Mary Buren School, Guadalupe Union School District
Secondary Teacher: Elaine Furst, Lakeview Jr. High, Orcutt Union School District
Certificated Support Provider: Sue Smith, Peter B. FitzGerald Community School, SBCEO Juvenile Court and Community Schools
Administrator: Janet Bertoldi, Alice Shaw Elementary, Orcutt Union School District
Classified Employee: Linda M. Marshall, La Honda Elementary, Lompoc Unified School District

Instructional Strategy Teams
(Team coaches are in bold)

Strengthening Story Comprehension with Fine Arts

Linda Sharpe	Alvin Elementary	Santa Maria-Bonita
Diane Shaffer	Alvin Elementary	Santa Maria-Bonita
Aleha Larsen	El Camino Jr. High	Santa Maria-Bonita
Charlene Baczkiewicz	Bonita Elementary	Santa Maria-Bonita

Spiraling through Houghton Mifflin

Nicole Brady-Barton	Ontiveros Elementary	Santa Maria-Bonita
Therese Brady	Ontiveros Elementary	Santa Maria-Bonita
Linda Lopez Corley	Ontiveros Elementary	Santa Maria-Bonita

Relay Racing to Success

Shawn Tracht	Righetti High	Santa Maria Jt. Union
Debbie Guidotti	Mary Buren McKenzie Jr. High	Guadalupe Union

QAD TeachNet Technology Grants

Innovator Grant

Tori Blossom	Crestview School	Lompoc Unified
Jeff Foote	McKenzie Jr. High	Guadalupe Union

Ready-Set-Tech Grant

Alyssa Gies	Ontiveros Elementary	Santa Maria-Bonita
Lydia Morrow	Crestview School	Lompoc Unified
Tori Blossom	Crestview School	Lompoc Unified

Teachers Network Leadership Institute (TNLI) MetLife Fellows

Kristen Lewis	Lompoc High	Lompoc Unified
Kristin Anderson	Maple High	Lompoc Unified
Kristen Burke	Taylor Elementary	Santa Maria-Bonita

(Santa Ynez Valley)

Marvyn Melvin Career Technical Educator Awards
Ronald “Chip” Fenenga – Santa Ynez High

QAD TeachNet Technology Grants

Innovator Grant

Cheryl Spence and
Vicki Mitchell

Benjamin Foxen School

Blochman Union

(South County)

Venoco, Inc. Crystal Apple Educator Awards

Elementary Teacher: Wendy Kanter, Santa Barbara Charter Elementary School, Santa Barbara Elementary School District
Secondary Teacher: Amir Abo-Shaeer, Dos Pueblos High School, Santa Barbara High School District
Certificated Support Provider: Bonnie Barber, Dos Pueblos High School, Santa Barbara High School District
Administrator: Nancy Knight, Kellogg School, Goleta Union School District
Classified Employee: Kenneth Kuroda, Los Prietos Boys Camp, SBCEO Juvenile Court and Community Schools

Marvyn Melvin Career Technical Educator Awards
Marcene Newman, San Marcos High, Santa Barbara High School District

QAD TeachNet Technology Grants

Innovator Grant

Linnie Aikens Avila	Peabody Charter School	Santa Barbara Elem.
Christian Garfield	Cold Spring School	Cold Spring
Kim Miller	Goleta Valley Jr. High	Santa Barbara High

Ready-Set-Tech Grant

Sarah Anderson	Canalino Elementary	Carpinteria Unified
Kim Miller	Goleta Valley Jr. High	Santa Barbara High

Teachers Network Leadership Institute (TNLI) MetLife Fellows

Carlos Cohen	San Marcos High	Santa Barbara High
Mary Post	Foothill Elementary	Goleta Union
Linda Edwards	Cold Spring School	Cold Spring
Sandra Robertson	Santa Barbara Jr. High	Santa Barbara High