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Two teachers were named 2003-04 Santa Barbara County Distinguished
Educators at a recent meeting of the county board of education. Alfonso
Gonzalez, a Spanish teacher at Santa Ynez Valley High School for 18
years, and Suzanne Dempsay Squires, a seventh and eighth grade teacher
at Los Olivos School for seven years, earned the countywide honors
in June.
These two exceptional teachers were selected as representatives of
the scores and scores of outstanding educators throughout Santa Barbara
County, north and south. The announcement was made one month after
Peggy Lubchenco, a science teacher at La Colina Junior High School
in Santa Barbara, was named the county’s Teacher of the Year.
Gonzalez and Dempsay Squires represent what is best in our profession.
We created the Distinguished Educators award as a means of paying tribute
to the successes and the dedication the truly outstanding teachers
display every day.
Gonzalez, a Spanish teacher at Santa Ynez Valley High School, was born
in Mexico and educated there and in the U.S. He graduated from Humboldt
State University with a B.S. in business administration, with a concentration
in accounting and a minor in ethnic studies. He obtained his teaching
credential in business from Humboldt as well.
He began teaching at Santa Ynez High School as a temporary business
teacher and three years later passed the National Teacher’s Examination
and became qualified to teach Spanish. He was also the advisor to Future
Business Leaders of America. He has taught virtually all levels of
Spanish at the high school: Spanish I, II, II, Honors Spanish III,
Advanced Placement Spanish Literature, Beginning Spanish for Spanish
Speakers and Advance Spanish Speakers. He is a member of the California
Association of Counselors and is completing his master’s degree
in school counseling and a personnel services credential. He has served
as foreign language department head and has been involved with the
WASC accreditation committee.
He also served as a Fulbright Fellow in Chile.
Gonzalez has been very involved with La Purisima Catholic Church and
with the Organization of Latinos & Americans Club, planning at
least two educational field trips every year including one to a four-year
university and one to a community college. He started International
Week at the school 10 years ago.
Dempsay Squires, a seventh and eighth grade teacher of science, agriculture,
physical education, computers, and art at Los Olivos School, received
her B.S. from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She began a zookeeping career
raising penguins and eagles at the San Francisco Zoo, and then worked
for Marineworld Africa USA and Happy Hollow Zoo in San Jose. She subsequently
worked as an agricultural biologist for the County of Santa Barbara.
After graduating from Chapman University she began teaching at Los
Olivos School in the summer of 1996, serving on the technology committee,
the negotiating team, and the BEST (discipline) team, as well as the
Distinguished School Committee. She has also coached volleyball for
several years.
She has now added a biology credential, CLAD certificate, and CTAP
Proficiency Level 2 to her credentials.
Grants she has written have totaled more than $68,000. She has also
presented seminars and workshops on marine biology, computer technology
in the classroom, life sciences, and earth sciences.
Her community involvement involves her roles as wife, mother, and teacher.
She has been a Girl Scout Leader, has assisted the swim team and helped
run water polo matches. She has taken part in PTSA events at a wide
range of schools and has been involved with fund-raising as well. She
has organized field trips to Martha’s Vineyard, Yosemite, Figueroa
Mountain, Sedgwick Ranch Reserve, Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, and local
Santa Barbara beaches.
She also volunteers as a guest speaker for student teacher classes
at UCSB.
Clearly, these two Distinguished Educators represent what is best in
the teaching profession — dedication, excellence, and commitment
to children. We are proud to have them represent Santa Barbara County.
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