2024-2025 Teacher of the Year
All West County Teachers are Eligible (Grades - TK-12)
NOMINATION DEADLINE: March 14, 2025
The Sebastopol Rotary Education Foundation seeks nominations for the most outstanding West Sonoma County teachers.
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There are three (3) categories: This year awards will go to four (4) teachers:
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New Teacher
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Innovative/Collaborative Teacher(s) (no more than two (2) teachers for this category)
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Career Service Teacher
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New Teacher Award: We want to honor one new teacher, with five (5) or fewer years in the profession. New teachers often face daunting challenges as they come to grips with the task of actually educating students in the classroom. Too often, their effort is unrecognized. We'd like to correct that so that you have the opportunity to show one of your new teachers how much you respect the effort they are putting in to become a great educator.
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Innovative/Collaborative Teacher(s) Award: The second category honors a teacher(s) who have promoted an innovation or creative approach that has had a material impact on your school or district. We appreciate that between the introduction of new technologies, unexpected challenges, and new obligations, schools are constantly searching for creative solutions that improve the quality of the education they offer to students.
As noted above, we are offering two options for the the Innovative Teacher category: you may nominate an individual teacher, or maximum of two (2) teachers. The nomination form allows both options.
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Career Service Teacher Award: A Career Service Teacher will honor a teacher with more than five (5) years in the teaching profession, has a had a long and valued career in your school or district.
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CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS OF THE SELECTION CRITERIA.
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Nominations closed on Friday, March 14, 2025 at midnight.
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Thank you to all those who took the time to provide a nomination.
2022-2023
Allie Brown, Career Service Teacher, Gravenstein Elementary School
Jeanne Guerinoni, Career Service Teacher, Apple Blossom School
Casey Jones, New Teacher, Analy High School
Britt Machado, Innovative Teacher, Brook Haven Middle School
2021-2022
Sally Briggs, Career Service Teacher, Apple Blossom School
Mei Ibach, New Teacher, West County High School
Andy Del Monte and Walt Hays, Innovative Teachers, West County High School
2020-2021
Sergio Blanco, Career Service Teacher, Hillcrest Middle School
Jennifer Tsurumoto, New Teacher, Parkside & Brook Haven Schools
Kate Crandall, Beth Trivunovic, Kory Van Dyke and Sally Redfern, Innovative Teachers, Gravenstein Elementary School
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2018-2019
Julie Aiello, Kindergarten, Parkside School
Tim Forslund, Social Studies, Analy High School
Amanda Reece, Special Education, West Sonoma County Special Education Consortium
​Sonoma West Times Article
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2017-2018
Jolene Johnson, Dance Teacher, El Molino High School
Karen McKenna, 6th Grade English and History, Twin Hills Middle School
Jeff Stucker, 6th Grade English and History, Brook Haven School
Sonoma West Times Article
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2016-2017
​Kate O'Brien,Kindergarten, Sunridge School
Sara Gramm, 3rd Grade, Parkside School
Adam Alcorn, Special Education, Analy High School
Sonoma West Times Article
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2015-2016
Nicole Ellwood, Special Education Twin Hills Middle School
Katya Robinson, West Sonoma County Special Education Consortium
Walt Hayes, Applied Arts & Technology, Analy High School
​Sonoma West Times Article
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2014-2015
​Sunny Galbraith, Orchard View School
Greg Corby, Brook Haven School
Mike Roan, El Molino High School
Sonoma West Times Article
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2013-2014
Mary Fitch, Physical Sciences, Twin Hills Charter School
Sarah Prosser, 4th Grade, Sun Ridge Waldorf School
Lynn Stewart, English Language Learners, El Molino High School
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2012-2013
Andy DelMonte, Choir, Analy High School
John Thomas, English, El Molino High School
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2011-2012
Gianna De Persis Vona, English, Laguna High School
Rachel Lasek, Math, El Molino High School
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2009-2010
Joe Compagno, Science, Analy High School
Vance Regan, Instrumental Music, Analy High School
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​2008-2009
Bill Olzman, Social Studies/English, El Molino High School
Lynette Williamson, English/Rhetoric, Analy High School
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2007-2008
John Grech, Social Studies, El Molino High School
Cathy Wiese, Special Eduaction, Analy High School
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