top of page

West Sonoma County Teacher of the Year Award

 

Teacher of the Year Awards

 

The Sebastopol Rotary Education Foundation, a tax-exempt 501c3 charity, has been recognizing outstanding teachers since 2007 with a cash award and a luncheon banquet in their honor. Beginning in 2019-20, SREF honors one teacher of the year in each of these categories:

  • New Teacher

  • Innovative/Collaborative Teacher(s)

  • ​Career Service Teacher

Our 2023 Teacher of the Year Award Winners

 

Jeanne and Mia.jpg
Britt #1.jpg
Allie Brown #1.jpg
kids reading.jpg

2022-2023 Awards

West Sonoma County Teacher of the Year Awards

 

The Sebastopol Rotary Education Foundation funds the Teacher of the Year Awards.

 

The goal of these awards is to recognize the skills and dedication of West County teachers who engage our children and provide the kind of education experience that will be the foundation for a productive and happy life.

 

Starting in 2020, we changed our selection criteria.  There are now three awards:

 

  • New Teacher (5 years or less of teaching experience)

  • Innovative/Collaborative Teacher(s) 

  • Career Service Teacher (more than 5 years of teaching experience)

 

Each year the Education Foundation asks parents, teachers, administrators, students, and community members associated with every elementary and secondary school in West County to nominate teachers who have had a great career, who have shown promise in their first three years in the profession and who have championed innovations that have improved instruction or school life.

 

The winners were:

 

  • Career Service Teacher of the Year: Allie Brown.  Allie has taught for 14 years, the last 10 years at Gravenstein Elementary School teaching 4th grade.  Her kindness, compassion, creativity and dedication shine through in everything she does.  She works tirelessly to create an amazing experience for each year's class.  

  • Career Service Teacher of the Year: Jeanne Guerinoni.  Jeanne has spent her entire 28 teaching career at Apple Blossom Elementary School.  She goes above and beyond to create a classroom environment that is inclusive, welcoming and engaging.  Her teaching style is creative, innovative and effective.

 

  • New Teacher of the Year: Casey Jones.  Casey has spent his last 4 years teaching Band at Analy High School.  While Casey shows great expertise directing the Analy Band Program, it's actually his open and warm personality that connects so well with the students and the staff on a whole.  

 

  • Innovative Teacher of the Year:  Britt Machado.  Britt is in her 5th year of teaching math at Brook Haven Middle School.  Students are welcomed into the classroom as mathematicians from the get-go.  Britt features artwork depicting how math can be found everywhere, as well as words to change from a negative mindset, to a growth mindset about math.

Each winner of the awards receive $1000 for their personal use.  In addition, all of the teachers had two separate recognitions: First, they were surprised by Foundation members who came to school to surprise the winners with the announcement of their award.  Then, all the winners came to a Rotary Club meeting where they were introduced and praised by both members of the awards committee and their principal.

 

A special thank you to all who took the time to submit a nomination, including those of you who are involved in and support the education of our youth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Left to right: Allie Brown: Career Teacher of the Year, Casey Jones: New Teacher of the Year, Britt Machado: Innovative Teacher of the Year and Jeanne Guerinoni: Career Teacher of the Year.

Rotary 1.jpg

 

 

2022-2023

Jeanne Guerinoni, Career Service Teacher, Apple Blossom Elementary School

Allie Brown, Career Service Teacher, Gravenstein Elemenary 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

 

2019-2020

Mary Jo Kinser, Career Service Teacher, Pleasant Hill Christian School

Joe Maloney, Innovate Teacher, Laguna High School

Sydnee Mardell, New Teacher, Twin Hills Charter Middle School

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

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

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

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

2014-2015

​Sunny Galbraith, Orchard View School
Greg Corby, Brook Haven School
Mike Roan, El Molino High School
Sonoma West Times Article

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

2012-2013

Andy DelMonte, Choir, Analy High School
John Thomas, English, El Molino High School

2011-2012

Gianna De Persis Vona, English, Laguna High School
Rachel Lasek, Math, El Molino High School

2009-2010

Joe Compagno, Science, Analy High School
Vance Regan, Instrumental Music, Analy High School

​2008-2009

Bill Olzman, Social Studies/English, El Molino High School
Lynette Williamson, English/Rhetoric, Analy High School

2007-2008

John Grech, Social Studies, El Molino High School
Cathy Wiese, Special Eduaction, Analy High School

bottom of page