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San Diego Unified recognizes 2018 Teachers of the Year

San Diego Unified recognizes 2018 Teachers of the Year
Posted on 05/10/2018

2018 Teachers of the Year

Georgeanne Gedney, early childhood special education teacher at Linda Vista Elementary, Sara Dickman, dance teacher at CPMA and Lynsey Littlefield, special education teacher/ASB advisor at Mission Bay High School are San Diego Unified's 2018 Teachers of the Year.

The three teachers, along with three Teacher of the Year runners-up and more than 50 site teachers of the year, were honored at the annual Day of the Teacher event held at De Portola Middle School.

Kimberly Allard, science teacher at Vista Grande/Encanto elementary; Jeremiah Labrador, math teacher at De Portola; and Lara Dickens, physics and environmental studies teacher at Patrick Henry High School, were named runners up.

Media Coverage

CBS 8 - Live - In Studio with Teachers of the Year

NBC 7 - Teacher Spotlight - Sara Dickman

KUSI - Live at TOY Event - Interview with CA Teacher of the Year Jaime Brown

More than 400 guests, including Superintendent Cindy Marten, board trustees, employees and friends and families of the honorees, celebrated the outstanding accomplishments of the district's teachers.

“Teaching is hard work that can be all consuming. This is incredibly rewarding work,” said Superintendent Marten. “I think it's difficult to truly understand the nuances of the profession unless you have experienced it first-hand. I spent 17 years in a classroom, so I understand what happens in our classrooms makes our success or failure as a system. And what you all do in the classroom every day is exceptional. Thank you.”

The ceremony kicked off with a performance by Sara Dickman's dance students from CPMA. Superintendent Marten and board trustees thanked the teachers, and outgoing SDEA president Lindsay Burningham, expressed her appreciation for their dedication and hard work.

The 2016 and 2017 District Teachers of the Year presented certificates and awards to the new honorees. Each of the new District Teachers of the Year were also featured in tribute videos that were played at the event. All site Teachers of the Year were invited up on stage and congratulated by the board trustees. To close out the evening, event sponsors California Schools VEBA, California Coast Credit Union and Mission Federal Credit Union presented honorees with gifts.

Prior to the ceremony, the district hosted a reception (sponsored by California Schools VEBA, the Standard and the San Diego Education Fund) catered by San Diego Unified's award-winning culinary arts programs at Madison and Morse high schools. Guests snacked on such treats as lobster mac and cheese, prosciutto wrapped melon with mint, and chocolate mousse. Mission Bay High's Gypsy Jazz Quartet provided music.

2018 Site Teacher of the Year Honorees (Event photos will be posted in 1-2 days)

First Name Last Name School Name
Patty Albañez Language Academy
Kimberly Allard Vista Grande Elementary School
Tara Barber Bird Rock Elementary School
Peggy Benninger Jones Elementary School
Audrey Black Field Elementary School
Danny Blas San Diego SCPA
Lisa Bologna Jerabek Elementary School
Penelope Bonggat Central Elementary School
Kisha Borden Zamorano Fine Arts Academy
Amy Boelzle Dingeman Elementary School
Lisa Bozigian Bethune K-8
Laura Brodfuehrer Adapted Physical Education
Tania Brooks Serra High School
Misty Burnworth Henry Clay Elementary School
Lori Cahill Pacific View Leadership Elementary
Michelle Cannizzaro Jefferson Elementary School
Amy Carbonne Porter Elementary School
Megan Caudle Hardy Elementary School
Elisa Ceseña-Alvarado Audubon K-8
Jeannine DeBarros Miramar Ranch Elementary School
Lara Dickens Patrick Henry High School
Sara Dickman Creative Performing Media Arts Middle
Christine Diosa Miller Elementary School
Christopher Dobbs Walker Elementary School
Kayla Donato Carver Elementary School
Courtnee Donohoe Pacific Beach Middle School
Marisol Dueñas San Diego High School of Business and Leadership
Raquel Durán Balboa Elementary School
Patrick Goddard San Diego High School of International Studies
Monique Falcón Washington Elementary School
Tanya Fleck Adams Elementary School
Jeffrey Flosky Correia Middle School
Emmanuel Francouis Wegeforth Child Development Center
Erin Gage Hage Elementary School
Erin Gantz Lincoln High School
Omar García Morse High School
Georgeanne Gedney Linda Vista Elementary STEAM Magnet
Alicia Gelaro Ellen Browning Scripps Elementary School
Scott Ghahary McKinley Elementary School
Elda Gómez Webster Elementary School
Luz González Kimbrough Elementary School
Peter Grogan Whittier Elementary School
Lotus Hang Mann Middle School
Miroslava Haro-Arteaga Euclid Child Development Center
Guy Henry Innovation Middle School
Carolyn Hernández Pacific Beach Elementary School
Ellen Hohenstein Hoover High School
Amanda Hollinger Taft Middle School
Jessica Hunt Bell Middle School
Cynthia Jacobs Lewis Middle School
Heather Jahn TRACE
Dorothy James Porter Child Development Center
María Lourdes Jiménez Rosa Parks Elementary School
Keith Johnson Marshal Middle School
Kimberlee Jubala Lafayette Elementary School
Stacy Klingkammer Hickman Elementary School
Shelby Kubisz Rolando Park Elementary School
Jeremiah Labrador De Portola Middle School
Sandra Leonard John Muir Magnet TK-12
Mary Jo Leone Barnard Elementary School
Mackenzie Levine Perry Elementary School
Lynsey Littlefield Mission Bay High School
Cheryl Lloyd Freese Elementary School
Katherine Luera Chollas/Mead Elementary School
Rita Macedo iHigh Virtual Academy
Gina Manlapig Kennedy Child Development Center
Brianna Matranga San Diego Metropolitan Regional & Technical
Kira Matsuo Kearny High School of Engineering, Innovation and Design
Michael McEwen Fay Elementary School
Lisa McIntyre Cadman Elementary School
Kristy McNamee Home Hospital and Transition Support
Janel Meehan Monroe Clark Middle School
Stacie Mezzadri Silver Gate Elementary School
Francesca Miller Hamilton Elementary School
Maureen Minder Bay Point Preschool
Vanessa Montgomery San Diego High School of Science and Technology
Diana Morales Joyner MicroSociety Elementary School
May Anne Morris Kumeyaay Elementary School
Mónica Moya Colonel Salomon Child Development Center
Carl Munn Crawford High School
Mark Nadeau Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA)
Carolyn Naughton Loma Portal Elementary School
Michael Naylor La Jolla Elementary School
Sarvnaz Nguyen Golden Hill K-8
Sarah Nichols Crown Point Junior Music Academy
Jennifer Niskey Franklin Elementary School
Olivia Noriega Paradise Hills Elementary School
Serafín Paredes Memorial Preparatory for Scholars and Athletes
Amy Peer Horton Elementary School
Angela Perkins Brooklyn Child Development Center
Maryana Pham Whitman School (K-12)
Aaron Pores University City High School
Silvia Preciado Bayview Child Development Center
Melinda Prietto Standley Middle School
Nicole Propp Penn Elementary School
Janet Quintana Ibarra Elementary School
Kristi Ramos Chesterton Elementary School
Lila Reading Pershing Middle School
Maegan Rey Carson Elementary School
Jeremy Robles Ocean Beach Elementary School
Melanie Saddler La Jolla High School
Darren Samakosky Point Loma High School
Angélica Sánchez-Irving Normal Heights Elementary School
Brittani Siracusa Madison High School
Marci Sponsler Roosevelt International Baccalaureate Middle School
Paige Stearmer Encanto Elementary School
Shelly Steely Twain High School
Christine Sutton Toler Elementary School
Derek Suzuki Ericson Elementary School
Susie Sward Benchley Weinberger School
Carly Thurston Kearny High School of Digital Media and Design
Tim Tischer ALBA Community Day School
Ferdinand Toledo Scripps Ranch High School
Erica Tse Jonas Salk Elementary School
Adriana Valdez Chavez Elementary School
Chris Veldkamp Boone Elementary School
Lily Vu Wilson Middle School
Leonard Walker Walker Child Development Center
Daina Weber Kearny High School of Science Connections and Technology
Karin Wehsener Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary School
James Whalen Challenger Middle School
Nate Whitsell Garfield High School
Eric Wilson Oak Park Elementary School
Lisa Winkless Euclid Elementary School
Marcella Zaleski Marshall Elementary School
Cynthia Zaragoza Cherokee Point Elementary School
Kelsey Zeran Fulton K-8