BLUE LAKES — An evening dedicated to honoring Lake County”s best and brightest teachers, faculty and staff took place last weekend.
The 17th annual Lake County Teacher of the Year and Excellence in Education Award Dinner was modified slightly this year to honor teachers, classified employees and to recognize achievements throughout the county, according to Shelly Mascari, an employee at the Lake County Office of Education (LCOE). The event took place at 6 p.m. Oct. 22 at The Lodge at Blue Lakes. Mascari organized the event.
A dinner served by The Lodge at Blue Lakes staff consisted of a seasonal mixed greens salad with balsamic vinaigrette, garlic dinner rolls, rosemary roasted potatoes, herb roasted chicken, eggplant and red pepper tureen, beef with creamy mushroom sauce and followed by chocolate decadence brownies.
Jennifer Kelly, last year”s Lake County Teacher of the Year and California Teacher of the Year, served as Master of Ceremonies.
Musical entertainment was provided by brothers Connor and Jacob Gill, Middletown Middle and Middletown High School students, as well as Lower Lake Elementary student Jade Holling and the Lower Lake High School Jazz Band, directed by Cydney Dixon.
In addition to recognizing outstanding teachers, classified employees and faculty members, Clear Lake High School (CLHS) was honored for its achievement of being named a Distinguished School. Upper Lake Union High School”s Academic Decathlon team coach Anna Sabalone was honored for her work in helping the team achieve a 2011 regional championship. Yaquelin Sandoval, an ESL intervention specialist at the LCOE, was honored with the 2011 Early Childhood Educator of the Year award and Leading the Field award.
Marilyn Grock, who teaches severely handicapped children and serves as an early intervention specialist, was named Kelseyville Unified School District Teacher of the Year and honored as Lake County Teacher of the Year. Kelseyville Unified was also honored by having Mountain Vista Elementary Principal John Berry named Middle School Principal of the Year.
In addition to basking in the glow of the high school receiving a Distinguished School award, Lakeport Unified School District was awarded with more honors that night. CLHS Principal Steve Gentry was named High School Principal of the Year and Superintendent Erin Smith-Hagberg was named Superintendent of the Year. Second grade teacher Karen Bettencourt was named the district”s Teacher of the Year. Head custodian Luis Martinez was the district”s Classified Employee of the Year.
Konocti Unified School District also had some significant honorees. Greg Mucks, the current director of educational support services for the district and a former special education administrator, was honored as Special Education Administrator of the Year. Former Principal of Pomo Elementary School April Leiferman, who now serves as student services director for the district, was named Elementary School Principal of the Year. Lisa Rogers, a seventh and eighth grade teacher at Lower Lake Elementary School, was the district”s Teacher of the Year. Konocti Unified custodian and groundskeeper Bernardo Santana Garcia was honored as the district”s Classified Employee of the Year.
Middletown Unified School District named Elsie Mackesy, a first grade teacher at Coyote Valley Elementary, as its Teacher of the Year. Teri Langford, attendance clerk for Middletown Middle School and Middletown High School, was the district”s Classified Employee of the Year.
Upper Lake Union High School District named English teacher Angel Hayenga as its Teacher of the Year. Maryann Mathews, a special education secretary/aide/activity director, and Wesley “Buddy” Thomas, a maintenance technician at Upper Lake High School, were named the district”s Classified Employees of the Year.
Upper Lake Elementary School District named Kindergarten teacher Danielle Villanueva as its Teacher of the Year.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14.
