Teacher of the Month

From the beginning, 826 Valencia’s goal has been to support teachers. Sometimes that support means sending in tutors to help with essays; sometimes it means a ticker-tape parade. (Not really. But Teacher of the Month winners do get a nice certificate and an even nicer check.) There are so many students who have had their minds set aglow by a teacher’s own zest for life and learning, and we’d like to play a very small part in rewarding them. Teachers are nominated by students, parents, and others who send in letters, pictures, and videos letting us know how special the teacher is. Every month we hear about so many amazing teachers, and we’ve been moved to tears more than once. The monthly winner receives a check for $1500. We know teachers pay out of pocket for way too much; this is our way of paying them back. Know a teacher you want to nominate? Guidelines are below. Submissions are due on the 15th of each month.

Guidelines

The criteria: A combination of dedication and innovation, and an overall commitment to challenging students to excel. Potential award winners need to have been in the classroom for four full years. Teachers must be nominated by one previous or current student, and one adult past college age, but the nomination may be in any form — letters of support, pictures, videotapes, anything, as long as we have specific examples of the teacher’s impact.

If you’d like to nominate a teacher you know, you can drop off or send materials of any kind to:

826 Teacher of the Month Award
826 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA
94110

We’re sorry but recommendations can’t be taken via email or over the phone. Please submit a contact phone number along with your nomination; we’d like to be able to call and discuss the nominee with you and others.

Previous winners

March 2015 — Susanne Reed, Jefferson Elementary School
February 2015 — Marisa Martinez, Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy
January 2015 — Frank Lara, Buena Vista Horace Mann School
December 2014 — Gabriel Rodriguez, Everett Middle School
November 2014 — Rose Ludwig, Visitacion Valley Middle School
October 2014 — Viridiana Sanchez, Flynn Elementary School
September 2014 — Aaron Weis, Rooftop School
May 2014 — Vani Ari, Marshall Elementary School
April 2014 — Marcelle Poulos, Marshall Elementary School
March 2014 — Katherine Ambrose, Everett Middle School
February 2014 — Linda Lathrop and Pam Lucker, Peralta Elementary
January 2014 — Jess Grainger, Washington High School
December 2013 — Catherine Salvin, Downtown High School
November 2013 — Laurie Baker Flynn, Alvarado Elementary School
June 2013 — Rachel Sadler, International High School
April 2013 — Ed Cavanaugh, Downtown High School
March 2013 — Lee Ann Parker, Buena Vista Horace Mann School
February 2013 — Rosa Mana, Bryant Elementary School
January 2013 — Andres Tobar, Marshall Elementary School
May 2012 — Robert Ayala and Eunice Nuval, Downtown High School
April 2012 — George Trubow, Borel Middle School
February 2012 — Catherine Cook, Thomas Edison Charter Academy
January 2012 — Tania Lisa Llambelis, ASCEND
November 2011 — Loret Peterson, Jefferson Elementary School
October 2011 — Amadis Velez, Mission High School
May 2011 — Olive Mitra, June Jordan School for Equity
April 2011 — Jeremiah Jeffries, Redding Elementary School
March 2011 — Susanna Bell, Berkeley High School
February 2011 — Richard Silberg, Martin Luther King (Berkeley)
January 2011 – Beth Trevor, Jefferson Elementary School
December 2010 — Suzanne Vradelis, West Portal Elementary
November 2010 — Suzy DeBlois, John O’Connell High School
September 2010 — Todd Higashi, Alameda Science and Tech Institute
May 2010 — Eric Rose and Kelly Leathers, John O’Connell High School
April 2010 — Tony Acquerreli, Jefferson Elementary
March 2010 — Rebecca Wieder, Gateway High School
February 2010 — Richard Illig, Sutro Elementary School
January 2010 — Norman Mattox, James Lick Middle School
December 2009 — Steve Shimmon, Lowell High School
September 2009 — Michael Armenta, Edison Charter Academy
May 2009 — Heather Woodward, School of the Arts (SOTA)
April 2009 — Virginia Reyes, Mission High School
February 2009 — Pirette McKamey, Mission High School
December 2008 — Patricia Diaz Frank, Moscone Elementary School
October 2008 — Susan DesBaillets, Grattan Elementary School
September 2008 — Steve Firestone, Diane Feinstein Elementary School
May 2008 — Kathy Cantrell, Everett Middle School
April 2008 — Laurette Lau, Sutro Elementary School
January 2008 — Carol Siddle, Commodore Sloat Elementary School
November 2007 — Greg Gallup, Edison Charter Academy
September 2007 — Tobi Hacker, James Lick Middle SChool
May 2007 — Guilan Sheykhzadeh, Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School
April 2007 — Jackie Moses, Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School
February 2007 — Karen Berman, James Lick Middle School
January 2007 — Jessica Tedesco, Edison Charter Academy
December 2006 — Stacy Heniser, Claire Lilienthal School
November 2006 — Erin Enderlin, George Moscone School
June 2006 — Tracy Corbally, Castlemont High School
May 2006 — Calleen Taylor, Mission High School
April 2006 — Debra Moore, Commodore Sloat Elementary
March 2006 — Jessica Case, Everett Middle School
February 2006 — Jeanette Chin, Alamo Elementary School
January 2006 — Tanya Elizabeth Friedman, San Francisco Community School
November 2005 — Mardi Mertins, Berkeley High School
October 2005 — Todd Elkin, Washington High School
September 2005 — Denise Ebisuzaki, Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program at Clarendon Elementary School
April 2005 — Debra Netkin, Lawton Elementary School
November 2004 — Richard Bruni, John O’Connell High School of Technology
October 2004 — Jonathan Ring, Galileo Academy of Science & Technology
September 2004 — Felipe Pasmanich, Buena Vista School
May 2004 — Bill Fitzgerald, Jewish Community High School of the Bay
April 2004 — Scott Stone, Creative Arts Charter School in San Francisco
March 2004 — Jesse Madway, Thurgood Marshall Academic High School
November 2003 — Emily Lewis, Treasure Island School
October 2003 — Luis Sierra, Alvarado Elementary School
April 2003 — Francie Chu, Galileo Academy of Science & Technology
February 2003 — Amy Clark, Creative Arts Charter School
December 2002 — Gia Truong and Mark Isero, Leadership High School
November 2002 — Joel Arquillos, Galileo Academy of Science & Technology