By Sara Ballenger
 Photo by Monique Schoenfeld, Town Crier |
Outstanding teachers from the county were recognized as “Santa Clara County Teachers of the Year 2001″ at the 32nd Annual Santa Clara County Teacher Recognition Day, “Parade of Champions,” Sept. 24. The event, at the San Jose Repertory Theater, was sponsored by the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
Among the 29 teachers honored at the ceremony were Suzanne E. Williams, a biology and integrated science teacher at Los Altos High School from the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, and Linda Kirk, a sixth-grade teacher at Almond School from the Los Altos School District.
The nomination process differs from district to district, said Joan Green, editorial assistant for the Santa Clara County Office of Education. “We take all of the final submission forms and organize the recognition,” Green said.
The honorees were notified of their nominations in May.
“You are chosen by your peers at your school. I was surprised to see my name up,” Williams said.
The teachers were presented with a crystal flame award engraved with their name and “Teacher of the Year 2001.”
“We play videos of each nominee talking about what makes a great teacher and what teaching is about,” Green said. “Teachers also received flowers and a gift pack and different commendations from 14 different legislators,” she said of the black-tie affair.
“As a teacher it’s hard to brag about ourselves,” Williams said. “Teachers are a rare breed. They love kids and love to figure out new things. I see myself as a tool for students to learn.”
Williams, who has been teaching for 13 years, has been with the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District for the last five.
“She understands students’ learning differences so completely that she adjusts, modifies and adapts curriculum individually if students are struggling in her class,” the district said in nominating her.
Williams said she learns something from her students every day and hopes they learn as much from her.
“I think teachers need to be flexible to the needs of all students, not just the ones going to college,” she said. “I think it’s important for students to learn lifelong learning skills.”
The love of teaching is something Kirk also expressed.
“We all teach curriculum,” she said. “But I am most proud of what I teach beyond the curriculum.”
Kirk has been teaching for 24 years and has been with the Los Altos School District for the last 14.
She is known for her sense of humor in the classroom, said Marge Gratiot, superintendent of the Los Altos School District.
“I believe that humor is an essential ingredient in life,” Kirk said. “A sense of humor is especially important for sixth graders, who tend to be introspective and hypercritical of themselves and others.” Kirk encourages her students to develop their sense of humor.
“Her dry sense of humor, insightfulness and ability to make literature come alive in her class are among her talents,” said the district in nominating her.
The gala evening gives colleagues an opportunity to be recognized and appreciated, said Almond School Principal Jeff Baier.
“The county does a spectacular job with this event in honoring the teachers,” Baier said. “They put on a show we don’t often get to see in education.”
