District program to honor educators puts some in an
uncomfortable spotlight
Gilroy – Although some teachers were initially hesitant to embrace a program that doles out rewards to individuals and groups of educators, eight months after its onset, the district head says the attitude toward the new policy has shifted somewhat.
“I think, initially, there was some reluctance to be singled out for practices that had led to some dramatic improvement in student performance,” Superintendent Edwin Diaz said. “And some people just don’t like being in the spotlight.”
Since the onset of the program, all of the recipients have been genuinely pleased to receive the honor, although “the culture hasn’t totally changed,” Diaz said.
That appears to be the vibe coming from the Gilroy Teachers Association. GTA President Michelle Nelson discussed the recognition program at a meeting with other local educators Wednesday and emerged with no concrete opinion.
“We have no comment,” Nelson said.
Other educators agree that the “culture,” wherein teachers aren’t keen on being singled out for achievement, is quite prevalent in the world of education. When Sam Navarez was selected as Educator of the Year by the California League of Middle Schools for Region 5, at first he felt a pang of guilt.
It was difficult for the Brownell Middle School teacher to accept the accolades since it’s a network of parents, administrators, teachers and students, that help him achieve results in the classroom.
Georgia Dimesa, a second grade teacher at Luigi Aprea Elementary School, has a similar reaction to the recognition program. She’s happy to see the district rewarding progress but concurs with Navarez.
“We’re only as good as the foundation and support that’s afforded us,” she said.
Also, although Dimesa said it’s important for children to improve on tests, she doesn’t necessarily think the “sole indicator” in selecting exceptional teachers should be based on the results of the California Standards Test and the district’s assessment, the Measure of Academic Performance.
There are some lessons taught in a classroom you can’t pinpoint or qualify and improvement is a gradual process ushered in by a web of individuals, she said.
“Some teachers may have a population that’s ready to shoot academically,” Dimesa said. “I think that is the struggle this acknowledgment process presents. You don’t have a spaceship made in one year.”
Gilroy Unified School District board member Javier Aguirre said teachers have approached him and said they love hearing about different lesson plans that are bringing about improvements. He hasn’t heard any complaints from local teachers about the issue of kudos going to certain individuals.
“I think it’s unfortunate for teachers feeling that way, that they don’t want to be singled out,” said Aguirre who equates the program with company employee of the month awards.
“I think the recognition program is a valuable way of recognizing contributions from individuals whether they’re teacher or administrators,” Aguirre said. “It’s also a way of us informing the community … I think it’s also a way of learning from our own peers.”
The district and school board decided to enact the program after realizing that they weren’t highlighting the many staff members who are producing results in the community and the classroom, Diaz said.
“Recognition is a big part of improvement and we also wanted to highlight best practices that have resulted in improved student performance,” the superintendent said.
And once those techniques are disseminated throughout the district, other teachers can decide whether they would work in their classroom, he added. Diaz said the board would like to receive more nominations from principals every month.
Criteria for the monthly award, which is handed out at the onset of board meetings, is very specific. For schools to qualify, the institutions must have an Academic Performance Index similar school ranking of between eight and 10.
Teachers must achieve a minimum growth of .5 on the CST, 90 percent of their students must be proficient or advanced on the CST and district wide assessments and students must improve or remain at the same level.
Administrators and district officials may nominate any “individual, team, school or organization who achieve outstanding results, demonstrate practices consistent with the Strategic/Accountability Plan and who make a significant contribution to Gilroy Unified School District schools, educational community and community at large.”
District officials are eligible if they have implemented one of the practices or programs laid out in the Strategic Accountability Plan. Community members or parents who make a significant contribution to Gilroy schools, the community or education overall also may receive the honor.
In addition, any staff member who wins a national, state or local award, will receive the district award.
Nominations must be submitted to the superintendent’s office and must be complete at least 30 days before the scheduled recognition event. A team of district officials reviews the nomination and makes a selection.
January
– Las Animas Elementary School Third Grade Teachers
Eleanor Gardner, Carmen Kotto, Maritza Salcido and Mary McMahon.
February
-n Melissa Guerrero, Las Animas third grade teacher
– Janice Krahenbuhl, Rucker Elementary School teacher
– Las Animas Second Grade Teachers
Maria Segovia, Eva Montano, Rigoberto Rios, Sandra Ruehlow and Deanne Ghoreishi.
– Kim Filice, district director of human resources
– Rob Van Herk, district information technology manager
– Keiko Mizuno, business services director
March
– Darren Salo, bus driver
– Marguerite Riggins, administrative assistant
– Armando Gonzalez, GHS wrestling coach
