State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today named five exceptional educators as the 2023 California Teachers of the Year.
“These five educators receive the prestigious honor of 2023 California Teachers of the Year for their extraordinary talents and efforts to teach young people in California during historically challenging circumstances,” says Thurmond, who began his career as a social services worker. “Using their exceptional skills, creativity, and experience, they continue to create positive learning environments and make meaningful contributions to the academic and social-emotional needs of their students.”
Presented by the California Department of Education and supported by the California Teachers of the Year Foundation, the California Teachers of the Year Program began in 1972 to honor outstanding teachers and encourage and inspire new teachers to enter the profession.
Join us in congratulating the 2023 California Teachers of the Year who teach in Los Angeles County:
Jason Torres-Rangel, a high school Advanced Placement (AP) English teacher at Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Torres-Rangel was named the LAUSD and L.A. County Teacher of the Year in 2022. He has been teaching for 18 years. Thurmond nominated Torres-Rangel as California’s representative for the National Teacher of the Year competition. Torres-Rangel will compete against other state nominees for the 2023 National Teacher of the Year, which will be announced in the spring.
Catherine Borek, an AP English literature and drama teacher at Dominguez High School in the Compton Unified School District.
Bridgette Donald-Blue, a fourth-grade multiple subject teacher at Coliseum Street Elementary School in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
And in nearby Orange County:
Ben Case, an instrumental music and music theory teacher at Northwood High School in the Irvine Unified School District.
2023 California Teachers of the Year Finalists
Paula Bae, a high school science, anatomy, and AP biology teacher at Hart High School in the William S. Hart Union High School District.
Shannon Klemann, a high school biology teacher at Adolfo Camarillo High School in the Oxnard Union High School District
Jamie Morgan, a first-grade multiple-subject teacher at Cerritos Elementary School in the Savanna Elementary School District
Juan Orellana, a third-grade teacher at Monte Vista Elementary School in the Mountain View School District, Los Angeles County
Mathew Schick, an instrumental music and band teacher at Crescenta Valley High School in the Glendale Unified School District
Meghann Seril, a third-grade multiple-subject teacher at Broadway Elementary School in the Los Angeles Unified School District
County offices of education nominate California Teachers of the Year applicants through their county-level competitions. California Department of Education (CDE) selection committees review applications; evaluate teachers’ rapport with students, classroom environments, presentation skills, and teaching techniques; and interview the teachers. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction then selects the five California Teachers of the Year and the National Teacher of the Year nominee.
For more information on the award program, visit the CDE’s California Teachers of the Year web page. Visit the Teach California website for more information on becoming a teacher.
