Celebrating Excellence in Education! CONTINUED - 2017 TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS Jessy Kronenberg Dance Teacher, El Cerrito High School Ms. Kronenberg is a former student who graduated from El Cerrito High Dance in 1998. Since she took over the program in 2012, she has moved the program forward into a new generation while maintaining the tradition of high quality dance education at ECHS. Through high level instruction and vast amounts of time and dedication, students from all levels of ability are developing their talent and love of dance. Beyond the classroom, Jessy has launched the Gaucho Dance Company and challenged ECHS Dance to become a Chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Ms. Kronenberg earned a BA degree in Environmental Studies and Dance from Pitzer College where she focused on Modern Dance and Composition in 2002. Later, Ms. Kronenberg moved to North Carolina and joined the Asheville Contemporary Dance Theater. She earned a Master’s degree in Teaching at Western Carolina University. Sarah La Due 7th Grade English Teacher, Fred T. Korematsu Middle School Ms. La Due has been an English middle school teacher for three years now at Fred T. Korematsu Middle School. Before becoming a teacher, she worked in the political arena in public affairs and research analysis. She has a Bachelor’s in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara. Ms. La Due is a gifted educator who engages her students by inspiring them to learn. She does this by using a creative mix of techniques – group projects, individual work and classroom discussions. One of the most remarkable things about Ms. La Due is the lasting impact she has on her students. They stay in touch with her long after she stops being their classroom teacher and she remains an important part of their lives. Ms. La Due emphasizes to her students that the path to success is not through perfection, but through effort and improving over time. She wants students to focus on learning rather than grades. Paula Raj Spanish Teacher, DeAnza High School Ms. Raj has been teaching longer than most of the teachers at De Anza have been alive and her classroom is one of the most joyful places on campus. She claims that she stopped counting the years of teaching after she turned sixty! Ms. Raj brings music, artifacts, and carefully planned lessons to each class period. She warmly demands that ALL students participate and she ensures that the classroom feels like a safe space to do so. Ms. Raj never stops moving in the classroom, always interacting with each student and encouraging them to do their best. To teachers and students alike she pushes that we have to turn our “passion into action”. Over her long career, she has served as a Spanish Teacher, World Language Department Chair, Instructor Led Training Lead Teacher, Teacher-Coach, Western Association of School and Colleges Chair, Advanced Placement Peer Leadership Consultants Lead and member of Student Advocacy and Master Schedule Committees. ( 5 1 0 ) 2 3 3 - 1 4 6 4 • F a x : ( 5 1 0 ) 2 1 7 - 3 9 9 6 • E m a i l : c o m m u n i c a t i o n s @ e d f u n d w e s t . o r g
Contra Costa Marketplace - June 2017
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