CoCo County School Districts Name Their 2019 Teachers of the Year

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA -- Contra Costa County school districts have submitted their 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year candidates to the Contra Costa County Office of Education the office announced April 15.

The upcoming school year’s 22 Teachers of the Year represent 17 of 18 Contra Costa County school districts, the Contra Costa Community College District, and the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Most of these representatives, those who teach grades K thru 12, are eligible to compete in the Contra Costa County TOY competition.

The two top teachers in the county TOY program will represent Contra Costa County in the California State TOY Program this fall.

2019-2020 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Representatives:

• Paul Verbanszky, Acalanes Union High School District, Campolindo High School
• DarVisa R. Marshall, Antioch Unified School District, Antioch Middle School
• Ezra Smith, Brentwood Union School District, Pioneer Elem/Loma Vista Elem
• Alicia Woodson, Byron Union School District, Discovery Bay Elementary
• Cheri Etheredge, Contra Costa Community College District, Contra Costa Community College
• Kevin McKibben, Contra Costa County Office of Education, Mt. McKinley School
• Nagia "GG" Abdu, John Swett Unified School District, John Swett High School
• Katy Bracelin, Knightsen Elementary School District, Knightsen Elementary School
• Cindy Fisher, Lafayette School District, Happy Valley Elementary School
• Gina Capelli, Liberty Union High School District, Liberty High School
• Pamuela Galletti, Martinez Unified School District, John Muir Elementary School
• Jennifer Strohmeyer, Moraga School District, Donald L. Rheem Elementary School
• Emily Andrews, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Bancroft Elementary School
• Shay Kornfeld, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Diablo View Middle School
• Maria Fernandez, Oakley Union Elementary School District, Oakley Elementary School
• Jennifer Dodd, Orinda Union School District, Del Rey Elementary School
• Maureen Mattson, Pittsburg Unified School District, Pittsburg High School
• Athena Agustin, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Dougherty Valley High School
• Nusheen Saadat, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Quail Run Elementary School
• Jana Palmquist, Walnut Creek School District, Walnut Creek Intermediate School
• Daniel O’Shea, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Pinole Valley High School
• Doug Silva, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Helms Middle School

“We are extremely proud of the Teachers of the Year, Class of 2019-2020,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. “(I)t is quite evident that the latest candidates were thoughtfully selected to represent their schools and districts, while at the same time truly embody what is best about public education.”