The San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) is excited to announce that Gary Pease has been named the 2022 San Joaquin County Teacher of the Year.
As San Joaquin County Teacher of the Year, Pease received $1,000 from Premier Community Credit Union, a longtime supporter of educators in San Joaquin County. Pease's nomination will now be submitted to the state for consideration as California Teacher of the Year.
Pease has 21 years of teaching experience and is currently an eighth-grade math teacher at Jefferson School (Jefferson Elementary School District). Pease is a master of his subject area, and he is able to inspire students, said Jefferson School Principal Alyssa Wooten, who nominated Pease for the award. "Due to his intense understanding, he implements unique ways and fun language to help students learn the concept, and they remember it years down the road," she wrote in her nomination. "Mr. Pease keeps his students on the edge of their seat and engaged throughout the class period."
Pease understands students have different learning styles, and he uses language and examples that students can relate to, said Diane McRae, a teacher at Jefferson School who wrote a letter in support of Pease's nomination. "Mr. Pease always seems to have an example problem ready in his head for any situation," she wrote. Every year, Pease updates the names he uses in his examples and test questions to include the names of his current students.
In addition to mentoring teachers and leading the district's math professional learning team, Pease is credited for growing Jefferson School's STEAM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) department. Pease is also a coach and athletic director.
The surprise announcement was the culminating moment at the 2022 San Joaquin County Classified Employees and Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration Dinner, held at the SJCOE on Thursday, June 9. The annual awards honor the best of the best in the education profession and celebrate the talented, caring, and committed educators and school personnel who make a difference in the lives of their students and the community. In addition to celebrating teachers and classified employees, this year's dinner was also an occasion to recognize two retiring superintendents: Ron Costa (Escalon Unified School District) and Dr. Brian Stephens (Tracy Unified School District).
The SJCOE announced the county Classified School Employees of the Year winners earlier this year. Each winner received $400 from Premier Community Credit Union and was nominated to be California School Employee of the Year. Each Teacher of the Year finalist also received $400 from Premier Community Credit Union.
San Joaquin County Teacher of the Year Finalists:
Staci Diaz
El Portal Middle School, Escalon Unified School District
Tammy Hurst
Altamont Elementary School, Lammersville Unified School District
Gary Pease
Jefferson School, Jefferson Elementary School District
Annie Thompson
Ripona Elementary School, Ripon Unified School District
Robert Winterhalter
Lodi High School, Lodi Unified School District
San Joaquin County Classified Employees of the Year:
CLERICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Kelly Cabral
Tom Hawkins Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School District
CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES
Arthur Medina
Lincoln Unified School District
FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES
Shelly Metcalfe
Lathrop Elementary School, Manteca Unified School District
HEALTH AND STUDENT SERVICES
Hector Calderon
one.Program, San Joaquin County Office of Education
PARAPROFESSIONAL
Mary Gomez
Waterloo Middle School, Linden Unified School District
SECURITY SERVICES
Lilia Martinez DeAredondo
Great Valley Elementary School, Manteca Unified School District
SKILLED TRADES
Debra Yanez
Stockton Unified School District
TECHNICAL SERVICES
Kitty Towers
Banta Unified School District