Glendale Teacher Among 5 Honored as California’s Best

Five teachers were named California Teachers of the Year on Monday for their effectiveness in the classroom, passion for the work and commitment to improving their skills.

The winners, including one from Los Angeles County and one from Orange County, were selected by state Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell from among 60 nominees.

The Los Angeles County winner -- fourth-grade teacher Kim Labinger from Thomas A. Edison Elementary School in Glendale -- said she was stunned when the news was announced over the school’s public address system.

“It’s not something I expected,” said Labinger, an 18-year veteran of the Glendale school system. “I’m a little overwhelmed [and] thrilled for the students of Edison.”

Like the other nominees, Labinger, 49, had to write short essays explaining her ideas about teaching and education. When asked to identify a significant issue in the field, for example, Labinger wrote about the lack of arts education in schools, explaining that lessons in poetry or dance can help teachers prepare children for other academic classes.

She also was interviewed by a state panel and had other educators observe her in the classroom.

O’Connell said he saw a common quality in the five teachers. “They all have an incredible love of teaching and see great joy when their students meet the challenges of learning,” he said.

O’Connell will recognize the teachers at a dinner next month in Sacramento. There is no state money with the honor.

Sixth-grade teacher Ray Williams from Steve Luther Elementary School in La Palma was the Orange County winner. O’Connell said he chose Williams, who has taught in California since 1966, in part because of his “positive attitude, enthusiasm and love of teaching.”

O’Connell named one of the five winners, social studies teacher Stanley Murphy from San Diego High School, to represent California in the National Teacher of the Year contest. A winner in that competition will be announced in the spring.

Murphy, 55, was chosen for the added honor partly because of his efforts to help create a student and teacher exchange program with the former Soviet Union and other countries.

Students from San Diego High have visited peers in Russia, Austria and Argentina since 1988. Schools in those countries have sent student-teacher delegations to the San Diego campus.

Murphy, who has taught for 34 years, said he was humbled by the opportunity to represent California at the national level.

“To have people think I’m doing the right things with my students

This year’s winners also include advanced placement history teacher Eric Burrows from San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, and history and civics teacher Alan Siegel from W.C. Carle Continuation High School in Lower Lake, north of San Francisco.