Lamorinda: 4 Finalists For County Teacher of the Year

Four Lamorinda educators are candidates for teacher of the year in Contra Costa County.

The Contra Costa County Office of Education this week named 22 teachers of the year representing 17 school districts.

They include:

• Cooper Howard of Stanley Middle School, the teacher of the year in the Lafayette School District.
• Kim Lockett of Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School, the teacher of the year in the Moraga School District.
• Therese Long of Sleepy Hollow Elementary School, teacher of the year in the Orinda Union School District.
• Nita Madra of Campolindo High in Moraga, teacher of the year in the Acalanes Union High School District.

Next week, a committee of 14 representing education, business and public sector partners will review the teacher of the year applications submitted by school districts in Contra Costa County. Then a smaller committee will move on to observe the semi-finalists interacting with students.

Three finalists will be announced in May. They will give a speech to another panel of educators, business and public sector reps, culminating in the announcement of the county teacher of the year Sept 26.

"These honored educators not only represent their individual schools and school districts, but also embody all of the exceptional teachers we are so fortunate to have in our county," said county Superintendent of Schools Joseph A. Ovick, according to an Office of Education press release.