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The five LA Unified teachers named Los Angeles County “Teachers of the Year” are in the front row, (left to right): Maricar J. Fortuno Calatán, Lovelyn Marquez-Prueher, Isabel J. Morales, Michael A. Morgan, and Hector V. Perez-Roman.
A record five LA Unified teachers have been named Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year for 2014-15.
The honorees are among 16 teachers in the county to receive the award, and they are all now in the running for the California Teacher of the Year award, according to a district press release.
“These teachers represent the best in education. I applaud them all—in particular those from our District,” said LA Unified Superintendent John Deasy in an issued statement. “Good teaching combines art and science. We take pride in our honorees.”
The winners, who were honored at a ceremony Friday at Universal City, were chosen because they are “educators who have shown exemplary dedication, compelling classroom practices, positive accomplishments and professional commitment,” according to the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s website.
The LA Unified winners were chosen from 75 candidates who had been honored locally by their school districts. The state winner will then move on to the national competition, which will take place in the spring of 2015.
The L.A. County Teachers of the Year from L.A. Unified are:
- Maricar J. Fortuno Catalán, a business and technology teacher at Dr. Julian Nava Learning Academy, who has been teaching for 8 years.
- Lovelyn Marquez-Prueher, an 8th grade English teacher at Dodson Middle School, who has been teaching for 11 years.
- Isabel J. Morales, a government, economics and advanced placement teacher at Robert F. Kennedy Los Angeles High School of the Arts, who has been teaching for a decade.
- Michael A. Morgan, a chemistry teacher at Bravo Medical Magnet High School, who has been teaching for 26 years.
- Hector V. Perez-Roman, world history/advanced placement teacher at Arleta High School, who has been teaching for 10 years.
Six LA Unified teachers have won the California Teacher of the Year award in past years:
- In 1976, Carole Billone, a special education teacher at Marlton School for the Deaf
- In 1985, Evaline K. Kruse, an English teacher at Audubon Junior High School
- In 2006, Kelly Jean Hanock, an English Language Arts teacher at James Monroe High School
- In 2008, Lewis Chappelear, an Engineering Design teacher at James Monroe High School
- In 2009, Jose L. Navarro IV, a Social Studies and U.S. History teacher at Sylmar High School
- In 2012, Veronica Marquez, a fifth-grade teacher at Harmony Elementary School