Concord Teacher Chosen as Finalist in County Competition

A teacher at El Monte Elementary School in Concord has been named one of four educators in the running for the Contra Costa County "Teacher of the Year" (TOY) award for 2013-14.

Carissa Sugden is completing her first year of teaching fifth grade at El Monte Elementary after teacher other grade levels at the school since 2006, according to the Contra Costa County Office of Education. She is the only teacher in the Mount Diablo Unified School District still remaining in the competition.

A total of 22 county educators were chosen from school district nominations this year. In April, a committee of 14 representatives from the county’s education, business, and public-sector partners reviewed and rated each application to choose five teachers to advance to the next stage. They were then observed in the classroom by a small committee of education specialists and business partners, according to the Contra Costa County Office of Education, and interviewed on topics such as teaching philosophy and techniques. The results of the two screening processes were then combined to determine the four finalists — Sugden, as well as Cindy Egan and Nicholas Zefeldt of the San Ramon Valley district and Beth Levine of the West Contra Costa district.

Two winners will be chosen after the next round, when TOY finalists will deliver a three- to five-minute speech and a panel will judge their public speaking and presentation skills. The awardees will be honored during the annual celebration at the Concord Hilton Hotel. 

This is the first year since 1987 that Contra Costa County is sending two TOY winners to represent the county at the statewide competition. 

Last year's "Teacher of the Year" in Contra Costa County was Rona Zolliger of the Martinez Unified School District.

There are more than 7,900 teachers educating approximately 169,000 students in Contra Costa County’s public schools, according to the office of education.

The last time a Concord teacher won was 2003-4 when Liane Cismowski of Cambridge Elementary took the award.

Do you know one of the "Teacher of the Year" finalists? Share your congratulations in the comments.