Robin Freese
719.532.8440
rfreese@calcas.com
California Casualty and the California Department of Education Celebrate California’s 2021 Teachers of the Year
San Mateo, CA, March 16, 2021—California Casualty honored California’s 2021 Teachers of the Year in a virtual ceremony hosted by the California Department of Education (CDE). The evening honored the 2021 California Teachers of the Year and Finalists for their contributions and accomplishments in bringing their students, schools and communities together when COVID-19 introduced educators to new challenges while amplifying those that already existed.
As Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, said, “I’m proud that these educators are receiving this prestigious honor for their continued effort to rise above the challenges and connect with students even during unimaginable circumstances.”
The 2021 California Teachers of the Year are:
Jim Klipfel, who is a ninth- through twelfth-grade Social Studies and Athletics teacher at Saugus High School in the William S. Hart High Union School District, Los Angeles County. Thurmond also nominated Klipfel as California’s representative for the National Teacher of the Year competition. Klipfel will compete against other state nominees, and the 2021 National Teacher of the Year will be announced in the spring.
Allison Cyr, who is a third-grade, multiple-subject teacher at Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School in the Desert Sands Unified School District, Riverside County.
Keisa Brown, who is a seventh- and eighth-grade Introduction to Spanish and AVID 8 teacher at University Heights Middle School in the Riverside Unified School District, Riverside County.
Laura E. Gómez Contreras, who is a third-grade multiple-subject teacher at Martin Elementary School in the Santa Ana Unified School District, Orange County.
Nora Wynne, who is a sixth- through eighth-grade Spanish teacher at McKinleyville Middle School in the McKinleyville Union School District, Humboldt County.
The 2021 California Teachers of the Year Finalists are:
Cindy Evans, who is a sixth- through eighth-grade middle school Special Education teacher at the San Jose Intermediate Campus in the Marin County Office of Education, Marin County.
Ericca Dent, who is a second-grade multiple-subject teacher at Joaquin Miller Elementary School in the Burbank Unified School District, Los Angeles County.
Frank Koroshec III, who is an eleventh- and twelfth-grade English teacher at San Marcos Senior High School in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, Santa Barbara County.
Hazel Kight Witham, who is a tenth- and twelfth-grade English teacher at Venice Senior High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County.
Jay Tweet, who is a twelfth-grade AP Macroeconomics and Honors Government teacher at El Capitan High School in the Grossmont Union High School District, San Diego County.
Ross Hause, who is a fifth- and sixth-grade multiple-subject teacher at Luther Burbank Elementary School in the Santa Rosa Elementary School District, Sonoma County.
Shelley Andros, who is a sixth- through eighth-grade Coding, Femineers, Horticulture, and Robotics teacher at Buena Park Middle School in the Buena Park Elementary School District, Orange County.
The announcement of the 2021 California Teachers of the Year is available at https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel86.asp
“These extraordinary individuals focused on the well-being of their students and overcame disruption of such magnitude with collaboration, adaptation, ingenuity and grit,” stated Joe Volponi, President and CEO of California Casualty. “We are so grateful for all that they and the thousands of men and women who remain committed to teaching in the great state of California have achieved despite the pandemic’s impact on their way of life.”
Founded in 1914 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, California Casualty provides auto and home insurance to educators, firefighters, law enforcement and nurses across the country – American heroes who enhance their communities. To learn more about California Casualty, or to request an auto insurance quote, please visit www.calcas.com or call 1.800.800.9410.
