SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today congratulated Kelly Kovacic, a 2010 California Teacher of the Year, for her selection as one of four 2010 National Teacher of the Year finalists.
“Ms. Kovacic’s passion for teaching makes her a natural educator,” O’Connell said. “During her relatively eight short years in the classroom, she has made a tremendous impact on the lives of her students. Kelly has an innate ability to transcend the boundaries of her students’ world and provide them with the education, encouragement, and resolve to overcome hurdles and realize their own potential.”
In addition to California, teachers from Florida, Iowa, and Michigan were also named National Teacher of the Year finalists today. The announcement came from the Council of Chief State School Officers, which oversees the program. For more information, please go to: http://www.ccsso.org/projects/National_Teacher_of_the_Year/.
Ms. Kovacic teaches twelfth grade Advance Placement U.S. Government and Politics and eleventh grade Advanced Placement U.S. History at The Preuss School, a charter school established in 1999 on the University of California, San Diego campus in La Jolla. The school provides a rigorous college-preparatory education for motivated low-income students who all live below the poverty level.
Ms. Kovacic, who is one of four 2010 California Teachers of the Year and also a 2009-10 Teacher of the Year Runner up for the San Diego Unified School District, graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Education from Stanford University, where she also received a California Professional Clear Credential.
“I am extremely honored to be chosen as a finalist,” Ms. Kovacic said. “It is an exciting opportunity to be an advocate for teachers, students, and public education. More than anything else, this honor is recognition of the dedicated and hard working students, staff, and teaching colleagues I have the privilege to work with each day at The Preuss School.”
Since the National Teacher of the Year Program began in 1952, six National Teachers of the Year have been named from California, including the program’s first National Teacher, Geraldine Jones, who taught in Santa Barbara. Chauncey Veatch, a history and social studies teacher at Coachella Valley High School in Thermal, was the most recent California winner who received the honor in 2002.
Ms. Kovacic’s selection marks the third consecutive year that a California teacher has reached the national finals. During the two preceding years, Alex Kajitani, a mathematics teacher also known as the Rappin’ Mathematician at Mission Middle School in the Escondido Union (Elementary) School District in San Diego County, and Lewis Chappelear, an engineering design teacher at James Monroe High School in North Hills in the Los Angeles Unified School District, were both named National Teacher of the Year finalists.
The 2010 winner is expected to be announced in April.
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