Crystal Middle School History Teacher Nominated For Solano County Educator Of The Year

Crystal Middle School’s Melissa Apostolos recently received the Fairfield-Suisun District Teacher of the Year award and now awaits the results for this year’s Solano County Educator of the Year, which will be announced at a special reception on May 25 at the Joseph Nelson Community Center.

Twelve school employees have been selected as nominees for the 2011-2012 Solano County Educators of the Year award; one certificated (teaching) and one classified (school support) awardee will be selected and their names forwarded to the California Department of Education to represent Solano County in a statewide Educators of the Year competition, according to a Solano County of Education press release.

Apostolos represents the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District and says that she is honored to be among a group of such wonderful teachers.

“I was completely surprised and overwhelmed when I was announced Fairfield-Suisun District Teacher of the Year," she said. "I had no idea that it would be me and now that I have been nominated as Solano County Educator of the Year, I’m just really honored to even be a part of such an amazing group of people.”

Apostolos currently teaches seventh and eighth grade history at Crystal Middle School and has been a part of their faculty for 10 years.  Apostolos herself is a hands-on learner, but she makes sure to cater to all learning types, she said. Most of her lessons are done with a SMART Board, an interactive whiteboard that connects to a desktop or laptop and displays the lessons or images on the whiteboard. Apostolos favors the SMART Board because it allows the students to be visual and hands-on at the same and interaction with the board encourages student participation, she said.

Apostolos started teaching at Crystal Middle School as a substitute teacher, a fortunate opportunity that led to her career at the school, she said. Apostolos credits much of her teaching successes to her students and to the Crystal Middle School administration and faculty, she said.

 “I love my students and I love my job,” Apostolos said. “I’ve developed really deep bonds with my students. Seventh and eighth grade students are a difficult level to teach because so much is going on and changing in their lives so I’m just thankful that I’ve earned their respect and approval. Crystal Middle School as a whole has been so supportive. I have deep roots in this place and I couldn’t ask for a better place to teach.”

 Wednesday’s reception will begin at 5 p.m. The certificated awardee will receive a $1,000 donation from Congressman George Miller to use for classroom materials and supplies. The classified awardee will also receive a $1,000 donation to use for school site materials.

Nominees for the Solano County Educator of the Year are:

• Melissa Apostolos, Crystal Middle School History teacher for the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District.
• Teresa Cushman, Golden West Middle School library media technician for the Travis Unified School District.
• Carolyn Fields Hayes, Benicia Middle School eighth grade English teacher for the Benicia Unified School District.
• Shari Herout, Foxboro Elementary School kindergarten teacher for the Travis Unified School District.
• Tracy Hostetter, Vallejo Transition/Transition Partnership Program and WorkAbility program career transition specialist for the Vallejo City Unified School District.
• Helen Hoover, Benicia Middle School sixth through eighth grade teacher working in a Solano County Office of Education special education class.
• Jose Maanao Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District maintenance lead.
• Liz Mayoral, Anderson Elementary School office manager for the Dixon Unified School District.
• Kim McGreevey, Dixon High School Science teacher for the Dixon Unified School District.
• Colleen Moe, Vacaville High School English teacher for Vacaville Unified School District.
• Amy Parangan, district teacher leader-elementary for the Vallejo City Unified School District.
• Jamie Tsang, Irene Larsen Center school secretary, which is operated by the Solano County Office of Education.
• Graciela Vargas, Vaca Pena Middle School District cafeteria assistant for the Vacaville Unified School.
• Kathleen Zeuli, Benicia Unified School District senior personnel technician.