The Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation along with the superintendents from Castaic Union School District, Newhall School District, Saugus Union School District, Sulphur Springs Union School District and the William S. Hart Union High School District, invites the community to help honor the 2023/2024 Teachers of the Year on Friday, April 26.

The 40th Annual Teacher Tribute, Academy of the Stars, will be held at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.

“In April, 1985, at the suggestion of then Hart District Superintendent Clyde Smyth, the predecessors of the Foundation, the Education Committee of the SCV Chamber, hosted the first ever Teacher Tribute to honor outstanding teachers from our community,” said SCV Education Foundation Board President and Founder, Jim Backer. “We honored 36 teachers with 150 people in attendance at the old Valencia Country Club clubhouse. Now, ‘two score years later,’ in Lincoln’s words, we celebrate SCVEF’s 40th Anniversary as we honor one teacher from each local public school and celebrate the dedication, power, vision and inspiration of the people who teach our children. It’s our opportunity to reward and recognize the teachers making a tremendous difference in the lives of our children.”

The ceremony will begin at 6:15 p.m. when the honorees will be welcomed by the Castaic High School Jazz Band.

Taylor Kellstrom, Kellstrom Real Estate Group and SCVEF board member, will emcee the evening of awards and entertainment.

Each honoree will receive a specially designed award plus a swag bag filled with gift cards and merchandise donated by local businesses.

In addition, several high school seniors who plan to be future educators, will be recognized for being selected as winners of the SCVEF/Backer Family scholarships.

JSB Development and California Credit Union, year-round Premier Partners of the SCV Education Foundation, are the Presenting Sponsor of Teacher Tribute. Sponsorship opportunities, teacher shoutouts and ticket sales are still available at www.scveducationfoundation.org/40th-annual-teacher-tribute.

Teacher Tribute honors one teacher from each of the 55 public schools who are selected by their peers and school administrators. The 2023/2024 Teachers of the Year are:

Castaic Union School District

Castaic Elementary Claudia Kirk

Castaic Middle Terry Parent

Live Oak Elementary Ken Hooker

Northlake Hills Elementary Brianna Gehrke

Newhall School District

McGrath Elementary Maria Cardia

Meadows Elementary Kristy Burkey

Newhall Elementary George Chavez II

Oak Hills Elementary Janelle Grover

Old Orchard Elementary Juliane Liles

Peachland Elementary Chelsea O’Donoghue

Pico Canyon Elementary Mary Lee

Stevenson Ranch Elementary Belinda Zdawczyk

Valencia Valley Elementary Kelli Koogler

Wiley Canyon Elementary Marla Adelman

Saugus Union School District

Bridgeport Courtney McCarty

Cedarcreek Michelle Pearce

Emblem Academy Robert Desmond

Foster Susan Michaelides

Helmers Christine Hobbs

Highlands Claudia López-Gallagher

Mountainview Mishelle Lara

North Park Julianne Vannix

Plum Canyon Jaimee Strength

Rio Vista Tamara Gardner

Rosedell Allison White

Santa Clarita Barbara Marin

Skyblue Mesa Lara Lim

Tesoro del Valle Terri Shirley

West Creek Academy Connie Lindsay

Sulphur Springs Union School District

Canyon Springs Community Liz Mowry

Fair Oaks Ranch Community Danielle Johnson

Golden Oak Community Jennifer Lane

Leona Cox Community Glenn Endo

Mint Canyon Community Jennifer Borges

Mitchell Community Kristine Shaw

Pinetree Community Laurel Delp

Sulphur Springs Community Vicki Hamilton

Valley View Community Cindy Goossens

William S. Hart Union High School District

Academy of the Canyons Michael Koegle

Arroyo Seco Junior High School Kevin Fulleman

Bowman High School Pamela Thompson

Canyon High School Joshua Underwood

Castaic High School Ashley Albrecht

Golden Valley High School Jaide McClinton Yoakum

Hart High School Nicholas Gravel

La Mesa Junior High School Erika Garcia

Learning Post Academy Michele Engerran

Placerita Junior High School Holly Reed

Rancho Pico Junior High School Erin McHorney

Rio Norte Junior High School Nancy James

Saugus High School Ulrike Skillman

Sequoia School Priscilla Lofton

Sierra Vista Junior High School Mandi Hatfield

Valencia High School Casey Cuny

West Ranch High School Anne Konrad