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San Ramon Valley Unified School District teacher Shanna Gagnon has been selected among the four women named as finalists for the Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year award.
A history teacher at California High School in San Ramon, Gagnon was chosen as SRVUSD’s Teacher of the Year last month, but she said she was still pleasantly surprised to hear she will be representing the district in this year’s county competition.
“It is an incredible honor for me because I value all of my colleagues in such a high regard,” Gagnon said. “So to be chosen as their representative, I almost have no words … I love my job and I have the best students in the world. It’s such an honor and a privilege.”
Gagnon has been teaching at California High since 2013, but she said she wasn’t always planning on being a teacher.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in history and business economics at U.C. Santa Barbara and worked in the private sector for several years before realizing her passion for teaching. She later received her career technical education credential from U.C. Berkeley.
“If I took a close look at (my past), this is where I was always headed,” she said. “I realized that my purpose and passion lies in helping people realize theirs.”
Gagnon selection last week by the Contra Costa County Office of Education continues the SRVUSD’s strong record in the county Teacher of the Year program. The district has had a county finalist nearly every year since the 2006 contest — 2015 was the exception.
“Shanna is one of the remarkable educators who is able to bring learning to life for her students. She believes strongly in connecting students with their passion to prepare them in high school for everything that comes next,” Cal High principal Sarah Cranford said. “Shanna’s students enter her classes as high school students and leave as critical thinkers, effective communicators, passionate leaders and self-aware adults.”
One program that set Gagnon apart from the competition is leading Cal High’s iQuest courses, a class in which students can pursue real world internships. While Gagnon has led the program, it has grown to serve more than 100 students a year through more than 60 community partnerships.
“She spends hours reading students’ blog posts, correcting resumes and cover letters, teaching life tips in class, all while exceeding at instructing two history classes,” said former student Andrew Cabral. “As a student, I knew I could ask Mrs. Gagnon for help, regardless of whether or not it was an academic question. She is always approachable, and genuinely cares about her students’ success. Mrs. Gagnon is a once-in-a-lifetime teacher.”
Since joining Cal High, Gagnon has taught world history, U.S. history, American studies and government, in addition to iQuest, to grades 10-12. Before joining the school, she taught history, government and economics for the Martinez and Acalanes school districts.
Gagnon and three other teachers were chosen by a committee that reviewed and rated applications for the county’s 21 recognized Teachers of the Year. Bella Vista Elementary teacher Lynn Alamillo, the SRVUSD’s other 2018 Teacher of the Year, did not advance in the county competition.
The three other county finalists are also high school teachers: Kelly Perkins, special day class teacher at Ygnacio Valley in Concord; Rosie Reid, English teacher at Northgate in Walnut Creek; and Andrea Salas, math and science teacher at Alhambra in Martinez.
The quartet will compete over the next several months to become one of two county winners who will advance to the state’s Teacher of the Year contest. The county winners will be announced at a banquet in the Concord Hilton on Sept. 27 — all 21 Contra Costa County district level teachers of the year will be honored at the dinner.
Last year, Marissa Ware from John Baldwin Elementary in Danville made it to the state level but did not advance out of the initial round of the competition.
