Parenting OC received 121 nominations from principals all over Orange County in this year’s Top Teachers category. They were an impressive group composed of a wide variety of teachers who use various teaching styles, and teach in different subjects and grade levels. The one common thread was their passion for teaching and their students.
Jackie Leimkuhler
Heritage Oak Private Education | Top Teacher of Orange County 2019
“Inspiring teenagers to have a passion for English seems difficult; however, Jackie Leimkuhler has done just that. “What I love about teaching English is convincing my students that it’s a fun and challenging subject,” she explains. Her innovative, interactive, and engaging lessons capture the attention of her students each week. Leimkuhler enjoys engaging students in learning tasks such as rotating activity centers, escape rooms, class discussions, and collaborative projects. One of her most memorable activities is called a BRAWL. It’s a competitive Socratic Seminar done in teams. Sometimes the students dress up for the BRAWLS so they may better-connect to the material. For example, students dressed as greasers and socialites for the Outsiders BRAWL and spoke from their characters’ perspectives. Instead of just reading aloud from Romeo and Juliet, her class acted out the wedding scene and conducted a wedding reception. Students dressed up, shared words of advice, and enjoyed a wedding reception. Mrs. Leimkuhler introduced “flipped lessons,” created a collaborative student workspace, and set up a class Instagram page, promoting engagement beyond classroom walls. Graduates return to tell Leimkuhler that she made Shakespeare less intimidating. They report that high school English is easy because her activities made the subject comprehensible. While her classes are considered “fun,” Leimkuhler sets realistic expectations and pushes students to think outside of their comfort zones. She encourages them to think for themselves, and she uses literature to lead meaningful discussions that extend beyond basic reading comprehension. In addition to teaching, Mrs. Leimkuhler leads a Genius Hour elective, mentors teachers in standards-based grading and Apple technology, coordinates the Citizen of the Month program, and advises the Spelling Bee and National Junior Honor Society, which helps raise money for scholarships in Kenya. Leimkuhler is passionate about helping children with health conditions that put them in children’s hospitals. When she was pregnant, she received news that her child had a very rare genetic disorder, and she is now often at CHOC receiving services with her daughter. Witnessing her experiences, her homeroom class decided to sponsor CHOC by collecting “change for CHOC.” She shares stories with them about her daughter and her experience as a parent at CHOC. “This allows them to see a different side of me too, and that matters in an age where we fabricate perfection that we want others to see online. It lets my students see that I am human too,” she explains. “
Nominated by Shawna Rhebergen
William Chesher
GOALS Academy | STEAM Teacher of the Year
“Mr. Chesher came to us through the Career Technical Education Credential program that brings professionals from 14 areas of expertise to public schools. William brings a passion and excitement to our STEAM program. Part of his philosophy is the infusion of technology into traditional subjects. He calls this “technology-infused education.” The introduction of digital literacy skills defined for each grade level is combined with delivery of digital citizenship. He authored our comprehensive Digital Literacy and Computer Science Education Plan. Mr. Chesher provides a foundation using an engineering design process and project-based learning. Scholars learn resiliency through design challenges and discover that failure can be merely a safe and productive rest stop on the way to a successful project destination. Mr. Chesher uses free time to visit other schools that are taking the lead in STEAM. The most impactful trip was a visit to High Tech High in San Diego. One approach he adopted from this visitation is cross-curricular project creations. He also is very active in securing grants to bring new technologies to our scholars. He has created various after-school conservatories to expand the opportunity for our scholar to explore their passion in science. He has introduced lockpicking as a GATE activity, autonomous drone programming, model rocketry, circuit creations, digital animation, young astronauts, competition robotics, and a class called “Got Science.” He also acts as a mentor to many of our GATE scholars. He assists them in completing their projects by opening his maker space during lunch time and challenging them to grow and expand the scope of their discipline. He is also a wonderful Master of Ceremonies for our trimester project presentation night. His prior career as a cyber protection professional brought a level of expertise to our networking system, and he created a parent interface that monitors and report their children’s internet activity. He is the staff representative to our parent group and attends all our family events. He is well respected by our parents and admired by all our scholars. We have designating August 22 as “Mr. Chesher Day.” We celebrate his date of birth with the donning of a plaid shirts, dark pants and glasses to emulate his daily attire. There are not many people that can match his passion and energy for our 240 scholars. He has earned the confidence from our families that our scholars are preparing for the 21 century’s opportunities in STEAM. “
Nominated by Yvette LaValle
Joanne Hayden
Tustin Memorial Academy | Kindergarten Teacher of the Year
“Dear Parent OC, Tustin Memorial Academy is so lucky to have one of the best kindergarten teachers in Orange County. Mrs. Joanne Hayden is the teacher that remembers every child and every child remembers her for life. She is the teacher that keeps in touch with her students and families through the years and year after year students in high school and college still come back to visit her. Mrs. Hayden is involved with students, families, school activities by coaching our volleyball team and the school site council. Her joy of teaching and her involvement at our school has been a true inspiration to everyone around her. I am so proud to nominate Mrs. Joanne Hayden for this prestigous award that she truly deserves. She will be retiring in the next year or so and we know that she has left a legacy of her love of teaching, love of her students and her contagious smile at Tustin Memorial School.”
Nominated by Mary Pham
“Mrs. Hayden is a staple at Tustin Memorial Academy. She has the huge responsibility of preparing our kindergarten students for the rest of their academic careers from elementary school through their graduate education. She teaches our kids to be independent thinkers, to take pride if their work, to strive for independence, yet still seek help and direction when it’s needed. But that’s not all she does. Mrs. Hayden takes her years of wisdom and also teaches and directs the parents. She teaches us how to empower our children instead of enable them. She helps us navigate the challenges of parenthood on all levels. She lends a listening ear and provides advice and direction from her experiences as both an educator and a mother. We are so grateful to have had Mrs. Hayden as a kinder teacher for all of our children at TMA. “
Nominated by Iris Gluzman
“We’ve been fortunate enough to have Mrs. Hayden for kindergarten for 2 of our 4 children, and we have loved her! She brings a lot of fun and laughter to the classroom! But she has also fostered a sense of personal responsibility and accountability in our children. And she has been doing so for many, many years! Mrs. Hayden is set to retire within the next year or so and we’d love to send her off with our appreciation and this honor! “
Nominated by Caitlin Reid
“Joanne Hayden has been getting Kindergarten kids ready for the world for over two decades. Her favorite phrase is “it all started in Kindergarten” and that could not be more true…kindness, fairness, following rules, helping out, learning about each other, our community, our holidays, and getting gross and fine motor skills in order instead of focusing on worksheets are only a few of the things Joanne teaches her kids year in and year out. Each year her parents become the best of friends, and include her in their circles of friends. She sets the stage for her kids as well as her parents for the years we spend at TMA. She is a source of infinite knowledge, positivity, and shared kinship and is an integral part of the city of Tustin. Everyone knows, loves, and appreciates what Joanne has contributed to the generations of kids and parents who have turned out to be kind and caring friends and citizens. Sadly, we all know that retirement is coming soon for Joanne but before she goes, we want her to know how much she means to us. I hope we have already proven to her that she is a hero, but being recognized as an official School Hero and would give her the spotlight she never seeks but truly deserves.”
Nominated by Regina Frank
“Ms. Hayden was an amazing teacher to my two daughters. I can’t say enough about how thoughtful and caring she was. When needed, she would take the time to contact me and want to discuss my childs progress and gave great advice on how to make the transition to kindergarten a smooth one. My girls love Ms.Hayden and go back to see her and give hugs.”
Nominated by Chantel collins
“Kicks off elementary school the right way for both students and parents!”
Nominated by Kerry Tully
“Mrs. Hayden is the best of the best. She has 30+ years experience with these little lives. Her knowledge, her kindness, her loving nature, her structure are everything a parent wants in their child’s kindergarten teacher. She is (for so many) their very first teacher, ever. And I bet if you went back and asked them so many others they would say she was also their best. She is involved with the entire school because there are so many kids in each and every grade that still love and adore her. She gives so much of her time, energy and love to shape these little lives right right from the start. She is a true blessing to every one she meets and all the lives she touches. From the kids, to the parents, to the siblings of her student. She is an incredible human and deserves this honor. “
Nominated by Erica Stoney
Ed Hernandez
Tustin High School | High School Teacher of the Year
“Mr. Hernandez has a great story of coming to this country as an immigrant at 12 years old and working hard to become a successful engineer. However, he sought meaning and purpose in his life so he decided to teach in order to challenge and inspire students to dream big and prepare well. He runs our T-Tech program at Tustin High School, which impacts about 200 students. Not only they do they learn how to design, build and problem-solve real solutions, but they also participate in many activities outside of the classroom. Mr. Hernandez will give up days on the weekend to take students to various competitions and events related to technology and engineering. For example, a group of young women took 1st place at a UCI competition because their car traveled 28 miles in one hour, using $.60 of fuel. Just a few weeks ago, he took a group of T-Tech students to a competition at the LA Chargers headquarters and their device won first place by projecting a toy football farther and more accurately than any of the other 25 schools. This required another day on another weekend so that he could take his students to the LA Charger Football game because of their first place finish. While Mr. Hernandez dedicates much of his time outside the classroom to provide growth opportunities for his students, many of which come from economically challenged homes, probably the most important time he offers is every other Saturday throughout the year. He requires his students to put in extra time outside the school day to build, create and apply their learning. He has developed a state of the art workshop by hustling and getting outside help. He volunteers his time twice a month to supervise and mentor students. They come in on a Saturday morning to work and connect. It is a community of common interests and students have a sense of belonging. For some of these students, it is the most impactful time in the week because for 2 or 3 ours, they have Mr. Hernandez at their side to get help for both their project and life. We use the word hero lightly, but Mr. Hernandez has sacrificed much and continues to live life intentionally so that others grow. That sounds like a hero to me. I call him Tustin High School’s Jaime Escalante. “
Nominated by Jon Tuin
Jamie Joyce
AG Currie Middle School | Middle School Teacher of the Year
“Mrs. Joyce is the heart and soul of Currie. That sounds like a cliché, but could not be truer. A self-taught bilingual teacher learned through time spent building homes and working with families in Mexico and Latin America in her summers, Mrs. Joyce has a passion and love for the students and families of Currie. She uses that unwavering passion and love to bring out the best in each of them. She spends countless hours working with them, emailing them, face timing, or whatever it takes to insure their success. She consistently volunteers to take on the most challenging classes, whether it be strategic reading or English Learner classes, and through research based best practices, commitment to professional development and sheer will, Mrs. Joyce elevates those students to learning levels that outpace the general education or other classrooms district wide. Mrs. Joyce is also a leader among our staff. Four years ago, she committed to taking on a dual role as a teacher and coach. Her first two years, included training and coaching across multiple sites. She loved the work, but missed the students. So, she created a new role as both coach and classroom teacher. This dual role would be challenging for most, but Mrs. Joyce has thrived in it. Growing and developing her students along with her colleagues. Her thoughtful, energetic, determined, and giving nature comes out in everything she does. The results are amazing as well. Currie is a Title I school with 92% of its population living in poverty and the majority of those second language learners as well. Despite the challenges associated with living in poverty, Mrs. Joyce and Currie as well has thrived as she’s been a major part of its success as it has worked its way out of Program Improvement and earned Title I High Achieving, Gold Ribbon and Distinguished School Recognition. What is so great about Mrs. Joyce is what a large impact she has beyond the doors of Currie. She serves on multiple committees across the district as well as attended regional and national trainings as both an attendee as well as a presenter. Over the course of the past twenty years, I have seen many amazing teachers through the years. As a principal, parent and educator myself, Mrs. Joyce is at the top of the charts. This woman is amazing! “
Nominated by Erick Fineberg
Shannon Kennedy
Brea Country Hills Elementary School | Special Education Teacher of the Year
“Shannon Kennedy goes above and beyond for kids! Shannon is our Education Specialist at Country Hills, working with special education students, the special education team as well as general education students and their teachers. She works directly with RSP students, supporting their learning in English Language Arts and Math, she runs math groups for students who need a little extra time and support, and she helps organize Response to Intervention for many grade levels. In addition to her many student assessments and IEP meetings, she also manages a team of paraprofessionals that work in the classrooms. She attends many of our Student Success Team meetings to give valuable input and strategies to support students and their families. Shannon is the coach for our Positive Behavior Interventions & SupportsPBIS team, she was a founding member of the Peer Assistance Leadership (PAL) team. Shannon is our principal designee and makes herself available to help around campus in any way she can. She is a member of our Leadership Team which helps guide our Professional Learning Communities. She is constantly finding new resources to share with her colleagues, and she even shares resources with students when they are struggling with something. Shannon has a fantastic sense of humor and keeps the staff feeling supported and grounded as they work with our diverse population of almost 600 students. She shares instruction on Social Thinking, Whole Body Listening and Zones of Regulation. She is the point person for students who need to Check In and Check Out, and she loves to reward students for their positive behavior with brag tags and prizes. Shannon Kennedy is an exemplary teacher who is caring, intelligent, depenedable and just plain good to be around! “
Nominated by Trish Walsh
Christian Mangold
Macy Elementary | Grade School Teacher of the Year
“With 22 years of teaching experience, Mr. Christian Mangold continues to stun and wow his students with an array of Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics (STEAM) lessons tied to curriculum and the 4 C’s of Common Core. Being one of the first STEAM Coordinators at Macy Elementary he continues to be a pioneer with STEAM. As the STEAM Coordinator, he has organized and conducted STEAM Challenges not only with his class but for the entire school! He also helped to design our STEAM Innovation Lab and customize it with supplies, aesthetics, and educational technology. He is also actively supporting other teachers with using Breakout Edu. and having students make Green Screen Video that tie into literature activities. He’s also established a Macy Elementary Saturday Expanded Learning class where students get to integrate art, coding, wth STEAM projects. One time, he had students build our town with black marker and the students coded their Ozobots to zip around to all their favorite places. Mr. Mangold is also in the habit of growing his Ed Tech proficiency by attending a variety of professional development such as OC CUE Fest (Orange County Computer Using Educator’s Festival), Day of Discovery with Discovery Education, and CUE. His latest project is running an after school Drone League where students learn how to code their drones using script based coding to fly autonomously around an obstacle course. Ultimately he plans to launch a drone league to compete against other schools in other districts. Despite all the STEAM related lessons he champions, his lasting contribution to our school is the positive relationships he builds with his students, our families, and our staff. “
Nominated by David Shun
Dana McChristie
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School | GATE Teacher of the Year
“”In a world where you can choose anything, choose kind.” These ubiquitous and popular words have a special meaning in Dana McChristie’s 6th grade GATE classroom. Every August, about 30 gifted and high performing students enter her classroom with butterflies in their stomachs and a nervous excitement for a year filled with creative learning and exponential personal growth. Families call the principal asking for placement there because during her seventeen year tenure at Jefferson School, Dana has built a tremendous reputation for instructional rigor, creative and innovative lessons, and a classroom that has an undercurrent of kindness. On any given day, you’ll see highly engaging lessons/activities like the STEAM contest where students used the Engineering Design Process to plan, design, and build their own catapults. They may be working collaboratively in the Codologie lab where student groups tie in computer programming learning by integrating LED lights into their dioramas, which they coded to light up in a variety of patterns. Groups use oral presentation skills as they share their knowledge with groups of parents/community visitors. 1:1 technology allows her students to efficiently access research, learning and collaboration all throughout the day. During a study on the Stone Age, students became archeologists or paleontologists to excavate and identify fossils and ancient ruins. They even mummified a real chicken! But Dana doesn’t stop there. In addition to her dedication to her classroom family, she also started an afterschool soccer club four years ago, called JFC (Jefferson Futbol Club). Soccer is a very popular sport in our community, and many students come from socioeconomically disadvantaged homes. There are very little opportunities for soccer clinics or programs in this area, either due to cost or availability. JFC was started to give these interested students an opportunity to play the sport, learn sportsmanship, and build team spirit. “I can see the excitement in their eyes at every practice. They love it, and would train everyday if I let them,” says Dana. Since the inception of the program, word has spread and there are 50-70 tryouts every year now. The program is growing rapidly. Dana McChristie goes above and beyond each day, thinking about what more she can bring to enrich and challenge her students to be the critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and responsible citizens…who choose kind.”
Nominated by Sandra Song
Benjamin Van Dyk
Servite High School | History Teacher of the Year
It is a distinct personal honor to recommend Benjamin Van Dyk as the top teacher in Orange County. In my thirty-eight year career as a teacher of history, Ben best encapsulates those qualities that define that single person who is the ”most memorable educator.” His subject area knowledge, his communication skills, his ability to inspire students, the high esteem with which he is held by students and parents alike, his community service with the Bridges and Model UN prorgams, his recognized leadership among the faculty as department chairman, his contributions to the school-wide writing curriculum, his position as Adjunct Professor at Cal State Fullerton, and his work with the College Board are some, but by no means all that have marked Ben’s nine years at Servite High School.
Among the students, it is considered an honor to get into Mr. Van Dyk’s AP US History course. His students did very well on the newly revamped College Board AP US History exam. His students have always done very well on the national subject area examination. His wide-ranging project assignments stimulate student creativity. He takes the time to counsel students, listen to their concerns and tries to offer guidance from his experiences as teacher and a former student. In return, the students feel they can relate to Ben and they trust him.
I have known Ben since he was a student in my AP class. I regard him among the top five students I’ve ever had. After graduating with honors from UCLA, he did his credential work at Penn. He did his student teaching in an inner city school in Philadelphia. While Ben saw me as his mentor, his enthusiasm and sincerity were such that he didn’t need my help to win the respect and loyalty of his students. His character is marked by hard work, humility and integrity. History itself, and his desire to “tell the story of America” are his “passion and fire.” His thirst for information, love of his subject, and his ability to share it engages and draws his student into the “human drama” that is history. He makes it “real” and “exciting.”
I am honored to recommend Benjamin Van Dyk as the top teacher in Orange County not just for what he has done, but for the promise of what he will do in the future. I could not be prouder of Ben’s accomplishments if he were my own son. I would also like to thank you for having this recognition of the hard work put in by teachers throughout the county. It is appreciated.”
Nominated by John Ebbe
Mark Wakita
Red Hill Lutheran School | Science Teacher of the Year
“If you see students excited learning how to calculate kinetic and potential energy as watermelons fall from the second floor, you must be near Mr. Wakita’s class. He has taken over a quarter century of engineering experience and created a classroom where students can see the solar system in the palm of their hand via augmented reality, experience the inside of a cell via virtual reality, design computer programs to demonstrate learning, and learn about distance and velocity with his RHLS Drone Corps. Student instruction is rigorous, but students also learn the context of science and scientific discoveries. And if your child is struggling with understanding states of matter you can always ask him about his rap, Not Just Ice, Ice, Baby. Wakita is as passionate about sharing skills with others as he is about personal professional growth. Whether this be instructing fellow staff members at RHLS, partnering with Google for staff/student education, presenting to other teachers at the 2018 Cal State LA Writing Seminar, or teaching peers from across the county at the Better Together Conference, Mark Wakita understands education as both a student and teacher. His rapport with students is strong. His desire to help students succeed was seen most recently as he learned enough Vietnamese to enable him to translate curriculum for an English learner. Even beyond the purely academic, student instruction also includes practical life lessons with such projects as the Children’s Hospital Project where students created posters and wrote persuasive articles to increase awareness of and support for children’s hospitals around the United States.”
Nominated by Paul Marquardt
“If you are looking for an O.C. Teacher Superhero, look no further than Mark Wakita’s classroom. With walls and windows decorated with a four-foot Transformer, a six-foot X-wing fighter, or a 12-foot Yellow Submarine, the environment is as exciting as it is educational. This inviting classroom is just an entrée to the learning inside. Mr. Wakita’s engineering experience creates a classroom where students can see the solar system in the palm of their hand via augmented reality, experience the inside of a cell via virtual reality, design computer programs to demonstrate learning, and learn about distance and velocity with his RHLS Drone Corps. As a second career teacher, Mr. Wakita uses his real-world experience in engineering to make connections in student learning. He tirelessly commits countless hours, going above and beyond to create meaningful learning experiences. Students are always welcome to come in at break time if they have any questions or want to put extra effort into their projects. Mr. Wakita also coaches the Science Olympics team which works with community members to support even more authentic science learning. My classroom is next door to the science room, and I can testify that the room is constantly abuzz with learning. Mark Wakita is committed to professional development and to sharing with other teachers. Whether he’s instructing fellow staff members at Red Hill Lutheran School, partnering with Google for staff/student education, presenting at the 2018 Cal State LA Writing Seminar, or teaching peers from across the county at the Better Together Conference, Mark Wakita understands education as both a student and teacher. Certified as a Whole Brain Teaching instructor, he uses knowledge on how the brain learns to engage all parts of the students’ brains in learning. His level of student engagement is a sight to be seen! There are many good teachers in the O.C., but if you want to find an example of a SUPER teacher, Mark Wakita fits the mold by any measure. “
Nominated by Lisa Tarkoff
Rami Harb says
How can I nominate a Teacher ?
Kevin Yoshimasu says
Hello Rami,
I apologize for not responding sooner, but unfortunately the deadline to nominate teachers and employees for this year’s Top Teachers & Employees of Orange County ended December 6, 2019. We generally begin the nomination process around October and ends at the beginning of December. You can check back in around that time this year and nominate at that time. If you have any questions about the nomination process, feel free to call our office at 714-630-4510. While it’s too late to make it in this year, I do hope you are able to nominate for next year’s Top Teachers & Employees of OC!