“Each day I strive to provide opportunities for students to
grow academically, gain confidence, and create the ability to feel good about
themselves and their learning. … No matter their ability, you will see them
being challenged.
“My role as a teacher is to create a
community within my classroom where students feel safe to take risks in their
learning, where they feel supported, and one in which they support one another
in the learning environment.”
— Allison Heiduk
Allison Heiduk, a third-grade
teacher at Vieja Valley Elementary School in the Hope School District, has been
selected as the 2014-15 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year.
County Superintendent of Schools
Bill Cirone made the announcement and introduced her Thursday during the
monthly meeting of the county Board of Education.
One of a number of outstanding
nominees for the honor countywide, she was selected by a committee that
included teachers, administrators, PTA representatives, school board members
and other community members.
Heiduk will become the county’s
official representative on July 1, and her nomination will be reviewed in the
fall for consideration as California Teacher of the Year. The state winner will
then be advanced for consideration as 2015 National Teacher of the Year.
Cirone congratulated Heiduk for her
innovation, enthusiasm, professionalism, and dedication.
“We are fortunate to have many
great teachers in Santa Barbara County, but Allison Heiduk is truly
exceptional,” Cirone said. “She is devoted to what she calls “the three C’s of
education” — community, curriculum, and communication — and her work is an
exemplary model for all educators. Her enthusiasm for innovation keeps her
students engaged in their learning, and her effectiveness as a teacher leader
has been a tremendous benefit for local schools.”
With more than 22 years of teaching
experience, Heiduk uses her natural enthusiasm and eagerness to support both
students and colleagues as they learn and grow. Having taught in the Hope
School District since 1995, teaching third-graders since 2009, she has
extensive experience in working with elementary students.
Most recently, she has focused her
work on implementing the Common Core State Standards in her classroom and
mentoring her colleagues, who are benefitting from her early work on the new
standards.
“Being able to be a teacher leader
and provide insight to teachers, ask questions of teachers, and also to be able
to learn from others, has not only been a great educational contribution to my
site, district, and profession, but also to my own personal growth as a
teacher,” Heiduk said.
She earned her Bachelor of Science
degree in political science from UCSB and her multiple-subject teaching
credential from Notre Dame de Namur University in the San Francisco Bay area.
She began her teaching career in the Belmont School District in Belmont,
Calif., where she taught kindergarten, first, and fifth grades. Since then, she
has taught nearly all other elementary grades in the Hope School District.
While at Belmont School District,
Heiduk was an integral part of a team that won a $2 million grant from the
Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network. With that grant, seven schools from three
districts collaborated with students, parents, teachers, and community members
to prepare students for the 21st century by promoting inquiry and emphasizing
critical thinking.
She is a dedicated teacher leader
in the Hope School District, serving as a staff development leader, a mentor
for district and site colleagues as well as for student teachers, and an active
member of several district and site committees.
“Allison has a gift for engaging
students in whatever subject matter she is teaching and planning lessons that
incorporate teaching strategies to support all students. She is always eager to
learn new ways to meet the needs of her students and successfully implement
strategies that lead to student success,” wrote Principal Mariann Cooley of
Vieja Valley School.
Natalie Wilkes, a fourth-grade
teacher at Vieja Valley, said, “Allison makes literature exciting, math
stimulating, and other curricular areas relevant. She connects with her
students and inspires her colleagues. … Simply put, Allison’s lessons and
nature cause students to enjoy learning.”
Dan Cooperman, Hope School District
Superintendent, stated, “Allison’s engaging personality and professional
knowledge motivate others to follow her lead. She is a standout as an
experienced teacher who acquires new information and translates this learning
into practice to serve as a model to others. Allison willingly and
energetically accepts any challenge. Her work highlights what is good about
public education."
As Santa Barbara County Teacher of
the Year, Heiduk will be available to speak countywide. She can be reached at
Vieja Valley School, 967-1239, or by calling Steven Keithley, Director of
Teacher Programs and Support for the Santa Barbara County Education Office, at
964-4710, ext. 5281.
