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Organization: Wm. S. Hart Union High School District
Date: September 4, 2008
Christine Parr Named Hart District Teacher of the Year for 2008
Christine Parr
Christine Parr, an English Language Development (ELD) teacher and ELD coordinator at Placerita Junior High School, has been named Teacher of the Year for the William S. Hart Union High School District. She will represent the district in Los Angeles County competition, which is part of the California Teacher of the Year program.
Parr and 16 other teachers of the year selected by Hart District Schools were honored by the Hart Governing Board at its Sept. 3 meeting.
Other individual school nominees included Greg Herrick, Academy of the Canyons; Joanna Johnson, Arroyo Seco Junior High School; Jamie Herrington, Bowman High School; Elizabeth Craig, Canyon High School; Jason Wilhelm, Early College High School; Stella Theuer, Golden Oak Adult School; Carolyn Hoffman, Golden Valley High School; Rob Frechette, Hart High School; Jeff Stephan, La Mesa Junior High School; Lee Gately, Rancho Pico Junior High School; Jeanette Kratofil, Rio Norte Junior High School; Frank Koroshec, Saugus High School; Fidel Garcia, Sequoia Learning Charter; Lorraine Fulleman, Sierra Vista Junior High School; John Minkus, Valencia High School; Fayanne Gabel, West Ranch High School.
"These teachers are selected by their peers as outstanding examples of the teaching profession," Assistant Superintendent Rochelle Neal told the Board members.
Parr worked at Canyon for four years as an English teacher before transferring to pursue her true passion, working with students for whom English is a second language. She also taught a new Strategic Reading exploratory class last year, aimed at helping students who score at or below Basic on their standardized tests in English/language arts.
"Christine has been teaching for six years and has taken on many extra responsibilities in her time at Canyon High School and now at Placerita," Neal continued. She is often called upon to train other staff members at Placerita in developing literacy.
As intervention coordinator, she has organized, created and recruited teachers for intervention classes which help low-performing students. While teaching English at Canyon High, she also served as yearbook advisor, helping the program move to an all digital publication with full color.
Parr received her bachelor’s degree from the University of LaVerne and currently is in the process of obtaining her master’s degree in educational counseling. Canyon High School’s principal and department chairs selected her as Teacher of the Month in February 2005.
A junior high school teacher who was patient and kind, while maintaining high academic standards in the classroom, became Parr’s role model once she decided that teaching was her goal in life.
"Once I started down this new path, I found true joy in my life and never regretted my decision," she said. "True success comes from helping others find their own joy. I come home each night satisfied that I am able to create a passion for learning within my students, making a difference in their lives each and every day."
She also is dedicated to getting parents of English learners involved in their children’s education. She helps facilitate Parents of English Language Learners (PELL) meetings five times a year and has conducted weekly parent information meetings during the five weeks of summer school.
"We are proud to announce that Christine was recently selected as a Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year semi-finalist and wish her success in the next level of competition," Neal concluded. "Christine represents exemplary teaching methods and a passion for student learning."
