Five Teachers of the Year Chosen at Gala

Five educators were named Teacher of the Year at a gala Saturday night in the Balboa Theatre. “Cox Presents: A Salute to Teachers” awarded Doug Green, Armando Leon, Paul Messerle, Shirley Parrish Miranda and Janet Ratkovic-Feilen with the honor.

Doug Green teaches broadcast journalism at Valley Middle School and Carlsbad High School. Both schools consistently rank among the top broadcast schools in the nation.

Armando Leon teaches U.S. history and AVID to 8th-grade students at Mar Vista Academy in the Sweetwater Union High School District. The principal says he is “masterful in making connections with students in a way that gets them excited about learning United States history.”

Paul Messerle teaches AP art history, 3D computer animation and computer graphic design at Rancho Bernardo High. No student is ever turned away from his classes.

Shirley Parrish Miranda teaches math and computer science at Morse High School. She left a job as an engineer to become a teacher.

Janet Ratkovic-Feilen works with special needs children from birth to three years at Sevick School in the Cajon Valley Union School District. She has been working with children for 35 years.

The five were chosen out of 44 nominees at the ceremony Saturday night. They will represent the County at the California Teacher of the Year Program.

Since 1974, 156 teachers have been named San Diego County Teacher of the Year.
 

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