Contra Costa County Office of Education

2025-2026 Teachers of the Year

Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year Program Liaison / Teacher Information and Resources

Attention:

District’s Teacher(s) of the Year are due to CCCOE's Communications Department by Friday, February 14, 2025.

Forms and instructions related to the 2025-26 Teacher of the Year application:

Application deadline is Monday, March 17, 2025 at 5 p.m.
Tentative date for 53rd annual Teachers of the Year Celebration: September 18, 2025.

TOY Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for consideration as one of the two County Teachers of the Year and to qualify for the statewide competition, district TOY applicants must meet the following criteria:

Hold full credentials as a teacher

Be employed full-time or as a long-term substitute during the 2025-26 school year to teach any pre-kindergarten through grade twelve curriculum

Have primary responsibility for teaching, even if assigned some administrative duties

Have completed a minimum of eight years of teaching at the time of application submission

Please note that while a district may choose a teacher with less than eight years of teaching, such individuals would not be eligible for selection as a County Teacher of the Year or advancement to the state competition.

In terms of grants, if a TOY selected for a district does not teach during the 2025-26 school year, the classroom grant money remains with the school where they were chosen. Similarly, if the TOY relocates out of the district, the grant money stays with the originating school. If the TOY changes schools within the same district, the grant money remains with the teacher at their new school.

Read Press Release About 2025-2026 Teachers of the Year

Monika Voellm Acalanes Union High School District Acalanes High School	Kristine Koepke Antioch Unified School District Sutter Elementary School	Amie Radabaugh Brentwood Union School District Adams Middle School	Julia Musser Byron Union School District Discovery Bay Elementary School
Mark Wong Contra Costa Community College District Contra Costa College	Carianne Kowalski CCCOE Schools Diablo Vista Elementary School	Rebecca Harris John Swett Unified School District John Swett High School	Abe Naldijan Knightsen Elem School District Old River Elementary School
Kristine Gingrich Lafayette School District Lafayette Elementary School	Corey Spainhower Liberty Union High School District Liberty High School	Donica Katayanagi Martinez Unified School District Morello Park Elementary School	Joni Pearce Moraga School District Los Perales Elementary School
David Pintado Mt. Diablo Unified School District Mt. Diablo High School	Elizabeth Swanson Mt. Diablo Unified School District Silverwood Elementary School	Denise Holton Oakley Union Elem School District Almond Grove Elementary School	Sarah Sable Orinda Union Elem School District Sleepy Hollow Elementary School
Rosa Martinez Ocasio Pittsburg Unified School District Foothill Elementary School	Dima Khoury San Ramon Valley Unified School District Neil Armstrong Elementary School	Don Busboom San Ramon Valley Unified School District San Ramon Valley High School	Kristen Giangregorio Walnut Creek School District Walnut Creek Intermediate School
Zsarleen Posadas West Contra Costa Unified School District Montalvin Manor Elementary School	Kaitlin Marchesi West Contra Costa Unified School District Vista Virtual Academy

CONTACTS

TITLE	NAME	PHONE	FAX
Communications	communications@cccoe.k12.ca.us	(925) 942-3425	(925) 942-3454

Donate

Many thanks to our generous donors who make the Teachers of the Year program a success! To learn more about the Teacher of the Year program, visit cocoschools.org/toy. For donation questions, contact the CCCOE Communications office at the phone number or email above.