Deborah Grima-Lowe, a 7th grade science teacher at Willowside Middle School who incorporates her love of the outdoors into meaningful lessons for her students, is the Sonoma County Office of Education’s Teacher of the Year for 2025.

Grima-Lowe prioritizes extending learning outside the classroom walls, from yearly kayaking trips and tours of the coast, to visits to the school greenhouse. One day, her students might take a microscope out to the school garden. On another, they’ll build a terrarium or use a microscope to look at algae and plankton they gathered on a field trip. Some of the outside partners Grima-Lowe has worked with during her 22 years at the district include Bodega Marine Lab, Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, Watertreks Ecotours, and the Living with Lions Project.

“Ms. Grima-Lowe does a lot outside the textbook and makes learning interactive,” one of her students wrote in her nomination packet. “She picks out the activities that will help us learn the best.”

Grima-Lowe’s nomination letter, from Willowside Principal Dani Barese, highlighted the teacher’s leadership around equitable grading. Such practices place greater focus on whether students are learning the material, with less emphasis on factors like classroom participation or the timely completion of homework.

The Teacher of the Year program is facilitated by the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) and Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Amie Carter. As Sonoma County’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, Grima-Lowe will move on for consideration as a California Teacher of the Year for 2026. The California Department of Education announces state teachers of the year in the fall.

“Few things captivate students like the opportunity to see concepts from the classroom come to life in the natural world,” Carter said. “Ms. Grima-Lowe’s engagement of her students and commitment to explore equitable grading practices that prioritize student learning make her a great choice for Sonoma County Teacher of the Year.”

Grima-Lowe also seeks to leverage her students’ imaginations as she teaches them science.

“One of my favorite activities to ask students to do is to write creative stories, especially if we have visited the school garden and sat in the greenhouse for a little while,” Grima-Lowe said in her application. “Some students are so clever in how they incorporate the content, I am amazed.”

Dr. Carter and staff from SCOE plan to celebrate with Grima-Lowe and the Willowside community during a school assembly at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 29. Media are invited to attend. Please reach out to SCOE Communications Specialist Nashelly Chavez if you plan to attend, wish to interview the teacher or school officials ahead of time, or have questions.

In addition to recognizing Grima-Lowe as Sonoma County Teacher of the Year, SCOE also named Edith Sánchez-Cárdenas, a Spanish teacher at Cloverdale High School, as a runner-up.

Both educators, as well as 12 nominees, will be honored during a celebration at SCOE in the fall. At that event, Grima-Lowe will receive a $3,000 check from Community First Credit Union in recognition of her work, and Cardenas will receive $1,500.