05/08/2024 -
Tyson Steeves, a 5th-grade teacher at Corona Creek Elementary who has worked with the Waugh School District for 23 years, has been selected as the Sonoma County Teacher of the Month for April 2024.
Steeves was informed of the recognition during an assembly at the Petaluma elementary school on Tuesday, April 30. The Sonoma County Teacher of the Month program celebrates extraordinary teachers who go above and beyond to provide students with quality education.
Nominations for the program are solicited from parents, students, and school staff via on-air ads played on Hot 101.7 and Froggy 92.9, two stations that partner with the Sonoma County Office of Education to deliver the program. The award is sponsored by Community First Credit Union, which provides award recipients a $500 classroom gift card, and Henry Mechanical, the supplier of a $100 gift card.
Steeves, who has worked at Corona Creek for a decade, is the final recipient of the recognition program for the 2023-24 school year.
“We’re closing out the school year by celebrating a tenured educator whose thoughtful planning and out-of-the-box approach to teaching has created an environment where students are genuinely excited about learning,” said Dr. Amie Carter, the Sonoma County superintendent of schools. “Congratulations to Mr. Steeves for earning this well-deserved recognition.”
One nomination for Mr. Steeves lauded his adaptation of the TV show “The Amazing Race” to teach students about U.S. states, as well as his use of a “merit point” system that rewards students for every book they read and mile they run.
“I know that because of (Mr. Steeves), my son will look at school differently moving forward,” said the nominator, who is the parent of a child enrolled in Mr. Steeves’ classroom. “He is absolutely the shining example of what Teacher of the Month represents.”
During the assembly on April 30, Corona Creek Principal Bennett Holley said one only needed to look at Mr. Steeves’ desk, which is invariably clean and organized, to understand what type of educator he is. Mike Gardner, the superintendent of the Waugh School District, commended Mr. Steeves for his ability to prepare students to meet their academic and personal goals.
“(You) give them the support and the tools to break those goals and to bring things out in themselves that they didn’t even know were there,” Gardner said, addressing Mr. Steeves. “That’s one of the many things that makes you such a tremendous educator.”
Do you know a teacher who goes above and beyond for their students? Keep an eye out for the opportunity to nominate them for the Sonoma County Teacher of the Month award at the start of the 2024-25 school year.
