Each CATE council committee will name one teacher each year at either the elementary (K-6), middle (6-9), secondary (9-12), or college level to receive the CATE Award for Classroom Excellence. Nominations can be made by any teacher in the council area and must be accompanied by a letter explaining why the nominee is worthy of the award and what he or she has done on a continuing basis to demonstrate classroom excellence in the language arts. Any teacher who demonstrates on a continuing basis outstanding classroom expertise in teaching some aspect of English or literacy skills, may be nominated. The teacher nominated need not be a CATE member.
CATE will honor the winners of the CATE Award for Classroom Excellence at the annual Convention by inviting them to attend the CATE convention as guests of CATE with complimentary registration, and by inviting them to attend a specific meal function at the convention as guests of CATE with two free tickets to the meal.
2018 Winners
Julie Paulsen, Our Lady of Perpetual Hope School, Bakersfield – Elementary
Nominated by Kim Flachmann, President of Kern Council
Georgina Guzman, CSU Channel Islands, Camarillo – College
Nominated by Jennifer Silver, President of Southland Council
Willow Reed, Baird Middle School, Fresno – Middle
Nominated by Janina Schulz and David Wisar, Co-Presidents of Fresno Area Council
Patricia Baldwin, Hearst Elementary School, Livermore – Elementary
Nominated by Kathy Nichols, President of Central California Council
Rachel Watson, McKinleyville High School, McKinleyville – Secondary
Nominated by Joan Williams and Bob Chapman, Co-Interim Presidents of Redwood Council
Kelly Fredericks, Butte College, Oroville – College
Nominated by Gina Cole, President of Upper Council
Alyssa Dykes, Oak Valley Middle School, San Diego – Middle
Nominated by Jeannine Ugalde and Gina Vattuone, Co-Presidents of Greater San Diego Council
2018 CATE Administrator of Excellence
Jon Centofranchi, Old Town Academy, San Diego
Nominated by Jeannine Ugalde and Gina Vattuone, Co-Presidents of Greater San Diego Council
2017 Winners
Vivian Bangle, Chula Vista Hills Elementary, Chula Vista
Jessica Galvan, Jackson Elementary School, Selma
Kamala Carlson, Taft College, Taft
Dr. Mary Warner, California State University, San Jose/Director of Credential Program, San Jose
Jennifer Wolfe, LAUSD Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences, Granada Hills
Dana Pilarowski, McKinleyville Middle School, McKinleyville
Theron Hopkins, Inspire School of Arts and Sciences, Chico
2012 Winners
Lisa Ledri-Aguilar, Grossmont College, El Cajon
College Classroom Excellence Award
Nominated by GSDCTE
Mark Olsen, Independence High School, Bakersfield
Secondary Classroom Excellence Award
Nominated by Kern Council
Dan Reynolds, Mt. Diablo High School, Concord
Secondary Classroom Excellence Award
Nominated by CCCTE
Megan Day, Jacoby Creek Charter School, Bayside
Elementary Classroom Excellence Award
Nominated by Redwood Council
Kelly Baker, Waite Middle School, Norwalk
Middle School Classroom Excellence Award
Nominated by SCTE, Nancy Himel, President
Laura Behrens, Jim Maples Academy, Porterville
Middle School Classroom Excellence Award
Nominated by TUCATE, Carol Surabian, President
2011 Winners
Maureen Kearns, Humboldt State University, RCTE
College Classroom Excellence Award
Carrie Danielson, Olympian High School, GSDCTE
Secondary Classroom Award
Vicki Silva, Wyandotte Avenue School, UCTE
Elementary Classroom Excellence Award
Jill Butler, Pleasanton Middle School, CCCTE
Middle School Classroom Excellence Award
Tara Sharp, Ivanhoe Elementary School, TUCATE
Elementary Classroom Excellence Award
Peggy Dewane-Pope, Stonecreek Junior High School, KCTE
Middle School Classroom Excellence Award
2010 Winners
Jill Aguilar of CSU Dominguez Hills, SCTE
Lois Bueler of CSU Chico, UCTE
Michael Steres of Rincon Middle School, Escondido, GSDCTE
Mary Ann Walker of Our Lady of Fatima Grammar School, Modesto, CCCTE
Theresa Sweeney of DiGiorgio Elementary School, Arvin, KCTE
2009 Winners
Jonathan Lovell, San Jose State University, CCCTE
Kim Flachmann, CSU Bakersfield, KCTE
Brian Jeffrey, Los Osos High School, Rancho Cucamonga, SCTE
Tanya Perez, El Diamante High School, Visalia, TUCATE
Nancy Kennett, Piedmont Hills High School, San Jose, CCCTE
Pam Stark, Sutter Union High School, UCTE
Maureen Taylor, McKinleyville Middle School, RCTE
Denise Mikkonen, Stone Ranch Elementary Poway, GSDCTE
2008 Winners
Sandra Rogers, CSU Long Beach, SCTE
Nader Twal, Millikan High School, Long Beach, SCTE
Martin Brandt, Independence High School, San Jose, CCCTE
Louise Hering, Ishi Hills Middle School, Oroville, UCTE
Cindy Neelands, Tulare Union High School, TUCATE
Kathee Godfrey, CSU Fresno, FACET
Laurie Stowell, CSU San Marcos, GSDCTE
2007 Winners
Susan Bennett, Humboldt State University, Arcata, RCTE
Jean Burress, Royal Oaks Elementary School, Visalia, TUCATE
Kathleen Daley-Obrist, Montgomery High School, San Diego, GSDCTE
Adelaide DeMadeiros, George V. Leyva Middle School, San Jose, CCCTE
Pirette McKamey, Mission High School, San Francisco, CCCTE
Sandra Nevarez, Aloha Elementary School, Lakewood, SCTE
Jeff Williams, Clovis West High School, Fresno, FACET
2006 Winners
Sheridan Blau, UC Santa Barbara, SCTE
Anne Biggs, Washington Academic Middle School, Sanger, FACET
Dianne Bliven, Eastlake Middle School, Chula Vista, GSDCTE
Milton Clark, CSU San Bernardino, SCTE
Cynthia Cohen, Valle Vista Elementary School, San Jose, CCCTE
Joni Jordan, College of the Sequoias, Visalia, TUCATE
Ann Lew, International Studies Academy, San Francisco, CCCTE
Sandra Moon, Trinity Valley Elementary School, Willow Creek, RCTE
Jan Richards, Sweetwater Springs Community School, Spring Valley, GSDCTE
Sally Williams, Divisadero Middle School, Visalia, TUCATE
2005 Winners
Barbara Lesch-McCaffry, Sonoma State University, CCCTE
Brucine Doherty, Davidson Middle School, San Rafael, CCCTE
Kathy Smith-Schiro, Lindsay High School, TUCATE
Claudia Brousseau, Central Valley High School, Shasta, UCTE
Jerry Judd, Irvine High School, SCTE
Kelly Gallagher, Magnolia High School, Anaheim, SCTE
Carolyn Moore, Mercy High School, San Francisco, CCCTE
Lisa Bartels, Forkner Elementary School, Fresno, FACET
Nancy Harray, Monterey High School, CCCTE
Diana Hight, Pacific Union Middle School, Arcata, RCTE
Jennifer Sais, Brooklyn Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles, SCTE
2004 Winners
Karen Martinez, Edgewood Academy, La Puente, SCTE
Sandy Robertson, Santa Barbara Junior High School, SCTE
James Flood & Diane Lapp, San Diego State University, GSDCTE
Corinne Hales, CSU, Fresno, FACET
Jefferylyn Davis, Mount Pleasant High School, San Jose, CCCTE
Sushanna Ellington, Vintage High School, Napa, CCCTE
Mariana Figueroa, Christopher Elementary School, San Jose, CCCTE
Rita Smith, Nelson Avenue Middle School, Thermalito, UCTE
Pam Cavanagh, Arcata High School, RCTE
Margaret Cartwright, Marina Village Middle School, El Dorado, CCTE
Edgar Acosta, Steve Garvey Middle School, Lindsay, TUCATE
Dean Simpson, Mt. Whitney High School, Visalia, TUCATE
2003 Winners
Kathy Allen, Palos Verdes Intermediate School, SCTE
Diane Barilone, Fitzgerald Elementary School, Rialto, SCTE
Mary Crowlie, Citrus Elementary School, Chico UCTE
Gary Thomas, Turlock Junior High School, CCCTE
Norleen Clark, Thompson Junior High School, Bakersfield, KCTE
Janice Boles, Jefferson Elementary School, Lindsay, TUCATE
Minnia Curtis, Carlsbad High School, GSDCTE
Pauline Sahakian, Clovis High School & UC Merced, FACET
Marlin Roehl, Mt. Whitney High School, Visalia, TUCATE
Bob Sizoo, Humboldt State University, Arcata, RCTE
2002 Winners
Judy Johnston, Dow’s Prairie Elementary School, McKinleyville, RCTE
Kathie Babigian, Language Arts Coordinator, Fresno Unified School District, FACET
William Younglove, Millikan High School, Long Beach, retired, SCTE
Stacy North, Roosevelt Middle School, San Diego, GSDCTE
Larry Zeiger, Point Loma High School, San Diego, GSDCTE
Faye Peitzman, Graduate School of Education, U.C.L.A. Writing Project, Center X, SCTE
Lola Brown, Edna Maguire Elementary School, Mill Valley, CCCTE
Patricia Potter, Horace Cureton Elementary School, San Jose, CCCTE
Debbie Summers, CSU Chico, UCTE
2001 Winners
Marci Lingo, Bakersfield College, KCTE
Armin Schultz, CSU Stanislaus, CCCTE
Joanna Exacoustos, La Serna High School, Whittier, SCTE
Sandy Warren, Golden West High School, Visalia, TUCATE
Kristi McNeal, Copper Hills Elementary School, Fresno, FACET
David Harvey, Winship Junior High School, Eureka, RCTE
Ron Dickens, Marina Village Middle School, El Dorado Hills, CCCTE
Kim Douillard and Janet Hamilton, Cardiff Elementary School, GSDCTE
Rachel Gwinnup, Oroville High School, UCTE
Elizabeth Metzger, Chico High School, UCTE
2000 Winners
Joyce Bennett, Los Alamitos High, SCTE
John Matthias, Fortuna High School, RCTE
Sidney Forman, San Diego City College, GSDCTE
Sharon Yosiph Froba, Modesto High School, CCCTE
Barbara Larion, John F. Kennedy Middle School, Hanford, TUCATE
Carol Schowalter, El Roble Intermediate School, Claremont, SCTE
Gail Tompkins, CSU Fresno, FACET
1999 Winners
Faith Nitschke, Hoover High School, Fresno, FACET
Penelope Bryant Turk, El Capitan High School, Lakeside, GSDCTE
Cheryl Schellenberg, Lincoln Elementary School, Dinuba, TUCATE
Wendy Hearn, Los Alamitos Elementary School, SCTE
Patricia Egenberger, Ustach Middle School, Modesto, CCCTE
Susan Zimmer, Campbell Middle School, CCCTE
Pamela Kessler, College of the Redwoods, Eureka, RCTE
Susan McQuerrey, Bakersfield College, KCTE
Jane Hancock, Hoover High School, Glendale and UCLA, SCTE
1998 Winners
Fay Ito, Castlemont Elementary School, Campbell, CCCTE
Anna Roseboro, The Bishops School, La Jolla, GSDCTE
Sone Piper, Chipman Junior High School, Bakersfield, KCTE
David Lucas, Wasco High School, KCTE
Martha Dudley, Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Selma, FACET
Bill Clawson, Santa Monica High School, SCTE
Kyoko Sato, CSU Northridge, SCTE
Carleen Hemric, Pershing Middle School, San Diego, GSDCTE
1997 Winners
Linda Arreola, Eric White Elementary School, Selma, FACET
Margaret Harrell, West High School, Torrance, SCTE
Lisa Marie Miller, Kumeyaay Elementary School, San Diego, GSDCTE
Charles Hanley, Tulare Union High School, TUCATE
Janet Beacom, Sequoia High School, Visalia, TUCATE
Anna Bolling, CSU Stanislaus, CCCTE
Elizabeth Birkeland, North Salinas High School, CCCTE
1996 Winners
Stephen Miller, Eureka High School, RCTE
John Hales, CSU Fresno, FACET
Judy Inskeep, Oak Grove Middle School, Jamul, GSDCTE
Martha Johnson, San Diego State University, GSDCTE
Ted Wise, Porterville College, TUCATE
Pat Roberts, Seaside High School, CCCTE
Judy Cunningham, Alameda High School, CCCTE
Doris Ishiki, President Avenue Elementary School, Harbor City, SCTE
Rae Jean Williams, UCLA, SCTE
1995 Winners
Beth Lou Doe, Heritage Elementary School, Lodi, CCCTE
James Kliegl, Lindsay High School, TUCATE
Brian Mardis, Primary Plus Preschool, Mountain View, CCCTE
Gary Bradshaw (Posthumously), Rancho Bernardo High School, Poway, GSDCTE
Bunny Rogers, Roosevelt High School, Fresno, FACET
1994 Winners
Kristi McNeal, Fort Washington Elementary School, Fresno, FACET
Larry Christiansen, Centennial High School, Bakersfield, KCTE
Josephine Barone (Posthumously), GSDCTE
Carol Jago, Santa Monica High School, SCTE
Yvonne Divans-Hutchison, Markham Middle School, Los Angeles, SCTE
Judith Leff, Capri Elementary School, Encinitas, GSDCTE
Hans Guth, San Jose State University, CCCTE
1993 Winners
Ron Underwood, CCCTE
Michael Quinn, FACET
Nancy Farnan, GSDCTE
Cheryl Etter, RCTE
Connie Kent, TUCATE
Bonnie Burrows, KCTE
Mary Hodges, SCTE
Jane Murray, SCTE
Darryl Eisele, UCTE
1992 Winners
Sheryle Bird, Elkhorn Elementary School, Stockton, CCCTE
Paula Salwasser, Clovis West High School, Fresno, FACET
Karen Wroblewski, San Diego High School, GSDCTE
Kate Pluto, Bakersfield College, KCTE
Kirsten Hartlein, Washington Elementary School, Eureka, RCTE
Janet Hironaka, California Academy of Math and Science, Carson, SCTE
Stacey Curschman, Valley Oak Middle School, Visalia, TUCATE
1991 Winners
John Savant, Dominican College, San Rafael, CCCTE
Neelam Canto-Lugo, Yuba College, Maryville, UCTE
June Pixton Gaede, North High School, Bakersfield, KCTE
Thomas Gage, Humboldt State University, Arcata, RCTE
Kathy Mason, Crestwood Elementary School, Visalia, TUCATE
Janice McTeer, Mickey C. Cox Elementary School, Clovis, FACET
Carol Richmond, Cuyamaca Elementary School, El Cajon, GSDCTE
1990 Winners
Annis Cassells, Curran Junior High School, Bakersfield, KCTE
Gail Yanai, Denker Avenue School, Gardena, SCTE
Ray McKnight, CSU Fresno, FACET
Charles Cooper, UC San Diego, GSDCTE
Ben Morasch, Yuba City High School, UCTE
1989 Winners
Joanna McKenzie, SCTE
Richard Adams, CCTE
Kim Flachmann, CSU Bakersfield, KCTE
Kathy Markovich, FACET
Sharilyn McSwan, San Diego High School, GSDCTE
Gena St. Augustine, CCCTE
1988 Winners
Vernon Bell, East High School, Bakersfield, KCTE
Candy Carter, Tahoe-Truckee High School, CCTE
Renee Lebsock, Powers Elementary School, Fresno, FACET
Akiko Morimoto, Washington Middle School, Vista, GSDCTE
Dorothy Petitt, San Francisco State University, CCCTE
Marilyn Whirry, Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach, SCTE
1987 Winners
Barbara Abbott, Monte Vista High School, Danville, CCCTE
Mary Ann Dawson, Eureka High School, RCTE
Charlotte Higuchi, 9th Street Elementary School, Los Angeles, SCTE
Bob Infantino, University of San Diego, GSDCTE
Paul Kaser, Kings River College, Reedly, FACET
Pam Scheeline, Waggoner-Wolfskill Kinder School, Winters, CCTE
Rita Sorenson, Standard Junior High School, Bakersfield, KCTE
1986 Winners
Frank Barone, Poway High School, GSDCTE
James E. Day, CSU Long Beach, SCTE
Rosalie Gifford, Follow-Through Program, Oakland, CCCTE
Robert Jarnagin, Hoover High School, Fresno, FACET
Ernest Page, CSU Bakersfield, KCTE
Linda P. Young, CSU Sacramento, CCTE
1985 Winners
Nan Banker, Dixon High School, CCTE
Hal Silverman, Bakersfield High School, KCTE
Evaline Kruse. Audubon Junior High School, Los Angeles, SCTE
Barbara Mendes, Mattoch Elementary School, Fresno, FACET
Marilyn Miles, Rosebank Elementary School, Chula Vista, GSDCTE
William Dickey, San Francisco State University, CCCTE
Karen Carlton, Humboldt State University, Arcata, RCTE
Louise Jensen, CSU Chico, UCTE
1984 Winners
Diane Dawson, El Rodeo School, Beverley Hills, SCTE
Joan Curry, CSU San Diego, GSDCTE
Jan McClure, Las Plumas High School, Oroville, UCTE
George L. Mills, San Rafael High School, CCCTE
Marilyn Kregel, Willow Spring School, Woodland, CCTE
Robert O’Neil, CSU Fresno, FACET
CCTE= Capitol Council of Teachers of English, CCCTE= Central California Council of Teachers of English, FACET= Fresno Area Council of English Teachers, GSDCTE= Greater San Diego Council of Teachers of English, KCTE= Kern Council of Teachers of English, RCTE= Redwood Council of Teachers of English, SCTE= Southland Council of Teachers of English, TUCATE= Tulare Council of the California Association of Teachers of English, UCTE= Upper Council of Teachers of English)