Skip To Main Content
Nominate a Teacher for AUSD’s Teacher of the Year!  
 
Do you know a teacher who goes above and beyond in (and out of) the classroom? Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) is now accepting nominations for its 2023 Teacher of the Year.
 
“Research continually confirms that expert teachers who can deliver thoughtful and high-quality instruction are indisputably the most important factor in how much our children learn,” says Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi. “The Teacher of the Year program provides us with an annual opportunity to identify, showcase, and learn from our most talented and effective educators. I am looking forward to learning more about the excellent teachers we have in this district.”
 
The Nomination Process
 
Nomination forms are available here. Anyone can nominate a teacher; the deadline to submit nominations to the nominee’s principal is  5 pm on December 21, 2022.
 
After being nominated, AUSD teachers who meet the county and state criteria are invited to participate in the next phase of the process, which requires them to submit an application packet (including a resume, an introductory letter, and letters of support) to the district office.
 
The AUSD Teacher of the Year Selection Committee then meets to screen applications and determine which applicants will move onto the next phase: classroom observations. During that stage, the Selection Committee members may visit classrooms, interview finalists, and determine this year’s Teacher of the Year. Members of the selection committee include former AUSD Teachers of the Year, a Board of Education member, a principal, and representatives of both the Alameda Education Association (which represents teachers) and the PTA Council.
 
The winner will be honored by the Board of Education in May and by the Alameda County Office of Education inext fall. He or she also becomes eligible for the Alameda County Teacher of the Year Award, as well as potentially the State Teacher of the Year Award.
 
AUSD's 2022 Teacher of the Year was Veronica Rylander, who teaches 8th grade Drama and Core at Lincoln Middle School. Ms. Rylander was honored for her reinvigoration of the middle school’s drama program, her effectiveness as a core teacher, and her leadership in helping the district develop an anti-racist curriculum. You can learn more about her here.