Parkmead Teacher Candidate For County Teacher of the Year

Parkmead Elementary fourth-grade teacher Sandy Ball, the teacher of the year in the Walnut Creek School District, is a candidate for the top honor in Contra Costa County.

The Contra Costa County Office of Education this week named 22 teachers of the year representing 17 school districts.

According to Ball's bio on the Walnut Creek School District website, she has been at Parkmead for seven years. Before that, she taught third grade for six years in Downey. She has a multiple subject credential from Cal State Long Beach, and bachelors and masters degrees from Antioch University and Cal State East Bay.

Next week, a committee of 14 representing education, business and public sector partners will review the teacher of the year applications submitted by school districts in Contra Costa County. Then a smaller committee will move on to observe the semi-finalists interacting with students.

Three finalists will be announced in May. They will give a speech to another panel of educators, business and public sector reps, culminating in the announcement of the county teacher of the year Sept 26.

"These honored educators not only represent their individual schools and school districts, but also embody all of the exceptional teachers we are so fortunate to have in our county," said county Superintendent of Schools Joseph A. Ovick, according to an Office of Education press release.