by Hibah Samad
Educators from each Manhattan Beach Unified School District school have been named the 2023-2024 Teachers of the Year. The eight honorees were surprised with the announcement by their principals on campus in early April.
This year’s honorees are Lilla Foster, Mira Costa High School Special Education Department chair; Dana Vaccaro MBMS English teacher; Jeannette Shaw-Bueno, Grand View Elementary 4th Grade teacher; Michelle Mangan, Meadows Elementary transitional kindergarten teacher; Connie Liu, Pacific Elementary science specialist; Juliet Smith, Pennekamp Elementary kindergarten teacher; Danielle Weiss, Robinson Elementary 4th Grade teacher; Stacy Wilder, Manhattan Beach Preschool teacher.
Dana Vaccaro MBMS English teacher.
“These teachers embody the essence of a dedicated educator. We are very proud of them, and this is a special opportunity to applaud them and appreciate their hard work in educating our future leaders,” said MBUSD Superintendent Dr. John Bowes.
Jeannette Shaw-Bueno, Grand View Elementary 4th Grade teacher.
Once each school site administrator selects their Teacher of the Year, the MBUSD Teacher of the Year Committee begins its selection process by visiting each nominee in the classroom and observing the teacher, followed by a one on one interview. The committee is composed of Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Irene Gonzalez-Castillo, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Tom Stekol, Director of Instruction, Curriculum, and Assessment Dr. Jonathan Erickson, Manhattan Beach Middle School Vice Principal Luke Olesiuk, Mira Costa Science teacher Teresa Nielsen, and Meadows Elementary teacher Traci Granberg.
Danielle Weiss, Robinson Elementary 4th Grade teacher.
“The Teacher of the Year selection process takes place at every district in Los Angeles County and almost every county in the state,” said Stekol. “This process continues to the selection of a National Teacher of the Year. The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor the work of outstanding teachers. We are fortunate to have so many in MBUSD.”
Connie Liu, Pacific Elementary science specialist.
After deliberation, only one teacher out of the pool of eight is selected to represent MBUSD in the Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year competition. This year, the 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year title went to Transitional Kindergarten Teacher Michelle Mangan from Meadows Elementary School. She has been an educator for forty years and is in her thirtieth year serving in MBUSD, where her experience spans across four elementary schools.
Juliet Smith, Pennekamp Elementary kindergarten teacher.
“Michelle shines in the classroom,” said Gonzalez-Castillo. “She was selected because of her passion for establishing an early learning environment responsive to student needs. She designs learning experiences that promote creative thinking, problem-solving, and exploration.”
She also said that Mangan is incredibly collaborative and supports her fellow TK colleagues across the District with lesson ideas and formative assessments.
“Michelle Mangan was selected from a group of outstanding teachers in MBUSD. She demonstrated not only passion for her work, but also levels of organization, personal connection, and student-centered instruction that were amazing for a TK classroom,” said Stekol.
Lilla Foster, Mira Costa High School Special Education Department chair.
Bowes, Stekol, and Meadows Principal Michelle Krzmarzick surprised Michelle Mangan with the news. She was overjoyed.
“It’s a humbling experience, and I feel so much gratitude,” Mangan said. “I am overwhelmed by this experience and recognition…It really is my entire essence and everything I pour into it, and it’s so amazing to be recognized in this way.”
Mangan said that being appreciated and valued for her efforts is a profound gift. She takes pride in fostering a nurturing and inclusive atmosphere for her students and families.
Stacy Wilder, Manhattan Beach Preschool teacher.
“I’ve had this passion for being a teacher for as long as I can remember, and it’s something I live, eat, and breathe,” she said. “I feel honored and blessed to represent Manhattan Beach and do what I love every day…to know that in some small way, I am making a difference.”
Krzmarzick said that Mangan is an extraordinarily compassionate and positive teacher who makes an impact on the lives of her students. She is the type of teacher who attends her students’ birthdays, graduations, and weddings.
This isn’t the first time Mangan has been honored for being an outstanding teacher. She also earned the site Teacher of the Year title during the 2019-2020 school year at Robinson Elementary.
Mangan will now be in the running for the Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year competition this summer.
“All of the District Teacher of the Year candidates deserve a special honor,” said Bowes. “But Michelle Mangan stood out, and we are grateful for her service to MBUSD for nearly three decades. She has dedicated herself to our youngest learners, and we are incredibly fortunate to have her in our District.”