Pamela Swicegood Named Antioch Teacher of the Year

The Antioch Unified School District announced Pamela Swicegood has been named the Districts teacher of the year.

According to the District:

Pamela first visited Antioch High in 1986 to judge cheerleading tryouts.

She said she was struck by the energy, the school spirit and the interactions with the kids. “Everyone was so welcoming and friendly, I knew this was the place I wanted to be. And that is where the ‘official’ journey began.”

She said she was born to teach and was one of those kids “who read all the time and did school workbooks for fun. I loved school and had wonderful teachers, and I wanted to grow up to be like them.”

Fast forward 34 years and she proudly claims to be a Panther through and through.

During that time, she’s taught English, Jazz Dance, ELD, Creative Writing, and Poetry, and coached cheerleading, track, lacrosse and a competition dance team. She also produced two dance shows a year for 20 years, sponsored the AHS Poetry and Short Story contests and has been the advisor for the Pantheon Literary Magazine since 1991.

Most recently, she started the Shakespeare & Scones Society, an after-school club designed to make the Bard fun and accessible for kids. Students watch Shakespeare movies while sipping English tea from fine china and nibbling scones with lemon curd and clotted cream. In August, they took a road trip to Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and another to see “King Lear” at the California Shakespeare Festival. She currently teaches English 11CP, Creative Writing, and Poetry.

“After working with so many outstanding administrators and fellow teachers over the years, it is truly humbling to be singled out for this recognition. It is an honor and a privilege and I am so very grateful.”

Kathleen Trilevsky named Runner-Up

Photo by AUSD

Kathy is an exceptional and most talented, caring, nurturing, and motivating 1^st grade teacher at Turner Elementary.  Her class this year has many students with special needs.  Yet, she somehow has been able to captivate them ALL and has them achieving at high levels.

She was a part-time reading teacher at Turner for several years before becoming a full-time primary teacher.  She has so much talent and knows how to teach reading as few people can. She masterfully differentiates instruction and runs small intervention groups using data to target her lessons. She brings a plethora of instructional practices into her classroom to help her students understand concepts and improve vocabulary.  Kathy uses art, sings, and does chants to help them learn.  She reads stories that captivate her students’ imagination and love for learning.  She is a true gem and is considered one of the best by her colleagues.

Both teachers will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to their students and school communities at the May 10th Board Meeting.  Pam Swicegood is moving forward representing AUSD in the CCCOE Teacher of the Year program.