Ygnacio Valley HS Teacher Named One of California’s Teachers of the Year

Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey today congratulated Ygnacio Valley High School engineering teacher Joseph Alvarico for being named one of five 2024 California Teachers of the Year. The announcement was made today by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

“I am proud that one of our Contra Costa County teachers of the year has been named one of the state’s top educators,” Superintendent Mackey said. “Joseph is a great example of the high-quality teaching and learning going on in Contra Costa County schools every day and it’s a great honor for him to be selected as a California Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to him, his colleagues and MDUSD for the support they have given him throughout this process and his career.”

Alvarico is the only Northern California teacher to receive this distinguished honor this year as the other four teachers reside in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. He was named a Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year in September and one of Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s Teachers of the Year this past Spring.

“I am both thrilled and humbled at the same time to have been selected as one of the 2024 California Teachers of the Year. This distinction is a reflection of the long hours and unwavering commitment that I have put into my teaching career,” Alvarico said. “My gratitude extends to multiple people in my life who have guided me along my professional path and supported my classroom every step of the way. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat! Without you, I wouldn’t be able to give my students the greatest service that I possibly could. I am excited to continue making a positive impact on the lives of my students, our local community, and the educational world at large.”

Born in the Philippines to a family of educators, he has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Bachelor of Secondary Education degree. After immigrating to the United States, he has spent many years instructing middle school and high school students in the subject of robotics at Mt. Diablo Unified School District. With his on-the-job experience in the tech industry, he combines real world experiences into his lessons while also focusing on community building with his students. Alvarico strives to show all his students their potential and the possibilities available when they leave high school, no matter their economic status.

Contra Costa County Office of Education nominated Joseph Alvarico as a California Teachers of the Year applicant through its county-level competition. According to the California Department of Education (CDE), the selection committees reviewed applications; evaluated teachers’ rapport with students and their classroom environments, presentation skills, and teaching techniques; and interviewed the teachers. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction then selected five California Teachers of the Year and the National Teacher of the Year nominee.

Presented by the California Department of Education (CDE) and supported by the California Teachers of the Year Foundation, the California Teachers of the Year Program began in 1972 to honor outstanding teachers and encourage and inspire new teachers to enter the profession.

About Contra Costa County Office of Education

One of 58 counties in California, Contra Costa County (CCCOE) has the 11th largest public-school student population in the state (approximately 169,225 students). Officially established in 1932, CCCOE has a long history of providing direct services to some of our county’s most vulnerable students, including young people who are incarcerated, homeless, or in foster care, as well as students who have severe physical or emotional challenges.

CCCOE also provides support services to schools and school districts in Contra Costa County; services that can be handled most effectively and economically on a regional basis rather than by each of the county’s 286 schools or 18 school districts. These services range from budget approval and fiscal support to technology infrastructure, communication support, and high-level professional development opportunities for educators. CCCOE maintains a website at www.cocoschools.org.

Editors Note:

2024 California Teachers of the Year

Casey Cuny is a high school honors English and Senior Myth and Folklore teacher at William S. Hart High School and Valencia High School in the William S. Hart Unified School District (Los Angeles County).
Thurmond nominated Cuny as California’s representative for the National Teacher of the Year competition. Cuny will compete against other state nominees, and the 2024 National Teacher of the Year will be announced in the spring.
Joseph Alvarico is a high school Engineering Essentials, Introduction to Engineering Design, and honors computer teacher at Ygnacio Valley High School in the Mount Diablo Unified School District (Contra Costa County).
Andrew Lewis is a high school music teacher at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in the Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles County).
Hannah Rodriguez is a prekindergarten special education teacher at Beardslee Dual Language Immersion Academy in the Duarte Unified School District (Los Angeles County).
Gregory Wolf is a high school dual-enrollment U.S. History, dual-enrollment political science, and Advanced Placement psychology teacher at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School in the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District (Santa Barbara County).

2024 California Teachers of the Year Finalists

Kelly Eichman is a high school Career Technical Education/Regional Occupational Center Patient Care Pathway: Medical Careers and Health and Medical Wellness teacher at Clovis East High School in the Clovis Unified School District (Fresno County).
Alanna Grimaldi is a sixth-grade science teacher at Luther Burbank Middle School in the Burbank Unified School District (Los Angeles County).
Allison Meloserdoff is an interventionist at Wild Rose School of Creative Arts in the Monrovia Unified School District (Los Angeles County).
Kelly Miller is a high school agriculture science, social science, and fine art teacher at Arcata High School in the Northern Humboldt Union High School District (Humboldt County).
Kirsten Neill is a fifth-grade multiple subject teacher in the Downey Unified School District (Los Angeles County).

County offices of education nominate California Teachers of the Year applicants through county-level competitions. CDE selection committees review applications; evaluate teachers’ rapport with students and their classroom environments, presentation skills, and teaching techniques; and interview the teachers. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction then selects five California Teachers of the Year and the National Teacher of the Year nominee.

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