TOP TEACHERS PICKED 12 INSTRUCTORS IN RUNNING FOR HART DISTRICT HONORS.

Byline: Daily News

SANTA CLARITA - Twelve outstanding local educators have been named Teachers of the Year by junior highs, high schools and alternative schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District.

Teachers of the Year are nominated by the staffs at each school. One of the following teachers will be selected as District Teacher of the Year this summer to represent local schools in the Los Angeles County competition, which in turn can lead to State Teacher of the Year honors.

Nancy Yassaman, of Arroyo Seco Junior High, teaches seventh-grade English, elective reading and public speaking. She is co-author of the school's Distinguished School and Blue Ribbon application and a longtime support teacher for new hires at Arroyo Seco. ``Her students adore and respect her - they learn!'' said Principal Jacque Snyder.

Liz Virnelson, of La Mesa Junior High, has taught junior high school for 22 years and currently teaches science and biology. She is known for her creative classroom adaptations, including La Mesa's Space Shuttle project, student weekend at Catalina Marine Institute and astronomy outings. She has been one of the school's Science Olympiad coaches and has helped lead the team to first place in the state competition.

Josh Nowak, of Placerita Junior High, has built Placerita's Spanish 1 program into the foundation for a full high school foreign language program, in conjunction with Hart High. He has served as ASB director for three years and helped create the STOP (Solving Together Our Problems) program to help students resolve conflicts. He teaches eighth-grade Spanish at Placerita.

Lori Hermelin, of Sierra Vista Junior High, has taught English and language arts at Sierra Vista for the past three years. She equates her teaching career to rock climbing - using the metaphors of challenge, equipment (knowledge), and a cooperative team spirit between the teacher and students. ``I always characterize my approach as Mission: Possible,'' she said. ``Together my students and I will ascend the rock.''

Catherine Milne, of Canyon High School, has taught biology and life science at Canyon for 26 years and approaches teaching as ``a sort of grand experiment in which I adapt the scientific method to learning.'' She is known across campus for her ``photosynthesis dance,'' a way to demonstrate a complex subject through movement. Her goal is to have students leave her class with a sense of empowerment that they can do science after all.

Angela Hayner, of Hart High, sees her teaching job as a bridge between the information in the text and the student, preferring student-centered lessons that appeal to multiple learning styles. ``Every student has a chance to succeed'' sums up her philosophy. Hayner has been selected as a PAR teacher for next year and will work with new teachers to the district.

Maria Notti, of Saugus High, is now in her seventh year as a Saugus High School English teacher. She has participated on a Ninth-Grade English District Curriculum Committee and helped to develop an interdisciplinary approach to American literature and American history. Notti will also serve as a PAR teacher next fall, when her skills will help support the district's new teachers.

Deborah Babakhanian, of Valencia High, values individualized instruction and open communication with parents and school staff as she teaches ninth- and 11th-grade English at Valencia. Her goal is to help adolescents understand literature and be able to apply its lessons to life. Babakhanian has taught for 10 years, three of them at Valencia.

Justine Cubbage, of Academy of the Canyons, is drawn to the philosophy of the middle college, seeing it as a way of offering a flexible, challenging and successful education for students who want to ``get on with life.'' She structures her English classes to offer an educational experience that is ``out of the box.''

Mike Nugent, of Bowman High, first entered the classroom as a young junior high school science teacher in 1969 and today is Bowman's work experience coordinator. After spending 17 years in private industry, he returned to the classroom 10 years ago at Bowman, where he calls upon his varied experience to create a link between education and industry.

Karen Lynn Parker, of Learning Post, said the luxury of working closely with each student is the major reason she has remained a teacher at Learning Post for 20 years. ``The Learning Post affords the opportunity to interact with students as an educational/career counselor, mentor, teacher and often as a friend,'' she said. The independent study program allows her to work with the whole student.

Cindy Betzer Pharis, of Passport Academy, teaches her students not only art, but also learning skills that may transfer to other disciplines and that will be useful in life. ``My job as a teacher is to facilitate meaning- based learning not only in the classroom, but also by giving many opportunities for student connections with peers and within the community,'' she said.

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4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Canyon High School science teacher Catherine Milne says she tries to teach her students that they can learn science.

(2 -- color) HERMELIN

(3 -- color) HAYNER

(4 -- color) NUGENT