Without dedicated and committed teachers like Jane Ginn of Richard Crane Elementary School, little Johnny and Janey might still be struggling with their three Rs. Ginn and her peers, other teacher alumni from Sonoma State University--and the mentor teachers who worked with them in their first classrooms--were honored at a presentation on October 13.

The event, titled Celebrating Teachers, honors outstanding contribution of classroom teachers school administrators, resident teachers and field supervisors.

The California State University system prepares approximately 60% of California's teachers and 10% of the teachers in the United States. Each year Sonoma State University places approximately 450 student teachers in classrooms.

"We rarely get a chance to truly honor the teachers and administrators who year after year, save kids. This is our chance to do that," said Martha Ruddell, chair of the education department. Honored will be:

SSU School of Education Alumni
Jane Ginn, Richard Crane Elementary School; Dana Woods, Sheppard Accelerated School; Lisa Pollack, SSU Department of Education; Susan Hirsch, Sonoma County Day School; Richard Anderson, Healdsburg Elementary School; Bonnie Barnes, McKinley Elementary School; Sharyn Lindsey, Napa Valley School District

Resident Teachers and Field Supervisors
Irma Turner, Ukiah Unified School District; Ruth Caitham, Vallejo City Unified School District; Isabel Quiñoses, Windsor Unified School District; Joyce Cox, Wright School District; Jim Kirk, Wright School District; Lana Haenel (posthumously); Flora Lee Ganzler, Cotati-Rohert Park Unified School District; Joe Devlin, Santa Rosa City Schools; Pat Foulkes, Sonoma County Office of Education; Cyndi Kennedy, Sonoma County Office of Education; Scott Mahoney, Waugh School District; Marilyn Kelly, Sonoma Valley Unified School District

Educator in Residence
Kirsten Searby, Santa Rosa City School