North Central ESD is proud to announce the selection of Rosemary Tiffany as the Regional Teacher of the Year for 2005 Rosemary has worked in education for the last 23 years. Her work has included teaching at Morgan Owings Elementary in Chelan, Heritage College and the Wenatchee School District. Currently Rosemary serves as a Bilingual First grade teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary in Wenatchee.

Rosemary always knew she wanted to become a teacher, but because she came from a large, poor migrant family and was constantly moving from town to town seeking agricultural work and/or receiving welfare whenever they couldn’t find work, Rosemary didn’t think her dream would ever come true. Overcoming the struggle to learn a second language, being married while a junior in high school, dropping out of high school for a year, and attending college while raising a 5-year old, Rosemary feels she has overcome many obstacles in her life. In sharing her experience with others who may find themselves in similar situations, she encourages them to follow their dreams of becoming a teacher or going into the educational field.

Rosemary’s unique background has helped her develop the ability to reach all types of students, including those who have not yet learned English. One of her former students said of Rosemary:

“You were the person from whom I learned my first words of English; but most importantly you were a friend to a lost nine-year-old immigrant boy… I will graduate from college this year with a Spanish Major and a Chicano Studies Major … I truly believe that if it had not been for your support at the beginning of our lives we would not have made it this far.”

Rosemary’s involvement in the Learning Network training helped her to focus on improving her teaching in literacy. Through Heritage College, she taught a class to undergraduates: Introduction to Bilingual Education. As a member of the Bilingual Committee, she helped organize the first bilingual program in her district to meet the needs of an increasing number of limited and non-English speaking children in the classrooms. Later on, she co-authored a manual titled Program for Second Language Acquisition.

Connie Strawn, Principal of Lewis & Clark Elementary, stated, “Rosemary simply refuses to give up on children and enables them to do their very best by providing outstanding intentional instruction to her students. You can walk into her room at any time and the students can tell you not only what they are doing, but why they are doing it…..Rosemary Tiffany is a legend in her own time.”

The nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs) participate in the state Teacher of the Year (TOY) program by selecting one winner from the school district nominees in their area to serve as regional teacher of the year. Each regional winner completes the state application and then competes with the other eight winners for Washington State Teacher of the Year. The review and selection process will occur in late September 2004 where one teacher will be selected to represent Washington State in the national Teacher of the Year Program. The nine winners will continue to represent their regions in activities for the TOY program including a spring reception in Olympia attended by the governor.

The state Teacher of the Year receives special trainings in Huntsville, Alabama and three days in Washington D.C. participating in the National Teacher’s Forum sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The National Teacher of the Year is honored in ceremonies at the White House, and a one-year sabbatical that enables her/him to serve as a spokesperson for all teachers and educators across the nation. For further information about this program, please contact North Central ESD at 665-2621.

Congratulations to Rosemary for this honor bestowed on her by her fellow educators. Our best wishes go with her as she competes for the state and national teacher of the year awards.