Head of their classes

Danette Goulet

Shannon Brewer jumped for joy when she heard the news.

“Oh my God,” she shrieked. “Oh my God, I’m so excited.”

Brewer, an algebra teacher at Costa Mesa High School, was one of three

teachers in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District to be visited by

district officials Thursday morning, bearing gifts and offering

congratulations for being named teachers of the year.

“You’re an extraordinary teacher working under the worst of

conditions,” said Linda Mook, president of the Newport-Mesa Federation of

Teachers. Brewer’s tiny classroom sits next to the wood shop.

Of about 150 nominations, a committee chose Brewer as the district’s

high school teacher of the year. Jon Lindfors, who teaches girls’ choir

at Costa Mesa, was named middle school teacher of the year; and Bob Kelly

a sixth-grade teacher at Newport Heights Elementary School earned the

title of elementary school teacher of the year.

“Thirty-one years -- I consider it to be a privilege to be a teacher,”

Kelly told his class after the announcement. “People ask why I don’t look

my age. It’s because of all of you.”

His students were bursting with excitement at the news.

“Mr. Kelly is the best teacher in the sixth grade,” said Michelle

Mundy, 11. “He’s really funny and nice. I like the way he teaches.”

The honor held a special excitement for Lindfors, whose wife,

Michelle, was named a teacher of the year last year and whose father was

just named high school teacher of the year in Irvine.

As the family racks up the red apple awards, Lindfors’ students said

it is well-deserved and lauded him as the best choir teacher they’ve had.

“He makes choir a lot more fun than people think it is,” said Kathryn

Connell, 12.

Each of the three honorees will also be considered for Orange County

teachers of the year recognition.

It has been an arduous process for teachers who were required to fill

out an extensive application after their nomination in January, Mook

said.

Once application responses narrowed the field, committee members made

site visits and interviewed candidates.

The result was a teacher of the year at each school campus, with the

top three at each level honored as the best of the best.

BOX

The following teachers were named teacher of the year for their

campus:

Adams Elementary School -- Paulette Montandon

Adult Education -- Katherine Mader

Andersen Elementary School -- Dawn Baird

Back Bay High School -- Sandra Kipfstuhl

California Elementary School -- Jackie Rushmore

Corona del Mar High School -- Jim Canary

College Park Elementary School -- Michelle Hanscom

Davis Education Center -- Jennifer Hillsted

Eastbluff Elementary School -- Amy Ball

Estancia High School -- Diana Abramian

Harbor View Elementary School -- Tim Peterson

Kaiser Elementary School -- Cynthia Branson-Waller

Kaiser Primary -- Terri Mayhugh

Killybrooke Elementary School -- Polly Douglas

Lincoln Elementary School -- Tracy Luth

Mariners Elementary School -- Cathy Blue

Newport Coast Elementary School -- Pamela Lookabaugh

Newport Elementary School -- Heather Manchester

Newport Harbor High School -- Phillip D’Agostino

Paularino Elementary School -- Kathleen Romines

Pomona Elementary School -- Laura Martinez

Rea Elementary School -- Jenith Mishne

Sonora Elementary School -- Mary Mannone

TeWinkle Middle School -- Pamela Finamore

Victoria Elementary School -- Kathleen Teal

Whittier Elementary School -- Laurie Rooney

Wilson Elementary School -- Shannon Spining-Shepherd