Piñon Hills educator is top teacher

Susan Moore was named 2006 Douglas County Teacher of the Year at the Education Foundation's Teacher Recognition Luncheon on Wednesday.

The Piñon Hills Elementary School teacher was one of the 12 top teachers of the year selected by their peers in each of the district's schools.

"I work with fabulous people," Moore said. "What an honor to work with them every day."

Moore, 51, has been a teacher for 27 years and has been at Piñon Hills since 1998.

"I started in special education and have taught all grades except first and fourth," said Moore, who currently teaches sixth-grade.

"I plan on teaching as long as I enjoy it and do a good job," she said. "My job is entertaining and challenging. You never what's going to happen from one day to another."

One of Moore's students, Andrew Coborn, said it's possible to be fun to learn in an environment where the teacher isn't always serious.

"Half of the time you don't even know you're learning," Coborn said.

Coborn,12, said Moore is fun, friendly and always laughs.

"She lets us do math games in our free time," he said. "If you're struggling, she'll make sure you understand before you take a test."

Moore and husband Bob have two daughters who attended Douglas schools. Mallory, 21, will graduate from the University of Nevada, Reno, this year and Sarah, 24, attends Humboldt State University.

Moore said it was wonderful to be recognized and an honor to sit in the company of past Teachers of the Year.

"At the awards lunch, I was sitting at a table with teachers my daughters had," Moore said. "They were teachers that my family and I admired."

During the awards ceremony, each principal presented their teacher with golden apple classroom bell awards and said why they were nominated.

Piñon Hills Principal Rommy Cronin gave the top 10 reasons why Susan Moore should win.

Cronin described Moore as someone who tells the best jokes and uses humor in the classroom, practices yoga, is a great communicator and collaborator and attends her students' games.

Cronin said Moore's co-workers nicknamed her "Nana" out of appreciation of her experience rather than age and her students recommended her as "teacher of the world."

"The No. 1 reason why Susan Moore should be Teacher of the Year is that she works harder than any other teacher in the building," said Cronin.

Superintendent John Soderman described all of the nominated teachers as outstanding educators who can be counted on to go above and beyond in their jobs.

"Here we have the superstars of our Douglas County team and I have the privilege of naming the MVP - 'Nana' Moore," Soderman said.

Unkyung Park Johnson said Moore's Teacher of the Year award was well-deserved, if overdue.

"The first time I met her, I noticed she was a shining star right away," said Johnson. "She knows a lot about education and she teaches us. I'm glad they recognized her. She's a teacher's teacher."

Moore said past students still communicate with her.

"I have students who e-mail me and one brings me her report card from middle school," she said. "It's hard work and fun but teaching is always a joy. It's very rewarding.

"In teaching, I'm learning all the time. I do a lot of learning in my spare time. I try to learn one new thing to bring back to school every day.

"I love to see the light bulb go off," Moore said.

Douglas County Teachers of the Year:

Katrina Schachtely Meneley Elementary

Alison Mains-Lay Gardnerville Elementary

Patty Fore Jacks Valley Elementary

Robyn Mattinson Minden Elementary

Susan Moore Piñon Hills Elementary

Nancy McCullough Scarselli Elementary

Mikell Peacock Zephyr Cove Elementary

Trudy Sevy Carson Valley Middle School

Damon Kixmiller Kingsbury Middle School

Telsche Saunders Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School

Keith Cole Douglas High School

Eileen Twomey Whittell High School