Oxnard Educators Share Honor

Two Oxnard educators lauded for building close relationships with their students and passing their skills on to colleagues were named Ventura County Teachers of the Year on Wednesday.

Jeri Philbrick, a math teacher at Oxnard High School, and Tamara Thornell, a bilingual second-grade teacher at Brekke School, received the news before an assembly of students, teachers and administrators in the Brekke cafeteria.

Philbrick arrived at the ceremony after interrupting a vacation at June Lake near Mammoth to attend what she believed was a photo session for all the county candidates. Thornell, like all the teachers and students at the year-round Brekke School, thought the assembly was organized to introduce the new principal.

“These are the most deserving Teachers of the Year we’ve had in many years,” county schools Supt. Charles Weis said before the announcement.

A committee consisting of an administrator, teacher and non-teaching employee selected the Ventura women from teachers chosen by each of the county’s 21 school districts and private schools. The panel based its decision on applications the teachers submitted outlining their achievements and philosophies, as well as recommendations from principals and superintendents, coordinator Tim Weir said.

It’s the first time in Ventura County that more than one teacher has received the honor. Officials with the California Department of Education say counties with more than 5,000 teachers can choose two recipients. Ventura County has 6,600 public school teachers, Weir said.

Thornell and Philbrick will now enter the competition for the five California Teachers of the Year awards, with one of the teachers going to the national contest.

Philbrick, 54, has taught for 31 years, all at Oxnard High School. The math department chairwoman for 22 years, she has volunteered for various tasks around campus and led math workshops for other teachers. Philbrick stresses hands-on activities and connections between math and everyday life.

Philbrick said she believes her duties go beyond teaching to helping students discover their own talents and develop a positive attitude. Philbrick said she tries to build relationships with her students similar to those she has with her two children and keeps in close contact with many of them long after graduation.

“She cares for students in and out of the classroom, whatever their needs are,” Oxnard Union High School District Supt. Gary Davis said.

Victor Napoles, 22, a former student working as a teacher’s assistant at Brekke, was in the audience. “She was a great teacher,” said Napoles, who is earning his bachelor’s degree at Cal State Northridge. “I remember she would spend time with me after class.... She would always motivate me.”

Thornell, 31, whose first child is due in November, has been teaching for eight years. She started at Cesar Chavez School and transferred to Brekke when it opened five years ago. She leads technology workshops for other county educators and participates in a model teacher program in which her lessons are videotaped to share her methods with others.

With her patient, friendly manner and emphasis on building self-esteem, Thornell prides herself on turning bullies into polite students and encouraging shy, Spanish-speaking students to volunteer to speak in front of the class. Last year, one boy who began the school year unable to write words was proudly writing stories by May.

When her students return from each of their three breaks throughout the year, Thornell asks them to write what they would like to learn and then tailors her instruction to their interests. When a girl one year said she wanted to learn to drive a tractor, Thornell arranged for the class to visit a construction site.

Even without the Teacher of the Year honors, Thornell knew she was doing a good job by the response from her students.

“Imagine starting each day by receiving a love note from someone you work with. Imagine starting each day by receiving flowers freshly picked on the way to school,” Thornell wrote in her application. “It is very rewarding.”