Glendale teacher honored by Gatto

Cynthia Landeros, a teacher at Horace Mann Elementary in Glendale, has been chosen as Woman of the Year for the 43rd Assembly District, Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) announced today.

Landeros was named Glendale Teacher of the Year in 2009, but received a pink slip — or a notice of possible lay-off — from the district as part of contentious budget-cutting period with the teachers union.

In a statement, Gatto called her “a model for teachers” throughout California.

“But I also chose her because of what she went through last year,” he said. “Receiving a layoff notice after being named Teacher of the Year is illustrative of the type of things teachers are facing with the uncertainty caused by the lack of adequate education funding.”

Glendale Unified announced this week that it would use one-time federal stimulus funds to avoid issuing pink slips this year, but warned that renewed budgeting challenges could come back full force next year.

A ceremony recognizing Landeros and her fellow awardees from other districts is scheduled for March 21 on the floor of the state Assembly, according to Gatto’s office.