3 Recognized as Top Educators in County

Three area educators were among a dozen people honored in Burbank by the Los Angeles County superintendent of schools Wednesday as top teachers.

Ira Simonds, a history teacher at Quartz Hill High School; David P. Thomson, a social sciences teacher at Burbank High School, and Kevin McGroary, who teaches at Rosedell Elementary School in Saugus, were selected as 2000 Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year from a group of 57.

Competitors submitted a biography as well as essays on their community involvement and teaching philosophy. They were also required to deliver a lesson plan or classroom assignment to a panel made up of former and current educators.

The teachers will go on to represent the county in a state teaching competition that begins next month.

“To get to this level, the teachers have to have a lot of experience in curriculum and instruction and creativity and enthusiasm,” said Los Angeles Deputy Supt. Marilyn Gogolin. “Simply put, these are not 8-to-3 type people.”