Recently in Good Teacher Category
This week the staff and students of Bethany School in Long Beach, honor our dedicated secretary Janice Fisher.Jan has been in Christian education, for 25 years and is well known in the Long Beach community.
She was born in 1948 in Elwood City, Penn. Her family moved to Inglewood, CA in 1951.
When her husband Bob (Robert William Fisher) completed his Army service in 1970, they relocated to Carson.
Ms. Fisher was a stay-at-home mom for 16 years raising her two sons. In 1986 she was asked to be a bookkeeper for the Nazerene Church Preschool in Long Beach, where she served as bookkeeper for 21 years. For some time she was also the secretary for Nazerene.
When her husband died, she moved from Nazerene to right around the corner at Bethany Preschool where she has been the secretary for nearly four years.
Ms. Fisher said, "To be able to work with the children and their families has been such a blessing."
She was known to regularly tell her husband, "If I had to work in the real world, I wouldn't want to work. To work around Christian people is the best!"
Ms. Fisher, thank you for your dedicated service
We love and appreciate you. We thank God for sending you our way. God Bless you for all you do for us
Bethany School staff and students
Don Keller tucked in a blue and gold uniform shirt nearly every week day - and many nights and weekends - for what he called his "dream job": Co-Principal of Millikan High School.
During his five years as co-principal, he wore the school colors with the same pride that he wore varsity football jersey number 48 as a member of Millikan's Class of 1968. "Once a Ram, always a Ram," he would say. Don retired recently from Millikan's co-principal position after 37 years in education.
"My favorite part of being a principal was having the opportunity to make Millikan better," Don says. "Having attended this school and being competitive by nature, I always strived to make Millikan the very best, and that was fun for me."
Don attended Lincoln and Emerson Elementary Schools, Stanford Middle School, Millikan High School, Long Beach City College, and Cal State Long Beach. He began his education career as a classroom aide at Edison and as a recreation director and Newcomb, Longfellow, and Signal Hill. A teacher, coach, and administrator, Don worked at campuses including Wilson, Newcomb, Lakewood, and Lindbergh. His storied career in Long Beach was interrupted by a stint as a Fountain Valley principal, but in 2000, he returned to Stanford Middle School, also his alma mater. He came home to Ram High in 2005.
Don's irrepressible sense of school spirit infused every inch of his beloved Millikan campus. Like a proud parent, he carried his digital camera everywhere to snap photos of his students, teachers, and parent volunteers. He loved to chronicle their Moore League titles, scholarships, and other achievements in more than 150 weekly Web articles.
He approached a middle school podium at eighth-grade recruitment nights with the same enthusiasm as graduation in Veteran's Stadium. He sang the words to "Hail Blue and Gold" along with the student chorus every time. He shared his photos and his list of the "top 10 things" about Millikan with anyone who would listen or look. They listened. They looked.
Recently more than 3,000 students applied to Millikan's magnet programs. More voices lifted up the spirit song he saved in his heart.
Snug in his navy blue sweatshirt with a letterman-styled "M," Don was confident people would love Ram High as much he did.
He was right.
Submitted by Katie Hickox,
After 41 years of teaching, Phil Lang has announced his plans to retire at the end of the school year. Throughout his career, Lang has enjoyed bringing education to life for students in grades 4 through 8 at the five different Lutheran schools where he has taught.Lang has also coached softball, basketball, soccer, and wrestling; directed hand bell choirs for over 30 years; and chaperoned field trips and youth groups.
Phil will end his teaching career after serving 6 years in the Junior High Department at Bethany Lutheran School in Long Beach. Lang also taught at schools in San Pedro and Whittier, and in Colorado and Indiana.
Lang lives in Anaheim and is married to Linda (Lashwood) Lang. The Langs have two daughters Laura Siegert, and Laisa Segrist. The entire family has served as teachers in Lutheran schools.
Bethany Lutheran School and Church honored Lang during their three morning worship services on June 13.
Submitted by Kathy Tucker
In April, Lindbergh Middle School proudly celebrated the accomplishments of Mr. J.P. Alegria. Mr. Alegria was recognized as one of only five LBUSD teachers honored with this year's TALB Golden Apple Award. Throughout the past 22 years at Lindbergh Middle School, Mr. Alegria has earned a reputation for superb professional performance; having been recognized as a Grade Level Leader, History Dept. Chair, Baseball and Basketball Coach, and a former Lindbergh Teacher of the Year. Mr. Alegria was honored by students at Lindbergh; naming him 2009 Charles A. Lindbergh's Most Inspirational Teacher. Other exceptional accomplishments include; the Carpe Diem District Award for Outstanding Teacher, a two time Disney Teacher of the Year Nominee, 2002 Who's Who of American Teachers, and Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Teacher of American History Award. "I want to acknowledge my principal, Dr. Hall, and the History Department for guiding me throughout the years," said J.P. Alegria.
Congratulations Mr. Alegria, you are truly one of a kind.
Submitted by Marina Barreras,
6th Grade Science
6th Grade Science
