Rotary Foundation honors four Teachers of the Year
The annual awards highlight new, veteran and innovative teachers at public and private schools throughout west county
The Sebastopol Rotary Education Foundation (SREF) gave out its latest “Teachers of the Year” awards last week, a yearly tradition since 2008. The honorees were announced at the April 10 meeting of the Rotary Club of Sebastopol.
The teachers were selected from a field of 25 nominations in the categories of new, career, and innovative. (Two teachers won the latter award). Nominations each year are open to all West County public and private schools. Each of the four teachers received a $1,000 honorarium from the foundation, and they were joined at the event by family and local administrators.
This year’s SREF “Teachers of the Year” were as follows:
New Teacher Calli Behler, a primary grades teacher at Apple Blossom School is in her third year of teaching, and her nomination was widely supported by her co-teachers and lead administrators. “Communicating with families is something Calli does extremely well. She takes great care in keeping families connected to the classroom, even when they cannot come in person,” said her principal Erin Elliot. “Calli cares deeply for each student and works hard to push all of her students to learn more and challenge themselves and each other.”
Career Teacher Allison Johnston is a transitional kindergarten teacher at Harmony School in Occidental, where she’s called “Miss Allie.” She consistently “adapts her teaching to meet the diverse needs of her students, understanding that each child learns and develops at their own pace,” according to one of her nomination submissions. “Because the children feel safe and supported, they are eager to participate, try new things, and challenge themselves.”
Innovative Teacher Sasha Prosser, a SunRidge School educator who has taught the Waldorf curriculum for 20 years, was previously recognized as the teacher of the year by SREF. She said she was “surprised and humbled” to be selected for a second time. “Sasha values teaching practical life skills such as setting up snacks with folded napkins and shared responsibility which encourages calm, focus, respect, and a strong sense of community among the students,” read a portion of one of Prosser’s nomination testimonies. In addition, the students learn how to sweep, cook, sew and make items that are later used in the classroom.
Innovative Teacher Katie Nelson, who teaches multi-language development at Park Side and Brook Haven schools in Sebastopol., was selected for her innovative teaching methods. She works with students with an extraordinary range of languages and backgrounds, from Mexico, Ukraine, Nepal, Spain, Haiti, Sri Lanka and Japan. According to one of her colleagues, “Katie walks into my classroom first thing, most mornings, to collect students who are new arrivals to this country and English language learners. When my newest arrival sees her, the smile on their face says it all.”
(Editor’s note: You can read more about why Rotary chose these wonderful teachers in the extended descriptions at the end of this article.)
Mia Del Prete, a former SREF trustee and member of the Sebastopol Rotary Club, made the presentations, assisted by SREF vice president Larry Ford. Sebastopol Mayor Jill McLewis and Debbie Ramirez, field representative for West County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, each awarded the teachers with official city and county proclamations of achievement.
You can see and cheer for the four new Teachers of the Year when they make their traditional appearance in the upcoming Apple Blossom Parade on April 25.
In addition to the yearly Teachers of the Year awards, Sebastopol Rotary Education Foundation supports ongoing and startup learning programs, campus facility improvements, individual scholarships, and innovative new programs.
More about this year’s Teachers of the Year
The following descriptions are from a handout at the April 10 Awards event.
Calli Behler — New Teacher
Cali Behler is in her third year of teaching at Apple Blossom School. Calli is a team player and works collaboratively with her colleagues at every turn. When a colleague needs help with Canva, tech support, or even a costume for Spirit Week, they call Calli. She is always first to volunteer to pilot a new program, sit on an interview committee or just join in an activity like Field Day. Calli, with her teaching partner, was instrumental in planning a field trip each month for second grade students. She was the Lead Teacher in creating “bus buddies” and implementing bus/field trip protocols to ensure a safe field trip experience. Calli has also been creative with encouraging her students inside the classroom—Starbucks day, Super Bowl Reading, Silly Goose Mascot and many more exciting activities that fill the day. She plans organized lessons and builds on the strengths of her students. One of Calli’s biggest strengths as an educator is taking something from the teacher’s edition and spicing it up to make it exciting. Communicating with families is also something Calli does extremely well. Calli is strategic in word choice when needed but takes great care in keeping families connected to the classroom. She cares deeply for each student and works hard to push all of her students to learn more and challenge themselves and each other.
Katie Nelson — Innovative Teacher
Katie Nelson is the heart of English Language Development at Sebastopol Union School District. Katie has built something remarkable: a collaborative student-centered approach to supporting English Language Learners that reaches across both campuses with Sebastopol Union School District and makes a meaningful difference in the lives of students every single day. Katie embodies a safe space where her students feel seen. She creates a bridge for them between the world they’ve left behind and the new world they are learning to navigate. She is patient, kind, and compassionate to the students’ unique journey as they integrate new language, culture and place. She works hard to ensure that every ELL student enters the classroom with confidence, rather than anxiety. By frontloading key vocabulary, concepts and context before lessons begin, she gives students the tools to participate fully alongside their peers. What sets Katie apart is how deliberately she collaborates with her students’ classroom teachers. She shares strategies, co-plans lessons, and serves as a genuine partner in instruction rather than working in isolation. She leverages a wide range of technology tools to increase student access, from transition support to interactive platforms that allow students to engage with content in ways that meet them where they are linguistically. This innovative, tech-integrated approach ensures that language is never a barrier preventing students from learning, sharing, and/or feeling included.
Sasha Prosser — Innovative Teacher
Sasha Prosser is hardworking and dedicated to providing her students immeasurable attention and guidance. She creates a safe and stable environment that allows her students the freedom to grow and develop with confidence and kindness. Sasha includes the parents and creates a supportive network for the children. She promotes self-discovery among the children and allows them the space to grow their unique qualities. She makes an extra effort to allow each student to be seen and heard and gives them the tools to reach new goals and help one another. She integrates hands-on art, nature-based activities, and meaningful daily rituals that teach patience, mindfulness and fine motor skills. Her classroom projects are thoughtfully designed and often connect to seasons and holidays with beautiful handmade elements that inspire creativity. This practice helps each child establish a sense of responsibility and ownership. She carefully offers activities that support the whole child which encourages calm focus, respect and a strong sense of community among the students.
Allie Johnston — Career Teacher
Allison Johnston is deeply engaged in the school community and creates strong, trusting relationships with students, parents and colleagues. Her presence contributes to a sense of connection, warmth, and positivity throughout the school. She inspires and engages students by creating a warm and welcoming environment where children feel confident, supported, and excited to learn. She encourages curiosity and growth while helping students feel safe to explore and express themselves. Through her calm presence and genuine belief in her students, she motivates them to do their best both academically and personally. She uses flexible approaches to instruction, incorporating hands-on learning, movement, and developmentally appropriate activities to keep students engaged and excited. She thoughtfully differentiates lessons to ensure all learners can access the curriculum while still being challenged. Beyond academics, Allie prioritizes social-emotional learning, helping students develop important skills such as empathy, self-regulation and communication. Her intentional focus on creating a safe, caring classroom environment allows students to thrive both socially and academically.
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