Cori McDonald receives Educator of Year honor

Three Ramona teachers nominated for regional Educator of the Year in their subject area received accolades at a dinner in San Vicente Golf Resort Friday evening.

During the event, which attracted teachers and administrators from throughout San Diego County, the announcement came that Cori McDonald, Ramona High School math teacher, is Educator of the Year for Region 9 of the California League of High Schools. Region 9 includes San Diego and Imperial counties.

Ramona Unified School District’s other nominees included Mayra Vasquez, Montecito High School counselor/psychologist, and Erica Reynolds, Olive Peirce Middle School science teacher. Their nominations were for, respectively, Region 9’s California League of High Schools and California League of Middle Schools.

McDonald, a 1998 graduate of Ramona High School, is in her 11th year teaching in Ramona. After seven years at Olive Peirce Middle School, she joined Ramona High’s staff and is in her fourth year of teaching math there. President of the Ramona Teachers Association, she also is head coach for the school’s softball team. Her assistant coaches are Robin Brainard and Antoinette Rodriguez, who coached her when she played on the Bulldog softball team from 1995-98.

Superintendent Robert W. Graeff, Ed.D., congratulated the three teachers in an email to district employees.

“And a royal congratulations goes to Cori McDonald,” he said.

McDonald will represent Region 9 at statewide competition in Sacramento this spring.

“Honored amid a room full of outstanding educational leaders, this remarkable teacher sparkled in her presentation to the organization focusing on excellence in teaching and building positive relationships with students, parents and staff,” said Graeff.

McDonald is the granddaughter of the late Jean and Glae McDonald, longtime Ramona educators.