BY ANGELINA PARISI, YUCAIPA CALIMESA NEWS MIRROR REPORTER
Cathleen Schmidt, teacher at Oak View High School and Education Center, has been named the Teacher of the Year for the Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District (YCJUSD). In addition to teaching English and English Language Development for students in grades seven through 12, Schmidt dedicates two nights a week to the Yucaipa Adult School, where she guides students through the high school diploma and GED programs.
Schmidt began her teaching career in 2001 and came to the profession with a personal mission: to inspire others.
“In high school, I found myself in a really dark place, and I had to evaluate where my life was going,” Schmidt said. “The only thing that I could hold on to, that I was good at, was reading.”
The experience ignited her passion for education, fueling her desire to share the joy she found in literature with her students.
Choosing to work at Oak View was a deliberate decision for Schmidt. The school operates as a public alternative school, offering a tailored and supportive curriculum designed for students who may have struggled in traditional school settings.
“Students at Oak View have struggled in a traditional school model, and they find success at Oak View. Being a part of their transformation, growth and change is the most amazing thing I could ever ask for,”
Schmidt said.
Schmidt was shocked to be recognized as both Teacher of the Year and County Teacher of the Year, expressing disbelief that an educator from a “small site” could receive such honors.
“I represent just one part of our family that makes it work for the students,” Schmidt said.
Her teaching philosophy is both inclusive and progressive, as she emphasizes the importance of viewing each day as a new start.
“We are consistently making mistakes — students, teachers, myself included. If something didn’t work today, that’s okay.
We’ll try again tomorrow until we get it,”
Schmidt said.
At the heart of Schmidt’s classroom is a commitment to ensuring that each student feels valued and heard.
“Their ideas are seen and appreciated.
Each student that comes through my classroom has a story,” Schmidt said.
To new teachers entering the profession, Schmidt offers advice.
“Your subject, your content area, and knowledge are important. But students crave you,” Schmidt said. “They crave the person, the teacher, you and your passions more than they crave the curriculum..Don’t lose yourself to the curriculum.”