Olga Pacot, who was already recognized by the Fontana Unified School District School Board as Teacher of the Year at Citrus Elementary School, was chosen as one of only six teachers nationwide as a recipient of the 2016 180 Educator Awards.
The 180 Educator Awards Program, sponsored by educational textbook publishing giant Houghton Miflin Harcourt Brace has existed for ten years. It honors educators across the United States who have devoted themselves to helping struggling students turn their lives around by building their reading
and math literacy.
According to the 180 Educator Award webpage, “Ms. Pacot is a distinguished educator who provides effective instructional practices that has (sic) resulted in a 211 point average classroom Lexile™ growth. Her colleagues describe her as ‘a teacher who excels in all areas of the California Standards for the teaching profession.’ They also admire her commitment to provide the necessary scaffolding to ensure students experience success with effective instructional practices such as close reading.”
Lexile is a scale for measuring both reading ability of an individual and the text complexity of materials he or she encounters.
At the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year, instructors were given a goal of having their students achieve a 137 average Lexile gain in the reading program. By December 2015, Pacot’s students registered an increase of 173 average Lexile growth.
Pacot distinguished herself not only on the basis of the gains her students made, but for pursuing the enrichment of her pupils’ lives outside of regular classroom time by making herself available both before and after school and during recess for extra learning and support.
Pacot said, “As a reading and intervention teacher, I am in a position to give hope and inspiration to the students who have the greatest academic challenges. I want to encourage my students to believe in themselves and know that they can and will succeed in life through literacy.”
Pacot previously taught in Dallas, Texas, where she was recognized for her teaching expertise. She has been invited to attend the 24th annual Model Schools Conference in June, where in addition to picking up her award, she will be provided with the opportunity to select Houghton Miflin Harcourt Brace titles calibrated to her student’s grade and reading levels.