Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Vicki Wendell, who heads the science department at Los Gatos High School, has been named the high school district's Teacher of the Year.

High school district honors science department's chair

By Michelle Alaimo

"Hardworking and dependable" are the words Ted Simonson, principal of Los Gatos High School, used to describe this year's Teacher of the Year. Los Gatos- Saratoga Joint Union High School District chose Vicki Wendell, science department chairwoman at LGHS, for the honor.

"When you need a really good man to do the job, choose a woman," Simonson told a crowd of teachers when announcing the award at a meeting on Aug. 25.

Wendell said she was amazed she had been selected over so many other talented teachers in the district.

Simonson and five teachers from Los Gatos High School served on the committee that chose the winner. The committee and the honored teacher alternate each year between Saratoga High School and LGHS.

Wendell received the most nominations from her peers, but that is not the only reason she was chosen, Simonson said. Wendell was selected because she is a thoroughly professional teacher. He added that Wendell is qualified to do just about every type of job in the science department if she chooses. Simonson said Wendell has helped develop curriculum for several courses including Chemistry in the Community, which she currently teaches along with Advanced Placement Chemistry.

She explained that AP Chemistry is a college-level course students take so they can be tested at the end of the school year to have the course counted for college credit.

It has been a goal of Wendell's to have all of her students pass the AP test. She had never reached her goal until the past school year, when all 23 of her students who took the exam passed.

Simonson noted that many of Wendell's students come back after graduation to visit with her and tell her they learned a lot more in her classes than they thought. "She makes it easy for non-science-oriented people to learn science," Simonson said.

Wendell strives to keep her class material fresh and is always modifying her courses to make them work better.

"She is just a really hard worker," Simonson said. "I frequently find her [at LGHS] on nights and weekends."

The Teacher of the Year award has been given for more than 30 years in the district. Wendell's name has been added to the perpetual plaque at each school.

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