"I appreciate the opportunity to use my own creativity to help the children discover their world and their own abilities," Clancy said.

Clancy has been teaching at Argonaut Elementary School in the Saratoga Union School District since 1991, and she enjoys being an influential part of what is often the first experience in public education for her 20 students.

On the evening of Sept. 22, Clancy was officially recognized as the Saratoga Union School District's Teacher of the Year. The 34th annual award reception, hosted by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, was held at the San Jose Repertory Theatre in downtown San Jose. Clancy was nominated for the award mainly because of her involvement last year as the president of the Saratoga Teacher's Association (STA).

Lane Weiss, superintendent of the Saratoga Union School District, said Clancy represents the district well in her ability to engage the hearts and minds of children in learning.

"She is very student-centered and professional and really thinks about the whole child," he said.

When Clancy isn't teaching, it means it's Monday. Every Monday, Clancy assesses the progress of her students, meets with parents and plans her curriculum. The kindergarten teachers designed this in-service workday to better serve their students and help them expand their potentials.

Clancy said she had just one reservation about receiving the Teacher of the Year award.

"I was very excited about it. But, truthfully, when teachers are told [about being Teacher of the Year] they feel a little uncomfortable. The reason being that there are many other colleagues who deserve this honor," Clancy said.

At the same time, Clancy said it's also nice to get a pat on the back every now and then for a job well done. Clancy added that the award reception was inspirational as well as a morale booster. She said it felt great to have people outside the realm of education commending her and the other teachers who received the award in their respective districts within the county.

Kathy Finnecy, who also teaches kindergarten at Argonaut, had the opportunity to share a classroom with Clancy for three years.

"She was the most incredible partner to work with," Finnecy said. "She was always willing to share her ideas and materials with me. She is really a very gifted teacher. Not only does she love children, but she likes to make the learning fun."

Clancy, 51, was born in San Jose and grew up in Santa Clara. She earned her teaching credential in December 1974 from San José State University and took a position in February 1975 teaching sixth grade at a middle school in Sebastopol, Calif. When Clancy got married, she thought she was retiring completely from teaching.

"I thought I would never work again," she said.

Clancy, who lives in San Jose, stayed at home for 11 years raising three sons, teaching preschool, running a day-care center, keeping active in parent-teacher associations and Scouting and being a full-time mother. But Clancy said she realized she missed the profession enough to go back to teaching kindergarten for one year in Oak Grove, working as a substitute teacher the next year, and then teaching first grade in Morgan Hill for another year. In 1991, she came to Saratoga and found her niche.

Clancy said she has made a lot of changes in the course of her career and her curriculum as well. She said the state standards today in the classrooms are no longer "milk and cookie" programs but accelerated academics. Her kindergarten students are learning at a first-grade level.

"But it's still a very magical place," she said. "I want to stay in kindergarten. I really believe in a balance between academic achievement and personal development."

In addition to being the past president of the STA, Clancy has worked as a coach on a literacy task force, served on a kindergarten task force and has been on an English language development committee. Somewhere in her busy schedule, she also finds time to swim recreationally and take ballroom-dancing classes with her husband, who retired in June from teaching at Redwood Middle School in Saratoga.

Clancy said it's really her family, students, parents, colleagues and the community who deserve a huge thank you for helping her get where she is today.

"It's really more than a career," Clancy said. "It's a lifestyle."