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Issue date: October 27, 2000
Donna Peltz, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Teacher of the Year, helps Mountain View High School students Danielle Lanthier and Hal Ellison with a photo critique.
@vcredit:Dick Waters
Donna Peltz named high school Teacher of the Year
Donna Peltz named high school Teacher of the Year
(October 27, 2000)
Art teacher at Mountain View High nominated by her peers
By Jaime Bloss
Donna Peltz, an art teacher at Mountain View High School, has been chosen as the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District's Teacher of the Year.
Peltz, a teacher for 25 years, is in her seventh year of teaching art to grades 9-12 in Mountain View.
In Peltz's classroom, students are currently learning about aspects of photography with a 35 mm camera, including how to take pictures, process film, and be expressive in the darkroom.
"It (art) gives high school students a way to express themselves and validates them for what they're expressing," she said, adding that helping students find an outlet for self-expression is one of the reasons she became a teacher.
Peltz loves teaching. "Teaching is a wonderfully rewarding profession," she said. "It's a love profession; everything you put into it, you get back. I've never regretted becoming a teacher."
One of the most exciting events in Peltz's career was being able to provide input into the design of the new art building and darkroom at Mountain View High School.
Patricia Hyland, principal at Mountain View High School, appreciates Peltz's hard work and dedication. "She's a great addition to our staff. She takes a real balanced approach in dealing with students and sees the big picture. While she knows what needs to be accomplished, she deals with each situation differently and knows what approach needs to be used to get there. Not everyone can do that," Hyland said.
Hyland also pointed out that Mountain View High School's staff nominated and selected Peltz for the award. "They have a great deal of respect for her. She's been here for a relatively short period of time and the staff has that much respect for her."
Peltz was honored with other outstanding teachers in Santa Clara County
at the 31st annual Teacher Recognition Day award ceremony Sept. 25 in San Jose.
"I've never received any honor like this before; I was very surprised," Peltz said.
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