Special Ed Instructor to Receive ‘Teacher of the Year’

This past week, Castro Valley High School’s Claire Heppner was named as one of 18 of the 2023 Alameda County Teachers of the Year, which honors teachers throughout Alameda County.

A ceremony and reception for the annual award will be held at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts on October 5, between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m.

Heppner is a Special Education teacher at CVHS. In her classroom, she focuses solely on her students’ specific individual needs. Her program, Functional Life Skills, readies her students for the next steps in life. They learn everything from safety skills in the kitchen, to how to take care of laundry.

“I want to make sure they are contributing members of society when they leave my program,” Heppner said.

Heppner says she didn’t take the orthodox path to teaching. Instead of finishing college right after high school, she had her family first. She returned to school in her mid-30s to finish her degree. After organizing events at her own children’s schools, she knew she wanted to become a teacher. She started as a substitute teacher, where she immediately gravitated toward special education.

“I found my passion,” she adds.

“A well-deserved recognition! Ms. Heppner works hard to create the best learning environment for students. She is able to individualize instruction to meet the needs of every student in her Special Day Class. We are very fortunate to have Ms. Heppner,” Castro Valley Unified School District Superintendent, Parvin Ahmadi told the Forum.

The Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE), which presents the Teacher of the Year awards, serves as liaison between the California Department of Education and the 18 Alameda County public school districts that serve more than 215,000 students. 

This year’s 18 honorees are among the more than 12,000 educators across Alameda County, which the ACOE says, “light the future for every child, in every school, every day.” 

For tickets and more information about the 2023 Alameda County Teachers of the Year award, visit the ACOE website (acoe.org)