A Twentynine Palms High School teacher was honored last week with 10 other teachers as a finalist for 2014 California Teacher of the Year for Region 10. Donna Petre was nominated for her work with students with severe disabilities at Twentynine Palms High School. She coordinates the efforts of many faculty and staff to meet the diverse needs of the students in her classroom. Petre prepares daily lessons that not only incorporate standards-based instruction but also promote self-reliance and skills that enable independent living. While she was not named as Region 10’s nominee for California Teacher of the year, she was honored for her efforts at excellence and her significant impacts to implement educational reform in high schools. The representatives selected from each region will be honored at the CLHS Annual Conference in early March in Sacramento. Through her efforts and those of her team, Petre’s students are a recognizable part of the student body at Twentynine Palms High School because of how they overcome challenges and strive to complete their compulsory education with their peers.
