The Napa County Board of Education has honored Barbara Stoer, who teaches teachers within the Napa Valley Unified School District, as the Teacher of the Year for 2006.

Superintendent Barbara Nemko said Stoer was chosen from a field of 81 nominees. Twenty-eight semi-finalists were chosen, and winnowed to a list of finalists that included Stoer, Jeanette Valassopoulos, Sandra Haroutunian and Barbara Thompson. A countywide committee of administrators evaluated the applications and made the decision.

Stoer, a 30-year teaching veteran, taught in San Jose for four years before coming to Napa County. She is known by students and teachers as the "fairy godmother" and "teacher of teachers" for her mentorship and development of new educators. Her duties include demonstration lessons in a kindergarten classroom, training teachers how to hold parent conferences leading Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment classes.

"As I look back on over 30 years of teaching, I am continuously surprised at the impact teachers have on their students," Stoer said.

She recently had the opportunity to visit the high school classroom of a new teacher who was one of her former students. Another former kindergarten student, now in high school, was sitting in the back row.

"Mrs. Stoer, are you still around?" he asked.

She replied "I'm everywhere now!"

She said this encounter with two generations of former students reminded her of how meaningful the classroom visits had become.

Stoer can be seen in action during the many BTSA trainings scheduled this year. Workshop listings can be accessed through the BTSA page of the Napa County Office of Education Web site at www.ncoe.k12.ca.us.