New Mexico Public Education Secretary-Designate Ryan Stewart makes surprise announcement at Placitas Elementary in Bernalillo
BERNALILLO—New Mexico Public Education Secretary-Designate Ryan Stewart announced today the selection of Mandi Torrez from Bernalillo Public Schools as the 2020 New Mexico Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made during a visit to Placitas Elementary School, where Ms. Torrez teaches third grade. Secretary-Designate Stewart surprised Ms. Torrez in her classroom, where she was given the award before an audience of students, fellow teachers, district and school administrators and her family.
“Ms. Torrez represents the direction education is taking in New Mexico,” said Secretary-Designate Stewart. “She is an educator focused on cultural responsiveness, inclusivity and equity. We are all lucky to have a teacher like Ms. Torrez influencing our students, who are the future of New Mexico. I know that she will represent our state well on the national stage as New Mexico Teacher of the Year.”
As the 2020 New Mexico Teacher of the Year (NMTOY), Ms. Torrez will receive a one year paid sabbatical, generously sponsored by the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA), during her tenure from January 1 to December 31, 2020. This will be the first time ever that a full year’s paid sabbatical will be provided to the NMTOY. Ms. Torrez will also receive up to $10,000 worth of professional development opportunities. Additionally, Ms. Torrez will be invited to join the other state teachers of the year in various exciting opportunities around the country and will compete in the National Teacher of the Year competition.
“NMOGA is proud to support Ms. Torrez as the 2020 New Mexico Teacher of the Year and is appreciative of her efforts in the classroom,” said NMOGA Executive Director Ryan Flynn. “Students and teachers receive more than $1 billion each year from the oil and gas industry to support New Mexico schools, and NMOGA is excited for the opportunity to sponsor Ms. Torrez’s work throughout the next year.”
Ms. Torrez has been teaching for ten years, eight of which have been spent at Placitas Elementary School. Ms. Torrez is a member of the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics and the National Education Association. She has served on the Placitas Elementary Leadership Team since 2017, and was nominated for the Golden Apple Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017.
“We are very excited that Ms. Torrez has been selected as the New Mexico Teacher of the Year,” said Bernalillo Public Schools Superintendent Keith Cowan. “Her ability to connect with students and family through innovative and culturally responsive best practices earned her the recognition of Teacher of the Year for Bernalillo Public Schools for the 2019-2020 school year. Ms. Torrez is an exceptional teacher who will be a valuable resource for so many.“
Ms. Torrez’s first work with children was in college, while volunteering at an English as Second Language after-school program in a low-income housing community. Ms. Torrez’s volunteer service was her first look at the achievement gap and the support needed for minority students.
A central component of Ms. Torrez’s teaching is her focus on cultural diversity. Ms. Torrez has worked to highlight cultural awareness at Placitas Elementary by organizing annual celebrations for National Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month and National Black History Month. For National Hispanic Heritage Month, Ms. Torrez has organized family dinners and student art exhibitions, as well as flamenco, ballet folklorico and salsa dancing lessons for students and families. Ms. Torrez is currently pursuing a project to name the hallways in Placitas Elementary after prominent historical figures of color.
Prior to teaching, Ms. Torrez was a journalist for eight years. Ms. Torrez attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. Ms. Torrez also attended Wheelock College in Boston, MA, where she received a Master of Science degree in Integrated Elementary Education and Special Education.
New Mexico’s Teacher of the Year process is based upon both classroom performance and strength of application. Districts and state charter schools were encouraged to nominate candidates for 2020 Teacher of the Year. The selection committee, consisting of education leaders from across the state, scored 16 Teacher of the Year applications. The top three highest scoring applicants were recommended to Secretary-Designate Stewart, who observed all three finalists in their classrooms before selecting Mandi Torrez as the 2020 NMTOY.
Now in its 56th year, the New Mexico Teacher of the Year Program began in 1963. Each year, all 89 New Mexico school districts and each state charter school is invited to nominate outstanding teachers to become New Mexico’s Teacher of the Year. The 2019 New Mexico Teacher of the Year, Jessica Sanders, is now a curriculum coach at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary in Rio Rancho. Prior to this, Ms. Sanders taught sixth and seventh grade science at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell. Ms. Sanders is involved in the broader education eco-system through her active involvement in coaching sports and her extracurricular involvement in student-led clubs. Ms. Sanders is also President Elect of the New Mexico Science Teachers Association.