Oceano Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Bob Montano was named Lucia Mar Unified School District's teacher of the year last week.

Montano won the award in a unanimous vote out of a pool of 17 teachers who were named teachers of the year at each of their school sites.

“I feel very humbled to receive this award,” Montano said. “Our principal made the announcement that I had won for the school district.”

The official announcement came during the end-of-the-year Lucia Mar staff party held last week at the Toucan Terrace Clubhouse in Pismo Beach.

Montano, who has taught at Oceano Elementary for 31 years, will retire from his position at the end of this school year. He was selected by a committee made up of six previous award recipients. This was the first year that the vote was unanimous.

“(Montano) is truly an inspiration to us all” said Kevin Statom, president of the Lucia Mar Unified Teachers Association. “He and his wife, Ruth, have given their lives to the children of Lucia Mar, and we are so lucky to have had them in our district for so many years.”

Montano received his teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach, in the early 1970s. Among his most notable accomplishments are organizing local events including book drives on behalf of field workers.

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He is also a charter member of the Association of Mexican-American Educators, which has awarded more than $60,000 to local college-bound students in recent years.

“I was so proud of him when I found out,” said wife Ruth Montano. “He is a very deserving person who does everything he can for others.

Ruth Montano, who will also retire this year, has been teaching at district schools for the last 31 years. She currently teaches second grade at Grover Beach Elementary School, where she has been since 1994.

“I enjoy teaching. I am committed to high-quality, effective teaching, which has proven to most significantly impact a child's education,” Bob Montano added.

Montano is a professional musician and has helped purchase guitars to teach students music as part of the Bright Futures program.

“He teaches students to take learning outside the classroom walls and encourages them to think of ways they might influence change,” Statom noted.

June 9, 2007