Miss Wiz was the fond nickname Linda Wiezorek’s students gave her to make saying her name easier.

It is an apt sobriquet for a woman who not only found time to teach children, but to continue to learn and share that learning with students and colleagues during a 40-year career.

So it is no wonder that she has been selected as the 2008 Lompoc Unified School District Wall of Fame recipient.

“I feel that I’m honored and I’m so appreciative, but I would never presume to any success I’ve had,” Wiezorek said recently, attributing her success to those with whom she worked, from the office staff to her neighboring teachers.

Wiezorek said that even accepting the nomination was difficult for her: “I tried to talk them out of it.”

And when it came to opening the letter telling her of the award, she was reluctant. After three weeks, Wiezorek said she realized that opening and accepting the award was a good opportunity.

“It gives me an opportunity to say thank you to the district for giving me … I don’t know how to say this — I was happy in my life, in my work. I love the district. I care about the district and the students across the board, and I have a huge emotional investment in their success.”

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Wiezorek knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a teacher when she grew up. She attributes this in part to being the oldest of eight children, but also to the teachers she had.

“I look back and I just think teachers in my life were a huge influence on me,” Wiezorek said.

Born in Walla Walla, Wash., and raised in eastern Oregon, Wiezorek ended up in Lompoc because of a desire to see Disneyland and because she was impressed by her interviewer, then-Superintendent Glen Wagner.

It was Wagner’s questions that impressed the college grad: “He asked me intellectual questions, so I thought that district would be good for me.

“I came down with two friends,” Wiezorek said. “We were going to stay a year and go to Disneyland. I ended up staying 40 years.”

During her 40 years of teaching and working for LUSD, Wiezorek not only taught a couple of generations of children, she never stopped learning herself.

Given an opportunity to further her own education, Wiezorek took it and then brought the information back to share with others.

“I felt like I wanted to learn as much as I can so I can share it with other teachers,” Wiezorek said. “I’m poor now, but I spent my money on learning and studying at some of best universities in world.”

Those include universities in London, England; Tokyo, Japan; Auckland, New Zealand; as well as Harvard University.

Yet improving her own knowledge and understanding of educating children never interfered with her dedication to her students.

Colleague and parent Shirley Gettings remembers volunteering in Wiezorek’s class while her daughter was a student: “I would see her tutoring, preparing for presentations, meeting with other teachers as well as parents and former students returning to see her.”

Gettings calls Wiezorek a 24/7/52/365/40 person.

“I was in awe of her,” Gettings said. “She could take the toughest kids and be able to reach them and the brightest kids and take them further.”

For Wiezorek, teaching was a way to help break the cycle of poverty and to instill hope in each child: “I feel strongly that school needs to be a safe happy place for all kids,” she said, adding “I believe students need to understand that they can be whatever they want as long as they work hard and that the cycle of poverty will never be broken unless we address education needs.”

Over the years, parents and fellow teachers were not the only ones to see and appreciate Wiezorek’s dedication: In 1979 she was a charter member of the Southcoast Writing Project, in 1991 she was the Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year; in 1993, she was one of four teachers selected as California State Teacher of the year; in 1994, she was a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar; for seven years she was language arts consultant for State of California; and for seven years she was a Met Life Fellow, for whom she traveled to Ghana, Africa to speak on “The Status of Education in the United States.”

Gettings, who described Wiezorek as “multifaceted,” said, “She was able to change and adapt to change. And she never misses a teaching opportunity.”

Patti Luna, who got to know Wiezorek through the English Learners Advisory Committee, reiterated Gettings’ sentiments: “I’m very happy that she is getting the recognition that she deserves, and speaking on behalf of the Hispanic community, she helped students reach their fullest potential. There were countless hours of work she dedicated to them.”

Though she retired in 2005 and moved to Nevada to be near her son, she is still learning and working with children: She recently took a class on how the brain works and took a job as a permanent substitute teacher for Clark County School District.

“The only reason I accepted this award was for the chance to thank the district and for all the teachers I’ve worked with,” Wiezorek said. “This award is not about me — it’s about the importance of the role of classroom teachers in the success of the district.”

Amanda Brooks can be reached at 737-1057 or abrooks@santamariatimes.com.

September 8, 2008