Teresa Cabrera teaches fourth grade at Desert Mirage Elementary. This is her fifth year in teaching. She also did her student teaching in fourth grade, and says she enjoys this age group.

“They’re still fairly young but they’re starting to know themselves,” Cabrera explains. The kids are... Read more

Maureen Davies is the Gifted and Talented teacher for third- and fourth-graders from three Mesa elementary schools. Students from Entz, Field and Highland meet with Davies in cohorts once a week—on two days she teaches third-graders and on two days she has fourth-graders.   

Davies has... Read more

Karen Lock teaches first grade at Esperanza Elementary. She says she thinks she always wanted to be a teacher, even when she herself was in elementary school.

Lock really felt the calling to teach when she had kids of her own. You might even say, Lock loves to unlock kids potential!... Read more

Diana Perez teaches sixth grade at Rice Elementary. She has worked in various roles in Chandler schools, but this is her first year as a teacher.

“My love for teaching grew with working here with the kids,” Perez explains. She earned her degree in sociology intending to become a social... Read more

Molly Sanborn teaches second grade at Carlson Elementary. Sanborn has been a teacher for over two decades—this is her 23rd year of teaching. She has taught at the college level and worked as a reading specialist for K–3. 

Sanborn is a native of Mesa and says she knew she wanted to teach... Read more

Kathy Roy teaches second grade at Finley Farms Elementary. She also taught third grade at Finley Farms for many years, but moved to second grade during the pandemic. 

Roy had a degree in fashion merchandising and traveled a lot, but she didn’t want to travel for work after she had kids,... Read more

Congratulations to the Valley teachers recognized during the 2021–22 school year. Thank you to all the students, parents and others who nominated an outstanding teacher. Your teacher could be recognized during the upcoming school year! Read more

Trayce De Leon teaches fifth grade at West Valley Christian School. She has been teaching for 28 years. De Leon was born in Miami. Her family moved to South Carolina when she was 10 and she went to college there, so she says she considers South Carolina home. She moved to Arizona when her... Read more

Rebecca Thuer teaches fourth grade at Jack Barnes Elementary. She has been teaching for 29 years and has been in Arizona for 23 years.

Thuer says she came to Arizona from Chicago to visit her favorite brother. She went to a job fair and was hired on the spot, so she moved here! 

... Read more

Tyler McKinzie teaches sixth grade at Sonoma Ranch Elementary. “Sonoma Ranch is a wonderful school and there is a reason I have been there 16 years,” he says. “The kids, staff, and families make it the best place in the world to be every day.”

McKinzie says he loves teaching sixth grade... Read more