Gathered in the library with her colleagues, Vaca Peña Middle School English and Leadership teacher Jayne Geist was honored as the Vacaville Unified School District's Teacher of the Year for 2023 - 2024.
"Jayne began her teaching career at Vaca Peña in January 2020 as a long-term substitute," Colleen Moe, Vaca Peña Middle School principal, wrote in her nomination of Geist. "She quickly fell in step with the rest of the English department, and you would have thought she was a seasoned veteran teacher. When an opening at Vaca Peña was presented for the following school year, we quickly scooped her up as we knew she was going to be an awesome addition to the Vaca Peña Community."
Her colleagues describe her impact on the students as "the leader of leaders!", "A model teacher who has a large positive impact on our school and community," as "someone who does it all." "A mentor" and someone who "creates a classroom environment that nurtures not just academic achievement but also emotional intelligence and leadership skills."
Moe concluded her nomination by writing, "Ms. Geist's remarkable dedication to English and Leadership education has left a permanent mark on her students, which is why she deserves to be Teacher of the Year."