[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 169 (Monday, November 16, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          IN HONOR OF ``TEACHER OF THE YEAR'' VALERIE ZIEGLER

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                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 16, 2009

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a special woman who 
goes above and beyond the call of duty to educate the children of our 
fine city of San Francisco.
  Valerie Ziegler was one of only five teachers--out of the more than 
310,000 who serve in California public schools--to be honored as a 2009 
Teacher of the Year. She is the first teacher ever from the San 
Francisco Unified School District to receive this honor. Perhaps most 
impressive is that she gave up a more lucrative career, as a technology 
consultant, so that she could teach. In just her sixth year in the 
profession, Ms. Ziegler carries an impressive load, teaching U.S. 
History, Economics and Advanced Placement U.S. Government at San 
Francisco's Lincoln High School. In addition to her course-work, she 
partnered with other Lincoln teachers to start the ``green academy'' to 
prepare students for careers in the new clean-energy economy.
  Praise for Ms. Ziegler from parents, administrators, fellow teachers 
and--in particular--her students, is virtually unanimous. Tales abound 
of her devotion to those she teaches and the extra effort she puts in 
to not only teach but instill a lifelong love of learning in her 
students.
  But Madam Speaker, Ms. Ziegler will be the first to say that the 
credit doesn't belong solely to her. Valerie is the daughter of a 30 
year public school teacher who worked primarily with hearing-impaired 
students. Valerie spoke glowingly about the examples her mother set--
how she spent her own money on hearing aid batteries for her students, 
drove them to appointments, even visited former students in jail.
  We hear a lot about family values in our line of work, but the 
Ziegler family lives it. With the daunting challenges facing public 
education in San Francisco, California, and indeed the nation, teachers 
like Valerie Ziegler must be encouraged and rewarded. Society as a 
whole is benefited by these special people who choose to devote their 
lives so that our children have every opportunity to achieve all that 
they set their sights on.

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