Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

EDITORIAL:

Let’s provide Nevada’s teachers the resources they deserve

National Teacher of the Year

John Locher / AP

Teacher Juliana Urtubey, right, works with A’Real Wilkerson-Lay in a class at Kermit R Booker Sr Elementary School Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. Urtubey is the the 2021 National Teacher of the Year.

When Las Vegas educator Juliana Urtubey was named 2021 National Teacher of the Year this past week, it was a special moment for our community.

Not only was it invigorating to see Urtubey being recognized by her peers for her contributions to education, but her award took on broader significance: It was a reflection of the incredible talents and commitment of Southern Nevada’s thousands of educators.

Certainly, Urtubey’s honor was richly deserved.

A native of Bogota, Colombia, who grew up in Phoenix, Urtubey is an 11-year teaching veteran who spent the bulk of her career at Crestwood Elementary School, a central valley school where a significant portion of the students come from low-income families.

Urtubey, the first Hispanic teacher to be awarded the national honor since 2005, is a special education teacher and learning strategist who works with students across grade levels. Her approach is to develop and apply individualized lessons for each student, focusing not just on learning but on addressing their behavioral and emotional needs as well. She factors in students’ family structure, interests and hobbies to glean their strengths and build education plans around them.

“Juliana Urtubey exemplifies the dedication, creativity and heart teachers bring to their students and communities,” said Carissa Moffat Miller, CEO of the Council on Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), which bestows the award.

At Crestwood, Urtubey started a community garden seven years ago to give students a hands-on, healthy way to learn about science, nutrition and related subjects. But the value of the garden went beyond academics — Urtubey said it became a “welcome mat to our school” and helped form bonds between teachers, students and families. In turn, it became a source of pride for students.

“So many times students who go to Title I schools hear, ‘This school is this, or this school is that,’ ” Urtubey told Education Week. “Instead, we were able to flip the narrative and say this school is wonderful, this school brings joy and this school brings people together.”

Bravo, Ms. Urtubey, and to everyone in the Crestwood community.

Now a faculty member at Booker Elementary School, Urtubey will receive a paid year off as Teacher of the Year, during which the CCSSO will arrange appearances for her to advocate for education. Meanwhile, the state and the Clark County School District will provide services to her students in her absence.

Urtubey, Nevada’s first-ever National Teacher of the Year, said she planned to promote efforts to connect teachers to families and encourage conversations between everyone in school communities to improve access to resources and address injustice.

“Juliana is an exceptional teacher leader, and we are so proud to have her represent educators from Nevada and across the nation,” Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert said. “Juliana’s work has made an immeasurable difference in the lives of students, families, staff and educators in Nevada, and we are excited for this opportunity to expand her positive influence and impact.”

Thursday’s award presentation, which was nationally televised and included an in-person visit from first lady Jill Biden, put Urtubey, her peers and Las Vegas in the spotlight.

Urtubey’s recognition demonstrates the kind of dedication and creativity we believe is possible from all of our educators in the valley if they are supported by the community and provided the resources they need. Our teachers are heroic — especially after this year of COVID-19 — but like any hero, they need the community behind them

We once again urge Nevada lawmakers to boost state funding for our public schools. Although the state has made significant progress on K-12 funding in recent years, including with the largest-ever tax increase for education in 2017 and an overhaul of the funding formula to correct imbalances that penalized Clark County, Nevada continues to rank well into the bottom half of states in per-student funding.

That’s no way to fund a state where, as Urtubey’s award demonstrates, we are fortunate to employ some of the best and brightest teachers in the profession.

They’re doing their jobs with extraordinary skill and dedication. Now, Nevadans need to do our jobs by giving them the resources they need to give our children the best education we can provide.