Two local educators are among the 2026 California Teachers of the Year, officials announced Thursday.
Monrovia-based Heather Povinelli, who teaches second grade at Bradoaks Elementary Science Academy, is one of five educators to receive the annual honor.
Rene Romero, an 11th- and 12th-grade International Baccalaureate Language and Literature teacher at South Hills High School in the Covina Valley Unified School District, is also a 2026 honoree. Romero “uses his own background as an English Learner from East Los Angeles to make sure that his classroom is an inclusive and supportive environment,” state officials said.
In a statement California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Povinelli is “constantly inspired by seeing her students learn to exceed their own expectations of themselves. As someone who has dwarfism, Dr. Povinelli uses her own disability as an opportunity to teach students about inclusion, equity, and belief in oneself.
“Through her doctoral research, Dr. Povinelli has highlighted specific strategies and practices used by dwarf teachers that can be applied by any teacher to more effectively reach every child,” Thurmond said.
“The State of California will now know what we in Monrovia have known for years, Dr. Heather Povinelli is not only a great teacher but a great advocate for student success,” Monrovia Unified School District Board President Rob Hammond said in a statement. “On behalf of the Board of Education, and our entire community, we extend our congratulations to Dr. Povinelli on being named California Teacher of the Year.”
Povinelli has been with the Monrovia Unified School District for 25 years, teaching kindergarten and first grade and serving as an “early interventionist,” MUSD officials said.
“What sets Dr. Povinelli apart is not just her expertise, but her heart,” Bradoaks Principal Calvin McKendrick said in a statement. “She doesn’t just teach content, she builds character. She doesn’t just work in education, she elevates it. Year after year, we see that her legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of Monrovia, and generations of students will continue to thrive because of the seeds she has sown. We are endlessly proud and grateful to have her as part of our Monrovia family.”
MUSD Superintendent of Schools Paula Hart Rodas added, “Dr. Povinelli’s classroom is a model of thoughtful, brain-based instruction. She applies research-driven strategies that not only ensure deep, lasting learning, but also foster critical thinking and emotional resilience in her young students,” Rhodas said in a statement. “Her learning environment is a calming and inclusive space, intentionally crafted with attention to color, decor, tone, and language. This atmosphere supports academic risk-taking and emotional safety — foundational for student growth.”
District officials noted a 2024 campus fire that forced Povinelli to relocate her classroom midyear.
“She immediately established a warm, welcoming new space where students continued to thrive — demonstrating her extraordinary adaptability and unwavering commitment to her students’ well-being and learning,” district officials said.
In 2022 Povinelli earned a doctorate in educational leadership from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She has a 1999 master’s degree in adult education from the University of Minnesota, where she graduated magna cum laude.
“These extraordinary educators represent the very best of our public schools and remind us that great teaching can change lives and strengthen entire school communities,” Thurmond said in a statement.
The three other California Teachers of the Year are April Raguindin, a first grade teacher at Dr. Douglas K. Fletcher Elementary School in the Bakersfield City School District in Kern County; Chrizia Dela Rosa, who teaches math to ninth graders at Piedmont Hills High School in the East Side Union High School District in Santa Clara County; and Corina Martinez, a kindergarten teacher at Pioneer Elementary School in the Escondido Union School District in San Diego County.
Thurmond nominated Raguindin as California’s representative for the National Teacher of the Year competition that culminates in the spring.
The Teachers of the Year Program started in 1972 to recognize outstanding educators and encourage new teachers to choose the profession.
