Who are the 2010-11 Teachers of the Year? We’ll all find out today

They’re out there. In fact, they may be in their classrooms at this very moment. And they have no idea they’ve been selected as the 2010-11 IUSD Teachers of the Year.

But they’ll find out soon enough. And so will we. Sometime this morning, Irvine’s three teachers of the year, representing all elementary, middle and high schools, will be announced during surprise visits to their respective campuses. The good news will travel via a caravan of board members, district staff, Irvine Teachers Association leaders and representatives from the Exchange Club of Irvine, which annually sponsors the award program. Just as we did last year, we’ll be along for the ride to post the winners in real time right here on the IUSD NewsFlash. So check with us throughout the day to see if any of your favorites have been recognized. And now a little background. Marking its 25th year, the Teacher of the Year program annually recognizes star instructors at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Nominations are submitted by district employees, and candidates are later interviewed by committees made up of teachers, principals, administrators and Exchange Club members. The committees ultimately narrow the field to the final three using the following criteria: Evidence of a wide range of instructional strategies used effectively; commitment to the teaching profession; and demonstration of Irvine teachers’ values of integrity, empowerment, learning, collaboration and trust. So who are the three who will represent the Irvine Unified School District in 2011? We'll all find out today.