To add to the energy of the last day of school on Friday, June 3, at Dorothy McElhinney Middle School, friends, family, and colleagues, gathered to surprise Mrs. Heather Hanlon at her classroom/dance studio. Amazed and teary-eyed, Mrs. Hanlon listened as Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, announced that she was the fourth 2023 Riverside County Teacher of the Year.
“Today we recognize your hard work, innovation, and expertise,” Dr. Gomez said. “You have used your love and passion for dance to guide instruction and cultivate foundational goals for all of your students.”
Mrs. Hanlon will join Autum Khong Lundblad from Sundance Elementary School in the Beaumont Unified School District, Beth Schwandt from Lake Hills Elementary School in Alvord Unified School District, and Anthony Gomez from Jurupa Middle School in the Jurupa Unified School District, to represent Riverside County in the 2023 California State Teacher of the Year competition later this year.
“I honestly don’t do this by myself ever,” Mrs. Hanlon said to her studio full of colleagues and family members after the surprise announcement. “I can’t thank everyone enough for their support over the years. It’s the only way I got here.”
Following her announcement, Mrs. Hanlon was asked to continue her celebration in the school gymnasium where she was surprised by a cheering tunnel of students chanting her name and waving hand-crafted posters.
About Heather Hanlon
Michigan-born Mrs. Hanlon and her family moved to the Temecula area of Riverside County during her 7th grade year of school. “Coming to sunny California was a culture shock, to say the least.” Struggling with the change, she forged a connection with her language arts teacher, Mrs. Skumawitz, who gave her the courage and confidence to press forward. “She was a bright light and is the reason I went into teaching.”
Heather Hanlon started teaching with Murrieta Valley Unified School District in 2002 as a kindergarten teacher at Murrieta Elementary School. In 2007, Mrs. Hanlon was hired as the dance teacher for Lisa J. Mails Elementary School and had the opportunity to build a dance program from the ground up. Two years later, she moved to Dorothy McElhinney Middle School and started the first competition dance team, Dancefinity, which went on to earn accolades from local dance competitions as well as earning the school a Gold Ribbon Award in 2017 for excellence in dance. Mrs. Hanlon is a resident of Murrieta.
Mrs. Hanlon works tirelessly to facilitate a program that has open arms to all students. “I always thrive to make dance accessible to those for whom it had not been before,” said Mrs. Hanlon. “I want to normalize boys dancing, connect with all students, and make my room a safe place.”
“Heather takes the time to get to know each individual student, their interests, their learning styles, and what motivates them,” said Tom Patane, Dorothy McElhinney Middle School Principal. “Her students know how much she cares for them, and in return, they work hard and behave well for her.”
All four teachers of the year will represent Riverside County in the 2023 California Teacher of the Year competition where at least one Riverside County teacher has been selected as a California Teacher of the Year in eight of the last nine years.
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