Three HUSD staff members recognized as Educators of the Year

Three staff members at the Healdsburg Unified School District have been recognized as Educators of the Year at the district level and will find out in January whether or not they will go on to represent their region.
Healdsburg High School Counselor Ilene Frommer, was chosen as the California League of High Schools Educator of the Year while Bruce Standifer was chosen as California League of Middle Schools Educator of the Year. Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Annie Millar, was chosen as California League of Middle Schools Administrator of the Year. The district honored them at the last school board meeting on December 12.
Bruce Standifer was recognized by Healdsburg Junior High School Principal Debra Hall for his willingness to help out in any situation whether it is an extra hand at the school dance, teach extra classes in history and English or sit on a school committee.
“He has a magical way with students, taking the most timid and insecure student and building their confidence and self-esteem. He makes all students feel welcome, honored and respected no matter what their skills or abilities,” Hall said. “Walking across campus with Bruce is like hanging out with a rock star.”
Standifer was born and raised in Healdsburg and attended Healdsburg schools. He serves on the school site council and he began teaching an accelerated class this year on top of his regular class load.
“This is my thirty-second year of teaching and I am still having fun doing it and this has just been awesome and I think of all of the teachers that have helped me and it has just been a blast,” Standifer said.
Ilene Frommer was introduced by Healdsburg High School Assistant Principal Kestrel Davis who described her as a “tireless advocate for students” who has worked in the district as a counselor for over 30 years.
“Whether helping a student through an emotional crisis, advising them on courses of study or leading a new program on campus promoting emotional health, she truly values the whole student,” said Davis.
When a fellow colleague retired and school sections were cut, Frommer volunteered to run the peer-counseling program to help train students on working out conflict and raise awareness of alcohol and drug prevention.
“It didn’t sound like me, where did they get all of that from, I am just a little person doing my job and I love my job,” Frommer said.
For the first time this year, the district is also recognizing an administrative staff member. Annie Millar, director of curriculum and instruction was recognized as Administrator of the Year.
“We all know Annie and how competent she is, the presentations that she gives, the details of this role and staying on top of it, overall she does very well,” Harding said. “But that is not what I want to talk about…there is a single person in my opinion who is our moral compass, who is the person who keeps the conscience of the district.”
Millar was described as a person whose work has helped numerous people throughout the district from the students to her fellow staff members and the members of the board.
“It is my great pleasure to be a part of the HUSD, I love my job, the people I work with and the community and I love being able to talk about love at work,” Millar said.
An event for the California League Educator of the Year will be held at the Villa Chanticleer on January 18. Attendees will go in support of the nominee from their district to determine the winner in Region 1 who will move on to the state competition. Tickets are available from the Healdsburg High School Office.