Rio Norte Science Teacher Catherine Nicholas was nominated for the prestigious Presidential Teaching Award!

At the Board of Supervisors meeting on August 30, 2005, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich recognized two outstanding teachers who are the California finalists for the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Margaret Cagle, a math teacher from Lawrence Gifted Magnet Middle School in Chatsworth where she has taught since 1993, hopes to use any attention from this nomination to help change societal and political notions about math.  Catherine Nicholas, a science teacher at Rio Norte Junior High School in Castaic, has been in the classroom for 18 years and says that teaching has always been in her blood.

Winners will be notified in the spring and will receive a $10,000 award, a citation from President Bush and a paid trip to Washington D.C. where they will be recognized at an awards presentation.