Marianne Velonis, from Las Brisas Elementary School, 5805 W. Alameda Road, was among the 2018-2019 Deer Valley Education Foundation Teachers of the Year.

Ms. Velonis started her career in 2010 at Hillcrest Middle School, 22833 N. 71st Ave., and since 2014 has been at Las Brisas and currently teaches fourth grade.

“As a teacher myself, it is important for me to be present for my students. I want to provide them with the same stability, sense of value, safety, and self-worth that my teachers gave me,” Ms. Velonis stated. “My purpose is to serve them both academically and emotionally. It is a job that fills my heart and often my evenings with thoughts, hopes and dreams for my students and their future.”

Support for this award also came from parents.

“Through her inspiring spirit, extreme dedication and sincere compassion, Mrs. Velonis has demonstrated time and time again how she is totally vested in her students as an entire human-being and not just as it relates to their lives inside the classroom,” a parent wrote during the nomination process. “It is for these reasons and so many more that I emphatically recommend her as teacher of the year.”

“My team motto is ‘Do your third,’” Ms. Velonis stated. “This motto represents the partnership between parents, students and the teacher. If we all work together and do our third, we will ensure success.”