Katharine Clemmer, clinical associate professor and director of Loyola Marymount University’s Mathematics Leadership Corps, is one of 10 California teachers nominated for the nation’s highest honor for math and science educators; the 2015 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Clemmer and the other math finalists were honored at a luncheon at the California Mathematics Council Conference in Palm Springs. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson nominated the finalists for the award.
“These remarkable teachers are dedicated, passionate, knowledgeable, and use innovative teaching methods that help prepare our students to thrive in a world in which technology changes at a breathtaking pace,” Torlakson said in announcing the group. “They are helping to turn our students into problem solvers who can be the innovators and inventors of tomorrow.”
Clemmer has been a clinical faculty member in the Loyola Marymount University School of Education for 15 years and helped create the Mathematics Leadership Corps, a teacher leader professional development program for kindergarten through grade twelve math teachers working in partnership with school districts and philanthropic organizations for system change. In addition, she is a math teacher at El Segundo High School in the El Segundo Unified School District. She has been teaching for 22 years.
“I’m so proud of Kathy for receiving this recognition for her work in the classroom and for being a leader in preparing the next generation of math educators through the innovative Mathematics Leadership Corps housed at LMU,” said Shane P. Martin, dean and professor of the LMU School of Education.
The California Department of Education partnered with the California Science Teachers Association and the California Mathematics Council to recruit and select nominees for the Presidential Awards. The winners of the national Presidential Awards for Excellence competition will be honored at the White House and receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
Article Credit: LMU Newsroom
