Canyon Elementary Says Goodbye to Teacher Tamara Gorman
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
Not only did Friday, June 11, mark the last day of formal instruction for the 2020-21 academic year at Canyon Charter Elementary School, it also was the last day in Room 1 for longtime teacher Tamara Gorman.
“It was with a flood of bittersweet emotions that I packed up my classroom at Canyon Elementary last week after 24 years,” Gorman said. “Nearly all that time was in the same room with kindergarten and transitional kindergarten students. I love being a teacher! I love doing something different each day, learning new things—and I loved hanging out with the coolest people—4 and 5 year olds.
“It’s been an honor for me to work with the youngest learners and their families, to guide them to succeed at their developmental level, and to watch them bloom as they move on.”
Over the years, Gorman has served many terms as the Governing Council co-chair and a member of the Pali Schools Coordinating Council. She also served as a member of Canyon’s charter writing committee four times and was proud to become a National Board Certified teacher while at Canyon, a Los Angeles Unified School District campus for grades kindergarten through fifth grade on Entrada in Santa Monica Canyon.
Principal Nicole Sheard issued a statement to Canyon families announcing the news and thanking Gorman for her dedication to education for over two decades:
“It is with bittersweet emotions that I share with you that after 24 wonderful years, beloved Canyon teacher Tamara Gorman has officially announced her retirement,” Sheard wrote. “If your child or children have had the privilege of having Ms. Gorman as a teacher, you know how dedicated, creative, enthusiastic and passionate she is about teaching. Over the past seven years I have had the honor of witnessing firsthand the positive impact she has on her students.
“She truly has a deep understanding of our youngest learners, and how to work with them and help them succeed at their developmental levels. Working with our youngest learners, she shares the very first experience of school, and instills a love of learning and growing in each and every student.”
Sheard added that as a National Board Certified teacher, Gorman was “instrumental” in supporting teachers and mentoring colleagues.
“She has gone above and beyond to ensure Canyon excels in every area possible by serving on our Governing Council for over 10 years and was influential as a member of the charter writing committee four times in a row,” Sheard wrote. “One fun fact about Ms. Gorman is that she ran in every single Olympics Day alongside her students.”
She added that Gorman “poured her heart and soul into being a teacher,” touching the lives of many students and families over the years.
“While I know that her true passion is teaching, I know you will join me in wishing her well, as she will finally have the time to pursue some new and exciting interests,” Sheard concluded. “I know she is looking forward to doing some traveling and is excited to learn how to play mahjong. Please join me in expressing your sincere appreciation for all that Ms. Gorman has done for Canyon students and families over the past 24 years. She will be missed, but I will not let her be a stranger.”
Although the coronavirus pandemic forced her to adjust to online classes along with her students, Gorman nevertheless managed to do what successful educators do: find an effective way to reach her young pupils and keep them engaged. In some ways, she was learning right along with them.
“While this year was unprecedented and challenging, I learned so much,” she said. “I found ways to successfully reach 4 and 5 year olds on Zoom. I loved working with young children, and considered the social, emotional and intellectual development of each child as I strived for an environment that was intriguing and challenging. My classroom was a place where children could feel safe to explore, grow and become independent learners. Ending the year in-person was great.”
Gorman, who lives nearby in Santa Monica, also had a career in the business world. Her hands-on child development experience comes partly from raising three children (now adults) of her own.
“Canyon has been the perfect place for me for 24 years,” Gorman added. “I’ll miss everything about Canyon: Olympics Day, Fiesta, the Kinderyard and wonderful Room 1. It’s been an honor to work with the most inspiring staff, friends, administrators and caring families. I’ll be at home in Santa Monica spending more time with my family and discovering new adventures.”
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.