Clackamas Education Service District is honored to announce that Ethelyn Tumalad of Clackamas High School has been named our 2022 Regional Teacher of the Year! Congratulations, Ethelyn!
Ethelyn is completing her fourth year as an English Language Arts and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) teacher at Clackamas High School. Her experience as an immigrant (she arrived in the U.S. at the age of 5 from the Philippines) has honed her deep commitment to the values of community, identity and culture both inside and outside her classroom. Ethelyn has taken on multiple leadership roles, including advisor for Clackamas High School’s Asian Pacific Islander Student Union; leader and co-facilitator of the school’s BIPOC Educator Affinity Group; and member of Clackamas High’s Equity Committee and Educator of Color Advisory Committee. She’s also active in the North Clackamas Education Association’s Educator of Color Affinity Group, and has championed equity and affinity work on behalf of the Oregon Education Association.
In a letter supporting Ethelyn’s nomination as Teacher of the Year, one of her current students wrote, “Mrs. Tumalad is hands down one of the best and most thoughtful teachers I have ever had. She sees each and every student that walks into her class and finds ways to change their lives for the better. Mrs. Tumalad has showed me how to be unapologetic about who I am just by being herself. She taught me how to be myself in a world that’s constantly telling me to be something I’m not.” Another letter from one of Ethelyn’s teaching colleagues called out examples of her “being there,” from walking in a Black Lives Matter march with her students after the murder of George Floyd, to engaging in a thoughtful conversation with a young student grappling with the “white-washing” of U.S. history, and noted, “Everyone in her circle, whether students or colleagues, feels supported and valued.”
“We are so pleased to honor Ethelyn Tumalad as our 2022 Regional Teacher of the Year,” said Jada Rupley, Clackamas ESD superintendent. “Many incredible teachers who are truly making a difference in Clackamas County were nominated for the award. In choosing Ethelyn for this year’s honor, our selection panel was struck by her demonstrated commitment to improving not only the lives of each student she teaches, but to advancing our entire education system to make it more welcoming and equitable for all students.”
“During her time at Clackamas High School, Ethelyn has distinguished herself as a strong teacher leader, student advocate, and equity champion,” said Matt Utterback, North Clackamas School District superintendent. “Ethelyn has an unmatched passion for elevating the voices and experiences of students who have traditionally been silenced. Her connections and relationships with students are exceptional. Our school district would struggle to identify another teacher who has had a stronger impact on their school and the broader school district in their first four years than Ethelyn. For these reasons, she is an excellent choice as our Regional Teacher of the Year.”
Ethelyn is one of 16 teachers from throughout Oregon chosen by education service districts across the state to achieve this regional honor. She is now a candidate to become Oregon’s 2022 Teacher of the Year; that award will be announced in the fall.
The awards program is sponsored by the Oregon Department of Education in partnership with the Oregon Lottery. Regional teachers of the year receive a $500 cash prize. The state winner and finalists will receive additional cash awards, plus matching grants for their schools.
