SUSANVILLE, California (STPNS) -- Charlotte Klinock received a surprise when she attended the annual Community Day School Network conference in Sacramento.

Klinock was one of five teachers in the state to receive the Community Day School Excellence in Teaching award.

Lassen Union High School District Alternative Education Principal Brett Mitchell, who nominated Klinock, a teacher at Spring Ridge Community Day School, said prior to the conference requests are sent out for nominees and he sent one in.

Klinock said she was surprised to receive the honor.



Mitchell said Klinock uses a lot of unique methods to educate students with varied backgrounds.

The students need to feel safe and Mitchell said Klinock has achieved that by creating a safe environment where students feel accepted.

Students know there are expectations in regards to their education, Mitchell said, but there is also an understanding about their backgrounds.

Mitchell said, it takes a special person to understand the state expectations of education, but still understand the diverse backgrounds the students come from and pilot them to meet the state goals.

In addition, Klinock uses a lot of project-based curriculum to engage different parts of the brain.

Spring Ridge Community Day School students have learned to knit as part of a service project.

Students knitted newborn baby beanies, which were given to Crossroads Ministries.

Klinock said the project is a cross-brain activity and is cathartic for the students.

They have also learned how to bake and decorate cakes, design snowflakes and make polyhedrons, a three-dimensional geometric shape having flat faces that meet along straight edges, out of straws.

Klinock recently organized a field trip to the Wendel Power Plant and Mitchell said it was good for the students to see the local industry and job availability.