For the 2021-2022 school year Mr.Baron was selected as Teacher of the Year. He teaches US History this year and multiple levels within social science. He is the assistant football coach and has been teaching for 24 years at Santiago High School. It was a pleasure to interview Mr.Baron and ask him questions about this accomplishment. One thing everyone whom I spoke to agreed upon, was that he definitely deserved this achievement and has worked very hard to get to where he is now. Now a glimpse of his responses: 

1. How has your role as a teacher evolved over the 24 years you’ve been in the classroom?

“My role has evolved in the sense that I’ve taught multiple subjects within social science and I’ve coached multiple sports so I’ve become more and more evolved as I have gone through my career.” 

2. What is your message as Teacher of the Year?

“That’s a good question. I would say my message as a teacher of the year would be to embrace your pain and get comfortable with uncomfortable.” 

3. What distinguishes you from your peers as a teacher?

“My peers are immensely talented and educated people so I think the thing that kind of binds us all well I don’t really know if it separates me but I think what binds us all is our ability to work.”

4. What do you do differently than most teachers that helped you win teacher of the year?

“I don’t know that this is different but I just try to be myself and I don’t try to be anyone other than myself and that seems to work out for me.” 

5. What is the process of becoming Teacher of the Year?

“I think the process is just what all teachers really have and it’s just a dedication to a cause and the cause is the students on the campus.” 

6. What are some of your hobbies outside of school?

“My hobbies would be meditation, sports, politics and that’s about it” 

7. What do you teach and what other roles do you do at our school?

“I teach US History this year and I coach so that’s kind of my role”

Process of teacher of the year:

In order to become Teacher of the Year, the teachers at Santiago are nominated by their peers and then the list is compiled. Once the list is compiled the teachers vote and the winners submit a resume to the district. Then the district interviews them which then leads to 3 winners. Those 3 winners go to the county (Riverside) and if they succeed they go to regional and then state.

Student Quotes about Mr.Baron:

“Mr.Baron always made learning fun through his funny and sweet interactions and he always succeed in making the class entertaining but fulfilling in learning. Thank you Mr.Baron for making the class so fun to be in!” -Chisom Udeh (12)

“The doom and gloom of Zoom limited my interactions with Mr.Baron, but even despite this, he managed to leave a strong impression on me, whether it be the foundation Pillars of APUSH the adoption of my first two children Thunder and Lightning (the APUSH notebooks), or his beautiful messy bleached hair. In all seriousness, Mr.Baron’s vigor and his passion for teaching were evident and an inspiration to me and others to work harder, never make excuses, and to treat pressure as a privilege. Thank you, Mr.Baron, and may the force be with you, always.”  -Trevor Flores (12)