The Grossmont Union High School District has named Grossmont High School Teacher Tony Camara as its Education Innovator of the Month for September. School Board President Jim Kelly said, “We are honored to have Tony Camara as a teacher in our District. Tony exudes enthusiasm and displays a passion for student learning.”

A Grossmont High math teacher for more than twenty-two years, Tony Camara has been the driving force behind innovative programs that don’t allow students to fail.

Tony is always looking for a better way to teach students. In his classroom, math is power. He replaces the traditional static style of learning with a new, more dynamic and contemporary model that engages the students through highly interactive instruction. Tony’s hope is that his algebra and geometry students will enjoy math along the way.

But what really defines Tony Camara as an innovator is his problem-solving abilities. When faced with the fact that 24 seniors hadn’t passed the math portion of the CAHSEE last year, he hired some of his best students to peer tutor over a two week period. The end result was a success rate above 95 percent!

Tony also instituted a highly successful math support intervention class for students struggling with Algebra I last year. Again, he enlisted the skills of peer tutors during the normal school schedule in order to pre-teach math in small chunks and to check for understanding. In turn, these math support classes produced some of his highest achieving students last year.

Principal Theresa Kemper said, “Tony recognizes that students speak each others’ language and sometimes explain better than adults do.” She added, “He is relentless in getting help for students. Tony never hesitates to pick up the phone, and involves both students and parents in making the decision to attend tutorials and intervention classes when needed.”

Tony believes wholeheartedly in the need for inter-department collaboration and pioneered that effort on Grossmont’s campus. Director of Instruction and Professional Development Cindy Douglas said, “Tony is an amazing teacher who has taken collaboration with his colleagues to a new level to ensure that students at Grossmont receive the most effective math program possible.”

When asked what he’s most proud of, Tony humbly replied, “That my fellow colleagues at Grossmont have sent many of their students through my classroom.”

Thank you, Tony Camara, for your steadfast commitment to many important reforms that support students and staff!