On April 22, 2025, the Tuolumne County Board of Education hosted the annual Excellence in Teaching Awards at the stunning new Chicken Ranch Casino Conference Event Center. Ms. Mary Bickley, Fifth Grade Teacher, was selected and recognized as Columbia Elementary School's recipient of Excellence in Teaching.
Every school has someone who serves as a caretaker for all, whether it be a family in need, a colleague in distress or a student wanting to feel seen and appreciated, and Columbia Elementary School has this person in Ms. Bickley has spent over 20 years in the education profession and while her content knowledge and pedagogy are well observed and recognized by all, it is the warmth she brings to her classroom and to others that brings about an atmosphere many call "motherly."
She has taken it upon herself to actively find the students who are most at risk or are going through a period of hardship for them to know that regardless of what they may be facing outside of school, they have a place to call home and someone they can rely on. Ms. Bickley has offered tremendous support as a mentor to new and veteran teachers, greatly contributed to the cultural shift on campus, passionately advocated for restorative practices and conscious discipline, and excitedly embraces new opportunities to enhance the learning environment.
Ms. Bickley's devotion to the education profession and the Columbia community is widely recognized by the school's educational partners and on display on the CA Dashboard with significant reductions in Chronic Absenteeism and the Suspension Rate, increased performance on the CAASPP, and a reduction in the achievement gaps.
You can watch Ms. Bickley's moving video presentation featuring testimonials form her students and colleagues here. A special thank you to the Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools for putting the video together and hosting the festivities.