Natalie Wilkes, a first-grade teacher in the Hope Elementary School District’s Monte Vista Elementary School, was announced today as the 2026 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year. The Santa Barbara County Education Office shared the news during the May 8 County Board of Education meeting.

A leader in early literacy and inclusive instruction, Natalie Wilkes has spent 14 years at Monte Vista Elementary. She played a key role in reshaping her campus’ reading intervention program and advancing district-wide dyslexia awareness.

By blending research-based strategies with personal experience, Natalie guides students to embrace their unique learning styles and feel confident in their abilities.

During a brief ceremony, Wilkes shared, “Receiving this recognition is deeply meaningful to me because it celebrates the work my colleagues and I are doing each day to empower our students. As someone who needed extra support learning to read, it’s incredibly rewarding to explicitly teach my students how to ‘crack the code’ with evidence-based literacy practices. I’m grateful to be teaching in a time when research informs how we teach and support young learners.”

Susan Salcido, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools, said, “Natalie Wilkes brings deep personal insight to her work, shaped by her own experiences as a student, and uses it to create a vibrant classroom that serves every child and the unique ways they learn. Her leadership in early literacy and inclusive instruction is making a lasting impact on her school, her district, and now, our entire county. We’re so proud to recognize Natalie and the Hope School District team, and look forward to spotlighting Natalie’s expertise as our county’s Teacher of the Year.”

Monte Vista Principal Hans Rheinschild said, “Simply put, Natalie is a master-teacher in every sense of the hyphenated word,” detailing Wilkes’ commitment to meeting students’ needs, supporting colleagues through professional development, and strengthening school-wide systems.

Anne Hubbard, Superintendent of the Hope Elementary School District, added, “Natalie Wilkes embodies the qualities we value most in educators: dedication, leadership, and a relentless commitment to student success. She has exemplified excellence in education and has left an indelible impact on our students, colleagues, and community.” 

Selecting the Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year is a multifaceted process. In the fall, all Santa Barbara County school districts are invited to submit a nomination, and teachers may nominate themselves. Applicants must have eight full years of classroom teaching experience. The SBCEO Teachers Network and a selection committee conduct an extensive review of all applications and letters of recommendation. Finalists are selected for an interview round where they are asked about their unique instructional practices and philosophy of education. The selection committee also conducts a classroom observation of each finalist at their school site.

Wilkes, along with other award-winning teachers from Santa Barbara County, will be introduced at SBCEO’s Education Celebration on Thursday, May 22, and officially honored at the annual A Salute to Teachers event to be held in October.

As the recipient from Santa Barbara County, Wilkes becomes eligible for the California Teacher of the Year award.