By Greg Mellen

Students were excited when administrators broke in on teacher Casey Campbell’s second period pre-algebra class to announce that he is the Middle School Teacher of the Year for the Capistrano Unified School District.

The kids were happy that the popular math teacher was being recognized, but they also hoped the celebration might spare them from the day’s scheduled quiz.

No such luck.

However, the teacher did say he would “grade easy” on the test. In fact, when the surprise announcement was made, Campbell didn’t quite believe it.

“Is this a practical joke?” the Don Juan Avila Middle School educator asked. “On the day of a quiz? That would have been the neatest practical joke. A’s for everyone.”

Celebrants included members of the CUSD Board of Trustees, teachers’ union, Superintendent Chris Brown, and Principal Amy Varricchio. Campbell was presented with a banner to hang in his class, balloons, and a bouquet of candy.

“Flowers would be a waste,” Varricchio said. “He likes candy. This will be gone by the end of the day.”

Campbell will now advance to the competition for the Orange County Department of Education Teacher of the Year and possibly beyond.

Campbell said he was happy the award was given during his second period class, one of his favorites.

“That class is special. They’re great kids,” he said. “It’s an accelerated class. It’s hard to learn at that pace.”

Spreading a wide net

Campbell is more than a math teacher. He is continually broadening the horizons of what he teaches, bringing in the use of game theory and data-driven concepts, which will be key for many students in their future academic and professional pursuits. The most important quality to Campbell as a teacher is “caring and believing in students.”

“I know how important math is,” said CUSD Trustee Gila Jones. “We make a lot of decisions based on data.”

A sports fan, Campbell has also introduced students to advanced stats and analytics that have taken over not only professional and college athletics but many business practices.

“Advanced analytics is where many jobs may be available,” he said.

Campbell is the head of the school’s math department and took the reins of the school’s cultural proficiency program, which endeavors to improve learning for all students by valuing diversity and working to ensure an inclusive environment for all students.

A kid at heart, he dives into just about any event that connects with students, whether donning costumes at Halloween or other school events, shooting baskets with students during lunch or playing on faculty teams in games against students.

No one is more surprised than Campbell at how he has connected with middle school kids. Campbell decided in college that he wanted to teach, after majoring in business. At the time, he thought he would be either in elementary or high school. But after observing at a high school, he said he discovered, “middle school fit my fun-loving, nerdy style.”

“He’s very involved,” Varricchio said. “You can’t teach that. He’s naturally just that way.”

Eleven years ago, he signed on to volunteer at DJAMS. A year later he was offered a full-time faculty spot and has been there ever since. Or, as he says, “I’ve been here 11 years and paid for 10.”

Campbell said he was genuinely surprised to be named for the award.

Campbell said he draws inspiration from his wife, Katie, who is a math teacher at Foothill High School in Tustin and the math department chair.

“She’s really made me a better teacher and it is so nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of and just make sense of teaching math with,” Campbell said. “She’s a really talented teacher and I have learned a lot from her.”

One of Campbell’s defining qualities, according to Varricchio, is his willingness to go the extra distance with students, particularly if the kids are struggling.

“He will do everything he can to make sure they walk away with confidence,” she said.

“It’s just about improvement, incremental improvement,” Campbell said of what he looks for. “If they’re improving every day, just one percent every day. It’s difficult. Not everyone’s a math person.”

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