Erica Merziotis puts students first. A current first grade teacher at Maple Elementary School, she has been making a positive impact in the lives of children in the CVUSD for more than 20 years. Ms. Merziotis thinks about the needs of each individual student, which is apparent in every facet of her classroom, including the specially designed classroom centers she creates to cover multiple learning modalities from tactile to visual to ensure students of all ability levels learn through hands-on experiences. We and the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce are proud to call her the CVUSD March 2023 Teacher of the Month!
Ms. Merziotis works collaboratively with colleagues as a listener, problem-solver, and an empathetic ear. She is generous with her insight, time and materials.
This generosity and vision is apparent in her spearheading efforts to create an outdoor classroom at Maple Elementary where all students can learn and grow. She acquired the funding sources and the supplies needed to create the outdoor classroom, affectionately called “The Village.” She ensured the learning space was equipped with white boards, garden desks, potting benches, gardening beds, and a pirate ship! A truly beautiful, innovative and practical outdoor learning area “The Village” is a place where collaboration and critical thinking is fostered for all grade levels and learners at Maple.
The positive impact of Ms. Merziotis on the Maple community is evident throughout the campus, where she is considered an “amazing educator” by her peers.
On Monday, March 6th, the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Conejo Valley Unified School District surprised Ms. Merziotis with the March 2023 Teacher of the Month recognition during a regularly scheduled Maple Elementary School staff meeting. Ms. Merziotis was presented with a commemorative plaque honoring her specific recognition. Congratulations, Ms. Merziotis and thank you for the innovation and student-first approach you’ve contributed to our CVUSD campuses for more than two decades!
