Timmerman’s Teaching Passion

In last week’s Palisadian-Post, we entered the world of the first grader, giving a glimpse of Lisa Timmerman’s first-grade class at Marquez Charter Elementary (Viewpoint, ‘First-Grade Teacher in the 21st Century’). This week we elaborate on Timmerman’s background, philosophy and noted accomplishments, including her recent Lori Petrick Excellence in Education Award. Through a convergence of opportunity and economic necessity, Timmerman found her way to education. After graduating from Cal State Northridge, where she had studied on a swimming scholarship, she found few job opportunities with her radio/TV and film management major. Throughout college, however, she had worked summers as a lifeguard for L.A. County, an association that turned out to be helpful when she was pursuing fulltime work. ‘ I was lucky to be asked to work in public education for the county by giving lectures on beach and ocean safety,’ Timmerman said. ‘ I discovered that I enjoyed being around kids and teaching, especially something I knew about.’ With that, she studied for a multiple subject credential, which allowed her to teach any grade in elementary school. She landed a student teaching job at Marquez in 1995, working with Mrs. Binder and Mrs. Zehr, both highly regarded teachers, now retired. She was turned down the first time she applied for a fulltime job at Marquez, but after teaching at the Echo Horizon School, she reapplied to Marquez and started work in the fall of 1996. When Timmerman and her husband Brian bought a house in Simi Valley, Lisa left Marquez and taught for two years with Simi Valley Unified. But the distance proved too much for the couple, who are both keenly in tune with the beach and the water. Brian, the former coach of the Palisades/Malibu Y swim team, now coaches for Westside Aquatics in Malibu and works summers as a county lifeguard. The family moved back to Woodland Hills, now with two children, Quincy and Leah, and Lisa found her old job at Marquez and enrolled the girls. An elementary school teacher’s job is all consuming, which finds Timmerman working on ideas and projects most evenings and some weekends. ‘My job is pretty important, engaging, challenging,’ she says. ‘I’ve done a pretty good job if the kids are confident and love school.’ Timmerman feels especially lucky to be at Marquez, because of the strong teaching staff and significant parent involvement. She also has high praise for principal Phil Hollis, whom she says ‘is very supportive of the staff and provides a buffer between the school district and the teachers. ‘He knows our charter backwards and forwards, and his door is always open.’