Palmdale Has a ‘Teacher of the Year’ : Education: Richard Chapleau becomes one of five state winners of the coveted award. He stresses value of real-life abilities.

PALMDALE —  A Palmdale High School science teacher has been named a California Teacher of the Year for 1995, one of only two in Los Angeles County and five statewide to receive the distinction.

Richard Chapleau, an enthusiastic man with just five years experience in public education, said the award was unexpected, to say the least.

“Surprised is a remarkably understated term. I’m overwhelmed. I feel like Cinderella,” said Chapleau, 39, who teaches in the Antelope Valley Union High School District. “I don’t know why it happened to me.”

The winning teachers were announced Thursday by the California Department of Education. They were chosen from among 52 instructors who received similar distinction within their individual school districts. More than 58,000 full-time instructors were eligible for the award in Los Angeles County alone.

“The teacher of the year distinction is considered one of the most distinguished and coveted awards that a teacher can receive during their career,” said Laurie Twineham, coordinator of the award program for the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

A graduate of Cal State Northridge and Chapman University with a degree in molecular biology, Chapleau previously taught electrician apprentices as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union. He says his experience in private industry has given him a better perspective on preparing students for the real world.

“My goal here isn’t so much to teach chemistry as it is to teach life skills,” said Chapleau, who lives in Lancaster. “I want them to succeed in the real world.”

Chapleau said he stresses to his students the importance of real-life abilities such as meeting deadlines and accomplishing tasks.

He also helped establish a medical magnet program at Palmdale High School. Students there can learn about medical professions and attend orientation programs.

“There really are fairy tales,” Chapleau said. “When I first came into Palmdale High School five years ago, I thought they would come in at the end of the first week and say ‘Can we have the keys back?’ ”

The only reason anyone has asked for Chapleau’s keys lately has been to decorate his room.

Students stayed after school Thursday to hang a congratulatory banner over his classroom chalkboard and dub his chair “the throne.” They decorated his walls with Snickers bars--a favorite snack--and created models of molecules out of Smarties candies.

“I stay here because I love it here,” Chapleau said. “This is a magic place. It’s like Disneyland. It feels like the Matterhorn and I’ve got an E ticket every morning.”