Washoe County School District teacher Allie Galas was honored with the Milken Educator Award during a school assembly on Tuesday. Galas, who teaches fourth grade at Jessie Beck Elementary School in Reno, will receive a $25,000 unrestricted financial award from the Milken Family Foundation.
The Milken Educator Awards recognize outstanding teachers, principals, and specialists from kindergarten through 12th grade. “I would like to congratulate Allie Galas on this well-deserved recognition,” stated Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Public Instruction. “In her classroom, students take ownership of their learning and Allie’s creative, engaging, hands-on lessons inspire curiosity and excitement. Her students have made remarkable academic growth and Allie is truly a leader among her peers.”
At the surprise ceremony, Galas was accompanied by Isabel Graf, education policy adviser to Governor Joe Lombardo; Superintendent Ebert; Joe Ernst, superintendent of the Washoe County School District; and Dr. Jane Foley, senior vice president of the Milken Educator Awards.
Galas has been teaching in the Washoe County School District for over ten years and is an alumna of the University of Nevada, Reno. She was previously recognized by district leadership for exceptional growth among English language learner students in her class on the WIDA ACCESS assessment.
Her students also showed significant improvement last year in English language arts and mathematics on the Smarter Balanced assessments. Known for building strong relationships with her students and providing engaging instruction, Galas is open to feedback and professional growth.
During math lessons, she uses the CUBES (Circle, Underline, Box, Evaluate, Solve) strategy to guide students through problem-solving processes. She employs student-led conferences and restorative circles to foster communication and problem-solving skills within her classroom.
Galas participates in the Restorative Practices Cohort for both Washoe County School District and Jessie Beck Elementary School.
Since joining the Milken Educator Awards program in 1988, Nevada has seen 94 educators recognized with $2.35 million awarded. Galas is this school year’s only recipient from Nevada. The Milken Family Foundation has honored approximately 3,000 educators nationwide since its inception in 1987.
