ENCINITAS — Morgan Brown, a high school science and mathematics teacher at The Grauer School in Encinitas, was recognized by the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce as The Grauer School’s Teacher of the Year.
Brown and other top educators in the Encinitas community were recognized by the ECC June 4 at the Salute to Education Event held at Rancho Santa Fe Security. Grauer School Founder Stuart Grauer and Grauer School Principal Dana Abplanalp-Diggs presented the award to Brown.
Four years ago, Morgan Brown submitted an unsolicited resume to The Grauer School inquiring about potential positions in mathematics, physics, or computer science. Principal Abplanalp-Diggs remembers seeing his application.
“When I read Morgan’s resume, I knew that he was someone that The Grauer School wanted to meet and get to know — he fit our teacher profile exactly. I contacted him and scheduled an interview with him immediately, even though we did not have a position open at the time,” Abplanalp-Diggs said.
Today, Brown is the head of the Mathematics Department at The Grauer School and teaches algebra I, calculus, physics and robotics. He has also taught computer science and has implemented a guitar-building course at the school that incorporates physics and music. Brown is the coach of The Grauer School’s award-winning FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Team. His guidance has led the robotics team to three FIRST Inspire Awards and four consecutive World Championship appearances. His efforts and the team’s achievements have garnered continuous sponsor support from the Loewy Family Foundation. In 2014, when The Grauer School finishes building out the campus, Brown’s new home base will be in The Loewy-Linz Physics Lab.
Brown is also The Grauer School’s high school boys’ soccer coach and within two seasons coached the team from a last place finish to a second place league finish at the Magdalena Ecke YMCA arena soccer league.
“All through college I knew I wanted to go into teaching, but it was only when I came to The Grauer School that I realized just what a rewarding career it would be. I never dreamed I could have so much fun sharing my passions for math, science, sports, and discovering the world with students who are so connected, engaged, and genuinely friendly and excited to learn,” Brown said.
