University High School Teacher
School of Education
August 1, 2010
Recent Honors Include Appointment to Serve on the California State Academic Content Standards Commission
Jeanne Jelnick is a Bay Area native but has lived much of her adult life in southern California. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in English at the University of California, Irvine and has been on the faculty at University High School in Irvine since 1984.
Though she has worked as an English Language Arts instructor for gifted and Advanced Placement students for many years, Jeanne’s professional focus has always included literacy-challenged and at-risk teens. A site and district leader in curriculum development, Jeanne was recently appointed by the governor to serve on the California State Academic Content Standards Commission.
During her 25 years in education, Jeanne has taken full advantage of the professional opportunities available to her at nearby UCI. She has served as a fellow in the Humanities Institute, as a University Associate in teacher education, and as an assistant director of the UCI California Reading and Literature Project. Each year she is so pleased when she is able to send her senior graduates across the street to begin their post-secondary studies at UCI.
In May of this year Jeanne was one of five educators selected as 2011 Orange County Teachers of the Year.
Jeanne has been happily married for 20 years to a fellow high school teacher, and together they have raised three children, all of whom intend to pursue careers in education.