Kern County Superintendent of Schools
Innovative. That’s the word that best describes April Raguindin, a first-grade teacher at Dr. Douglas K. Fletcher Elementary. With two decades of teaching experience, she has continually reimagined how young learners engage and thrive.
“I love to try new things,” Raguindin said. “I feel like as a teacher, we always need to be learning and changing.”
Raguindin credits her administration and the Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) for fostering an environment where creativity and innovation are encouraged.
“They are not asking me to stay in this box,” she said.
Her creative, student-centered approach has flourished at Fletcher Elementary and earned her the distinction of being named a 2025 Kern County Teacher of the Year Finalist last May, making her eligible to advance to the statewide award program.
On Thursday, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that Raguindin was named one of five educators statewide to receive the 2026 California Teacher of the Year honor. In addition, Thurmond selected Raguindin as California’s sole representative for the National Teacher of the Year competition, where she will compete alongside other state honorees from across the country.