Valley High Teacher Brooke Wheatley Is the 2027 Nevada State Teacher of the Year

by Ryan Rose

What Happened at Valley High School

On Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 22, 2026, Brooke Wheatley thought she was stepping out of class for a routine meeting. According to FOX5, she believed she was going to talk about professional development with some visiting officials. Instead, her principal walked her into a room full of her family, her students, and school district leaders.

Waiting for her was Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, who presented the award. The Clark County School District says the crowd also included CCSD Superintendent Jhone Ebert, CCSD Board of School Trustees members Lorena Biassotti and Brenda Zamora, State Sen. Marilyn Dondero-Loop, and Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Victor Wakefield. That is a lot of people keeping a secret, and by all accounts they pulled it off.

Surprise events like this one have become a tradition for big teaching awards. There is a good reason for it. Teachers spend their days celebrating other people. They cheer for students at graduation, write college letters, and show up for games and concerts. A surprise flips that around. For a few minutes, the room is there for the teacher, and the students get to see an adult they care about get the credit she has earned.

The award itself comes from the Nevada Department of Education. Wheatley was named the 2027 Nevada State Teacher of the Year. The "2027" label can be confusing, since the event happened in September 2026. The title looks ahead to the year she will spend representing the state, which is how the national program names its teachers.

So who is she? Wheatley teaches social studies at Valley High School. FOX5 reports that she teaches International Baccalaureate, or IB, history and government, and that she works with senior IB students. She is a National Board-certified teacher, which is an advanced credential that takes extra time and work to earn. Teachers who go for it build a detailed record of their teaching, including student work and reflection on their lessons, and it is completely voluntary. Nobody makes a teacher do it. The ones who do are choosing to hold themselves to a higher bar. She was also named the Nevada History Teacher of the Year before this latest honor.

Her work reaches past the classroom walls. CCSD highlighted the field trips she organizes for students to the Holocaust Museum LA and the Manzanar National Historic Site. FOX5 also reported that she mentors other teachers and has pushed for mental health resources for students. Students described her as both encouraging and demanding, and said she helps kids who would be the first in their families to go to college chase scholarships and higher education.

Leaders at the event did not hold back on praise. Lombardo pointed to her creative teaching, her care for student well-being, and her leadership at school and in the community, News 3 reported. Ebert called her a strong advocate for every student on campus and said the district is proud to have her represent it on the national stage.

Wheatley's own words were simple. Speaking with FOX5, she said, "Every student just needs that one adult." She described Valley High as her home and said she wants to stay in her classroom there until she retires.

Surprise ceremony at Valley High School in Las Vegas where Brooke Wheatley was named 2027 Nevada Teacher of the Year, as shown by News 3 Las Vegas

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

If you live in Clark County, you live in one of the largest school districts in the country. That size can make CCSD feel distant. Most of what we hear comes from board meetings and budget fights. A story like this brings it back down to one room, one teacher, and one group of kids.

For families on the east side, this honor hits close to home. Valley High serves neighborhoods that do not always get the spotlight. When a statewide award goes to a teacher there, it tells parents that great teaching is happening right in their own zone. You do not need to drive across the valley or pay private tuition to find a teacher who changes lives.

It also matters for students who are thinking about college. Wheatley is known for helping first-generation college hopefuls apply for scholarships and plan for higher education. For a lot of families, that kind of help is the difference between a student who goes to college and one who never applies. Every teacher who takes on that role makes our whole community stronger.

Then there is the teaching workforce. Nevada, like much of the country, works hard to recruit and keep good teachers. Public recognition helps. When a teacher is honored in front of the governor, students, and family, it sends a message to every other teacher in the valley: the work you do is seen. That message counts for something during a year when many CCSD staff have been worried about budget cuts.

Finally, this story matters because of timing. This week alone, Las Vegas news has covered an emergency funding order that stopped midyear CCSD cuts, a school bus driver pulled from a route, and a gun found at an elementary school. Those stories are important, and we cover them too. But families deserve to hear the good news as well. A teacher who takes kids to Manzanar so they can stand where history happened is good news worth sharing.

Background: How Nevada Picks Its Teacher of the Year

The Teacher of the Year award is not a local contest or a popularity vote. It is part of a national program with deep roots. According to the Nevada Department of Education, the National Teacher of the Year Program started in 1952 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The idea was to honor all teachers by picking one standout teacher from each state.

Today the national program is run by the Council of Chief State School Officers. It brings together State Teachers of the Year from all 50 states, the U.S. territories, Washington, D.C., and the Department of Defense Education Activity. Nevada has taken part since 1956.

Any classroom teacher in Nevada with a valid, continuing license for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade can take part. The state describes the ideal candidate as a skilled, dedicated teacher who inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities, earns the respect of students, parents, and coworkers, and plays an active role in the community.

The job that comes with the title is real. The Nevada Department of Education says the Teacher of the Year acts as a leader, mentor, and ambassador. They build connections with schools, colleges, education groups, lawmakers, and others around the state. The department describes the role as a spokesperson for Nevada's roughly 27,000 educators.

Entrance sign at Manzanar National Historic Site in the California desert, one of the historic sites Valley High students visit with teacher Brooke Wheatley

Southern Nevada teachers have done well in this program. Juliana Urtubey, a special education teacher from Las Vegas, was named the 2021 National Teacher of the Year. That shows a CCSD teacher can go all the way to the top of the national program.

Wheatley's field trips also have a history lesson inside them. Manzanar, in California's Owens Valley, is one of the sites where Japanese Americans were held during World War II. It is now run by the National Park Service as a place to learn and reflect. The Holocaust Museum LA teaches about the Holocaust through artifacts and survivor stories. Taking teenagers to these places is not easy. It takes planning, fundraising, permission slips, and a lot of trust from parents. It is the kind of extra effort that turns a textbook chapter into something students remember for life.

What Happens Next for Brooke Wheatley

Being named State Teacher of the Year starts a busy year. News 3 reports that Wheatley will represent Nevada in the National Teacher of the Year program. That means she joins the group of State Teachers of the Year from across the country, and one of them will later be picked as the National Teacher of the Year.

FOX5 reports that she will also take part in national education events and policy roundtables. In plain terms, she will be in rooms where people talk about how schools should work, and she will bring the view of a teacher from an east Las Vegas classroom. That is a voice that does not always get heard at those tables.

That matters because a lot of education decisions get made far away from the classroom. Rules about testing, funding, and teacher training often come from people who have not taught in years. Having a working teacher at the table, one who still grades papers and plans field trips, keeps those talks grounded in what students actually need.

The good news for Valley High families is that she is not leaving. FOX5 reports that she will keep teaching her senior IB students while she serves in this role. Her students get the benefit of a teacher who is connected to leaders across the state and the country, and she still gets to be in the classroom where she says she belongs.

We will keep an eye on her year as Nevada's representative. If she is named a finalist for the national honor, you will hear about it here. In the meantime, there is more to watch in CCSD this fall, including how the district handles the budget after the state's emergency order and what happens with school safety efforts across the valley.

Ryan's Take

I talk with buyers every week who ask the same question: "How are the schools?" It is usually one of the first things a family wants to know, and it is one of the hardest to answer with a number. Test scores and ratings tell part of the story. They do not tell you about the teacher who takes your kid to Manzanar, stays late to help with a scholarship essay, or checks in when a student is having a hard week.

That is why this story matters to me as a Las Vegas real estate agent. East Las Vegas neighborhoods often get judged from the outside. People see an older part of town and make quick assumptions. But the heart of a neighborhood is its people, and this week the whole state saw that one of the best teachers in Nevada works on the east side. When I help families pick a home, I always tell them to visit the school, meet the staff, and ask about programs like IB. The ratings are one tool. The people inside the building are the real answer. Brooke Wheatley is a great example of why that step is worth the time.

Stack of history books representing the IB history and government courses taught at Valley High School in Las Vegas

What You Can Do

First, say congratulations. If you know Brooke Wheatley, went to Valley High, or had a teacher like her, share this story and tag your old school. Teachers read those comments. A kind word goes further than most people think, especially in a tough year for school staff.

Second, think about the great teacher in your own life. The Nevada Department of Education accepts nominations for the Nevada Teacher of the Year program, and the details are on its Nevada Teacher of the Year Program page. CCSD also runs a Teacher of the Week program this school year with the College Football Playoff Foundation. It will honor 40 educators with a surprise event and a $1,000 DonorsChoose donation for their classroom. Nominations for that program are open to CCSD employees, so if you work in the district, it is a great way to spotlight a coworker.

Third, if you are moving to Las Vegas or moving within the valley, look up your school zone before you fall in love with a house. You can check the zone for any address using the CCSD zoning page. Then visit the school. Ask about IB, Advanced Placement, magnet programs, and clubs. Ask to meet a teacher or two. You might find a Brooke Wheatley down the hall.

Fourth, show up for your neighborhood school, even if you do not have kids enrolled. Go to a football game, a school play, or a fundraiser. Many CCSD classrooms have wish lists for supplies, and many teachers pay for extras out of their own pockets. A small donation or a few volunteer hours can take some weight off a teacher who is already giving a lot. Strong schools help make strong neighborhoods, and that benefits everyone who lives nearby, including homeowners and renters with no children at all.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.