AnonymousSource: Santa Barbara County Education Office
On Friday, March 2, the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara recognized Dos Pueblos High School math teacher Anuroopa Kalbag for her outstanding work and significant contributions to public education. It is the third of four such awards the Rotarians will present to area educators this academic year.
Kalbag teaches Math III classes and the dual enrollment and AP calculus class. Other courses she has taught include Algebra I and II and Geometry. She has been teaching at Dos Pueblos in the Santa Barbara Unified School District since 2009.
Since 1986, the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara has honored outstanding teachers from South Coast schools each year. It awards a high school, junior high, elementary, and special education teacher with a certificate and a $1,000 check to spend on classroom needs.
“The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara has a long history of providing support for education in our community,” said County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido, whose office coordinates the recognition with the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara. “We thank them for their vision and commitment to education, and for the support and recognition they provide teachers like Anuroopa, whom we count among our community treasures,” Salcido continued.
“The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara is committed to supporting the Santa Barbara County Education Office, and it gives us great pleasure to recognize the efforts of outstanding teachers like Anuroopa,” said Mike Bieza, chairman of the Teacher Recognition Committee of the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara. “Rotary of Santa Barbara and Rotary International members know that educators like her have a tremendous impact on their students, who one day will be the leaders of our community.”
Born in India, Anuroopa attended Smith College in Massachusetts, and earned her M.S. in mathematics from New York University. She also has a Masters in Education from UCSB. Her husband, Carlos, is a math professor at UCSB.
“Carlos’ job is the reason we came to live in Santa Barbara,” Anuroopa says, “and I feel very fortunate that I have found such a satisfying career and a home here.”
Their love of math is something they have in common, and it’s a subject she enjoys exploring with her students. “I try to share with students the logic and patterns that are at the heart of mathematics. I want them to learn to be analytical in their thinking to solve problems and be able to model with mathematics,” she continues. “I strive to teach students how to think as problem solvers, to use relevant mathematical strategies, and be able to justify their choices and positions.”
The relevance of the subject is certainly not lost on the Rotary’s Bieza, a local banker. “My calculus skills have deteriorated over the years due to lack of practice,” he admits, before adding, “though I can say that my real life word-problem solving skills using math are in use daily.”
“I am impressed by the opportunities that public education can provide and how it can serve as a great equalizer in society,” Anuroopa says. “I see my colleagues at Dos Pueblos and in the district prioritize issues of equity in education, and dedicate resources and time to help all students have the best education we can provide them.”
The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara meets for lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Fridays. Recipients of the club’s Teacher Recognition Awards are made with the assistance of the Teacher Programs and Support department of the Santa Barbara County Education Office.
