Don Bott

Don Bott was an educator for 41 years before retiring in 2026. He taught English and advised publications at Stagg High School in Stockton, CA. He always believed in the potential of his students, challenging them with high level texts, assigning to them the responsibility of running class discussions and offering them real-world learning experiences. He earned many honors over the course of his career including San Joaquin County Teacher of the Year and National High School Newspaper Teacher of the Year. He has presented on a wide range of educational topics over the years across 10 states, and recently he published the inspirational collection, "40 Years, 40 Stories: Lessons for Educators in their First or Final Year or Anytime in Between." In his final years he worked as an instructional coach, where he could help young teachers find purpose in this most important career. His most recent presentation topics have centered around the power of optimism and how to retain teachers in today's world.