Washoe County Teacher Receives Milken Educator Award
March 4, 2025
CARSON CITY, Nev. – Washoe County School District teacher Allie Galas was surprised during a school assembly on Tuesday with the national Milken Educator Award.
Galas, a fourth-grade teacher at Jessie Beck Elementary School in Reno, will receive a $25,000 unrestricted financial award from the Milken Family Foundation.
The Milken Educator Awards, often referred to as the “Oscars of Teaching,” celebrate outstanding kindergarten through 12th grade teachers, principals, and specialists.
“I would like to congratulate Allie Galas on this well-deserved recognition,” said Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Public Instruction. “In her classroom, students take ownership of their learning and Allie’s creative, engaging, hands-on lessons inspire curiosity and excitement. Her students have made remarkable academic growth and Allie is truly a leader among her peers.”
Galas was joined at the surprise awards ceremony by Isabel Graf, education policy adviser to Governor Joe Lombardo; Superintendent Ebert; Joe Ernst, superintendent of the Washoe County School District; and Dr. Jane Foley, senior vice president of the Milken Educator Awards.
More About the Recipient
Galas - a University of Nevada, Reno alumna - has been an educator in the Washoe County School District for more than a decade.
Last school year, she was recognized by district leadership for having the largest number of English language learner students in her classroom who showed exceptional growth on the WIDA ACCESS assessment.
Galas’ students also made remarkable gains last school year in English language arts and mathematics on the Smarter Balanced assessments.
Galas is known for her ability to build relationships with students, her engaging and highly effective instruction, her respectful and calm demeanor, and her openness to seeking feedback and trying new things outside of her comfort zone to grow professionally as an educator.
During math instruction, Galas uses the CUBES (Circle, Underline, Box, Evaluate, Solve) strategy. Her students lead their peers by working through math problems step-by-step.
Galas also uses student-led conferences, regularly has classroom meetings, and uses restorative circles to build relationships within her classroom and her students work to solve problems that may arise.
Galas is a member of the Restorative Practices Cohort for the Washoe County School District and Jessie Beck Elementary School.
More About the Milken Educator Awards in Nevada
In Nevada, 94 educators have been recognized and received $2.35 million in financial awards since the state joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 1988. Galas is the only Nevada recipient this school year.
The Milken Family Foundation – headquartered in Santa Monica, California – has recognized approximately 3,000 educators nationwide since the program’s inception in 1987.
Galas will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the Milken Educator Awards Forum in April in Los Angeles. She will also have access to mentorship opportunities.
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About the Nevada Department of Education
The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) leads and collaborates with Nevada’s 17 school districts and the State Public Charter School Authority to advance educational equity Statewide. With offices in Carson City and Las Vegas, NDE oversees all pre-K-12 education in the State, working to achieve its mission to improve student achievement and educator effectiveness by ensuring opportunities, facilitating learning, and promoting excellence. Under the leadership of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, NDE impacts the achievement of nearly half a million children and 30,000 educators. Learn more at https://doe.nv.gov/ and join us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.