Hey there! My name is John Tonan. I am honored to serve as a fifth grade teacher at Golden Elementary. What makes our Golden community truly special is the people. That includes you, families, and especially your child. Each year, I aim to help children become the best versions of themselves. Every child is bright and full of potential. My classroom is a place purposefully designed to foster engagement, curiosity and diligence.

I earned my Bachelors and Teaching Credential at Cal State San Bernardino and recently achieved a Masters in Teaching and Learning. Golden is my home away from home. I seek to mentor, guide and build connections with every student. My father taught at the elementary level for over thirty years. Learning from him and other mentors, I try my best to teach with empathy and encouragement. These values are the foundations of my classroom.

When I'm not at Golden, I spend quality time with my amazing wife. Some days, we play music (acoustic guitar, piano, box drum) and sing together. Other days, we relax with a board game or explore a new hiking trail. I firmly believe that life outside of school impacts life within school. The same is true in reverse. The lessons we learn inside the four walls of a classroom should translate beyond to our world. To quote the great educational philosopher John Dewey, "Education is not [simply] preparation for life; education is life itself." This year, our classroom will be a place of growth, hope and learning.