A 5th-6th grade teacher from the Del Paso Heights School District and an English/language arts teacher from the Grant Joint Union High School District are the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2008, the Sacramento County Office of Education announced September 5 at a county-wide teacher recognition banquet.
Rob Myers, from Garden Valley Elementary School in the Del Paso Heights School District, and Jeannette Providence, from Grant High School in the Grant Joint Union High School District, were selected from among 17 Sacramento-area teachers to represent the county in the California Teachers of the Year competition.
All of the school districts within the County of Sacramento, along with the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), are invited each year to participate in the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program. Larger districts are eligible to submit two entries. Thirteen districts and the Sacramento County Office of Education participated this year. Each district's Teacher of the Year completes a comprehensive application packet, which includes an extensive biography and answers to questions ranging from personal philosophy of teaching to an understanding of current educational issues.
A community selection committee comprised of education professionals, including previous Teachers of the Year, meets in the fall to interview each district Teacher of the Year and select the two finalists.
During the awards banquet, each district Teacher of the Year was introduced by either a current or former student, or a parent of a student. David W. Gordon, County Superintendent of Schools, and trustees from the Sacramento County Board of Education presented each of the Teachers of the Year with an inscribed award. Outgoing Teachers of the Year Cheryl Dultz and Skye Mie Smith announced the names of their successors. County School Board Trustee Elinor L. Hickey, a former district and county Teacher of the Year, presented Mr. Myers and Ms. Providence with the Award of Merit, the highest honor bestowed by the County Board of Education. Neil White, representing the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry, awarded a perpetual trophy to be shared by the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year during the 2007-08 school year.
Rob Myers and Jeanette Providence now are eligible to advance to the statewide competition, out of which five teachers will be chosen as California Teachers of the Year.
The five California Teachers of the Year are responsible for representing the teaching profession in a variety of settings and assisting their teaching colleagues in numerous ways throughout the calendar year of 2008. Their names and that of the one individual of the group selected as the state's nominee to the National Teacher of the Year Program will be announced later in the fall by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program is presented by the Sacramento County Office of Education in partnership with Maloof Sports and Entertainment, the
Intel Corporation Folsom and the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.
All 17 Sacramento-area teachers will be honored during a special halftime presentation when the Sacramento Kings host the New Orleans Hornets on Friday, February 1, 2008, at ARCO Arena.
Teachers of the Year 2008 Chosen by Sacramento-Area School Districts
| Photo | Teacher |
|---|---|
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Susan Erickson Center Unified School District Oak Hill Elementary School Elementary/4th Grade Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Robert Myers • Selected as County TOY 2008 Del Paso Heights School District (Now part of Twin Rivers Unified School District) Garden Valley Elementary School Elementary/5th-6th Grades Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Mark Freathy Elk Grove Unified School District Toby Johnson Middle School Middle School/Math Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Amy Spithorst Elk Grove Unified School District Florin High School High School/Agriculture Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Barbara Young Folsom Cordova Unified School District Theodore Judah Elementary School Elementary/Kindergarten Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Mark Feuerbach Galt Joint Union High School District Galt High School High School/Agriculture/Mechanics/Welding Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Jeanette Providence • Selected as County TOY 2008 Grant Joint Union High School District Grant High School High School/English/Language Arts Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Connie Parsons Natomas Unified School District Discovery High School High School/World History/Economics/Geography Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Victoria Stenken North Sacramento School District (Now part of Twin Rivers Unified School District) Hazel Strauch Elementary School Elementary/5th Grade Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Debra Williams Rio Linda Union School District Creative Connections Arts Academy Elementary/2nd-3rd Grades; & 1st-8th-Drama, Musical & Backstage Theater Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Ryan Pace River Delta Unified School District Rio Vista High School High School/Art Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Nancy Tseng Robla School District Glenwood School Elementary/3rd Grade Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Daphne Cagle Sacramento City Unified School District Sutter Middle School Middle School/Special Education & Reading Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Deborah Meltvedt Sacramento City Unified School District Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions High School High School/Medical Science Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Jan Valine Sacramento County Office of Education Bowling Day Reporting Center Juvenile Court School/English Math, Science, Social Studies Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Frances J. Harms San Juan Unified School District Laurel Ruff Learning Center Special Education/Community Transition Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
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Gayle Winney San Juan Unified School District Citrus Heights Elementary School Elementary/Music Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |