A French teacher from the San Juan Unified School District and a math and physics teacher from the Elk Grove Unified School District are the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2012, the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) announced August 31 at a countywide teacher recognition banquet.
Nicole Naditz, who teaches French at Bella Vista High School in the San Juan District, and Robert Brewer, who teaches mathematics and physics at Florin High School in Elk Grove, were selected from among 15 Sacramento-area teachers to represent the county in the California Teachers of the Year competition.
A community selection committee comprised of education professionals, including previous Teachers of the Year, interviewed each local district Teacher of the Year and selected the two finalists.
All 15 Sacramento-area teachers will be honored when the Sacramento Kings host the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, February 4, 2012, at Power Balance Pavilion. The Sacramento River Cats will also host a special Teacher Appreciation Night on Friday, April 27, 2012, when the River Cats host the Tucson Padres.
All of the school districts within the County of Sacramento, along with the Sacramento County Office of Education, are invited each year to participate in the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program. Larger districts are eligible to submit two entries. Eleven local districts including the Sacramento County Office of Education participated this year. Each district's Teacher of the Year completed a comprehensive application packet, which included an extensive biography and answered questions ranging from personal philosophy of teaching to an understanding of current educational issues.
During the awards banquet, each district Teacher of the Year was introduced by either a current or former 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 Shannan Brown and Kadhir Rajagopal, who also were two of the five 2011 California Teachers of the Year, announced the names of their successors. Sacramento County Board of Education President Brian Cooley presented the winners with the Elinor Lincoln Hickey Award of Merit, the highest honor bestowed by the County Board of Education. Lew Wentworth, representing the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry, awarded a perpetual trophy to the County Teachers of the Year.
Nicole Naditz and Robert Brewer are now 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 2012. Their names, along with the name of the individual 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. Past Sacramento County Teachers of the Year are listed online.
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 Sacramento River Cats, U.S. Bank, the Intel Corporation Folsom and the
Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.
| Photo | Teacher |
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Monica Smith Center Joint Unified School District Cyril Spinelli Elementary School Special Day Class Studio Interview (YouTube)  |
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Robert Brewer • Selected as County TOY 2012 Elk Grove Unified School District Florin High School Algebra 1, CP Physics, AP Physics Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Paul Cordero Elk Grove Unified School District Charles Mack Elementary School 6th grade, now teaching 1st grade Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Curtis Gaesser Elverta Joint School District Folsom High School Concert Band, Jazz Band, Marching Band, Orchestra, Choir Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Sean Duncan Folsom Cordova Unified School District Liberty Ranch High School Physics, Biology, NRG Energy Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Jeff Galindo Natomas Unified School District Natomas Middle School Beginning & Advanced Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Choir Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Mandi Friedel River Delta Unified School District D. H. White Elementary School 3rd grade; Reading Intervention Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Sarah Neuhaus Robla School District Main Avenue Elementary School 5th Grade; now Principal at Glenwood Elementary School Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Tiffany Ballard Sacramento City Unified School District Sam Brannan Middle School 8th Grade Language Arts/7th and 8th Grade US History/Leadership Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Kari Zimny Sacramento City Unified School District Albert Einstein Middle School Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Band Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Benjamin Diaz Sacramento County Office of Education Bannon Creek Elementary School Special Education Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Kalei Eskridge San Juan Unified School District Teacher on Special Assignment Professional Learning & Innovation Department Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Nicole Naditz • Selected as County TOY 2012 San Juan Unified School District Bella Vista High School French 1-4, AP French Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Kenneth Durham, Jr. Twin Rivers Unified School District Secondary Education Studio Interview (YouTube) |
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Kathleen Ventura Twin Rivers Unified School District Creative Connections Arts Academy Curriculum Support Coach, formerly 7th and 8th Grade Math Studio Interview (YouTube) |