At the annual awards dinner held September 29 at the Sacramento Hilton, the following were announced as Teachers of the Year 1998 for Sacramento County: Heidi Haugen, Florin High School (Elk Grove Unified School District) and Larry Bordeaux, Foothill High School (Grant Joint Union High School District).
Haugen and Bordeaux were among 13 teachers recognized last night as 1998 Teacher of the Year for their respective school districts. Among those present at the dinner were the honorees' superintendents and principals. Each district Teacher of the Year was introduced by a current or former student.
Heidi Haugen, a resident of Davis, has been a teacher for nine years. For eight of those years, she has taught science at Florin High School in the South Sacramento area.
Larry Bordeaux, who lives in Roseville, has taught English at Foothill High School in the North Highlands area for the past 12 of his 30 years as an educator.
All 16 Sacramento County school districts and the County Office of Education are invited each year to participate in the Teachers of the Year program. Because of their size, three districts Ñ Elk Grove, Sacramento City and San Juan Unified Ñ are eligible to submit two entries. Each district's Teacher of the Year completes an application, including 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 mid-September to interview each district Teacher of the Year and select the two finalists.
Winners of the statewide competition, conducted in November by the California Department of Education, will then vie for the national title of Teacher of the Year.
Sacramento school district's Teachers of the Year are honored individually by their district throughout the year and by the Sacramento Kings at a special halftime presentation, set for January 30, 1998 (Kings vs. Toronto Raptors) at ARCO Arena. The 13 teachers of the Year and their guests are treated by the Kings to a pre-game dinner in the ARCO Arena Skyline Lounge Restaurant and prime seats in a Kings luxury suite. Tickets for the Kings vs. Raptors game are available to all teachers and schools at a discounted price; interested persons may contact the Kings at (916) 928-3650 for an order form.
In addition to a commemorative plaque and perpetual trophy awarded each year by the Sacramento Scottish Rite, Haugen and Bordeauxeach received an eMate, the innovative "personal computer learning tool" developed specifically for education and donated by Apple Computer, Inc.
The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year program is presented by the Sacramento County Office of Education in conjunction with the Sacramento County School Boards Association. Sponsors are the Sacramento Kings, Apple Computer, Inc., and 3-D International.