At the annual countywide awards dinner held September 10 at the Sacramento Hilton, KATHRYN ALLAMAN, a mathematics teacher at Center High School (Center Unified School District), and SHERYL SORENSEN, second-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School (Natomas Unified School District) were announced as “Teachers of the Year 2002” for Sacramento County.
At the dinner, Sacramento County Board of Education Immediate Past President Elinor L. Hickey presented both Allaman and Sorensen with an award of merit—the highest honor bestowed by the Sacramento County Board of Education. The two teachers were also awarded a shared perpetual trophy from the Sacramento Scottish Rite.
Allaman and Sorensen now advance to the California Teachers of the Year program. Names of the five individuals selected as California Teachers of the Year will be announced in mid-October by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. One California Teacher of the Year will be chosen to represent all teachers in the state at the national level.
Allaman and Sorensen were among 13 teachers recognized Monday evening as “Teachers of the Year 2002” 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, or a parent of a student. Serving as masters of ceremonies for the evening were Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2001 Craig Faniani (Rio Americano High School/San Juan Unified School District) and Michael Laharty (Palmiter High School/Sacramento County Office of Education).
Allaman, a resident of Folsom, has been a teacher for 20 years, 11 of those years at Center High School in the Center Unified School District. She teaches math to students in grades 9-12.
Sorensen, a Sacramento (South Natomas) resident, has been a teacher for 15 years, seven of them at Jefferson Elementary School. Ms. Sorensen teaches second grade.
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. 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. Thirteen teachers representing 10 school districts and SCOE participated in the Teachers of the Year 2002 Program.
Allaman and Sorensen now 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 2002. Their names, and that of the one individual of the group to be selected as the state’s nominee to the National Teacher of the Year Program, will be announced in late October by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Additional information is available from the California Department of Education at (916) 657-4845.
Sacramento school district Teachers of the Year will be honored individually by their districts throughout the calendar year and by the Sacramento Kings during halftime of a game during the 2001-2002 NBA season.
The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program is presented by SCOE in partnership with Maloof Sports & Entertainment, 3-D International, and the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.