A fifth-grade teacher from the Sacramento City Unified School District and a third-grade teacher from the Elk Grove Unified School District are the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2009, the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) announced September 3rd at a county-wide teacher recognition banquet.
Sylvia Rodriguez, who teaches a G.A.T.E. (Gifted and Talented Education) Program at Phoebe A. Hearst Elementary School in Sacramento, and Janet Anderson, who teaches 3rd grade at Elliott Ranch Elementary School in Elk Grove, were selected from among 18 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, met to interview each local district Teacher of the Year and selected the two finalists.
All 18 Sacramento-area teachers will be honored during a special halftime presentation when the Sacramento Kings host the Utah Jazz on Friday, February 6, 2009, at ARCO Arena.
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. Fourteen local 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.
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 Jeanette Providence and Rob Myers announced the names of their successors. County School Board President Gretchen Bender presented Ms. Rodriguez and Mrs. Anderson with the Elinor Lincoln Hickey Award of Merit, the highest honor bestowed by the County Board of Education. Gary Darrow, representing the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry, awarded perpetual trophies to be displayed by the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year during the school year.
Sylvia Rodriguez and Janet Anderson 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 2009. 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.
| Photo | Teacher |
|---|---|
 |
Debbie Valenzona Arcohe Union School District Arcohe School Elementary/K-3 Reading Banquet Speech (YouTube)  |
 |
Ed Graef Center Unified School District Wilson C. Riles Middle School Middle School/Special Education, SDC Independent Living Skills Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Justine Martin Del Paso Heights School District (Now part of Twin Rivers Unified School District) North Avenue Elementary School Elementary/6th Grade Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Janet Anderson • Selected as County TOY 2009 Elk Grove Unified School District Elliott Ranch Elementary School Elementary/3rd Grade Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Maureen Messier Elk Grove Unified School District Sheldon High School High School/Theater Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Mary Jo Novak Folsom Cordova Unified School District Rancho Cordova Elementary School Elementary/Kindergarten Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Craig Anderson Galt Joint Union High School District Galt High School High School/Chemistry and Forensic Science Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Ginna Guiang-Myers Grant Joint Union High School District Norwood Junior High School Junior High School/Physical Science Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Felipe Ferraz Natomas Unified School District Jefferson Elementary School Elementary/Kindergarten Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Janet Schafer North Sacramento School District (Now part of Twin Rivers Unified School District) Hazel Strauch Elementary School Elementary/6th Grade Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Shawna Campbell Rio Linda Union School District Sierra View Elementary School Elementary/4th Grade Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Shanan Spears River Delta Unified School District Delta High School Middle and High School/Agriculture, Biology and Floral Design Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Lindsay Kilpatrick Robla School District Glenwood School Elementary/6th Grade Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Sylvia Rodriguez • Selected as County TOY 2009 Sacramento City Unified School District Phoebe A. Hearst Elementary School Elementary/5th Grade, GATE Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Tiffany Wilson Sacramento City Unified School District Pacific Elementary School Elementary/Language Arts Resource Teacher Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Daniel Watts Sacramento County Office of Education Carson Creek Junior-Senior High School Juvenile Court School, ROP/Graphic Arts, Digital Media Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Marilyn Barrett Spiegel San Juan Unified School District Earl LeGette Elementary School Elementary/6th Grade Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |
 |
Anne Tweedy Whitford San Juan Unified School District Bella Vista High School High School/Honors and AP Biology Studio Interview (YouTube) Banquet Speech (YouTube) |