Two elementary school teachers are the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2016. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) made the announcement on August 14 at a countywide teacher recognition dinner.
Jennifer Ruby teaches 6th grade at Bell Avenue Elementary, in the Robla School District. Stephanie Smith is a 3rd and 4th grade (looped) teacher at Oak Ridge Elementary, in the Sacramento City Unified School District. Both teachers are now eligible to advance to the statewide competition where five teachers will be chosen as California Teachers of the Year.
A selection committee comprised of education professionals, including previous Sacramento County Teachers of the Year, interviewed the local district Teachers of the Year and selected the two winners. All of the school districts within the County of Sacramento, local charter schools, and SCOE, are invited to participate in the program each year. Larger districts are eligible to nominate two teachers.
Outgoing Teachers of the Year Michelle Bebout (San Juan Unified) and Jennifer Walker (River Delta Unified) announced the names of the honorees. Sacramento County Board of Education President Dr. Eleanor Brown presented the winners with the Elinor Lincoln Hickey Award of Merit, the highest honor bestowed by the County Board of Education. Joseph Carlson, representing the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry, awarded perpetual trophies to the County Teachers of the Year.
All 16 Sacramento-area teachers will be honored during special Teacher Appreciation Nights hosted by both the Sacramento Kings and the Sacramento River Cats.
Past Sacramento County Teachers of the Year are listed online.
The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program is presented by SCOE in partnership with the Sacramento Kings, the Sacramento River Cats, Intel Corporation Folsom, SAFE Credit Union, and Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.
