A culinary arts teacher who works with special education students and a high school English teacher are the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2018. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) made the announcement August 25 at a countywide teacher recognition dinner.
Jeff Zahniser teaches culinary arts at Leo A. Palmiter Jr./Sr. High School, a SCOE campus that provides education to special needs students. Rebecca Siegert McGill is an AP English teacher and Senior Project Coordinator at Rosemont High School, in the Sacramento City Unified School District.
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 Sacramento County, 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 Nichole Harshbarger (San Juan Unified) and George Helms (Elk Grove Unified) announced the names of the honorees. Sacramento County Board of Education President Brian M. Rivas presented the winners with the Elinor Lincoln Hickey Award of Merit, the highest honor bestowed by the County Board of Education. Tony Russell, 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.
Previous 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, SCOE School of Education, and Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.
