An advanced high school math teacher and an eighth grade language arts and leadership instructor have been selected as the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2019. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) made the announcement Friday, August 24, at a countywide teacher recognition dinner.
Michael J. Steele teaches AP calculus at Franklin High School (Elk Grove Unified School District). Brandon Parker teaches language arts and leadership at Albert Einstein Middle School (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 Rebecca Siegert McGill (Sacramento City Unified) and Jeff Zahniser (SCOE) announced the names of the honorees. Sacramento County Board of Education President O. Alfred Brown, Sr. presented the winners with the Elinor Lincoln Hickey Award of Merit, the highest honor the Board bestows. Eldon Vipond, representing the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry, awarded perpetual trophies to the County Teachers of the Year.
All 14 Sacramento-area teachers will be honored during 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.
