As a county, we honor teachers in three categories each year:

• Elementary School (including Pre-K)
• Middle School
• High School

Teachers are nominated by their schools and candidates are selected from those applications submitted for each of these categories at the conclusion of each school year. A committee selects one of these outstanding teachers to participate in the California Teachers of the Year Program. This program highlights educational innovation, student learning, and the rewards of teaching.

The state program results in the annual selection of five teachers who reflect the diversity of our teachers and students. The process pays tribute to California's teaching force, the complexity of challenges that confront our schools, and the need to promote collaboration and teamwork to meet those challenges. The overall purpose of the California Teachers of the Year Program is to pay tribute to the tireless efforts of our state's outstanding teachers. In doing so, the program brings deserved recognition to the 300,000 California members of the teaching profession.

Please help to celebrate and honor our state's exemplary and highly qualified teachers for the 2021-22 school year who represent our students and schools.  **TBA**

Each year, the Shasta County Office of Education coordinates the annual Principal for a Day event, where business and community leaders have the change to be "Principal for a Day" at a local school.  Participants gain a hands-on perspective into the daily life of a school administrator and witness the opportunities for students in Shasta County Schools.  This year's even was held countywide on March 15, 2023.  This year's event was the 31st Annual Principal for a Day Event here in Shasta County.  The theme for this year's event was, "Our Principals are Out of This World!"  There were 22 Shasta County School Principals who participated in hosted a community member for the day. 

The 2022 Shasta County Classified School Employee
of the Year winners are:

A copy of the news release naming the 2022 state level winners can be viewed at www.cde.ca.gov

The California Department of Education (CDE) seeks to recognize outstanding educational programs and practices. The California School Recognition Program was created to honor schools that demonstrate exemplary achievements.

The California DS Program recognizes elementary and middle and high schools in alternate years and allows eligible schools to apply for the California Distinguished School Award once every two years. Schools recognized as a California Distinguished School Awardee hold the Distinguished School Title for two years.

In addition, each year two of California's DS Awardees are eligible to become a National ESEA Distinguished Schools Awardees.

There were no schools recognized in Shasta County for the 2020 Distinguished Schools Award.

Shasta County Office of Education
Educator Appreciation Night

This year's celebration will be held in person on Thursday May 4, 2023, at the Gaia Hotel in the Himalayan Ballroom at 4125 Riverside Place, Anderson, Ca., from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

Please join us in celebrating our Shasta County Honorees.

The honorees will include those employees, classified, certificated and management who have received county, region, state, or national level recognition this school year. Board members with 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, or 35 years of service and those that have completed the Masters in Governance Program within the last year will also be honored. We would also like to recognize any teachers who have received their National Board Certification within the last year. In addition, we would like to honor any schools that have received a Distinguished School Award or Title 1 High Achievement Award.

Please register for the event below and share information about your honorees.

Google Registration Form coming soon.

Deadline for registration is TBD.

In February of 2020, Shasta County Office of Education became one of four county offices to host a campaign recognizing school counselors for their role in educating the whole child.  School counselors implement national standards to provide instruction and interventions in three domains which include Academics, College/Career, and Social/Emotional Development as prescribed in the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model.  The School Counselor of the Year (SCOY) program recognizes school counselors for their work in the following areas.

• Successful implementation of the ASCA National Model
• Leadership on their school campus as well as within their district
• Advocacy for all students and families regarding equity and access to a rich course of study, extracurricular activities, and enrichment programs
• Collaboration with stakeholders in order to address systemic barriers to achievement, increase student engagement, and provide data to inform measurements of success and areas of thoughtfulness
• Sustained membership in California Association of School Counselors (CASC)

The SCOY process beings with nominations for exceptional school counselors being submitted to our county superintendent followed by applications from the school counselor.  Interviews are held in February in order to forward our recipient on to CASC for consideration of becoming California's School Counselor of the Year by mid March. Please congratulate these exemplary individuals for their hard work and dedication to the students of Shasta County.

For more on recipients of this award, click on the links below.

Jessyca Upton, 2021 Elementary School Counselor of the Year - Turtle Bay School, Redding School District

Abby King, 2021 Secondary School Counselor of the Year  - Central Valley High School, Gateway Unified School District 

Tara Schwerdt, 2020 Inaugural School Counselor of the Year  - West Valley High School, Anderson Union High School District