Special Education teacher Terri Edinburgh is not used to having many adults in her classroom. However, on May 8, her room was filled with administrators and colleagues bearing balloons, flowers and good news. They informed Terri that she has been selected as the 2013 Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) Teacher of the Year.

Ms. Edinburgh, a resident of Rancho Murieta, teaches a kindergarten – 4th grade combined special day class for students with moderate to severe disabilities at Prairie West elementary School, located within the Elk Grove Unified School District.

Ms. Edinburgh said she wanted to be a Special Education teacher after having the opportunity to tutor a first grader with disabilities many years ago.

“It was the look in her eyes; a look that begged for more; a look that said ‘if you would only give me a chance,’” she said. “That experience was the kindling that stirred a fire in me to pursue Special Education.”

Ms. Edinburgh has been a SCOE employee since November 1996. ~Prior to joining SCOE, she served six years as a Para-Educator in a Special Day Class at Valley Oaks Elementary School (Galt Joint Union Elementary School District). She earned her M.A. in Special Education in 2011 from National University and her B.S. in Recreation/Rehabilitation from Sacramento State University.

Joining Superintendent David W. Gordon in making the announcement were Assistant Superintendent Robin Pierson, and Special Education Principal Carmen Walker.

“Terri believes in her students' potential to be successful and is an awesome advocate and motivator for both the students and their families,” said Principal Walker. “Our students are truly fortunate to have such a caring, compassionate and collaborative teacher supporting them."

Ms. Edinburgh will be honored, along with teachers representing other Sacramento County school districts, at the annual Teachers of the Year Awards dinner, which will be held on Wednesday, August 15, 2012.

The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program is presented by SCOE in partnership with Maloof Sports and Entertainment, the Sacramento River Cats, U.S. Bank, the Intel Corporation Folsom and the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.