Emblem Academy teacher Shannon King was named Teacher of the Year for the Saugus Union School District.

King said she was “so surprised” when she learned that she was named the Teacher of the Year for the Saugus Union School District.

“It really is such a huge honor,” she said. “Teachers work really hard, and it’s really nice to be noticed for what I’m doing.”

After starting her teaching career in Lancaster, King began to teach within the Saugus Union School District, where she has remained for 15 years. She has been with Emblem Academy since 2015.

“They really just welcomed me,” King said, recalling when she first arrived at Emblem. “I love my teacher-staff family.”

King was honored during the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Teacher of the Year presentation on Thursday.

“Shannon is student-centered,” said Jon Baker, principal for Emblem Academy. “That’s where she really focuses her attention on. I think it’s one of the things that makes her so amazing.”

Part of that “student-centered” attitude showed itself when King talked about one of her favorite parts of being a teacher: watching her students grow in their education journey.

“When a student gets excited about learning, or discovers something that they didn’t know (…) it’s the moments that you can really tell they are learning something new and enjoying it,” she said.

See Related: Saugus High Teacher Named ‘Teacher Of The Year’ By L.A. County

Baker described King as the “heart and soul” of the school’s approach to helping students who may be struggling in the classroom.

“If anyone could choose a teacher of the year that represents a district, she would be the person,” he said. “Shannon is a fantastic teacher that any parent would want to have her as their child’s teacher. She truly is one of those teachers that is one of a kind.”

King’s compassion is not limited to just her students, but encompasses her fellow teachers and staff as well. When the daughter of Dr. Jenny Quan, who serves as assistant principal at Emblem, faced a quarantine birthday towards the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, King gathered several “Tsum Tsum” plushies, which Quan’s daughter had fallen in love with.

“It was huge,” Quan said. “It just boosted my daughter.”

For King, the strength of her fellow teachers and staff lies in their connection with one another, and works to make sure that everyone feels supported.

“You really need to make the strong connections between the teachers and the staff to bring out the best teaching for our students,” she said.

King attributes her successes to the support that she has from both teachers and administration “past and present” at Emblem.

“They are the ones who really encouraged to step up,” she said. “Without their help and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

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