The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is one of 58 county offices located throughout the state. Approximately 650 regular and more than 950 temporary and substitute SCOE staff work year-round providing services that complement and supplement those offered by public school districts in Sacramento County.
Classified Employee of the Month
Pete Shnaydman, a job developer, was nominated by Project Specialist Margaret Fichtner for his contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Mr. Shnaydman is employed by SCOE's Workforce Development Department, which operates out of the Rancho Cordova Sacramento Works Career Center. His chief responsibility is to help clients—the majority of whom are Russian-speaking refugees and immigrants—obtain employment in Sacramento County. Mr. Shnaydman conducts job search seminars for Russian-speaking members of the community who receive public assistance; last year this program achieved a job placement rate of 95%. He was instrumental in the success of two former SCOE programs—the Slavic Child Care Project and monthly Russian Nights events—and continues to serve as SCOE's Russian-language TV and radio "voice and face" for Regional Occupational Program student recruitment. In addition to responding to Russian-language inquiries, Mr. Shnaydman provides job and education referrals, as well as information about Healthy Families insurance, unemployment benefits and other services his clients' families may need. His supervisor says, "Pete is very versatile and is able to work in a variety of settings. He has a good sense of humor, he cares about the people he serves and he works hard at his job." Mario Montes of SETA (Sacramento Employment and Training Agency), a SCOE partner, similarly lauds Mr. Shnaydman: "Pete is a great problem-solver and is always willing to go the extra mile to assist customers." Mr. Shnaydman has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since November 1998.
Certificated Employee of the Month
Criss Romero, a Regional Occupational Program teacher, was nominated by Principal Linda Mitchell for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Romero is the instructor of two sections of the Computer and Business Technologies ROP class held at the Rancho Cordova Neighborhood Center. The majority of her students are adults who have been referred by the RCNC to acquire computer skills, office skills and employability skills in order to obtain employment and self-sufficiency. Many have additional obstacles to education and employment that Ms. Romero helps them overcome. Ms. Romero was a member of the ROP Curriculum Team that completed the groundwork for recertification of ROP courses and serves as a member of the ROP Marketing Team. Last fall she was the chairperson for the statewide CAROCP (California Association of Regional Occupational Centers and Programs) conference held here in Sacramento. Her supervisor says, "Criss is an expert in delivering employability skills instruction. ROP will be utilizing her expertise in bringing this program to SCOE's Juvenile Court and Community School students." Ms. Romero has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since August 1995.