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
Darla Sullivan, Staff Secretary, was nominated by Technology Services Director John Fleischman for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Sullivan, works in the Outreach & Technical Assistance Network (OTAN), which is housed at the David P. Meaney Education Center. She is responsible for a multitude of support tasks, including operating fax machines, copiers, phone systems, and using computers for spreadsheet, word processing, database management, and other applications. Her customer service skills are highly appreciated, says her supervisor. "When Darla answers telephones and gives information to callers, she does it with the utmost respect and consideration for the caller, and with her friendly and poised demeanor puts at ease many of OTAN clients who may be flustered or confused about technological or policy issues. Darla is always gracious when she greets visitors, handles their inquiries, and directs them to the appropriate persons according to their needs." Her organizational skills, attention to detail (including proof-reading and format-checking) and interest in learning and applying new technical skills combine to make her a valued employee. Retrieving Web usage data-trends and statistics for the monthly visits to the OTAN website and presenting them at staff meetings are examples of new tasks Darla has taken on successfully. Her skills especially shine when OTAN organizes its Technology Integration Mentor Academy (TIMAC) events, a series of trainings for adult educators from throughout California who come to Sacramento for networking and training three to five times in a school. Darla coordinates travel logistics, lodging, food and other elements of TIMAC events. Ms. Sullivan has received compliments and praise from TIMAC participants for the excellent choices she makes. Her supervisor says that Ms. Sullivan is well-liked and well-respected by co-workers. "Her efforts and engagement contribute to the overall collegial, warm, and laughter-filled atmosphere that characterizes Technology and Services Division," he says. In addition to her work at SCOE, Ms. Sullivan volunteers with the Friends of ILP (Independent Living Program run through the County of Sacramento. Approximately 300 to 600 youth become independent (emancipate) from the Sacramento County Foster Care System. Throughout the year, Ms. Sullivan collects household items to create gift baskets for these youth, who often do not have family or an adequate support system providing financial resources to supply the basic necessities for establishing a home. To date, Darla has collected 32 out of her goal of 50 baskets for the spring 2007 graduation. Ms. Sullivan has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since October 2004.