The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is one of 58 county offices located throughout the state. Approximately 700 full-time and more than 2,500 part-time SCOE staff work year-round providing services which complement and supplement those offered by public school districts in the County of Sacramento. Over 230,000 K-12 students are served by public schools in Sacramento County.
Classified Employee of the Month
Natalya Edwards, Job Developer, was nominated by Director Bill Lane, Ph.D., for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Edwards teaches the Job Readiness Class at SCOE's Sacramento Community-Based Coalition (SCBC) campus located near the city's downtown area. She helps her clients in preparing resumes and employment portfolios, completing job applications, improving interview skills, and learning and implementing job search skills. Ms. Edwards schedules clients for their classes, tracks their attendance and holds them accountable, assists them in securing the documents they need to be employable, and counsels and guides them on appropriate behavior and lifestyle choices. Among her other responsibilities are attending the weekly Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings and coordinating SCBC events. Her supervisor reports, "Natalya has been extremely diligent in learning all the new aspects of her position as Job Developer. She has made herself available for any and all training, has taken direction and advice with an open heart and mind and always seeks to improve in any way possible. She always goes over and above the call of duty. She is consistently looking at what is best for the client." In addition to her regular duties, Ms. Edwards is a major contributor to the planning and execution of the SCBC Awards Nights. She also meets on a regular basis with potential employers for SCBC clients. Concludes Ms. Edwards's supervisor, "Natalya not only teaches a Job Readiness component of our program, she models it through her behavior here at work. She is a strong role model for both the staff and the clients in her attitude, her professional demeanor and her character. She is a pleasure to work with and a pleasure to supervise. Natalya is the epitome of a team player and a quality staff member." Ms. Edwards has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since July 2005.
Certificated Employee of the Month
David Welsh, Teacher, was nominated by Director Phil Romig for his contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Mr. Welsh teaches sixth graders at SCOE's Sly Park Environmental Education Center, which is located within the Eldorado National Forest near Pollock Pines. In addition to his exemplary work with students in both indoor and outdoor classroom settings, Mr. Welsh has volunteered to be the BTSA (Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment) Support Provider for one of Sly Park's newer teachers. The time he has devoted to training and mentoring the teacher has, in the words of his supervisor, "been of great benefit to the entire staff. David's attitude about the process, from the training to the observing to the teaching, is always upbeat and reflective." Mr. Welsh makes himself available at all times to help the educational program, taking on extra duties when needed and serving as the site administrator in the absence of the Director. He has stepped up to help with extra programs such as skits, the "art of arrival" and organizing challenging student groups. When Sly Park increased the number of students attending in the 2008-2009 program year, Mr. Welsh agreed to increase his contract days. His supervisor concludes, "David is well-liked by all visiting teachers; his professionalism shows each week as he goes out of his way to meet the needs of our customers, and he gives me a 'heads-up' on issues that he sees may be important to visiting students, teachers, and parents. In his 16 years at Sly Park, he has been a positive influence for well over ten thousand students and many hundreds of visiting teachers." Mr. Welsh has been a Sacramento County Office of Education employee since October 1991.