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
Nawal Torres, Special Education Technician, was nominated by Principal Lauren Roth for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Torres works with special education students enrolled in SCOE Juvenile Court and Community Schools. Her supervisor reports that as a member of SCOE's WorkAbility team, "Ms. Torres is an excellent advocate for students. She seeks out students' individual strengths and unique needs, and actively links them to employment opportunities. She has an abundance of energy, and continually builds relationships with community resources, outside agencies, and post-secondary campuses." Ms. Torres assists with Individual Transition Plans by performing vocational assessments and further developing student-centered plans to ensure students‚" success in the workplace and community. She also plays an active role in SCOE's LINKS and School-to-World programs. Concludes her supervisor, "Ms. Torres is a very conscientious employee who is always thinking what is best for students. When there is a task asked of her, she is more than willing to step in and take responsibility. She is encouraging, hardworking, respectful, and always goes above and beyond." Ms. Torres has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since August 2002.
Certificated Employee of the Month
Ben Diaz, Special Education/ED Teacher, was nominated by Principal Lauren Roth for his contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Mr. Diaz teaches students in a special education class for students with emotional disturbance at Bannon Creek Elementary in the Natomas Unified School District. Mr. Diaz teaches a 1st-3rd grade combination class. His supervisor comments, "Mr. Diaz's lessons are well thought out, interest-based, creative, fun, and educationally effective. Utilizing a PBS [Positive Behavior Supports program]‚ he provides a wealth of reinforcements to encourage academic growth, in addition to self-management practices that help students improve their own behavior. Students respect Mr. Diaz for his patience and often express how much they love being in his class." Mr. Diaz is highly regarded for his ability to collaborate and communicate with families and the regular Bannon Creek School staff, with whom he regularly interacts to promote mainstreaming opportunities for his students. He has successfully implemented enrichment programs including cross-age tutoring (such as "reading and math buddies") as well as The Polite Child, Social Smarts curriculum. His supervisor concludes, "Mr. Diaz is an enthusiastic, hardworking, and dedicated teacher who is continually improving the learning environment of his classroom to meet individual student needs. He has set a high standard in his commitment to the teaching profession. He is a valuable asset to SCOE's elementary ED program." Mr. Diaz has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since November 2006.