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 which complement and supplement those offered by public school districts in Sacramento County. Over 230,000 K-12 students are served by public schools in Sacramento County.
Classified Employee of the Month
Shunn Brown, SCBC Assistant, was nominated by SCBC Administrator Bill Lane, Ph.D., for his contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Mr. Brown works at the Sacramento Community Based Coalition, a program operated by SCOE in collaboration with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Mr. Brown works with clients who are reentering the community after incarceration in state prison. He is responsible for delivering nationally recognized curriculum such as Changing Offender Behavior, Why Try? and Courage to Change. His supervisor observes that Mr. Brown demonstrates great skill in transforming lessons into creative, interactive and genuinely exciting activities, "a testament to his natural ability to understand and connect with our clients." Beyond his work in the classroom, Mr. Brown is instrumental in helping ensure SCBC's effectiveness at maintaining accurate, up-to-the-minute client records. He establishes consistent and clear communication between the client, the parole agent and program staff while concurrently documenting client progress. According to his supervisor, Mr. Brown "consistently displays an unrivaled level of professionalism and commitment to achieving the mission of our program. Shunn is never quick to give up on a client. He takes into account individual needs and circumstances when developing Service or Reengagement Plans. He is an outstanding colleague to have as a team member, and his innovative ideas and enthusiastic approach to his job have positively affected both staff and clients at the SCBC." Mr. Brown has been employed by SCOE since July 2001.
Certificated Employee of the Month
Sarah Dudek, Nurse, was nominated by Principal Carmen Walker for her contributions to the Special Education Department of the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Dudek works with SCOE students in the Arcohe School District as well as those residing in the Galt Joint Union elementary and high school districts. As a support member of the Arcohe staff, she provides the district with health services that are required by law, such as immunization review, health education, and hearing, vision and scoliosis screening. She is always available to answer questions posed by students, staff and parents. In her collaborative role as part of SCOE's Special Education team, Ms. Dudek provides health, nursing and related IEP (Individualized Education Program) services to students having special needs. She additionally serves as a resource for SCOE Special Education staff, parents, school districts, and other community agencies. Says her supervisor, "Ms. Dudek maintains a high level of dedication, enthusiasm, energy and professionalism." Ms. Dudek is highly regarded for her willingness to tackle special projects and to train and assist other staff with health, well-being and prevention topics. "Ms. Dudek works diligently to develop an excellent rapport with families and students whom she serves, and students feel comfortable asking for her support and guidance," concludes her supervisor. "Her ability to build effective relationships allows our families to feel confident of the care their students are receiving while in school." Ms. Dudek has been a Sacramento County Office of Education employee since October 2009.