The Sacramento County Board of Education honored the 2018 SCOE Classified Employee of the Year, Darlene Furtado, at its meeting last night. Furtado is a Special Education Technician/WorkAbility Program at El Centro Jr./Sr. High School in the Youth Detention Facility and has worked for the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) since 1998.
WorkAbility is a “school-to-world” program that provides middle and high school students receiving special education services with comprehensive pre-employment training and employment placement and follow-up. The goal is to facilitate a successful transition from school to work, independent living, and/or post-secondary education or training.
Furtado provides services to students at the Youth Detention Facility as they plan to move from school to the adult world. She was instrumental in the development of the Transition and Career Fair at the facility. In addition, she helps students with the development of their Individualized Transition Plans, and takes additional steps to assist students with self-help, job readiness, and social skills.
When choosing Furtado as the 2018 SCOE Classified Employee of the Year, the selection committee noted that she strives to develop a personal, yet professional relationship with students and fosters a cooperative relationship with partner agencies involved in the career fair.