In a surprise announcement yesterday afternoon, David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools, recognized Cari Wernicke as one of the five Sacramento County Classified Employees of the Year for 2020.
Wernicke is a Transition Specialist in the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) Juvenile Court School Program, and was selected as the 2020 SCOE Classified Employee of the Year. She is one of five winners who will now move on to represent the county in the State Classified School Employees of the Year competition.
2020 Sacramento County Classified Employees of the Year
- Annette Conklin, Twin Rivers Unified School District
Child Nutrition Category - Juanamaria de Anda, Natomas Unified School District
Office/Technical Category - Dario Gonzalez, Twin Rivers Unified School District
Paraprofessional Educator/Instructional Assistance Category - David Harrell, San Juan Unified School District
Maintenance, Operations, and Facilities Category - Cari Wernicke, Sacramento County Office of Education
Support Services and Security Category
A selection committee, made up of representatives from the participating districts, chose the winners based on paper screening and formal interviews. The candidates had been chosen as District Classified Employees of the Year because of their exemplary performance of responsibilities that contribute to the success of district programs, services, or special projects.
Sports Teams to Recognize Classified Employees May 2 and May 12
The Sacramento River Cats and the Sacramento Republic FC have partnered with SCOE to honor all classified school employees at games this spring. May 2, 2020, is Education Night with the Sacramento Republic FC at Papa Murphy’s Park. The Sacramento River Cats game recognizing classified school employees is scheduled for May 12, 2020. SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union is the primary sponsor of the River Cats game. Both teams will recognize the Sacramento County Classified Employees of the Year on the field. Tickets will be available in April.
State Competition
A California Department of Education (CDE) committee will now evaluate nominations statewide. The overall objective is to acknowledge and promote the efforts of outstanding classified (non-certificated) school employees. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond is expected to announce the recipients of the state awards in April. State winners are typically honored at a luncheon in Sacramento during Classified School Employees Week, to be celebrated May 17–23 this year.
