For many men and women on parole, the transition from prison life to life beyond prison is a challenging one. Many of them struggle to find success, and those who do find success deserve special recognition.

On February 1, the Sacramento Community Based Coalition (SCBC) All-Star Event honored nearly 350 Sacramento County parolees and their families who are committed to making a successful reentry into their communities, and improving their lives, as well as the lives of their families.

SCBC is a collaborative effort between the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) specifically designed for men and women reentering the community from state prison.

During the All-Star Event, eight SCBC clients were recognized for earning their GEDs. SCBC alum Marcus Gonzales congratulated the honorees and told them they have taken a big step toward building a better future.

"You are not measured by the decisions you've made in life. Look in the mirror and see the good in you," Gonzales said.

SCBC alum Eleanor Zachary told current clients about overcoming her 27-year struggle with addiction. She said focusing on the future, instead of the past, is helping her.

"Just because we've been on parole, that's just a title. Don't live it," Zachary said.

The program is designed to help people transition back into their local communities and families, resume their educations, and find and start successful careers. During the last year, 30-40% of the total Sacramento County parole population has been referred to the SCBC program. Less than one-third of those clients recommit and are sent back to prison. The state recidivism rate is nearly 75-percent.

"Your involvement with the SCBC is proof of your dedication to successfully transitioning into school, into the workforce, your communities and back into your family life," David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools, told the honorees. "You are trying to make monumental changes in your lives and your devotion to this goal is inspiring."

Sacramento County Board of Education Trustees Jacquelyn Levy and Greg Geeting joined Superintendent Gordon, Assistant Superintendent Tim Taylor and SCBC Administrator Bill Lane, who served as emcee for the event, in recognizing the clients' accomplishments.

Program participants are eligible to receive educational services that include literacy skills, GED and high school diplomas, math skills, vocational training referrals, and substance abuse education. Participants include men and women on parole in Sacramento County who have been referred by their Parole Agent.

"I think this program is right for the state, it's right for the department, and it's the right thing for you," said Matthew Cate, CDCR Secretary. "Thank you for doing the hard work of changing course."

The SCBC program applies the successful LINKS model, which is a groundbreaking SCOE career technical education model aimed at helping high-risk students succeed. Services are tailored to individual students based on their specific needs instead of through traditional, scripted education.

Collaborative program partners include: California Department of Corrections of Rehabilitation (CDCR), CalTrans, Northern California Construction Training (NCCT), Center for Fathers and Families, River City Recovery, Bridges, House of Integrity, Hope, Help & Healing, California Wraparound, Sobriety Brings a Change, and Safety Center.

The Sacramento County Office of Education's (SCOE) Project MOVE was honored by the Sacramento County Board of Education at its January 17 meeting. Project MOVE has earned special recognition as an innovative program that helps children and adults with physical disabilities learn and gain mobility.

SCOE's Project MOVE, or Mobility Opportunities Via Education, is the recipient of a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association (CSBA). Project MOVE is a research-based program shown to improve functional mobility skills and empower children and adults with severe physical disabilities to better direct their own lives.

"Project MOVE greatly helps those involved move closer and closer toward independence and it helps them better direct their lives," said David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools. "We at the County Office are proud to be a part of this program."

Four school sites within SCOE's Special Education Program serve as Model Sites for the MOVE International Program. MOVE International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children and adults with disabilities. The MOVE Curriculum was developed in response to a growing concern that students with severe, multiple and profound disabilities in the public schools were not learning or utilizing critical mobility skills needed to benefit fully from their educational programs.

"We have a truly dedicated and trained staff implementing this innovative and successful curriculum for students with severe disabilities," said Dr. Robin Pierson, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education. "Our staff makes a difference each day by encouraging, teaching and motivating students."

SCOE's Special Education Department was presented the award at the CSBA conference in San Diego on December 3, 2011.

The CSBA Golden Bell Awards program promotes excellence in education by recognizing outstanding programs in school districts and county offices of education throughout California. The goal of this awards program is to contribute to the development and evaluation of curriculum, instruction and support services.

This is the fourth Golden Bell Award for the Sacramento County Office of Education. In 2010, LINKS, a groundbreaking SCOE career technical education program in which services are tailored to individual students based on their specific needs, received a Golden Bell. In 2008, SCOE's ROP Manufacturing Technology-Welding program, at the now closed Carson Creek Jr./Sr. High School within the former Sacramento County Boys Ranch, received the prestigious honor. In 1999, the Outreach Construction Technology Program was also recognized by the California School Boards Association with a Golden Bell Award.

California teachers who want to make sure their lessons meet the standards can now just check their smartphones. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) announces the release of a free eStandards Web app that connects K-12 teachers and administrators to the California Common Core State Standards.

With the Web app, users can quickly find California's K-12 math standards and Language Arts standards by subject, grade, and category on their smartphones and other mobile devices. This serves as a great reference tool for anyone who wants to read and better understand the standards.

"We are always looking for new and better ways to help our teachers," said Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon. "It is our hope that this California Common Core resource will help teachers and curriculum specialists better apply the standards in their daily lessons."

The California Common Core State Standards "eStandards" Web app was designed to facilitate collaborative planning and decision making among teachers. It is streamlined and simple, yet extremely helpful for teachers and administrators to quickly reference the Common Core Standards. (Download installation instructions for the new Web app.)

"Today, SCOE is placing important information about the standards right into the palm of a teacher's hand," said Sue Stickel, Deputy Superintendent of Schools. "This information will serve as a great reference tool for students, teachers and families to better understand the standards."

The Web app is freely available and optimized for iOS and Android smartphone users. An enhanced, searchable version of the service, including additional resources, will be available in the coming months in the iTunes App Store and the Android Market. The eStandards Common Core website provides similar information to traditional computer users.

In September 2010, SCOE provided the staff for the California Academic Content Standards Commission's work in developing the standards, including retired experts in the area of English Language Arts and mathematics. Deputy Superintendent Stickel served as Project Director.

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is now accepting submissions for an essay contest designed to honor local military veterans. The winning high school student will receive a $500 college scholarship, courtesy of SAFE Credit Union.

Every year, SCOE honors the many contributions of local veterans who left high school to serve in the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War through the Operation Recognition program. Qualifying veterans, who received an honorable discharge, may contact SCOE to receive their high school diplomas. Diplomas are also presented to Japanese American citizens who were forced to leave high school due to WW II internment.

The 2012 Operation Recognition Scholarship essay theme is "How I Can Show My Patriotism in My Community."

Contestants must be high school juniors or seniors who are currently attending public high schools in Sacramento County. The completed essay, with a cover letter, must be received by the Sacramento County Office of Education by Monday, April 23, 2012.

• Download essay contest rules

Essays will be judged on how well the student understood, developed and presented the theme. The winning entrant must be able to attend the Operation Recognition diploma ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 to read his or her essay, join in honoring the diploma recipients, and receive the scholarship award from a SAFE Credit Union representative.

Contestants must send submissions to:

Tim Herrera
Operation Recognition Scholarship Contest
c/o Sacramento County Office of Education
P.O. Box 269003
Sacramento, CA 95826-9003

For more information, e-mail or phone Tim Herrera, SCOE Communications Director: (916) 228-2713.

About SAFE

Established in 1940, SAFE Credit Union maintains assets in excess of $1.6 billion and serves more than 150,000 members through 21 branches in the greater Sacramento region.

January is National Mentoring Month, reminding us all that every child needs a caring adult in his or her life.

If you have what it takes to help young people navigate life's tough choices, please consider serving as a mentor. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is seeking adult mentors to serve as positive role models as part of the LINKS Mentoring Program for high school students at four schools in the county.

• Download Mentoring Application/Flyer

This program is unique because it offers ongoing support to mentor/protégé matches by providing staff-facilitated, structured mentoring sessions each week. SCOE staff members attend group mentor sessions to organize activities and provide materials and support.

Mentors meet with their protégés for one hour each week. The group mentoring sessions consist of group activities, combined with one-to-one time for mentors and protégés. Qualifying mentors may commit to a semester, or an entire school year. Meetings and activities center on specific themes:

• Community Service/Service Learning Projects
• Interpersonal/Life Skills
• Planning for the Future
• Career Exploration/Job Seeking Skills
• Financial Savvy and Money Management
• Health and Wellness

LINKS Mentors may select from the following participating school sites:

Elinor Hickey Jr./Sr. High School (SCOE)
2040 Ethan Way
Sacramento, CA  95825

North Area Jr./Sr. High School (SCOE)
4000 Pinell Street
Sacramento, CA  95838

Calvine High School (Elk Grove Unified School District)
8333 Vintage Park Drive
Sacramento, CA 95828

Kinney High School (Folsom Cordova Unified School District)
2710 Kilgore Road
Rancho Cordova, CA  95670

National Mentoring Month is a campaign held each January to promote youth mentoring in the United States. It began in 2002, and is spearheaded by the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

A delegation of high school headmasters from Guangdong, China visited sites and programs operated by the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) to learn more about career technical education and English language learning. The SCOE visits were part of a visiting educator tour in the region that has been coordinated by Sacramento State.

On December 15, the delegation received a personal demonstration of U.S.A. Learns, an award winning, SCOE developed website that was designed specifically for English language learners. The demonstration took place at the David P. Meaney Education Center.

U.S.A. Learns is a free, online, interactive English language learning portal. The site, which receives more than 11,000 visitors each day, was developed primarily for immigrant adults with limited English language skills who cannot attend traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules, transportation, or other barriers.

On December 13, the delegation visited Leo A. Palmiter Jr./Sr. High School to observe SCOE's highly regarded LINKS career technical education programs including Landscape/Architecture, Culinary Arts and WorkAbility/Job Development.

Over the past two weeks, 17 Chinese delegates also visited career technical high school academies and local community colleges to learn how American schools teach students career technical education.

LINKS is a groundbreaking SCOE career technical education model aimed at helping high-risk students succeed. Services are tailored to individual students based on their specific needs instead of traditional, scripted education. By teaching employability skills, practicing those skills in a "real life" environment, and providing positive adult connections, students succeed in positive and measurable ways.

SCOE plays a vital role in providing technical assistance, curriculum and instructional support, staff development, fiscal services and oversight to Sacramento County school districts. SCOE operates special education programs for students with severe disabilities, Court and Community Schools for high-risk and at-risk students, and career technical education courses.

Family members, teachers and guests applauded as six Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) students were awarded certificates of completion December 15. The students are graduates of SCOE's program for high school and young adults with disabilities who are marking the transition to other educational or job-training programs in their local communities.

The graduation ceremony was held at the County Office's David P. Meaney Education Center in honor of the following:

From Galt High School (Cathy Goodrich, Teacher)

• Gustavo Chavez

From Jesse Baker School (Frances Montemurro, Teacher)

• Francisco Diaz
• Caree Jones

From SCOE's program at Sacramento State University (Shawn O'Briant, Teacher)

• Angelo Cervantes
• Thao Chye

From Inderkum High School (Bernadette Kerwin, Teacher)

• Ashley Ree-Barnett

"We are all very proud of you. This ceremony validates the belief that everyone has value and that everyone has something to offer," County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon told students, their families and attendees.

The students represent SCOE programs in the Elk Grove Unified School District, the Natomas Unified School District, the Galt Joint Union High School District, and Sacramento State University. Many of the students have received special education and other services from SCOE since they were young children.

"Today is a special event during a lifelong journey. It's the end of one chapter and the beginning of another," said Robin Pierson, Assistant Superintendent, Special Education. "We will each be changed forever, not just because of today's event but the culmination of this journey in education. You students have given us the opportunity to teach and you have taught us."

Serving as master of ceremonies was Special Education Principal Carmen Walker, and certificates of completion were presented by County School Board Trustees Eleanor L. Brown, Ed.D., Jacquelyn Levy, Brian Rivas and Greg Geeting. A slide show was presented by Program Specialist Leora Bautista-Hendricks.

As part of the SCOE Special Education Department, the SH (severely handicapped) program provides special education services to students with severe disabilities and students with emotional disturbances, from ages 3-22 years, throughout Sacramento County. SCOE SH programs are located on more than 35 sites/schools located in eight school districts within the county.

The Special Education Department provides special day classes for students with severe challenges (severely handicapped) or with emotional disturbances (emotionally disturbed). Other students served include district students with visual impairments, mobility needs, or speech and language disorders. Special education services are also provided at local schools operated for youth through Sacramento County Probation. SCOE's Infant Development Program provides individualized, home-based instruction and family support for infants and toddlers having special needs.

For more information about SCOE special education services, call (916) 228-2382.

Students participating in community, continuation, and special education school programs used their knowledge about astronomy and space exploration, as well as quick thinking skills, while competing at the 4th Annual Sacramento County Academic Bowl.

William Daylor High School, a continuation high school in the Elk Grove Unified School District, took home the perpetual trophy by winning top honors. Students from Leo A. Palmiter Jr./Sr. High School and North Area Community School, both Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) programs, finished in second and third places respectively. Also competing this year were students from E.L. Hickey Jr./Sr. High School (SCOE), Gerber Jr./Sr. High School (SCOE) and American Legion High School (Sacramento City Unified School District).

North Area Community School student Norberto Velasquez received recognition for his award-winning design of the 2011-12 Academic Bowl t-shirt and program artwork.

The event was held December 14 inside the auditorium at Rosemont High School, in the Sacramento City Unified School District. The 2011-12 theme was Astronomy and Space Exploration.

During an awards luncheon catered by the Rosemont High School Culinary Program, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon told the participating students to take pride in their academic efforts.

"I hope that you see your participation in the Academic Bowl as just one more step toward becoming a successful person who can accomplish many things through hard work," Superintendent Gordon said. "I promise that you will look back on this day with a great sense of pride and accomplishment because you achieved so much by working hard and supporting one other."

Sacramento County Board of Education trustees Jacquelyn Levy, Eleanor L. Brown, Ed.D., and Greg Geeting presented awards and congratulated the participants.

The Sacramento County Academic Bowl is an academic competition held each year for students attending community and continuation schools. Teams of students compete in two academic events. The first event is a game show style "Super Quiz" competition in which students answer questions based on the theme. In the second event, students use a PowerPoint project to deliver a "live" presentation on a specific aspect of the theme.

Students spent time in class and after school to prepare for this demanding competition. In addition to mastering the academic content, which is based on California's content standards, students also learn about teamwork, computer and presentation skills, goal setting, and leadership.

EXPRESSIONS 2012 is a full-color desk calendar that showcases paintings, sketches, collages and more of 18 SCOE students from Juvenile Court/Community School and Special Education campuses throughout Sacramento County. The calendar is packaged in an acrylic stand (5" × 5") for convenient and attractive display on a desktop or table.

The 21 works of art featured in the calendar were finalists from among more than 50 nominations submitted by SCOE teachers.  Student artists range in age from preschool through high school.

The EXPRESSIONS 2012 calendar is available for $8, plus $2 postage ($4 postage if ordering three or more calendars). Proceeds from calendar sales benefit arts education programs at SCOE campuses.

• Download order form

Checks should be made payable to SCOE and mailed with a completed order form to:

SCOE Communications Office
P.O. Box 269003
Sacramento, CA 95826-9003

Calendars are also available for purchase at SCOE's David P. Meaney Education Center, 10474 Mather Boulevard, Mather, CA. Office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (SCOE will be closed December 26-January 2 for winter break.) For additional information, e-mail or phone Cathy Sapunor: (916) 228-2416.

Arts opportunities for SCOE students are numerous. Students select and memorize poems to compete in the national "Poetry Out Loud" recitation contest, attend music and drama performances, and write their own lyrics in the Sacramento Blues Society's "Blues in the Schools" songwriting competition. With the assistance of visiting artists and representatives from community arts partners, students learn to express themselves, develop fine motor skills, and put into practice abstract concepts such as math and spatial reasoning.

Last year's EXPRESSIONS student art calendar received a statewide Award of Excellence from the California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA).

The EXPRESSIONS 2012 calendar was produced by the SCOE Communications Office and Printing and Production Services, with the participation of SCOE students, teachers, para-educators and administrators.

Due to improvement in the Natomas Unified School District's financial position, the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is canceling its request for an emergency loan for the district located in the north Sacramento area. In addition, due to the improvement in the district's cash position, SCOE is asking the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team to stop its process to declare Natomas Unified a fiscal emergency. This will remove the district from "negative" budget status.

"We are greatly encouraged by the turnaround at Natomas Unified and commend the School Board, the administration and the employees," said David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools. "However, while we are canceling our request for an emergency loan, I am still greatly concerned with Natomas' budget situation."

The latest cash flow projections submitted by Natomas Unified show improvement. However, the district's most recent budget submission continues to show significant deficit spending in 2012-13 and 2013-14 and that cash flow forecast remains a concern without further adjustments.

"Due to the continued volatility in both the State and the district budgets, it is imperative that the district act now with additional spending cuts and stop deficit spending," said Superintendent Gordon. "Unless spending is curtailed through employee concessions and other reductions, Natomas could find itself facing a potential State takeover again."

As far back as January 2007, the County Superintendent repeatedly warned the Natomas Unified School District about the need to balance its budget. In September 2009, the County Superintendent appointed a fiscal advisor and in December 2010 started the process to secure an emergency loan from the State.

• Download a copy of a letter from Superintendent Gordon to Natomas Unified School District Interim Superintendent Walt L. Hanline, Ed.D. regarding the district's budget status.

The SCBC is a collaborative effort between the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) that is specifically designed for men and women reentering the community from state prison. The dinner was an opportunity for clients and staff to celebrate the holiday with a traditional turkey dinner.

Through the SCBC, services are available to Sacramento County parolees and their families during the often overwhelming transition from prison to home. Participants are eligible to receive educational services that include literacy skills, GED and high school diplomas, math skills, vocational training referrals, substance abuse education, a four-day introductory computer literacy track, and a four-day job readiness track. Participants include men and women on parole in Sacramento County that have been referred by their parole agent.

The SCBC program applies SCOE's successful LINKS career technical education model, aimed at helping high-risk students succeed. Services are tailored to individual students based on their specific needs instead of through traditional, scripted education.

For more information about the Sacramento Community Based Coalition, call Administrator Bill Lane, Ph.D., at (916) 228-3377.

Ochoa was invited to be part of a television panel discussion which also included David Butler, Chief Executive Officer of LEED (Linking Education an Economic Development) and Dr. Cynthia Peterson, Superintendent/CEO of Gateway Community Charters.

Studio Sacramento is a new, weekly series produced by KVIE and hosted by community leader Scott Syphax. The episode including Ochoa's discussion airs on the following dates and times:

• Friday, November 11: 7:30 p.m. on KVIE and 8:30 p.m. on KVIE-2
• Sunday, November 13: 4:30 p.m. on KVIE-2

Ochoa is part of a team of high school students from Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) programs who worked on a multimedia outreach campaign targeting high-risk students like themselves. The "Reach for Your Dreams" media campaign combines Internet, social media, and professionally produced television public service announcements.

The outreach campaign is the result of a collaborative effort involving SCOE and the Sacramento Youth Empowerment Studios (SacYES). The program provided high risk students an opportunity to learn new skills and improve their participation and academics, as well as develop their leadership abilities.

Gerber Jr./Sr. High School is a community school operated by SCOE that provides students an opportunity to continue their education and experience significant positive personal change in their lives. Gerber students benefit from the LINKS career technical education model, which is aimed at helping high-risk students succeed.

Career GPS, held October 13-14 at Cal Expo in Sacramento, was managed by LEED (Linking Education and Economic Development). SCOE served as one of the sponsors.

The event was designed to help high school students navigate their futures through an interactive career fair showcasing a broad range of career and education options. Career GPS helped students gain a better understanding of how their education affects potential career and education pathways.

Students experienced hands-on exhibits from nearly 150 employers, training providers, colleges, and universities. They participated in workshops ranging from financial literacy to career planning. They also took part in panel discussions with employers to explore personal career paths.

In addition, students heard from volunteers about the importance of well-written and well-presented résumés and cover letters, participated in informational interviews, and received advice on developing a professional online media presence.

For many high school students, the decision to stay in school and earn their diploma is a tough one. That decision is especially tough for high-risk and at-risk students who face other challenges that interfere with their education: gangs, crime, poverty and limited support at home. However, some high-risk students in Sacramento County are launching a public outreach effort to convince their peers to earn their diplomas.

A team of high school students attending Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) programs has unveiled a multimedia outreach campaign targeting their peers. The "Reach for Your Dreams" (www.reach4dreams.org) media campaign combines Internet, social media, and professionally produced television public service announcements. It is the result of a collaborative effort involving SCOE and the Sacramento Youth Empowerment Studios (SacYES).

"The students involved in this project know firsthand about the educational challenges high-risk teens face today because they have walked in their shoes. The messages they have created for their peers are real, positive and very powerful," said David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools.

The "Reach for Your Dreams" website will serve as an information hub which can direct visitors to the education agencies in their communities where they can get more information about returning to school.

SacYES trained students from several SCOE community school sites in video production. The team produced four public service announcements that directly address issues surrounding high school drop outs. Students involved in the production earned stipends for their work over the summer.

Public Service Announcement Videos

Videos require QuickTime, broadband recommended.

Video 1: Christopher and Anthony (also available on Vimeo and YouTube)
Video 2: Danh (also available on Vimeo and YouTube)
Video 3: Darlene (also available on Vimeo and YouTube)
Video 4: JT (also available on Vimeo and YouTube)

"I learned a lot of video production techniques and experienced many new things. All of these things have helped me with making a better future for myself. I know I found my career in the long run," said Anthony Ochoa, an 11th grade LINKS student at Gerber Jr./Sr. High School, a SCOE community school.

The program provided high-risk students an opportunity to learn new skills and improve their participation and academics, as well as develop their leadership abilities.

"Morally, this project has taught me that even though things might not go the way you intend them to, you must trust that others only mean well when suggesting changes," said Christopher Estrella, a 2011 graduate of Elinor L. Hickey Jr./Sr. High School, a SCOE community school education program.

"These young adults worked at a summer job in a professional, skilled environment. They had the opportunity to learn valuable technical, job and life skills and they excelled," said Aubrey Lara, Program Manager for the Sacramento Youth Empowerment Studios. "Maybe even more important than learning video production skills, they learned about making positive life decisions to help them navigate the adult world."

In addition to being available for viewing and download from the reach4dreams.org site, the public service announcements are posted on both the SCOE and SacYES websites. The videos are also available on Vimeo, YouTube, and Facebook, as part of the students' outreach campaign. Local televisions stations in the Sacramento County region are also being asked to include the announcements in their regular rotation.

Background

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is one of 58 county offices of education in the State of California. SCOE plays a vital role in providing technical assistance, curriculum and instructional support, staff development, legal and financial advice, and oversight to Sacramento County school districts. LINKS is a groundbreaking SCOE career technical education model that is aimed at helping at-risk and high-risk students succeed. Services are tailored to individual students based on their specific needs instead of through traditional, scripted education.

Youth Empowerment Studios (YES) is a workforce development social enterprise that provides youth from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods employment opportunities as Youth Media Consultants, while also providing government, education and non-profit sectors, as well as businesses that are dedicated to improving the social welfare of our communities, professional quality and competitively priced media solutions. Youth Empowerment Studios is a social enterprise established by the Center for Multicultural Cooperation (CMC), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. CMC provides youth service and leadership experiences to hundreds of youth from throughout the central San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento metropolitan region each year.

Local educators and civic leaders helped celebrate the 13th annual grand opening of one of Sacramento County's best-kept fine dining secrets: the Culinary Arts Café.

Students are the driving force behind the café and the Culinary Arts program. LINKS students from the Leo A. Palmiter Jr./Sr. High School and Elinor Lincoln Hickey Jr./Sr. High School campuses do everything from preparing food, to serving customers, and cleaning up the kitchen and classroom. These are young people with special needs who are learning job and social skills. Many students who excelled in the Culinary Arts program have been placed in jobs at Sacramento area restaurants.

During the October 11 grand opening, students enrolled in the Sacramento Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Culinary Arts course showcased the food preparation and service skills they have learned under new Chef/Instructor Jeff Zahniser. The Palmiter and Hickey campuses are operated by the Sacramento County Office of Education to serve special student populations.

Chef Zahniser also presented each culinary student with a ServSafe® Food Handler certificate. Those earning such certification have passed a food safety test administered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The certification is needed to work in the food service industry. Sacramento County Board of Education Trustees Jackie Levy, Greg Geeting and Harold Fong were on hand to help congratulate the students and award the certificates.

The Culinary Arts Café is located at Leo A. Palmiter High School, 2040 Ethan Way (corner of Ethan Way and Cottage Way, three blocks north of Arden Fair Mall).

The Café is now accepting lunch reservations for Thursday seatings. The official schedule and menus are posted online as they become available. Meals cost $7, not including gratuity, and all proceeds benefit the program. Those interested in dining at the Culinary Arts Café should make reservations by calling: (916) 566-2039.