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 that complement and supplement those offered by public school districts in Sacramento County.
Classified Employee of the Month
Mahalia Manker, a Program Analyst with the Prevention and Student Services (PASS) Department, has been nominated by Director Cheryl Raney for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Manker's key responsibility is supporting the countywide Foster Youth Services Program. A major portion of her work involves maintaining the program's database, which contains approximately 7,000 records for foster children and youth in Sacramento County. Through her efforts, the placement of foster children and youth in school is expedited, and information about students' health and education status is kept both current and accurate. She generates reports, provides technical assistance and maintains communication with program partners, which include staff of Child Protective Services, Sacramento County Probation, school districts, and other counties. Ms. Manker also provides support for other PASS programs, including SCOE's Family-School Involvement Center. Ms. Manker is a valued member of the PASS support team, says her supervisor, because she "handles multiple tasks and responsibilities simultaneously, always maintaining a positive attitude and pleasant demeanor." She has volunteered several years as a mentor in SCOE's Community Schools Academic Mentor Program and recently assisted with a revision of the curriculum for the PASS Peer Cessation semi-annual training. Ms. Manker has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since March, 1979.
Certificated Employee of the Month
Maggie Messenger, a Nurse with Special Services, has been nominated by Principal Sharon Holstege for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. As a member of SCOE's school nurse team, Ms. Messenger provides ongoing support to classroom staff with the implementation of health plans and procedures in the classroom. She serves as an advocate for families in accessing community resources for better understanding and treatment of a child's condition. Her accomplishments include working with the Schools Insurance Authority (SIA) to develop and implement a disaster preparedness manual and bloodborne pathogens exposure control program, developing a nurses' manual with well-articulated standards and practices, developing and implementing a format for instituting individualized school health plans, and being a driving force behind building and maintaining the nurses' team. She has also worked with SIA to develop and implement training modules for safe lifting procedures. Ms. Messenger has developed and delivered mandated training to all SCOE staff on billing and use of MediCal funds, and she pioneered the process of instituting the trans-disciplinary report for completing triennial reviews in SCOE's programs for students with severe disabilities. She has been acknowledged by the Sacramento Association for the Retarded for her accomplishments in the field of school nursing and her strong advocacy for students with severe disabilities. Her supervisor says that Ms. Messenger "does all this with commitment and a delightful sense of humor that often defuses challenging situations." Ms. Messenger has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since November, 1989.