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
Beth Flory, a Program Analyst, was nominated by Communications Director Tim Herrera for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Flory works in SCOE's Communications Office, providing support of major public awareness projects as well as the day-to-day operations of the department. That high-impact events such as the annual Teachers of the Year Banquet and SCOE's Employee Recognition Day are a success is largely due to Ms. Flory's organizational skills and talent for motivating and working with volunteers. SCOE has received several statewide awards for programs made possible by Ms. Flory's dedication, such as Census 2000, Operation Recognition and Sacramento Kings Teacher Appreciation Night. Other major projects benefiting from her efforts were high-visibility dedication ceremonies for the David P. Meaney Education Center and Elinor Lincoln Hickey Junior-Senior High School. The area's most valuable resource for education professionals and civic leaders—the Sacramento County Public Schools Directory—is meticulously produced each year by Ms. Flory. Three of her qualities most often cited by supervisors and co-workers are Ms. Flory's proactive approach to work, her dependability, and her attention to detail. One of her responsibilities is handling numerous inquiries from the public and from school district personnel. She can be counted on to supply timely, carefully researched responses, and always in a kind manner. Recently, after receiving assistance from Ms. Flory, a local school official phoned SCOE to say, "Amazing, awesome, I can't thank you enough. You are a go-getter and you go above and beyond. You get more than a gold star from me!" One of her colleagues reports, "I regard Beth Flory as one of the most resourceful and responsible support persons with whom I have ever worked." Ms. Flory has been employed by SCOE since May 1978.
Certificated Employee of the Month
Linda Bisio, a teacher, was nominated by Principal Mary Jo Johnson for her contributions to the Special Education SH (Severely Handicapped) Program of the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Bisio teaches high school-age students with disabilities in the SCOE class at Sheldon High School, located in the Elk Grove Unified School District. Her work as a teacher extends outside the classroom so that her students become active participants within the Sheldon campus and the local community. They participate in P.E. with the general education students and can be seen out and about practicing their skills at nearby businesses. Ms. Bisio also provides general education students an opportunity to learn about people with disabilities through the Abilities Awareness/Peer Tutor program. General education students enroll in this elective to work alongside the educators to learn about specific disabilities and about special education. They are required to keep a journal, plan and implement activities and produce a final project to receive credit for the class. This program was featured in The Sacramento Bee earlier in the year. In addition to her educational excellence, Linda has served this past year as a part of the para-educator interview panel. Her supervisor says, "Her program focuses on teaching students the skills they need to be as independent as possible. Linda ensures that the students in her class are always engaged in some form of learning." Ms. Bisio has been employed by SCOE since August 2003.