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 which complement and supplement those offered by public school districts in Sacramento County. Over 230,000 K-12 students are served by public schools in Sacramento County.
Classified Employee of the Month
Linda Swanson, Technology Support/Trainer, was nominated by Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) Director Marian Thacher for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Swanson works at the Meaney Education Center in OTAN, which provides technology resources for adult education administrators, teachers and learners throughout California. Ms. Swanson has primary responsibility for teacher resources, and she has reviewed and cataloged thousands of websites covering different program areas, including English as a Second Language, Adult Basic Education (aimed at those with reading or math skills below a ninth grade level), Adult High School Diploma, Career Technical Education and Parent Education. She researches and recommends lesson plans, classroom activities, authentic sites for student project-based learning, free pictures, audio and video clips, and reference articles for teachers. She has played a key role in several complete redesigns of the OTAN website over the years. As a trainer for OTAN, Ms. Swanson schedules and delivers workshops for adult schools and teachers around the state, covering such topics as how to use the OTAN website, how to integrate slides and electronic documents into teaching activities, and how to create a class website or blog. She develops and maintains training materials, as well as assigning homework to workshop attendees and following up with participants. Ms. Swanson serves as the "public face" of OTAN, demonstrating OTAN products and services at conferences. She was a major contributor to OTAN's recent Technology and Distance Learning Symposium, organizing and inspecting equipment in preparation for travel to Southern California and troubleshooting with presenters throughout the two-day event. She herself was one of the presenters. Her supervisor says, "Linda is a detail-oriented person, and is good at thinking through the implications of a plan. Often when we are strategizing a new project or a new direction, Linda will be the one to point out what conflicts may be created, and how to make the plan stronger." Ms. Swanson has been employed by SCOE since July 1995.
Certificated Employee of the Month
SH Teacher Terri Edinburgh was nominated by Principal Carmen Walker for her contributions to the Special Education Department of the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Edinburgh works with student with severe disabilities at SCOE's Prairie West Elementary School campus in South Sacramento's Valley Hi area. Among her students are those considered "medically fragile," requiring complex medical procedures and care. Ms. Edinburgh works diligently to provide quality services for her students, ensuring that they have access to the SH curriculum and MOVE (Mobility Opportunities Via Education) curriculum. She creatively adapts her instructional program to help each student achieve his or her goals and objectives while participating in learning activities. Her supervisor notes, "Students have made great gains under Terri's guidance and expertise." As a MOVE trainer, Ms. Edinburgh has fully implemented the curriculum in her daily classroom activities and within the individual students' schedules. Concludes her supervisor, "Terri's working relationships with families are exceptional, and she quickly gains the trust of families and students. She is a caring educator who deserves to be recognized for her many talents and skills." Ms. Edinburgh has been a Sacramento County Office of Education employee since April 1990.