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. More than 240,000 K-12 students are served by public schools in Sacramento County.
Classified Employee of the Month
Kelly Bernier-Mun, Custodian, was been nominated by Support Services Coordinator Tom Adams and Leo A. Palmiter Jr./Sr. High School Principal Lauren Roth for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Bernier-Mun, employed by the Support Services Department, works on the campus of Leo A. Palmiter Jr./Sr. High School, where she is responsible for the completion of many tasks. She cleans and maintains the facility which includes restrooms, student cafeteria and the culinary classroom, as well as meeting the everyday maintenance and support needs of the school. Her supervisor comments, "Ms. Bernier-Mun is faced with challenges every day, and she always meets them with a positive attitude. She is very professional in the way she approaches her work, and she pays attention to details. She is a person you can count on. Moreover, she is always caring—very helpful and courteous." Ms. Bernier-Mun demonstrates a strong commitment to her job and to the organization. Her supervisor concludes, "I am always approached by other employees and students who have compliments regarding Kelly—about her job performance, her attitude and her willingness to help in any way she can. Kelly brings out the best in people with whom she works, and is a big asset to Support Services." Ms. Bernier-Mun was previously honored as SCOE's July 2009 Classified Employee of the Month. She has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since 2007.
Certificated Employee of the Month
Karen George, Teacher, was nominated by Project TEACH Coordinator Hilary Krogh for her contributions to the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. George works with homeless families to ensure that homeless children and youth are enrolled and attending school. She works with SCOE staff to ensure that homeless youth enrolled in SCOE programs are identified and served. Ms. George draws from her extensive experience working with students with disabilities, as well as her wealth of community resource knowledge. She eagerly accepts all invitations to increase awareness about the educational rights and resources available to homeless students, participating in El Centro Jr./Sr. High School's Career and Resource Fair, Elinor Lincoln Hickey Jr./Sr. High School's Winter Feast, and North Area Community School's Thanksgiving dinner giveaway. She provides a monthly presentation about homelessness to incoming El Centro students. She is an active participant in the Sacramento County Homeless Youth Task Force and serves as a member of its Transportation Committee. Ms. George's Parent/Guardian Workshops, which she provides at family shelter agencies, are crucial to Project TEACH's goal of promoting educational access and success for children in homeless situations. School districts appreciate the workshops, as they provide an opportunity to inform parents/guardians of the educational rights of their children--something that all districts are required to do. Ms. George's unique commitment to helping parents connect with the Early Head Start Home Education Program helps ensure the transition to a preschool program at age three. Her dedication and thorough follow-through have connected many families to educational opportunities for the first time. Ms. George, who was honored as SCOE's June 1995 Certificated Employee of the Month, has been employed by SCOE since 1989.