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 241,000 K-12 students are served by public schools in Sacramento County.
Classified Employee of the Month
Coretta Sayers, Staff Secretary, was nominated by Special Programs/Infant Development Program Director Andrea Lemos, Ed.D., for her contributions to the Infant Development Program (IDP) of the Sacramento County Office of Education. Ms. Sayers provides clerical support for IDP staff located at four sites throughout Sacramento County. She coordinates monthly paperwork related to payroll, Alta Regional Center billing and student information. Her supervisor comments that Ms. Sayers "is patient and is always available to answer a question, and to support staff who are, in turn, supporting children and families out in the field. She is organized, knowledgeable about the Infant Development Program and makes sure deadlines are met." Taking clear and accurate minutes of meetings is another of her responsibilities, as is interacting with members of the public on the phone and in person. Her supervisor concludes, "Ms. Sayers has a calm demeanor and honest, yet kind, way as she helps to problem solve and address the diverse needs of staff, parents, and SCOE partner agencies." Ms. Sayers has been employed by the Sacramento County Office of Education since 2002.
Certificated Employee of the Month Team
Patricia Buckholz and Sheila Shimada, Language, Speech, and Hearing Specialists, were both nominated by Special Programs/Infant Development Program Director Andrea Lemos, Ed.D., for their contributions to the Infant Development Program of the Sacramento County Office of Education. Both Ms. Buckholz and Shimada, as members of the transdisciplinary Infant Development team, work with colleagues, families and young children to address each child's developmental needs. Children enrolled in SCOE's IDP range in age from birth to 36 months and typically have delays in one or more area of development. Ms. Buckholz and Ms. Shimada work with families in the home and community to help them support and teach their infants. They provide professional learning related to speech and language development and share "best practices" to support SCOE team members and parents. Colleagues praise both team members highly: "Patti is a talented speech therapist who works with families and colleagues to make sure that young children are provided with opportunities throughout each day to be exposed to language and supported in their language development in their natural environments." "Sheila is someone we can count on and has been a supportive team member for many years." Both Ms. Buckholz and Ms. Shimada have worked as part of SCOE's QCCC (Quality Child Care Collaborative) consultation team in support of local childcare providers, offering individualized support and professional development related to children's speech and language needs. Each has been involved in training and outreach with local districts and agencies. Concludes their supervisor, "Patti Buckholz and Sheila Shimada are tremendous assets to our IDP team. Their support of colleagues, parents and children has contributed immensely to the healthy development of infants served by SCOE." Collectively, the number of years devoted to SCOE by these two Employees of the Month amounts to 48 years. Ms. Buckholz has been a SCOE employee since July 1998; Ms. Shimada has been employed by SCOE since 1984.