Recognition Events

SCOE is pleased to offer county-wide events recognizing students, teachers, and classified staff.

Announcements

Employees Making a Difference

Employees Making a Difference 2025: January 22, 2025

Location: Petersen Event Center (720 12th Street, Modesto CA 95354)

SCOE Announces Names of Five “Employees Making a Difference” to Represent Stanislaus County at Statewide Recognition Program

The Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region VII partnered to honor outstanding classified (non-supervisory) education employees in Stanislaus County. Called “Employees Making a Difference,” school districts throughout the county selected their own honorees and forwarded nominations to SCOE. Twenty-nine outstanding classified staff were honored at the event on January 17, 2024, and five honorees were selected to represent Stanislaus County in the California Department of Education’s statewide recognition program. The representatives (one from five work-categories) announced were:

Louise Amaral, Secretary IV, Ceres Unified School District, Clerical & Administrative Services Category
Candida Baldwin, Food Server II, Denair Unified School District, Food & Nutrition Services Category
Barbara Bjarnason, Para-professional Special Education, Severe, Turlock Unified School District, Paraprofessional Services Category
Pepe Flores, Lead custodian, Hughson Unified School District, Custodial & Maintenance Services Category
Zach Goehring, Campus Monitor, Oakdale Joint Unified School District, Security Services Category

Also, during the event, Cari Guyer from the Keyes Union School District received the annual Jane Johnston Civility Award for exemplifying the principles of civility both at work and in her personal life.

Announcing the 2024 Employees Making a Difference Honorees.

For the 17^th year running, the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region VII will partner to honor outstanding classified (non-supervisory) education employees in Stanislaus County. Twenty-nine exceptional classified staff will be honored at an award ceremony on Wednesday, January 17 at 4:00 p.m. at the Martin Petersen Event Center (720 12^th Street, Modesto). Called “Employees Making a Difference,” school districts throughout the county selected their honorees and forwarded nominations to SCOE.
Five of the 29 honorees will be selected to represent Stanislaus County in the California Department of Education’s statewide Classified Employees of the Year recognition program. The names of the five individuals will be announced at the event.

First Name	Last Name	District	Job Title
Pablo	Alvarez	Modesto City Schools	Custodian
Louise	Amaral	Ceres Unified	Secretary IV
Candida	Baldwin	Denair Unified	Food Server II
Larry	Bauman	Private or Charter School	Maintenance Technician
Barbara	Bjarnason	Turlock Unified	ParaprofessionalSpEd-Severe
William "Bill"	Brasil	Chatom Union	Custodian
Adriana	Cazares	Ceres Unified	Paraprofessional III
Lauren	Cozart	Patterson Joint Unified	Secretary to the Assistant Principal
Angela	De La Cruz	Sylvan Union	Nutrition Services Specialist
Lisa	Dorrity	Hart Ransom Elementary	Kinder Aide/Eagles Nest
Hope	Duffy	Modesto City Schools	Instructional Materials Tech II
Pepe	Flores	Hughson Unified	Lead Custodian - Ross Middle School
Zach	Goehring	Oakdale Joint Unified	Campus Monitor
Elizabeth "Cari"	Guyer	Keyes Union	Paraprofessional
Diane	Heppner	Modesto City Schools	Student Records Clerk
Olga	Hernandez	Riverbank Unified	Paraeducator/Special Ed.
Cortny	Lozano	Patterson Joint Unified	Paraeducator
Marian	McBride-Luman	Oakdale Joint Unified	Speech Language Paraprofessional
Robin	Moss	Stanislaus Union	Special Education Paraprofessional
Linda	Nelson	Turlock Unified	Secretary III
Daniel	Ochoa	Empire Union	General Duty Worker
Sabina	Padilla	Modesto City Schools	Instructional Paraprofessional K - 12
Katie	Petroni	Waterford Unified	Library and Media Clerk
Jessica	Pittman	Sylvan Union	Instructional Paraprofessional
Marla	Rangel	Newman-Crows Landing Unified	After School Program Leader
Emma	Rubio-Cornett	Valley Home Joint	Bi-lingual Paraprofessional
Vanessa	Salacup	SCOE	Para Educator
James	Sinford	Turlock Unified	Paraprofessional/SpEd-Severe
Manuel	Zamora	Ceres Unified	Maintenance Specialist

Photos - Employees Making a Difference

Every Student Succeeding

Since 2005, the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) and the local Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) have coordinated this program. One student is selected to represent Stanislaus County at the regional level and receives a scholarship from ACSA. That student will then be considered among other ACSA region representatives to advance to the state-level awards recognition.

SCOE and ACSA believe every student deserves equal opportunities to succeed. Every school day throughout California, dedicated educators, and courageous students overcome tremendous obstacles to reach their academic excellence goals. Their success is our success; their powerful stories are our inspiration.

Many thanks to our generous Key Corporate Event Sponsors: Mocse Credit Union and E. & J. Gallo Winery, and the Association of Stanislaus County School Boards.

NOMINATION PROCESS

We are currently accepting nominations for this year's Every Student Succeeding Awards. The fillable nomination form must be submitted to designated school district staff for approval.

Districts will select their own honorees based on the following ADA formula:

0 - 4,999 students = 1 nominee

5,000 - 9,999 students = 2 nominees

10,000 - 20,000 students = 3 nominees

20,000+ students = 4 nominees

SCOE student online nominations are due to SCOE Administration with the student's current school photo by Thursday, January 6, 2025.

District-approved online nominations are due to SCOE Administration with the student's current school photo by Thursday, January 14, 2025.

Assistants to Superintendents will receive a unique link from the County office for submitting applications.

Event Date: March 11, 2025

Event Location: Martin G. Petersen Event Center (720 12th St, Modesto, CA 95354)

Contact: Samantha Anaya: Phone (209) 238-1706 Email: sanaya@stancoe.org

Teachers of the Year

Teacher of the Year 2025: May 6, 2025

Location: DoubleTree Hotel Modesto Grand Ballroom

Congratulations to the 2024 Stanislaus County Teachers of the Year

High School Category -Dave Zylstra, Hughson High School, Hughson Unified School District
7-8th Grade Category - Aaron Salazar, Ustach Middle School, Sylvan Union School District
4-6th Grade Category - Nancy Barajas, Fairview Elementary School, Modesto City Schools
TK-3rd Grade Category - Raman Kang, La Rosa Elementary School, Ceres Unified School District

Click on the videos below to learn more about the 12 teacher finalists.

The four selected as Teachers of the Year each received a $1,000 cash award from the Modesto Rotary Club Foundation. Mocse Credit Union also sponsored the event and provided funding for the awards.
The Jane Johnston Civility Award was presented to Aaron Salazar from Ustach Middle School in the Sylvan Union School District. Salazar received a $1,000 cash award from the Education Foundation of Stanislaus County for exemplifying one of the 12 traits of civility. The Civility Award is in honor of Jane Johnston, former SCOE Assistant Superintendent and Education Foundation member.

This is the 25^th year that Modesto Rotary and SCOE have joined efforts to honor teachers in Stanislaus County. The program not only honors local teachers and celebrates excellence in education, but also provides an opportunity for teachers to receive state and national recognition. All four Teachers of the Year will go on to represent Stanislaus County in the State Teacher of the Year Program. One state winner then proceeds to the national level.

“It’s an honor to partner with Modesto Rotary for 25 years to recognize outstanding teachers – each who helps inspire and shape the lives of students in our county each and every day,” said County Superintendent of Schools Scott Kuykendall.

Sponsors of the Stanislaus County Teacher of the Year program include the Modesto Rotary Club Foundation, Stanislaus County Office of Education and Mocse Credit Union, with additional awards provided by the Association of Stanislaus County School Boards.

The 2024 Teachers of the Year Finalists are:

Elementary (TK-3) Level	School	District
Kelly Armstrong	Martone Elementary	Modesto City Schools
Megan Goncalves	Virgnia Parks Elementary	Ceres Unified
Elementary (4-6) Level	School	District
Kiley Brockfield	California Avenue Elementary	Riverbank Unified
Jessica Fisher	Fair Oaks Elementary	Oakdale Joint Unified
Jr. High (7-8) Level	School	District
Christopher Long	Dan Savage Middle	Sylvan Union
Danelle McMillen	Mae Hensley Jr. High	Ceres Unified
High School (9-12) Level	School	District
Eva Lear	Pitman High	Turlock Unified
Richard Mickelson	Central Valley High	Ceres Unified

Early Care & Education Employee of the Year

New recognition event for 2024-25. Nominations are due by 5:00 p.m. on November 1, 2024.

The Early Care and Education Employee of the Year program is designed to pay tribute to the incredible early care and education staff in Stanislaus County. It serves as recognition of the many challenges early care and education staff face daily in their centers and the community, and promotes public recognition and respect for the profession. This program celebrates the exceptional work of positive role models who are:

Educating Children
Supporting Parents and Families
Developing Professionals and Program Support

The program is implemented with the involvement of local public Early Care and Education centers within Stanislaus County. It is administered by the Child & Family Services division and Universal Pre-Kindergarten staffs.

Contact Us

1100 H Street
Modesto, CA 95354
Phone: (209) 238-1706
Fax: (209) 238-4201

Find Key Contacts

Social

County-wide Student and Staff Recognition Events

Check out the following information to learn more.

Child & Family Services Early Care and Education Employee of the Year Overview

The Early Care and Education Employee of the Year program is designed to pay tribute to the incredible early care and education staff in Stanislaus County. Contact Leah Welch-Jackson lwelch-jackson@stancoe.org 238-6396 or Lisa Cheim lcheim@stancoe.org 238-6306.

Learn More about Child & Family Services Early Care and Education Employee of the Year Overview

awards ceremony two people shaking hands

Employees Making a Difference

The Stanislaus County Office of Education and the local Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region VII partner to honor outstanding classified (non-supervisory) education employees in Stanislaus County.

Learn More about Employees Making a Difference

superintendent with VCHS student ACSA president

Every Student Succeeding

The Every Student Succeeding program honors students in grades K-12 who have overcome serious challenges, succeeded beyond expectations, or won the hearts of their school staff.

Learn More about Every Student Succeeding

Teacher of the Year

The Teachers of the Year program is designed to pay special tribute to outstanding TK-12 teachers in Stanislaus County, recognize that teachers face many challenges daily in their classrooms and the community, and promote public recognition and respect for the teaching profession.

Learn More about Teacher of the Year

Teacher of the Year Program Overview

Introduction

This program celebrates the exceptional work of positive role models who:

Inspire all students to reach their highest academic potential and work to maximize their social and emotional development;

Consistently support high expectations for learning and responsible behavior at school and within the community;

Approach teaching with creativity, enthusiasm, and a genuine appreciation for the individual differences among all students; and,

Cultivate a life-long interest in learning among all students.

The program is implemented with the involvement of local public and private schools within Stanislaus County. The Modesto Rotary Club and the Stanislaus County Office of Education administer it.

APPLICATION

Nomination Process

Principals are encouraged to nominate one teacher at their school who fits the eligibility criteria below to be considered for the County Teacher of the Year Awards. Each school may only have one nominee per year. Teachers previously nominated but not selected as the Teacher of the Year may be nominated again. Nominees must:

Be teachers of grades TK-12 in public or private schools located within Stanislaus County;

Be the teacher of record for designated students and not fully released from the classroom;

Be fully credentialed through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing;

Have taught a minimum of 8 years (perhaps across districts), inclusive of the year of nomination;

If County Teacher of the Year is chosen, be willing to serve on the screening team and attend the luncheon for the following year. Substitutes will be paid at the district's expense. SCOE Administration will pay for luncheon ticket; and,

Be willing to participate at the state and national levels of competition if selected.

Requirements for Application

The application and narratives must be completed online at www.stancoe.org/go/TOY. The teacher or principal will start the process by clicking the New Teacher Application button and completing the application page. The teacher and principal can edit the application page but only view the other's narrative. The teacher's submission will not exceed 1000 words, and the principal's submission will not exceed 500 words. The superintendent and designee(s) can view the submissions. The superintendent and designee(s) will also receive an email notifying them that a district teacher has begun the process. All documents must be completed and approved by the superintendent or designee on January 19, 2024, by 5:00 p.m. Please note: no paper, faxed, or emailed versions will be accepted.

The principal and teacher must approve videotaping in the teacher's classroom.

In addition to allowing time for videotaping in the school and classroom, the principal must be prepared to provide release time for the honoree to attend the Modesto Rotary luncheon on May 7, 2024.

Selection Process

A selection committee (composed of Educators, Rotarians, and previous Teacher of the Year winners) reviews applications and visits classrooms. It ultimately selects three finalists for each grade level group: TK-3, 4-6, junior high, and high school. The committee does not have a single type of teacher in mind; selected teachers may have very different teaching styles and methods. But committee members will search for those teachers who best engage their students and whose students are learning from the lesson observed.

STEP 1: Electronic applications are due January 19, 2024, by 5:00 p.m. The Selection Committee will review all applications and select six teachers to visit in each category: TK-3, 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12. (The principal's narrative will count for 1/3 of the total score, and the teacher's narrative will count for 2/3 of the total score.)

STEP 2: Twenty-four teachers will be observed from February 26 to March 8. Committee members will visit the site, review the applications again, and select three finalists from each category. One teacher in each category will receive the Stanislaus County Teacher of the Year Award from those three.
The Stanislaus County Teacher of the Year will not be announced until the May luncheon.

STEP 3: The twelve selected teachers will be videotaped in their classrooms during the last two weeks of March. A special video will be created and presented during the Modesto Rotary Club luncheon on May 7, 2024.

STEP 4: During the May 7 luncheon, eight teachers will receive a Teacher of the Year Finalist Award, and the four winners will receive their County Teacher of the Year award and a $1,000 check. Each Teacher of the Year finalist and a guest, the principal, and the superintendent will receive complimentary tickets to the luncheon from the Modesto Rotary Club. Additional tickets may be purchased based on availability. Payments for extra tickets must be paid by the deadline of April 15, 2024.

STEP 5: In June, the four winners will be interviewed. Two teachers will be selected to represent Stanislaus County in the California Teacher of the Year program per state guidelines. These teachers will complete the state application by July 2024. The state competition's representatives are announced each year in September.

The Jane Johnston Civility Award

Honorarium

Luncheon Reservations

Event Contact

Early Care & Education Employee of the Year

Nomination Process

Site Directors and Administrators are encouraged to nominate one educator/staff at their center who fits the eligibility criteria below to be considered for the Early Care and Education Employee of the Year Awards. Each school may only have one nominee per year. Teachers who were previously nominated but not selected as the Early Care and Education Employee of the Year may be nominated again.
Nominees must:
• Be a paid staff person at a fully licensed early care & education program under the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) umbrella.
• Be a paid staff person in one of the aforementioned programs working with children ages 0-5 and be affiliated with Stanislaus County Office of Education directly or as a sub-recipient, sub-contractor or partner.
• Be at an agency which has provided services for a minimum of 3 years at the time of review and selection of nominations.
• Be willing to be featured on social media.

Educator/Staff or Director/Administrator will start the process by clicking New Nominee Application button and completing the application page.
The Educator/Staff and Administrator will be able to edit the application page but only view the other's narrative. The Educator/Staff's submission will not exceed 1000 words (narrative) 8 minutes (video), and the administrator's submission will not exceed 500 words (narrative) 4 minutes (video). The review team will be able to view the submissions. All documents need to be completed and submitted by August 1, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. Please note: no paper, faxed or emailed versions will be accepted.
• The director/administrator and educator/staff must approve videotaping in the teacher's classroom.
• The honoree must be able to attend the 2025 Migrant Pre-Service, March 2025

APPLICATION

Educating Children Category

The Educating Children pillar is dedicated to staff members working directly with children in various service modalities, including family childcare homes and center-based programs. The positions encompassed within this pillar include, but are not limited to, the following roles:

Early Childhood Associate Teacher
Early Childhood Master Teacher
Early Childhood Teacher
Early Head Start Associate Teacher
Early Head Start Master Teacher
Teacher’s Aide
Inclusion Specialist, Child and Family Services
Family Childcare Home Providers
Home Based Educator
Infant Toddler/Early Start Teacher
Arts Coordinator
Full-Year Master Teacher
Full-Year Preschool Associate Teacher
Full-Year Preschool Teacher
Full-Year State Preschool Teacher
Harvest of the Month Program Assistant
Infant/Toddler Educator
Preschool Associate Teacher
Preschool Master Teacher
Preschool Teacher
Preschool Teacher, Special Education
Preschool Teacher, Special Education
State Preschool Associate Teacher

Developing Professionals & Program Support Category

The Developing Professionals pillar is dedicated to staff members who support educators and those involved in developing training programs for staff and the community. These individuals facilitate professional development for those working directly with children or in supportive roles. The positions encompassed within this pillar include, but are not limited to, the following roles:

Child Development Specialist
Coach
Inclusion Specialist
Child Care Specialist I - Early Head Start
Early Childhood Education Navigator
Behavioral Support Program Analyst

Supporting Parents & Families Category

The Supporting Parents and Families pillar is dedicated to staff members who work directly with families, addressing their needs and connecting them with community outreach services that help them achieve and maintain stability. Positions within this pillar include, but are not limited to, the following:

Family and Community Services Specialist
Full-Year Licensed Vocational Nurse
Health and Social Service Worker
Eligibility and Enrollment staff
Mental Health Specialist
CFS Nutrition Services Specialist
Child Care Specialist I- Pregnant Women Services
Family Eligibility Specialist
Family Eligibility Worker
Licensed Vocational Nurse
Family Service Worker

Honorarium

Selection Process

The Four-Step Selection Process
Step 1: Electronic applications are due August 1, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. The selection committee will review all applications and select 5 teachers from each of the 3 categories. (The director/administrator's narrative will count for 1/3 of the total score, and the teacher's narrative will count for 2/3 the total score.)
Step 2: Nine Educators/Staff will be observed during the weeks of August 26-September 13. Committee members will make the site visits, review the applications again and select two finalists from each category. From those two, one nominee in each category will receive the County Early Care and Education Employee of the Year Award but, this will not be announced until the End of Year Celebration.
Step 3: The 6 selected finalists will also be videotaped in their classrooms the weeks of September 23-30. A special video will be created, presented during the Migrant Pre-service in March 2025
Step 4: During the 2025 Migrant Pre-Service 3 Educator/Staff will receive an Early Care and Education Employee of the Year Finalist Award, and a $1,000 check.

Event Contacts

Recognition Months

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. The event, which spans from September 15 to October 15, commemorates how those communities have influenced and contributed to American society at large.

Why the Date of Hispanic Heritage Month Is Important

The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of several Latin American nations. September 15 was chosen as the kickoff because it coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of five “Central American neighbors,” as Johnson called them—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Those five nations declared their independence from Spain on September 15, 1821.

Resources and Celebrations

Video clips of the 2024 Teacher of the Year Finalists

TK-3rd grade Category

7-8th Grade Category

4-6th grade Category

High School Category

Key Contacts

Jason Maggard

Titles: Chief of Staff

Email:

Phone Numbers:
Work: 209-238-1708

Samantha Anaya

Titles: Executive Assistant (Confidential)

Email:

Phone Numbers:
Work: 209-238-1706

Judy Boring

Titles: Director II, Communications

Email:

Phone Numbers:
Work: 209-238-1709