The Stanislaus County Office of Education, through effective leadership, coordinated services, staff development, and partnerships among family, school and community, will support public education in preparing diverse students to become productive citizens and life-long learners.

OPERATING PRINCIPLES

1. ETHICAL BEHAVIOR IS KEY TO OUR SUCCESS

We will behave with integrity, honesty, humility and courage.

2. CUSTOMERS ARE PART OF OUR TEAM

Customers include families, school district personnel, community partners, and SCOE Employees.  We will maintain an environment in which to share ideas and work cooperatively.  We will listen to our customers' needs as we collaboratively develop services and solutions.

3. QUALITY IS ESSENTIAL

Quality is determined by the customer who uses the programs and services, and we consider everyone with whom we interact a customer. We will continually improve our programs and services by determining customer needs and responding to customer feedback and suggestions.

4. DECISIONS ARE MADE AT THE MOST APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL

Management will determine the most appropriate level for the resolution of issues. Management's decisions will include input from employees who will be impacted by proposed changes as early in the decision-making process as possible.

5. EVERYONE PLAYS AN INTEGRAL PART IN OUR ORGANIZATION

Everything an employee does affects our organization. We will hold ourselves accountable to accomplish what we have been hired to do. We will behave as ambassadors of SCOE and respect every person and role within the organization.

6. CHALLENGES ARE ADDRESSED FROM A SYSTEMS APPROACH

When seeking to address and resolve challenges, we will focus on processes and systems using SCOE policies, protocols, and operating principles.

7. WE MANAGE OUR WORK BY FACTS

To inspire trust, to seek mutual benefit, and to act in the best interest of those we serve, we will rely on data. We will gather, analyze, and act on data about SCOE’s services, products, and programs.

8. EMPLOYEES ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN THEY HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THEIR WORK AND THE ORGANIZATION

Managers will provide employees with sufficient background knowledge to fully understand their role and to accurately represent SCOE’s broader mission in the community.

9. EMPLOYEES ARE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION

We will all accept and give praise to acknowledge individual accomplishments as well as celebrate shared successes.

10. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS EMPLOYEES IN THEIR EFFORTS TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE MULTIPLE RESPONSIBILITIES AT WORK, AT HOME, AND IN THE COMMUNITY.

The organization realizes that to be effective at work, employees must maintain a healthy balance in their duties to home, work and community. We will respect others’ efforts to effectively manage multiple responsibilities. Supervisors will support employees’ requests for flexibility when feasible and appropriate.

Beliefs

• Every person is unique and has worth.
• People deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
• People have a right to be physically and emotionally safe.
• Human potential is unlimited.
• Individuals are members of the global community.
• People are responsible for the choices they make.
• Skills for coping with change can be learned.
• Creativity and problem solving are important components of learning.
• Self-esteem affects learning.
• Learning is a lifelong pursuit.
• Cultural diversity offers learning opportunities for the community.
• People are influenced by role models.
• Family is the primary influence in the development of a child.
• Education creates opportunities for every child.
• Education is the shared responsibility of home, school, and community.
• Integrity and ethical behavior are paramount in every decision.
• Maintaining quality requires continuous improvement and teamwork.
• Excellence is worth the effort.

Strategic Plan

Strategy 1 Provide leadership to the educational community to maximize collaboration, communication, and innovation.
Strategy 2 Pursue collaborative partnerships with family, school and community to support the preparation of students for the future.
Strategy 3 Continuously assess the relevance and effectiveness of the programs and services of SCOE to foster continuous improvement.