Celebrating Success

Each month, the Sonoma County Board of Education recognizes members of the Sonoma County school community who have realized significant achievements in public education.

May 2012

The County Superintendent of Schools and Board of Education held a reception to recognize four schools that earned state-level recognition this year.

Guerneville School | Title I Academic Achievement Award
Strawberry School | 2012 California Distinguished School
Village School | 2012 California Distinguished School
Windsor Oaks Academy | 2012 Model Continuation High School

April 2012

SCOE special education teachers who work with medically fragile students were recognized by the County Board of Education this month. They include:

SCOE Special Education Teachers serving Medically Fragile Students
Vicki Amtower, preschool
Nancy Backus, high school
Laura Connors, middle school
David Joslyn, elementary
Marsha Kreinkamp, preschool
Gale O'Brien, elementary
Marcia Sheaves, middle school
Eva Starkey, high school

March 2012

Windsor High School’s Vineyard Academy program and Oak Grove Elementary School’s Primos program, winners of the 2012 Jack London Award for Excellence in Education, were recognized.

February 2012

Ten public school students named as 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists were recognized by the County Board of Education.

2012 National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists
Annissa Asbo, Petaluma High School
Kevin Chang, Maria Carrillo High School
Nicole Chodora, Santa Rosa High School
Corey Ford, Pathways Charter School
William Hoberg, Santa Rosa High School
Shelby Kehoe, Casa Grande High School
Richard Liang, Maria Carrillo High School
Joseph Mulcaire, Santa Rosa High School
Xiaoyi Shao, Maria Carrillo High School
Sarah Stinson, Maria Carrillo High School

These academically talented high school seniors have the opportunity to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships. To be considered for a scholarship award, a semifinalist must first advance to finalist standing by meeting high academic standards and fulfilling other requirements. Scholarships are then awarded based on the abilities, skills, and accomplishments of the finalist pool. Over $34 million is awarded nationally. The goal of the National Merit program is to honor the nation’s scholastic champions and encourage the pursuit of academic excellence.

January 2012

The Board’s honorees for January were the 16 educators named as California League of Middle Schools (CLMS) and California League of High Schools (CLHS) Educator of the Year finalists for Sonoma County.

Middle School Teacher of the Year Finalists
Shirley Austin-Peeke, Adele Harrison Middle School
Patrick Eagle, Rincon Valley Middle School
Lillian Fonseca, Healdsburg Junior High School
Rosy Laden, Hilliard Comstock Middle School
Steve Mitchell, Windsor Middle School
Matt Passalacqua, Santa Rosa Middle School

High School Teacher of the Year Finalists
Amy Cortese, Windsor High School
Joseph DiOrio, Healdsburg High School
Kristi Erickson, Piner High School
Deborah Fitch, Petaluma High School
Jay Goldberg, Analy High School
Stephanie Moore, Elsie Allen High School
Mary Kay Pedersen, Maria Carrillo High School
John Quintrell, Montgomery High School
Willie Swindle, Santa Rosa High School
Jo Thinnes, Casa Grande High School

These educators were honored at local awards dinners where Lillian Fonseca and Joseph DiOrio were named North Coast Educators of the Year for 2012. They were recognized for the exemplary contributions they have made to middle school and high school education in our region. Their names have been forwarded to the statewide awards program for consideration as California Educators of the Year.

December 2011

Dan Blake, SCOE Career Development Specialist
Dan Blake was the recipient of a 2011 Spirit of Sonoma County Award, which honors individuals who contribute to the economic development of the communities where they live and work through donations of their time and expertise. Blake manages SCOE’s Middle School Career Exploration Program and Work-Ready Certification. He also helps coordinate the Sonoma County Career Development Initiative and Maker Kids Mini-Maker Faire.

Sierra Youth Center students earning Work-Ready Certificates
The Sierra Youth Center is a residential program that serves female juvenile offenders. SCOE has an on-site classroom at the Center and provides ongoing academic instruction for students. Preparing students to become successful working adults has also been a focus; and this group of students was recognized for completing all the requirements for a Work-Ready Certificate, which shows they have the skills for entry-level employment in Sonoma County.

November 2011

Carol Simmons, Child Care Planning Council Coordinator
Carol Simmons was named a 2011 Champion for Children at the first annual awards breakfast hosted by the Community Child Care Council (4Cs) of Sonoma County. Simmons was recognized for her work on behalf of children and her efforts to establish the Sonoma County Partnership for Children, a local initiative to promote “children-first” in politics, policies, and investments.

Healdsburg Unified, Forestville Union, and Piner-Olivet Union
These three school districts were recognized for their successful efforts to improve their financial status.

October 2011

Oliver’s Market and Sutter Medical Center
Oliver’s Market and Sutter Medical Center were recipients of the eighth annual Employers Best Practices Awards from the Sonoma County Mayors’ Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. SCOE nominated these two businesses for their ongoing support of students in the Special Education Transition Program, which helps students with disabilities learn the skills to secure and maintain employment. Both businesses have partnered with SCOE to provide employment training opportunities for students.

September 2011

SCOE Golden Bell and Service Award Winners
The County Board was introduced to the recipients of SCOE’s 2010-11 Golden Bell and Service Awards. Presented at the start of each school year, these awards recognize exemplary service by SCOE employees.

This year’s award-winners, pictured above (left to right), are:

Cathy Franchetti | School Nurse, Special Education
Gislene Mertle | Sonoma CARES Advisor, Child Care Planning Council
Stacie Post | Administrative Specialist, Educational Support Services
Patricia Biagi | Curriculum Specialist, Career Development/ROP

August 2011

STEM High School Summer Internship participants
Students and instructors in the SSU summer research internship program for high school juniors were recognized. Through this program, students have the opportunity to work under the mentorship of SSU faculty as they participate in research projects in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The program has been jointly sponsored by SCOE and SSU’s School of Science and Technology for the last four years.