SAN JOSE, CA – "First and foremost, it's for the students," according to Jannet Odom, teacher of the year from Berryessa Union School District. She is one of three teachers highlighted in the seventh volume of the Public Service Announcement (PSA) series, "Why I Teach," released by the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE).
Of her students, Odom says, “I care about them, I want them to be successful, I want them to look forward to coming in each and every single day. I want them to know that when they come through that door that they have a chance to be a little bit better every single day."
The PSA also features Jhordane Tomas of Mount Pleasant School District and Alison Stroot of San Jose Unified School District. These videos feature Santa Clara County teachers of the year who were honored during the 2019 Teacher Recognition Celebration hosted by the SCCOE last fall. In this series, teachers share why they have chosen their profession and the rewards of the teaching profession. The PSAs are part of an ongoing initiative to recruit and retain qualified teaching candidates in Santa Clara County school districts.
The SCCOE is also working to recruit and develop the next generation of excellent teachers by hosting the upcoming Teacher Recruitment Fair. The Teacher Recruitment Fair initially scheduled for Saturday, March 25, has been postponed until April 25, 2020, due to recent community guidance provided by Santa Clara County Public Health. This one-day event is an opportunity for those seeking a teaching position to meet with hiring representatives from local school districts and charter schools; advance registration is recommended.
The event is designed to recruit teachers and other certificated candidates who will have their credentials by fall 2020 or have an out of state credential, including psychologists, counselors, school nurses, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists. For more information, visit sccoe.org/teacherfair.
The "Why I Teach" PSAs are being rolled out every Wednesday until the end of March. In addition to being posted to the SCCOE YouTube channel, the videos will also be provided to local cable access channels in the various municipalities throughout the county.
For more information about the PSA series, or upcoming events, please visit the SCCOE website.
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About the Santa Clara County Office of Education
Working collaboratively with school and community partners, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) is a regional service agency that provides instructional, business, and technology services to the 31 school districts of Santa Clara County. The County Office of Education directly serves students through special education programs, alternative schools, Head Start and State Preschool programs, migrant education, and Opportunity Youth Academy. The SCCOE also provides academic and fiscal oversight and monitoring to districts in addition to the 22 Santa Clara County Board of Education authorized charter schools.