The GAIN Division recently presented a major local job fair that drew 2,000 people, including LACOE personnel, to the Education Center West seeking employment opportunities.

The fair, titled The 2012 Southeast L.A. Hiring Spree, featured more than 70 quality employers with more than 1,100 confirmed job openings available. The event was one of the largest of its kind this year in the Southeast area of L.A. County.

"It was a very successful event. Everyone on the staff came together to make it work," said GAIN Division Director Steve Yamarone. The division organized the event in partnership with the L.A. County Dept. of Public Social Services and the Office of 4th District L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe.

The co-sponsors were Pollo Campero, Starbucks, UPS and Consolidated Disposal Services LLC.

GAIN administrators said the Spree, which is part of a series of fairs the division is holding this school year around the county, was designed to assist unemployed or underemployed job-seekers find gainful work given the continuing economic slowdown and the double-digit local unemployment rate. The jobless rate in the Southeast area is at 13.6 percent while statewide it stands at 11.3 percent.

Among the featured employers at the Spree were Coca-Cola Bottling Co., FedEx Ground and Hilton Hotel, which were recruiting for 65, 50 and 10 positions respectively. LACOE's HRS Division had a booth at the Spree. Other key employers on hand included Daniel's Jewelers, Sparkletts and Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries.

A diversity of companies also participated, including healthcare businesses, manufacturing firms, security companies and transportation service providers. In addition, employment agencies and an assortment of other government agencies had recruiters on hand.

Learn more about the Spree by clicking here.

Read event coverage in the  L.A. Times and Downey Beat.

Photo: At The 2012 Southeast L.A. Hiring Spree held at ECW, Jesus Corral of LACOE HRS talks with a job seeker.

"We know how frustrating it is when you cannot access the tools and services you need to complete your tasks," explained Help Desk Lead Jose Del Toro. This is why, Del Toro added, that "a positive attitude and patience are the two most important traits we look for in a Help Desk employee."

Under the supervision of Robert Bayles, senior manager for Technology Infrastructure Services, the Help Desk currently consists of one network engineer (Del Toro) and three assistant network engineers (Ron Touch, Mark Weinmaster and Mike Miller). They are on call from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday -- and also offer prompt callbacks to after-hours messages.

"Our typical day is very busy," said Del Toro, "typically over 70 calls per day. If there is a major outage or service interruption, we might log several hundred calls."

Besides personal computing assistance to LACOE campus clients, the Help Desk also provides support to county school districts and handles calls for network services, telephone services and interactive media services.

Among the job's many challenges, Del Toro explained, is "keeping abreast of the latest technology. We have seen an explosion of mobile devices such as iPads, Androids and iPhones, which introduce new support requirements. Technology is ever evolving, and we must be ready to support any new standards that the office adopts."

Aside from expertise and experience with computers, Help Desk staffers require communication and interpersonal skills. Also critical, according to Del Toro, is an "interdepartmental knowledge of how our LACOE organization works."

The job's biggest reward? According to Del Toro, it "is the satisfaction received from assisting clients with their technology-related problems. From email to PeopleSoft, we know that our work helps administrators, faculty and students access the services they rely on every day."

Photo: LACOE's Help Desk staff are (l-r) Network Engineer Jose Del Toro and Assistant Network Engineers Mark Weinmaster (in back), Ron Touch and Mike Miller.

LACOE's Horizon PAU (Special Ed) has seen a reduction in discipline issues and behavioral crises since incorporating lessons from "Character Counts!" into their life skills and physical education classes.

Students, along with Assistant Principal Royal Lord and teacher Delora Medina, recently were the special guests at the "Character Counts!" annual Board of Governors meeting in L.A., where they shared how the "Six Pillars of Character" are making a difference.

Read more by clicking here.

Eight years ago, Rachel Cohen heaved a sigh of relief in a doctor's office as she was told that her son, then just 6 years old, suffered from Asperger's syndrome, which falls within the autism spectrum of developmental disorders.

"I always knew there was something special about my son," said Cohen, who has worked as a paraeducator in Educational Programs for 15 years. "I was relieved to know that what I had suspected actually had a name, and there was going to be a plan to help him."

Cohen said her son, now 14, is highly intelligent and has an eccentric view of life, which can be disarming and charming. "It's an amazing condition and there are a lot of strengths that go with it, though of course it comes with many challenges," said Cohen.

"He is so honest; he has no coffee filter. He's like a strong espresso," Cohen said lightheartedly. "He has also taught me patience."

Patience, a strong work ethic and excellent people skills are just some of Cohen's qualities that make her exceptionally effective in assisting students with special needs. So it's no surprise to many that Cohen has recently been selected as the L.A. County nominee for Classified School Employee of the Year in the paraeducator/instructional assistant category.

Read the full profile.

LACOE Special Education teachers Diane Pawar (Buena Vista PAU/on right in photo) and Nancy Reynolds (Larson West PAU) will depart for Europe on June 14 for a one-month expedition as recipients of a $10,000 Fund for Teachers grant. They will study fossils and artifacts alongside renowned geologists and archaeologists working on the Jurassic Coast of England and at the ruins of Pompeii in Italy.

The teachers, who work primarily with students who have emotional disturbances, plan to collect specimens, create virtual field trips and host a real-time travel blog as they visit museums and archaeological sites in Great Britain, France and Italy.

"This is an incredible chance for us to explore the world and bring it all back to the classroom," Reynolds said.

Added Pawar, "Although we cannot take our students with us, it is our goal to bring those experiences alive through multimedia presentations and creative lessons."

LACOE Chief Technology Officer Richard Quinones has been appointed by state schools chief Tom Torlakson to a new task force that will recommend ways to bring 21st century tools into California's classrooms to improve teaching and learning.

Task force members will work in groups to explore education technology in five key areas: learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure and productivity.

Read more.