Ventura County Office of Education Communications Manager Dave Schermer was honored with two awards from the California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA) at its annual seminar on March 3 in North Hollywood. Schermer received Awards of Merit in the categories of Internet/Intranet Website and Newsletter/Newspaper.

The website award recognizes Schermer’s work leading a complete redesign and redevelopment of VCOE’s public website at www.vcoe.org. The redesigned website replaced an aging iteration that had become frustrating to use with a clean and modern site organized around the needs of users. By working with VCOE’s Department of Technology Services, Schermer was able to keep the project in-house, avoiding expensive outside development and hosting costs.

Schermer received the newsletter award for his work on VCOE’s informational publication, Focus on Education. He is responsible for writing all of the content and designing the look of each issue. He also transitioned the publication from print to electronic delivery at a significant cost savings to the organization. Recent editions of Focus on Education have covered current topics in public education such as California’s teacher shortage and the growing importance of career education.

“We are very proud to see Dave’s efforts recognized at the state level,” said Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stan Mantooth. “Our new website and Focus on Education are helping VCOE better connect with the community and keeping people informed about the work we do to expand educational opportunities for everyone in Ventura County.”

More about Dave Schermer
Dave Schermer joined the Ventura County Office of Education in 2014 as the organization’s first Communications Manager. Schermer is a former television news reporter and manager who was honored with two Emmy awards while serving as News Director at KSBY-TV in San Luis Obispo. He also taught journalism as an adjunct lecturer at Cal Poly State University. Since coming to VCOE, Schermer has launched our presence on Facebook and Twitter, taken over writing and production of our Focus on Education publication and led a complete redesign of the VCOE website.

About the Ventura County Office of Education
The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org.

About the California School Public Relations Association
The California School Public Relations Association is a nationally recognized leader in school communications with a membership of more than 250. Members represent school districts and county offices of all sizes, ranging from the largest urban districts to those located in remote areas serving one or two schools, as well as other professionals in the field of education. The common thread is the recognition that there is value in networking. The National School Public Relations Association has consistently recognized CalSPRA as a Blue Ribbon Chapter for its exemplary programs and services to members. Learn more at www.calspra.org.