January 2015 - Probation Newsletter

EFFECTING CHANGES
NEVADA COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENT
Volume 1 / Issue 5 / January 2015
Chief Ertola’s Message
Another year has passed by so quickly. During the past
year we have seen 92 years of experience leave us, which
includes Bruce Leathley, Norm Rasmussen, Bobbi
Catanzarite, Mike Dent and Cody Duthoy. Their experience
and knowledge will be very difficult for us to replace.
However, with change comes new opportunities for
others. I am confident in all our staff’s dedication towards
our mission and overall goals of providing quality service to
the courts and effecting change in our clients through prosocial programming and supervision.
We are entering what I call “Phase III” of EBP, which means
we now need to improve our systems’ abilities to track the
fidelity of our programs. In short, it is our responsibility to
confirm we are performing EBP with fidelity to produce
best outcomes. Some evidenced based practices include
assessments, risk based supervision, MI, GPS, flash
incarceration,
sanction/reward
matrix,
Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy and Moral Reconation Therapy.
Our new Case Management System will make
collecting data more efficient and accurate.
All the aforementioned will allow us to truly evaluate
our program’s successes and identify where we may
need to change or adapt based on the data. As the
holidays approach, I want to thank all staff for your
unselfish efforts to impact change in others.
Leadership comes from all levels of an organization
and the initiative individuals display on a daily basis.
I challenge all staff to take advantage of
opportunities to lead others for the betterment of
the department. My promise is I will continue to
stay abreast of current trends that impact us and
lead to more efficient and successful outcomes.
I want to wish a happy and safe holiday season for
you and your families.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Employee Recognitions
2
Probation Success Story
6
Organizational Excellence Committee
11
Current Recruitments
3
Community Partner Profile
7
Jessika’s Wikked Tidbits
12
New Hire Announcements
4
Adult Unit Report
8
Trivia
12
CPOC Awards
4
Juvenile Hall Happenings
9
Probation Stars
14
Retirements
5
Juvenile Hall Culinary Program
10
New Case Management System
15
1
Effecting Changes
Chad Smith selected as Juvenile Hall’s Employee of
the Quarter
For the past year the Nevada
County Juvenile Hall and its clients
have benefitted greatly by having
Group Supervisor Chad Smith as
part of our team. He stepped into
his role as a Group Supervisor with
confidence and a willingness to
learn. Over this past Quarter he
has been instrumental in meeting
the Mission Statement of Juvenile
Hall. His balanced approach to
juvenile supervision and support of
Evidence Based Practices is highly
appreciated. His hard work,
dedication and willingness to help
out his shift teammates has
earned him the respect of his
peers.
His fair and consistent approach
to supervision has earned him
the respect of the youth in the
facility. His casework is well
thought out and focuses on the
needs of his assigned youth.
Over the past Quarter his coworkers have approached the
Management Team stating how
much of a pleasure it is to work
alongside him. GS Smith is being
honored today for his efforts and
has set the bar high as we roll
into 2015. Congratulations on
being named the Nevada County
Juvenile Hall Employee of the
Quarter!
Sabri Torkman selected as Juvenile Hall’s
On-Call Employee of the Quarter
Over this past Quarter, your positive
mental outlook and balanced
approach towards youth supervision
has
been
exemplary.
Your
willingness to take the extra time
with troubled youth and treat them
in a fair, firm, and consistent
manner has earned you the respect
of your peers and youth alike. As a
Group Supervisor in Juvenile Hall
you have mastered the approach of
being kind and non-judgmental
while still holding the youth
accountable when needed.
The respect that you receive
from the youth in custody is
based on compassion and
empathy
over
fear
and
intimidation. These qualities are
immeasurable in our line of
work. You bring these qualities
every time you enter the facility.
It is with great pleasure and
respect that we award you with
the On –Call Employee of the
Quarter on this date January 1,
2015.
2
Effecting Changes
Rebecca Spurgeon selected as Probation’s
Employee of the Quarter
Rebecca Spurgeon has been with the
department since 2006 as a Legal
Office Assistant. She has worked in
both the Juvenile and Adult units and
has an in-depth knowledge that has
made her a valuable asset to this
department. She was chosen to be
part of the Automon Team due to her
breadth of knowledge of both the
juvenile and adult processes. Since
the beginning of the Automon project,
Rebecca has stepped up to ensure the
implementation and transition to the
new system goes as smoothly as
possible.
Her work on data validation, data
mapping and preparation of
training guides has been invaluable.
She has demonstrated leadership
skills and gone above and beyond
her regular scope of duties. This is
a monumental project for this
department and her expertise, hard
work and dedication have been
instrumental in bringing it to
fruition. We are fortunate to have
Rebecca as part of our team and
pleased to recognize her as the
Employee of the Quarter!
Congratulations on your promotions!
Steve Sinclair
Supervising Deputy Probation Officer
Jodi Tucker
Supervising Deputy Probation Officer
Josh Browning
Deputy Probation Officer
Kristin Long
Group Supervisor I
Crystal Short
Group Supervisor I
Current Recruitments
The Probation Department is currently recruiting for the following positions. If you are interested in
joining our team please visit www.mynevadacounty.com.
•
•
Deputy Probation Officer
Group Supervisor (Temporary)
3
Effecting Changes
Welcome Aboard!
I previously worked for a litigation law firm in San
Diego, Morris, Polich and Purdy as a clerk. My
family moved to Auburn a year and a half ago so I
could go back to school and get my degree. I have a
wife, Brianna, and a 2 ½-year-old daughter, Emmie.
I have an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and
will be transferring to Sacramento State for the fall
semester of 2015, majoring in Criminal Justice. In
my free time I play basketball and golf. If I am not
doing that I am spending time playing with my
daughter.
Jefferey French,
Temporary
Group
Supervisor,
December of
2014
Two Probation Staff Honored at the
2014 Annual CPOC Awards
Probation Program Manager Pamela Markham and
Probation Supervisor Jodi Tucker were honored by the
Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC) on
December 11, 2014, in Napa.
Program Manager Pamela Markham was awarded the
CPOC Trainer of the Year for all of California. Pam
developed AB109 training that was state certified for her
department and has trained numerous county agencies
and community partners on AB109 Prison Realignment.
Statewide, she has facilitated and trained at seven
Supervisor Leadership Academies around the state in
numerous counties. Pam brings a wealth of experience
and knowledge to her training and supplements it with
great energy and humor to deliver complex concepts.
Supervising Deputy Probation Officer Jodi Tucker was
awarded the Sacramento Region CPOC Employee of the
Year for 2014. Working in a satellite office in Truckee can
be challenging to cover all aspects of probation from
adult supervision, juvenile supervision and investigations.
Further, the Truckee office has been understaffed due to
difficulty filling and retaining good employees. Jodi is the
central hub for Community Corrections on the eastern
slope of Nevada County. Jodi's work ethic, integrity and
expertise have allowed probation to overcome these
setbacks, maintain services and meet all community
corrections needs.
4
Effecting Changes
A Fond Farewell!
Bruce Leathley
Deputy Probation Officer
It is no secret that we had the recent privilege of
congratulating Bruce Leathley on his decision to move on
to bigger and better things following his 30 plus years
with Nevada County. Bruce had a big impact on the
people around him and the voice to match. He was
commonly known to go the extra mile and do what
needed to be done. His daily personality and spirit will be
missed but not forgotten. Bruce was also known to have
a tool for just about every job and was creative in the
ways of fixing things or problem solving. A boy scout by
nature, “Be Organized” was his motto.
Bruce’s impact and networking extended far into the county. It seemed that everyone either knew Bruce or knew
of Bruce. A man of very little fear and willing to take on a challenge. Bruce was a large man with a heart to match.
The Probation Department and the County have greatly benefited from his knowledge and experience. Many of
us will miss the smell of onion bagels in the morning. On the way out the door, Bruce uttered, “May your cream
cheese always be lump free!” It is with great vigor and appreciation that we say thank you brother and keep in
touch!
Norm Rasmussen
Deputy Probation Officer
We lost another great team member when Norm
announced his retirement after 23 years of service with
Nevada County Probation. He started in the Juvenile
Hall in early 1992 and since becoming a Deputy
Probation Officer, he has held almost every assignment
in the Adult, Juvenile and Court Services units. He has
trained countless staff over the years in Court Services
and has helped that unit shine with his superior
knowledge and work ethic. Around the office, Norm
could always be counted on to lend a hand or an ear
and was well liked by all who knew him. Norm has had
a huge impact on our department and helped us get
where we are today. His departure has left a huge hole
for us to fill and he will be sorely missed. We wish him
the best in his retirement and hope that he never
forgets his Probation family!
5
Effecting Changes
Probation Success Story
~ by Juvenile Hall Cook, Lynn Slay~
Jeremy Hunter, a former probationer in Nevada
County, is currently living a life he once dreamed
about. He claims, “Cooking saved my life.” With
help and guidance from several mentors along the
way he was able to turn his life around. Today, he
is currently the Sous Chef at Mon Ami Gabi, a
French restaurant in Las Vegas.
I knew Jeremy from the Juvenile Hall in 2000
where he was assigned as a kitchen aid during his
stay. Recently, I had the privilege to meet with
him at his restaurant in Las Vegas. Jeremy is open
to share his story and would love the opportunity
to help and encourage any person struggling with
overcoming obstacles and achieving their dreams.
As a 19-year-old man battling drug addiction,
Jeremy found he was sinking further and further
into a dark existence. He was on probation and
was given the opportunity to attend a drug
rehabilitation program in San Francisco called
Project Jumpstart. He was sponsored by the late
Bill McNamara. The program had a community
service requirement for graduation, which led
Jeremy to start volunteering at a soup kitchen that
served over 3000 people a day. He was then
moved on to a secondary program, another soup
kitchen, which provided basic cooking training. He
used this training and worked several cooking
positions at various restaurants. His first “real”
job was in San Francisco and this is where he
began apprenticing for Chef Terry Lynch. This was
over 7 years ago and he is still currently working
for him as a Sous Chef at Mon Ami Gabi in Las
Vegas, Nevada.
“Cooking saved my life.”
Jeremy Hunter with Lynn Slay at Mon Ami Gabi, Las Vegas, Nevada
Jeremy told me that he believed he was his biggest
obstacle and his lack of self-esteem. If he had one thing
to tell anyone aspiring to follow their dreams it would be,
believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to take chances.
Find something you are passionate about and go for it.
The Culinary route is not an easy road, it requires very
long hours and is physically demanding, but the rewards
are never ending. Today Jeremy is very proud because he
has the ability to give back what was given to him. He too
is working with aspiring chefs and teaching them what
was taught to him. Jeremy was married a few years ago,
is currently expecting a son and just bought his first
home.
6
Effecting Changes
Community Partner Profile
Our opportunity to highlight some of the wonderful community organizations we work with
COMMON GOALS, INC. Adult, Adolescent & Family Substance Abuse Counseling
~ by Theresa Hodges, CAS~
Common Goals, Inc. has been serving the AOD
treatment and recovery needs of the Nevada
County community since 2005. Recognizing that
recovery from alcohol and drug problems is a
process of change affecting and benefitting the
individual, their family and their community, our
mission is to provide quality counseling and
treatment to adults, adolescents, and their
families in a positive and respectful manner in a
professional, yet friendly and open environment.
We strive to raise community awareness of the
social, mental health, physical health and financial
impacts of substance abuse.
Common Goals offers outpatient AOD treatment
for adults and adolescents, inclusive of group
sessions, individual sessions and random UA
testing; gender specific Anger Management for
adolescents and adults; intervention programs,
such as DEJ and Teen Intervention Program (TIP).
All programs utilize curricula that are evidencebased and conducive to encouraging motivation
for change, such as MRT (Moral Reconation
Therapy), Living in Balance, and Anderson &
Anderson’s Controlling Ourselves. Treatment
plans are personalized based on the individual’s
specific needs.
We conduct Substance Abuse and Anger
Management Assessments and Evaluations, and
our written assessment reports are accepted by
Nevada County Superior Courts Alternative
Sentencing Programs, Nevada County Family
Court Services, Nevada County CPS, Nevada
County Probation, Native TANF, as well as other
various county agencies throughout Northern
California.
In addition, Common Goals has two therapists on
staff, Steve Navisky, LMFT and Drew Mazer, PhD,
LMFT, who are available for our clients.
When requested, Common Goals provides
assessment, placement and transportation to
long term treatment through Nevada County
Superior Courts Alternative Sentencing Programs,
Nevada County Public Defender’s Office,
individuals and private attorneys. Arrangements
can be made to conduct assessments at Wayne
Brown Correctional Facility.
Our clients understand that each staff member is
accessible; and our open door policy allows
former clients to come by and sit in on a group, or
chat with any staff member.
Our Staff:
Fred Jefferson, CAS II, Program Director, has 13
years working with AOD clients from probation,
Nevada County Mental Health Court, Nevada
County Behavioral Health
Theresa L. Hodges, CAS, with 6 years in the
treatment field, works with our CPS clients, as
well as other adult clients, and is our Adolescent
Program Manager, working closely with probation
John C. Duff, III, RAS has worked in the treatment
field for 10 years and works with our adult
population
Rob Barker, CAS, is our P36 Program Coordinator
and has worked with AOD clients for 3 years
Tim Fleck, CAS Intern, is our AB109 Program
Coordinator, and has worked in the treatment
field for 20 years
Staff members remain up to date through
continuing education.
7
Effecting Changes
Adult Unit Report
~ by Supervising Deputy Probation Officer, Steve Sinclair ~
The Adult Division has been very busy this quarter with re-organizing our caseloads to meet the supervision
needs of our population. We have worked diligently to get our AB109 and High Risk caseloads below 50 for
each officer and hope this will allow us more time to case plan and focus on the criminogenic needs of our
offenders. Additionally, we have refocused on our Day Reporting Center Program and are offering a variety
of programming to meet the needs of our offenders. Like the rest of the Department, we are excited about
the new caseload management system and the hope it will allow us to manage our caseloads in a more
efficient way. All in all the Adult Division looks forward to starting the new year with a renewed focus on
refining and improving Nevada County Probation Evidence Based Model of offender supervision.
Juvenile Unit Report
~ by Supervising Deputy Probation Officer, Victoria DeFriese ~
The Juvenile Unit is pleased to report that our caseload numbers continue to decline. During this past quarter,
the amount of juveniles under supervision has declined roughly 25%. We can attribute this to the continued
efforts by the Juvenile Deputy Probation Officers to assess each individual and lend support and services to meet
their needs. The department has evolved to include Evidence Based Practices thereby supervising based on level
of risk, working case plans, identifying needs and offering services in conjunction with the aforementioned. Not
only do we make community referrals for services, but we have evolved to include in-house services which have
proven effective as our officers gain the opportunity to truly build a positive and supportive rapport with our
clients. Our outcomes are evidenced by our steady decline in our caseloads and have shown positive results.
We are looking forward to some additional changes beginning with the new year. Some of the changes include
expanding our truancy outreach program to include kindergarten through 8th grade, extending Loving Solutions
Parenting class to assist parents with 5-10-year-old children, and incorporating interactive journaling with our
Work Release and juvenile hall programs. Overall, we are looking forward to the new year and the opportunity
to continue and expand upon our outreach programs!
8
Effecting Changes
Juvenile Hall Happenings
~ by Program Manager, Mike Sypnicki ~
Senior Group Supervisor Dennis Haack and Group Supervisor II Melissa Blais participated
in recruiting at Sierra College Administration of Justice classes in November. In a couple
hours they were able to reach out to about 50 individuals that may meet the minimum
requirements for the Group Supervisor Classification. They gave a basic description of
the job duties, explained why they enjoyed working at the NCJH, described the
application process (including how to access mynevadacounty.com online) and spent the
majority of the presentation answering questions. They passed out approximately 30
applications and job description pamphlets and hope to add more presenters and make
a trip to the Roseville Gateway Campus in the future.
For the holiday season, juvenile hall adopted a family as we did last year. So instead of
having a white elephant gift exchange at our annual holiday party, employees put
money they would have spent on a gift toward the family. We bought and wrapped
presents and clothes and provided gift cards as well. Juvenile Hall staff were able to give
a 2-year-old boy and his mother a great Christmas they might not have had otherwise.
Juvenile Hall Youth Knit Hats for the Annual
Beanies for Babies Project
The youth reached their goal of making 100 beanies for the annual
Beanies for Babies project. A big thanks to our Cook, Lynn Slay, for
being in charge of this, and reaching out to organizations such as the
Domestic Violence Coalition, Hospitality House, Holiday Cheer (for
homebound seniors) along with CPS and helping them help those in
need. Each year during the holiday season, youth at the Juvenile Hall
have used looms to knit over 600 beanies that have been donated to
various charities. The girls and boys housed at Juvenile Hall volunteer to
participate by spending their free-time knitting hats. The knitted hats
are made in three sizes; infant, child and adult. This project has been
successful in teaching youth at the Juvenile Hall about charity and the
value of giving back to their community.
Juvenile Hall Videography/Photography Program – Making an Impact
by Senior Group Supervisor, Cynthia Wick
The Nevada County Juvenile Hall videography and photography program is up and running. Expression Through Art is based
on photo elicitation. Photo elicitation is a research method that engages participates in taking photos that are then used to
facilitate discussions. The photos or video that the youth take can carry or evoke information, affect and reflection. The
videos or photos encourage the youth to open up about their struggles and the challenges they face. The benefits to using
photo elicitation are that youth get to photograph subjects that are important to them. Youth can express their experiences,
feelings and preferences in an empowering and non-threating manner. The program also encourages youth to share
information to aid in case work and to set goals. Photo elicitation teaches youth a skill and can enhance self-esteem, instill
hope and assist with personal and interpersonal growth.
One youth, “MD” says that he likes taking pictures and video, then adding music to the slide show. This youth states that he
also enjoys working with other youth when it comes to putting their ideas together. “The program is great and I would like to
eventually go outside and photograph nature and add my own music to the video.” The youth would like to thank Chief
Ertola, our Fine Arts Instructor, Bryan and all the people involved that made this program possible.
9
Effecting Changes
Juvenile Hall Culinary Program - Providing Inspiration
~ by Cook, Jessika Munroe~
For his Senior Project, a youth wanted to do a demonstration of making
Mango Salsa. I ordered the mangos a week early so they would be ripe;
however, when it came time to make the salsa the mangos were as hard
as rocks. Cook Lynn Slay and I searched all over town. What we found
were hard as rocks save for one ripe mango, not quite enough. The youth
graciously made “regular” tomato salsa, with a “few” habaneros. He had
us coughing as if we were pepper sprayed as he gleefully ground more
habaneros in the food processor. One batch of salsa made for tasting, a
small batch prepped for the demonstration and 5 plus habaneros later,
we were in the classroom for a PowerPoint presentation and written
report on the history of cooking and a career in the Culinary Arts. The
PowerPoint presentation focused on what it is like to work in a
commercial kitchen, explaining the noise, constant movement, jobs, long
hours, education, stress and pay. His written report was very in-depth,
reminding me of lost nuggets of information as well as some new
information such as the “600 BC Assyrian king, Sardanapalus, said to
~ Senior Project Salsa Demonstration, Juvenile Hall ~
have introduced the first cooking competition with the prize of thousands
of gold pieces.” As well as, in 1634 the French Provence of Dijon was granted exclusive rights to make mustard. Lastly, in
1815 the worlds’ first commercial biscuit factory is set up in Carlisle, Scotland: The Carr Establishment. I don’t think that I
myself put so much work into a report while attending The Culinary Institute of America! Salsa demonstration completed, it
was time to taste. Most of the youth loved the slow burn of the 5 plus habanero salsa and didn’t know the other option was
a crunchy mango salsa.
On a sweet note, another youth made a bright orange Halloween cake for her Senior Project. This Halloween themed cake
was covered in fondant and fondant witches. This youth had never worked with fondant, let alone made a cake. On a side
note, I was worried about the fondant work as it has been 15 plus years since I worked with fondant! Luckily, Lynn had found
a super easy fondant recipe with marshmallows, butter and the microwave. The youth made her list; white cake, strawberry
cream cheese frosting with lots of red food dye to look like blood, orange fondant covered rectangle cake, bats, and oh yes,
a stencil of witches! This proved to be a bit of a challenge as she was not allowed to use an X-Acto knife. She cut most of it
out and I did the itty bitty parts. To actually cut out the black witches, she placed the stencil on the black fondant and made
dots around it with a pencil. When she was out of the kitchen I then cut out the witches with the X-Acto knife. In retrospect,
a cookie cutter would have been a lot faster and easier, but just not as much fun!
~ Senior Project, Halloween Themed Cake, Juvenile Hall ~
It was amazing to watch the glow of excited pride as she made
and colored fondant, rolled it out, covered her cake, attached
the witches and bats, and finally added black fondant ribbon
ruffles. Every time the cake was carried in or out of the freezer
to be worked on we held our breath, fearful one of us would
drop it resulting in a big colorful splat on the floor. Happily the
cake survived its trips and was a big hit when she did her
presentation on the history of baking, now inspired to have a
career in the Baking and Pastry World.
I feel very honored to have been involved with such fun
projects; they feed my soul while fueling my passion for
cooking and teaching. At times it can be a struggle to keep a
lid on my enthusiasm!
10
Effecting Changes
Probation Department Forms
Organizational Excellence Committee
~ by Deputy Probation Officer, Jim Amaral~
The Nevada County Probation Department is proud to announce the introduction of the Organizational
Excellence Committee (OEC). The OEC has six goals that they hope to accomplish:
1. Create a forum in which Department concerns can be discussed by a cross section of the Department
and potential solutions can be recommended to the Chief of Probation.
2. Create a forum in which recommendations for Department change can be discussed, investigated and
recommendations made to the Chief of Probation.
3. Maintain high level of morale and “family” by planning activities to bring our “Work Family” together
in a social atmosphere.
4. Encourage a high level of involvement in the Department and community by all employees.
5. Maintain an atmosphere in which free and open communication is encouraged without fear of
retribution. The goal in this would be to obtain new and diverse ideas (thinking out of the box).
6. Members of the OEC will be representatives for and liaisons to their constituents and will be a useful
tool for all employees. Members of the OEC will strive to be positive influences on the Department
and the community.
The OEC members are Chief Mike Ertola,
Probation Supervisor Steve Sinclair, Senior
Group Supervisor Frank Cook, Probation
Officers Jim Amaral, Merrill Straub, and
Tarah Guild, Legal Office Assistants Tina
West, Darsi Gaines, and Teresa Kooi and
Group Supervisor Melissa Blais. The OEC’s
first meeting was held on December 9,
2014, and they have created a new
selection process for a peer nominated
Employee of the Year. The Department has also implemented a Department wide brown bag lunch on the last
Thursday of each month at 12:00 p.m. at the Probation Department. Other ideas discussed were Challenge
Coins and a Department wide excursion to the Sacramento River Cats in the summer of 2015.
The next OEC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday February 3, 2015, at 10:00 am. Any ideas, suggestions, or
proposals can be submitted to any of the above listed OEC members.
11
Effecting Changes
JESSIKA’S WIKKED TIDBITS
1.
Arrange sausage patties and bell
pepper strips on a baking sheet, drizzle
with olive oil, salt and pepper.
2.
Bake at 400 degrees until just firm –
over cooked venison is nasty, peppers
may be roasted to desired tenderness.
3.
Toast English muffins in oven, spread
with butter, place one piece of cheese
on each half. Set on backing tray.
4.
Cook eggs to liking, I think over easy is
best.
Venison Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches
Feel free to substitute any type of sausage patty.
I found this recipe to be simple and easy – would
work with any type of game meat
2lbs venison
½lb pork fat, cut in 1 inch cubes, well chilled –
SPD Meat market will give this to you for free!!!
½ tsp Nutmeg
¾ tsp Sage, ground
2 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ cup ice water
1. Trim venison of bloody areas and
connective tissue, cut into 1 inch cubes
and grind in meat grinder with medium
grinder plate, alternating with pork fat.
2. Combine spices and cold water.
3. Mix ground meats and water/spice mix by
hand until well combined.
4. Using an ice cream scoop for consistency,
scoop sausage into approximately 2 ounce
balls, flatten into patties.
5. If you will not be using all the patties,
layer with wax paper and freeze.
Makes about 28- 2 ounce patties
For Sandwiches – I love these for Dinner!!!!!
Serves 4 or 2 Hungry Hunters
4 Sausage Patties
4 or 8 Large Eggs
4 Whole Wheat English Muffins
4 Large Pieces Alpine Lace Swiss cheese – cut into
4 pieces each
4 tb Butter
1 cup Baby Spinach
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut in ½ inch strips
2 tb Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
5.
Place sausage patties on one half of
English muffin, top with a piece of
cheese, top with egg, top with roasted
pepper, top with cheese.
6.
Place sandwiches in oven to melt
cheese.
7.
When cheese is melted, top sandwiches
with spinach, cover with remaining
English muffin and DEVOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!
We usually think of ourselves as having
many “irons in the fire.”
HMMM, where did that come from?
Answer on page 14
Did you know trivia is good for you???
Trivia improves cognition, lowers cortisol
levels
and
helps
you
regulate
your
emotions!
12
13
Effecting Changes
Probation Stars
People recognized by their co-workers for a job well done!
Rebecca – Thank you for all your time and extra effort working on getting this new

Caseload Explorer program fitted to Nevada County Probation Department’s
requirements.
Tina – Thank you for pulling reports off Rebecca’s desk so she can work on the Caseload

Explorer program.
Teri –Lynn – Thank you for pulling extra work off Rebecca’s desk so she can work on the

Caseload Explorer program. Also, thank you for your clear training methods.

Teresa – Thank you for compiling information for Rebecca regarding the juvenile
entries necessary in the new Caseload Explorer program. Also, thank you for your
methodical training of Darsi in juvenile matters.

Robyn – Thank you for your even disposition while handling clients up front.
Merrill – Thank you for thinking outside the box. The fishing academy was a great

success!

Jimmy – Thank you for bringing great ideas to the table!


Steve – Always willing to take on more…Thanks!
Darsi – Thank you for assisting adult unit in printing out minutes, freeing up Rebecca
and Teri-Lynn’s time to work on other matters. Also, thank you for assisting with new
juvenile referrals from Robyn’s desk, when time allows.


Bob – Thanks so much for being the paper delivery guy! You saved me once again!
Jeremy – Thank you for always being a good sport and allowing friendly banter!
14
Effecting Changes
New Case Management System Is Here!
We are currently transitioning to our new Automon case management system. We are in the process of
learning and becoming comfortable with the new system as well as developing new and improved business
processes made possible by the new system. As with any big change, we have to branch out from the
familiar, but in the end this system will provide us with better tools to do our jobs and allow us to continue
in our growth and progress as a department.
TRIVIA ANSWER
Irons in the fire; Blacksmiths traditionally worked iron into shape by hammering. The iron being worked would be heated in the fire until
it was red-hot and malleable. The Smith removes the iron from the fire and shapes it with repeated blows from a hammer. They need to
work quickly before the iron cools. Once the iron is cool, it becomes brittle and cannot be hammered.
Once removed from the fire, the iron cools quickly. It takes longer to heat the iron to red-hot than it takes for it to cool. Blacksmiths work
more efficiently by having multiple pieces of iron in the fire heating simultaneously. In that way, the Smith can always have a piece of
iron red-hot and ready for hammering. The cooled piece would be returned to the fire if it needed more hammering.
Staff and Contributors
Mike Ertola – Chief Probation Officer
Rebecca Spurgeon -- Legal Office Assistant
Teresa Kooi – Legal Office Assistant
Merrill Straub – Deputy Probation Officer
Joseph Roberts – Deputy Probation Officer
Steve Sinclair – Supervising Deputy Probation Officer
Victoria DeFriese – Supervising Deputy Probation Officer
Mike Sypnicki –Probation Program Manager
Jim Amaral – Deputy Probation Officer
Cynthia Wick – Senior Group Supervisor
Lynn Slay - Cook
Jessika Munroe - Cook
Theresa Hodges – Common Goals, Inc.
Angie Coffey – Sr. Legal Office Assistant
15

Download Report