HOPE Program Assistant Named SDCOE Classified Employee of the Year

SDCOE’s Classified School Employee of the Year for 2023 is Betsy DeLaRosa, a special education assistant in the HOPE Infant Family Support Program.  

A panel of seven classified support employees selected DeLaRosa for the honor because of her years of commitment to young children and their families.

“She consistently goes above and beyond to enrich the program, creating student opportunities, supporting families with much-needed resources, assisting with American Sign Language and Spanish translation, and much more,” one panel member said.

“Betsy has been with HOPE for 24 years and has supported the program in so many ways,” said Amanda Robinson, a school social worker who nominated DeLaRosa. DeLaRosa's role has evolved along with the program over the years, as she has supported families and coworkers, Robinson added.

DeLaRosa often goes above and beyond what is expected and takes the initiative to seek partnerships or appropriate opportunities in the community for young children with disabilities.

“As an example, she’s attended different library story times throughout the South Bay area to determine what accommodations can be made to give HOPE infants and toddlers successful community experiences and provided this info for teachers to share with families,” Robinson explained.

Through partnerships, DeLaRosa helps connect families with resources to help with a variety of issues, including housing, food, financial assistance, advocacy resources, medical support, immigration, and mental health.

DeLaRosa started at SDCOE in 1998 with a team focused on autism. Throughout the years, she has worked with early childhood special education teachers to provide direct instruction and coaching during service visits within the child’s natural environment.

“Betsy brings creativity and kindness to all her interactions with families,” Robinson said. “She deserves recognition for her dedication, her competent and creative execution of many tasks, and her willingness to do the hard work.”