County Office Of Education Chief, Dr. Steven Winlock, Retires

By Taylor Johnson & Stephen Magagnini | OBSERVER Staff

Steve Winlock, whose 50 years as a teacher and education administrator took him from school districts across Sacramento to Europe and back, is retiring as executive director of the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), School of Education.

“It’s been 50 years and I decided that it’s time for me to look at the next step in life and what’s going to be in the next chapter of my life,” Winlock said. “I turned 71, and I think that being 71, there’s still some time that you can do another chapter. And I just wanted to spend some time with it.”

SCOE’s School of Education includes programs that help new teachers get their credentials and aspiring leaders become administrators. Its mission is to provide high-quality credential programs and professional development to support teachers and leaders in the Capital region. It comprises three divisions: teaching, leading, and technical support.

SCOE Superintendent Dave Gordon, who has known and worked with Winlock for 34 years, called Winlock “one of a kind, a great person and exceptional leader.”

“Steve has built our county school of education from nothing to training over 1,000 administrators as well as teachers all over the state and his leadership has been extraordinary.” Gordon added, “He’s an even better person – he’s volunteered to support arts and the greater community. He’s a dear person and one of my favorite people in the world.”

Winlock began his career as an intern teacher with the Sacramento City Unified School District. “It was actually a great job because the state of California was in the process of trying to diversify the teaching force, and so I was given a scholarship,” he said.

He became a full-time teacher at Folsom Cordova Unified School District, teaching third grade for two years before flying across the Atlantic Ocean to Germany where for three years he taught the children of U.S. military personnel stationed in Berlin.

In the heart of Europe, he found another love outside of teaching — performing arts. 

“I was a performer, also singing and dancing and working with musicals in Berlin, Germany,” Winlock said. “The biggest role that I had was Judas in  Jesus Christ Superstar.” Winlock also played the lead in Raisin In The Sun, the musical at Sac State. 

He’s served on the Sacramento Art, Culture and Creative Economy Commission for eight years and believes “arts education educates the whole child and makes them a more well-rounded student.”

In 2023, the state of California approved Proposition 28 for Arts Education, which Winlock advocated for throughout California. “As a result, it permanently established art education in schools, including music, dance, theatre and digital arts programs,” Winlock said.

If the Trump Administration cuts federal education programs including Title I funding, “it will impact our ability to help our disadvantaged students’ Winlock said. Pre schools such as Head Start also depend on federal funding, “and cutting that funding would hurt our ability to help with early learners – one of the most crucial times in a child’s education.”

After working as a 3rd grade teacher for the U.S. Department of Defense in Berlin, he returned to Sacramento in 1980 and became principal at Cordova Villa Elementary School in the Folsom Cordova School District, an area where he grew up.

He went on to serve as principal at the Raymond School for Mentally Disabled Students, while continuing his love for performing arts around the state.

Later, Winlock looked to help administrators thrive in their positions by teaching them. He worked for the California Department of Education’s California School Leadership Academy  with various leaders across the state, but focusing on those in Northern California.

“School leadership is one of the most challenging jobs that we have in education,” Winlock said. “We have to make sure that we’re supporting those that are leading schools and helping them understand what’s the best way to go.”

Eventually all his experience led him to the SCOE and then the Elk Grove Unified School District to serve as the director of elementary education and associate superintendent. He said it was one of the highlights of his career. 

“We built over 30 schools, elementary, middle schools and high schools during the time that I was there, and it was exciting to work with new families and work with new administrators and teachers coming to new schools,” Winlock said. 

He then headed back to the SCOE, where he worked on training professionals as the executive director of the school of education.

Not only did his career in education thrive but his passion for the arts also persisted.

Winlock has been an arts commissioner for the last 12 years, and served on various art boards such as music, circuses, Broadway series. He was still involved with local theater as well.

He said regardless of what his next chapter will look like, he will still be involved in the community. 

“I believe in community, and I believe in the arts,” he said. “I believe in all those kinds of things. So I decided I want to spend some more time in those areas, developing and working for those children.”

Winlock’s last day with SCOE was Aug. 28. He will be replaced by Shanine Coats.

“She and I are having the best time collaborating,” Winlock said. “She’s having a wonderful time meeting my team and being involved. So, when she does start, when I retire, she’ll be part of the fabric,” he said.

Winlock said education has been a journey for him. He hopes everyone will have the opportunity to feel passionate about personal and professional development.

“There is nothing that is more overwhelming than seeing children you’ve taught grow up and succeed,” he said.  “I’ve just been accepted as a docent giving tours to students at Crocker Art Museum,” Winlock said. “I will continue to be an on-air presence at KVIE as an auctioneer at their art annual auction, a role I’ve played for over 30 years.”