Contra Costa County Office of Education

Upcoming Contra Costa County High School Model UN Announces Record Participation

2011-10-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

Contra Costa County Model United Nations Gavel Winners from 2010

An impressive increase in student participants planning to take part in the 21st annual conference of the Contra Costa County High School Model United Nations, is announced by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE). The Model UN, to be held on November 4-5, has a current count of 315 registered students – a jump of 38% over last year.

During these times of slashing school budgets and the continued downsizing of educational opportunities for our students, this increase of student participation is certainly remarkable. Despite such obstacles, the students, as well as their parents and schools, find ways to take part in such important academic opportunities.

Model UN, is one of five academic events produced by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE). “This is a wonderful opportunity for these students to utilize what they have learned in their classrooms, Model UN school clubs, and on their own, as they participate in a professionally organized event,” reports CCCOE Chief Communications Officer Peggy Marshburn. “Our Model UN program continues to grow in participating schools and students. We often hear from the schools how our academic events [such as Model UN] are a tremendous hands-on learning option to offer their students, plus the experience makes a great addition to the students’ college applications.”

The CCCOE’s other upcoming academic events include Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial, and National History Day, which are also looking at an increase in participating schools and students, evident by many early registrants. In addition, the CCCOE’S second-year Mock Trial Invitational, to be held in early December, has already reached maximum capacity.

Model United Nations is a simulation of the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies. In Model UN, students step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the organization's agenda. While playing their roles as ambassadors, student delegates make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the Model UN conference rules of procedure – all in the interest of mobilizing international cooperation to resolve problems that affect countries all over the world.

Before playing out their ambassadorial roles in a Model UN simulation, students research the issue that their committee will address. Model UN participants learn how the international community acts on its concerns about topics including peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development and globalization. Model UN delegates also look closely at the needs, goals and foreign policies of the countries they will represent at the event. The insights they gain from their exploration of history, geography, culture, economics and science contribute to the authenticity of the simulation when the role playing gets under way. The delegates' in-depth knowledge of their countries guarantees a lively and memorable experience.

This year marks the 67th Anniversary of the United Nations founding in San Francisco. To give students (delegates) a flavor of the UN’s real-world accomplishments, former United Nations Development Programme Senior Officer Herb Behrstock will be serving as the keynote speaker at the Opening Plenary ceremony. Behrstock is the current president of the UN Association, East Bay Chapter.

Participating in this year’s Contra Costa County Model UN are students from: Acalanes High (Lafayette), Antioch High, Athenian High (Danville), Campolindo High (Moraga), Carondelet High (Concord), Deer Valley High (Antioch), De La Salle High (Concord), Dougherty Valley High (San Ramon), Las Lomas (Walnut Creek), Liberty High (Brentwood), Livermore Valley Charter Preparatory High (Livermore), Marin Academy (San Rafael), Northgate High (Walnut Creek), and San Ramon Valley High (Danville).

For additional information about CCCOE’s Model UN and other academic events, please contact Peggy Marshburn at (925) 942-3420, visit their website.

10th Annual Contra Costa Shelter-in-Place Drill takes place on November 2

2011-10-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

School children across Contra Costa County will participate in the 10th Annual Countywide Shelter in Place Drill to practice safety procedures in the chance of a nearby hazardous-material release. Directed by the Contra Costa County Community Awareness Emergency Response Group (CAER), this year’s Shelter-in-Place Drill will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 2, and all public and private schools, and childcare centers throughout Contra Costa County are encouraged to participate. Last year, approximately 200 sites participated in the drill. (Schools are more than welcome to choose another date to participate with this drill.)

CAER Executive Director Tony Semenza says, “Contra Costa CAER is encouraged each year with increased number of participating Shelter-in-Place schools. CAER works with, and will continue to work with, all the schools in our county to be sure that they know how and when to shelter in place. Teachers and students should all know shelter-in-place procedures, just as they are trained about what to do in case of a fire or earthquake. I encourage everyone to join us in preparing for the worst so that we may do our best during an emergency.”

This annual safety event gives children and their caregivers an important opportunity to practice responding to the Community Warning System (CWS) alerts, which sound a siren when there has been a dangerous chemical release or other disaster that requires a Shelter-in-Place. These alerts can be sent via sirens, radio, TV, social media postings, and subscribed cell-phone-text messages.

Hazardous-material releases can result from many sources in Contra Costa County, including accidents at chemical treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants, facilities that store and/or manufacture hazardous materials and refineries, but also from collisions involving trucks or trains that transport chemicals. The possibility of accidents and the threat of terrorism make it important for residents, which include the county’s youngest members, to recognize and respond correctly to shelter-in-place alerts.

Shelter in place means to make a shelter out of the place you are in. It is a way for you to make the building as safe as possible to protect yourself until help arrives or the emergency has passed. You should not try to shelter in a vehicle unless you have no other choice. Vehicles are not airtight enough to give you adequate protection from chemicals.

CAER is a coalition of local agencies, businesses, industries, community groups, and emergency response organizations. The non-profit organization works together to improve emergency response planning and inform the public about how to react in the event of a hazardous-materials emergency.

For additional information about this year’s Contra Costa County Shelter-in-Place Drill, contact CAER at 925-313-9296 or visit their website.

Announcing the County Teacher of the Year Deborah Bordeau, Oakley Unified Elementary School District

2011-10-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

The COE’s Annual Teacher of the Year Dinner Celebration, held on September 15, was another huge success! Concluding an energy-driven and exciting evening at the Concord Hilton, our emcee, Dr. Joseph Ovick, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools, concluded the night-long anticipated naming of our county’s next Teacher of the Year – it was Laurel Elementary’s Deborah Bordeau (right). Bordeau has been teaching at Laurel Elementary for the past two decades.

After accepting her award, Bordeau told the crowded room: “Exactly one year ago today, I was sitting in a chair receiving my last chemo treatment for breast cancer, and then this year, I’m on stage being honored as Teacher of the Year for the county. So if anyone tells you not much happens in a year – don’t you believe them!”

Following being named by the Oakley Union Elementary School District as their district Teacher of the Year (TOY), this past March, Bordeau successfully proceeded with the other 17 eligible county candidates through a rigorous county-wide selection process, which included an application screening, classroom evaluation, interview, and speech presentation. Her fellow finalists were Donna Kenyon, a fifth grade teacher at Baldwin Elementary in Danville, and Sue Noce, a Spanish and reading teacher at Foothill Middle School in Walnut Creek.

More than 400 attendees were on hand for an evening that will certainly not be forgotten. The audience was made up of the TOYs’ family members and friends, as well as numerous local educators, business partners, and officials. Kicking off the festivities was “Cool Beans 5,” Heritage High’s Jazz ensemble, directed by former 2009-2010 Teacher of the Year finalist Steve Ernest. Dr. Ovick introduced the TOY class of 2011-2012 (19 on hand) by sharing to the audience his visits to each of the teachers' classrooms. This was followed by speeches of the three TOY finalists, their topic: “What I have learned from my students.” Following the three speeches, Bordeau's announcement was made.

The evening’s festivities were taped by CCTV, is scheduled for the following broadcast date:
* Thursday, October 20, 8:00 p.m.

CCTV is on Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32, and AT&T U-Verse channel 99. For additional air dates, check CCTV’s program guide.

Campolindo High ROP student hones his auto repair skills over the summer

2011-07-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

Nick Holbrook

On a very warm July afternoon, Campolindo High School student, Nick Holbrook, was found in the bustling Nick’s Mercedes Service repair shop, located in Lafayette. Dressed in the shop’s mechanic uniform, Holbrook was assisting one of the shop technicians with a transmission flush and ignition tune-up on a mid-2000 Mercedes. Holbrook, an incoming high school senior, is working at his first ROP internship this summer at Nick’s Mercedes. It is the repair-shop’s first experience of offering an ROP internship as well.

Steve Boone, Holbrook’s ROP Advanced Automotive Technology teacher, at Campolindo, recently checked in with his student at the work place: “Nick [Holbrook] is doing fine and still has the excitement in his voice when he talks about the shop. Nick Wilhelm (proprietor of Nick’s Mercedes) and the rest of the employees are wonderful people, and they tell me how great Nick Holbrook is, working and learning in their shop. Nick's mentors are Andre and Jerry, who are the full-time technicians at the shop. Nick [Holbrook] only had wonderful things to say about these guys.”

In his classroom, Boone says that Holbrook is one of his hardest workers in the shop. “He goes right to work and always tries his best. He is eager to learn and always willing to give a hand to anyone working on a car.”

Holbrook reports that the internship has been, “Awesome! I have been learning so much this summer.” Holbrook said that he will be taking ROP Advanced Automotive Technology II this coming fall at Campolindo.

Wilhelm said that Holbrook’s internship has really worked out well. “He and I talk every day about the cars in the shop and the repairs we are providing. Yesterday, I worked one-on-one with Nick [Holbrook] for two hours on a car. He is a quick learner, and he’s getting a lot of hands-on experience working with Mercedes models that range from 1980-2007.”

Boone recalled that earlier this year, Holbrook came to him a few times after class asking questions about the possibility of a summer internship. “I answered his questions and he took a liking to the idea, even though I was pushing him to take an unpaid internship. With an unpaid internship, I can get the local auto shops in the area interested in working with us, because ROP will pay for the work-site insurance coverage that is needed while the student is being trained.”

Boone asked Holbrook to come up with a list of auto-repair shops he would like to work for. Holbrook came back with a prioritized list, with Nick’s Mercedes on the top. “I called them up, talked to them about Nick [Holbrook], and how he wanted to intern in their shop. Soon after, they all met together, along with Holbrook’s father and Contra Costa County Office of Education Principal of Student Programs Sally Savage, to discuss and finalize the internship contract.

The entire staff at Nick’s Mercedes is still amused – as well as impressed – with Holbrook’s arriving to work on time, but exactly a week early. Apparently, he wanted to time his bike ride from home to work on a weekday morning, just to make sure he knew how long it would take him to show up on time, when he officially started his internship.

What sparked his interest in working with cars? “Before entering high school, I enjoyed taking mechanical things apart, figuring out how they work, and then putting them back together,” said Holbrook. Though he never worked on cars, he was hooked after taking the Beginning Automotive Technology class, also taught by Boone. After he finishes high school, Holbrook said he would like to attend an automotive technology school. “My goal is to work for an independent car repair shop, just like Nick’s Mercedes,” Holbrook said with excitement in his voice.

Thanks to an encouraging ROP teacher, internship opportunity classes, and, of course, his supportive family, Holbrook’s goal will certainly be achieved in the upcoming years. And maybe someday, another Nick’s specialized repair shop will be opening up in the area.

(l-r) Nick Wilhelm, Nick Holbrook, Steve Boone

The Contra Costa County ROP serves 11,000 students with classes in 33 high schools throughout Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Currently, there are 361 state-of-the-art career-development classes in this program. ROP focuses on career preparation, hands-on experience, and academic excellence to prepare students for success in college and future careers. ROP provides students with the newest equipment, rigorous academic standards, and classes in emerging technologies. All of the ROP classes, internships, and programs are directed by and funded through the Contra Costa County Office of Education. For more information about ROP, visit their website.

San Ramon student does well in recent National History Day National Final

2011-06-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

Julienne Sauer in front of her exhibit.

Windemere Ranch Middle School student Julienne Sauer did a wonderful job representing Contra Costa County at last week’s National History Day (NHD) Finals, held at the University of Maryland. Sauer was a National Finalist in the Junior (middle school) Individual Exhibit category and placed 10th in the nation among 84 junior individual exhibit projects.

NHD is a national program, with state and regional (county-level) competitions, in which middle and high school students prepare projects – posters, exhibits, papers, websites, dramatic performances and documentary films – on a historical theme. Students can choose to enter as individuals (as did Sauer) or teams (two-to-five members). During the 2010-2011 school year, National History Day invited students to research topics related to the theme of Diplomacy and Dialogue in History: Successes, Failures, and Consequences. This program provides an opportunity for students to improve academic achievement through deep and broad study addressing multiple standards and including tasks such as formulating questions, reading widely and thoroughly, bridging reading to writing, doing primary research, evaluating evidence, organizing, presenting, explaining and defending ideas.

Sauer’s exhibit title was: The Cable Car Wars: A City Debates to Preserve its Character. She said her interest in this topic began when she visited San Francisco’s Cable Car Museum. She had always enjoyed riding the country’s only moveable landmarks in the past, but she became fascinated with the science behind the cable cars, their history, and why they were the city’s symbol. “When I found out that San Francisco almost lost its beloved cable cars and a public debate had saved them, I immediately knew that I had the right topic for this year’s NHD theme,” says Sauer.

The NHD California State Competition has been held since 1999, but this was the first year that Contra Costa County students had competed in the program. “It began last year when representatives from the Kenneth Behring Foundation approached Dr. Joseph Ovick, County Superintendent of Schools, on developing this new county-wide academic event, reports Chief Communications Officer Peggy Marshburn of the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE). “We recruited student and teacher participation throughout the county, and the Foundation provided a $5000.00 grant to assist our students and their teachers with the costs of participating in this excellent program.” For more than 20 years, the CCCOE has directed other annual county-wide academic events, including Mock Trial, Model UN, and Academic Decathlon.

On March 12, Sauer was one of 15 Contra Costa County students who competed in the NHD local competition, along with students from nine other nearby counties. The event was held at the Oakland Museum of California, located in Oakland, Calif. The (then) six-grade student and 13 other Contra Costa County participants went on to the NHD California State Competition, which was held on April 28, in San Jose, Calif. Winning her category, Sauer was the only Contra Costa County participant to go on to the national competition.

Julienne at the NHD opening ceremony at the University of Maryland

Sauer’s mother, Sia, says “Julienne really enjoyed the whole experience, including meeting Mr. Behring and his family. They told her how proud they were to have someone from Contra Costa competing at the finals.”

Julienne’s mother continued, “We are grateful to the Behring Foundation and the CCCOE for making this possible. Julienne says she can't wait to start next year's project now that she has seen how amazing the competition is at the nationals!”

ROP biotechnology students continue their winning ways

2011-05-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

The Contra Costa County ROP (Regional Occupational Program) congratulates two of its students, Blake Marggraff and Matthew Feddersen, who won the Best in Fair award at Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair (CCCSEF), held in early April, and then went on to present their science project to a robust international judging team last week in Los Angeles, at the Intel^® International Science and Engineering Fair^® 2011. In Los Angeles, the high school seniors, Marggraff and Feddersen, received the Intel ISEF Best of Category Award, Medicine and Health Sciences ($5,000.00); First Place Grand Award, Medicine and Health Sciences ($3,000.00); and the top prize, First Place-The Gordon E. Moore Award ($75,000.00) for their project: Simulated Treatment of Cancer with Photoelectric Effect-Produced Secondary Radiation.

Matthew Feddersen and Blake Marggraff

During this school year, Marggraff and Feddersen have been attending ROP’s Accelerated Biotechnology and Research course, taught by Jay Chugh, at Acalanes High School. Chugh, encourages all of his students to submit projects to the Contra Costa Fair. Students must go through and win a regional Intel affiliated science fair before being submitted for international competition. During the same week he was in Los Angeles, Marggraff was also one of the 36 recipients of the Contra Costa County ROP Students of Excellence Awards. “This is a perfect example of how quality ROP classes can impact students’ lives and their communities,” said Sally Savage, principal, Student Programs.

"We are proud of these young scientists' accomplishments! They have stimulated a flurry of attention at the international fair, where more than 40 countries compete," said April Treece, CCCSEF director.

The Contra Costa County ROP serves 11,000 students with classes in 33 high schools throughout Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Currently, there are 361 state-of-the-art career-development classes in this program. ROP focuses on career preparation, hands-on experience, and academic excellence to prepare students for success in college and future careers. ROP provides students with the newest equipment, rigorous academic standards, and classes in emerging technologies. All of the ROP classes and programs are directed by and funded through the Contra Costa County Office of Education. For more information about ROP classes, visit their website.

The CCCSEF was held on March 31, April 1 and 2,at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg. Six high schools and eight middle schools submitted 120 projects and engaged more than 140 students in this year’s competition.

At the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair:
^{Matt on the far left, Blake right next to him}

The County Science and Engineering Fair competition would not be possible, nor would the two students be able to attend the international competition to share their innovative science without the contributions of the following sponsors: John Muir Health, Chevron, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Kaiser Permanente, The Dow Chemical Company, Eichleay Engineers, and GenOn Energy.

High school ROP teacher and student teach college students on the weekends

2011-04-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

Recently, on a cold, rainy Saturday early morning at San Francisco State University’s Downtown Campus, the college students of the day-long WordPress (a blog program) class were introduced to their class professor, Lane Good (left). Lane has been teaching electronic media course at San Francisco State since 1999 – he is also a Contra Costa County Office of Education ROP Web Design II instructor at Kennedy High School in Richmond. Along with Lane were two of his Kennedy students, serving as classroom teaching assistants.

Throughout the day, Lane would present his course material in front of the class with his PowerPoint presentation, while he and his assistants would check in with the students who requested some one-to-one assistance at their individual computers. This turned out to be a very effective way of teaching the attendees how to produce their own blogs and websites.

One of his very helpful assistants on this day was current ROP student German Rodriguez (above, right). German is in his senior year at Kennedy, and has been also serving as one of Lane’s teaching assistants for the past few years. While possessing a quiet and somewhat shy demeanor, German had no problem answering the students’ questions throughout the day. It was obvious that he really enjoyed working with students, and sharing his knowledge of the WordPress program.

German said how much he likes Lane’s classes: “He is always introducing us to the very latest technology, so we will be the most up-to-date when we move on to our next class. And, I really enjoy working with him here at San Francisco State University!” German’s experience in tutoring college students while he’s still in high school will certainly look good on his resume.

“What a phenomenal opportunity for a high school student to experience college culture,” said CCCOE Principal David Fendel. “Lane's dedication to giving his students the skills and experience necessary to thrive in the real world is outstanding, and a great example of the productive relationship that ROP and pathway academies are forging in our high schools. Lane's expertise, coupled with the ROP web design curriculum, arms students with the technical and work skills they need to be successful after high school.”

Lane has been teaching a variety of digital arts courses at San Francisco State since 1999, and has been a teacher at Kennedy High for close to five years. Prior to coming to Kennedy, he taught at El Cerrito High and Richmond High. At Kennedy, Lane serves as the lead teacher in the school’s Information Technology Academy. Other courses he teaches at Kennedy include digital arts/web design, computer systems management, and computer networking.

With the combination of his longtime natural gift of freehand illustration, his love for digital arts, and Lane’s guidance, German has his future mapped out after Kennedy High School. He has been accepted to attend Ex’pression College, in Emeryville, where he’ll begin this fall to earn his B.A. degree in digital animation. His dream is to work for a company such as Pixar or Disney.

After a long and fruitful day of learning the new skill of WordPress, all the students agreed that they really appreciated Lane’s class and instruction, along with the assistance of future star digital animator German Rodriguez.

German assisting a student

County Office of Education instructor earns distinguished award from Sheriff's Office

2011-03-10T12:36:00.000-08:00

Due to his service as an outstanding and dedicated teacher, whose knowledge and skills are respected by students and staff alike, Contra Costa County Office of Education’s (CCCOE) adult education instructor Rick Boughton was one of 11 candidates who earned a special award given by the county’s Sheriff David Livingston (Sheriff Livingston and Rick Boughton, pictured above left). During the recent Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff’s 2010 Officer and Employee of the Year Awards Ceremony, Boughton was presented the Detention Services Division (non officer) Employee of the Year Award. The four-tour Vietnam War Navy veteran and 35-year professional woodworker, Boughton has served as the woodshop instructor at the Marsh Creek Detention Facility, in Clayton, since 2001.

In the crowed Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Chambers, in Martinez, Lieutenant Brian Kalinowski, who originally nominated Boughton for the award, introduced him to the numerous attendees. During his introduction, Lieutenant Kalinowski said, “Thanks to the partnership of the Sheriff’s Office and the County Office of Education, we are able to deliver services, such as Rick’s woodshop class, to the inmates that make them more productive during their stay, as well as being more productive when they re-enter society.”

For the past 20 years, the Sheriff’s Office and the County Office of Education collaboration have produced the annual Holiday Toy Distribution. Lieutenant Kalinowski continued, “Because Rick’s ability to lead the inmates, they annually build between 1,000-1,200 hand-made toys and refurbish about 300 bicycles, which are then distributed to our county’s at-risk youth, through local non-profit organizations.” These county organizations include The Salvation Army, Friends Outside, George Miller Center, Solomon Temple Mission, Contra Costa Crisis Center, Bay Area Rescue Mission, La Casa Ujima, and a number of others.

When you enter Rick’s woodshop, you certainly can’t help but think of Santa’s Workshop: students busily building and painting beautiful hand-made toys or refurbishing junked bicycles into just-like-new ones. Lieutenant Kalinowski added, “There are literally thousands of children in our county whose lives have been brightened because of this program, with a big thanks to Rick and his men." (Lieutenant Kalinowski and Rick Boughton pictured above left)

Boughton is known for his “low-key” teaching style and his positive attitude. It’s obvious that he loves his job as a teacher and mentor. He treats everyone fairly and with the respect each person deserves, including his inmate students. This may be the reason why in 2010 he did not have one discipline or safety/accident issue reported to the school or custody staff.

According to the Office of the Sheriff, the application process for this award includes the bureau commanders submitting their choices to the departmental selection committee. A number of criteria are evaluated by the committee, including performance, job knowledge, judgment, relations, communications, initiative, dependability, attitude, and demeanor.

Boughton’s woodshop class is part of the Contra Costa Adult School. This educational program is a partnership between the CCCOE and the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. More than 4,000 students participate in educational opportunities each year at one of the three jail facilities:

Marsh Creek Detention Facility - Clayton
West County Detention Facility - Richmond
Martinez Detention Facility - Martinez

Students demonstrate success by obtaining a high school diploma; passing the GED; increasing basic skills; completing a 90-day substance abuse education program; and completing competency-based certificates in computer applications, completing steps to getting a job, landscaping facility grounds, and building toys and refurbishing used bicycles for needy children.

CCCOE Adult Education Principal Tom Scruggs reports, “Rick is a talented teacher, providing instruction in safety, woodworking, and bicycle repair, while he fosters a sense of commitment, dedication, and community in his students. He has a natural way of inspiring these men to learn something new, to be responsible, and to feel what it is like to give back to the community. We are grateful for his services!”

At the 2010 Annual March Creek Detention Facility's Holiday Toy Drive, Rick demonstrates one of his toy creations... The Canjo.

Mt. Diablo High School students enjoy an outstanding hands-on education on solar energy construction

2011-03-02T12:09:00.000-08:00

Recently 12 students from Mt Diablo High School’s Academy of Construction & Mechanical Engineering (ACME) enjoyed an in-depth and up-close look at our country’s ever-increasing future in solar energy production, when they visited the Contra Costa County Office of Education’s (CCCOE) current solar construction project.

Led by a panel group, that included the solar project’s architect, contractor, solar engineer, electrical engineer, and inspector of record, as well as CCCOE’s General Services Director John Hild, the students began their day by receiving an overview presentation of the project. The presentation covered such issues as environmental studies, financing, hiring the best contractors for the job, timelines, and the cost savings benefit to the CCCOE. (Over the next 25 years, this new source of energy will save the CCCOE close to $11 million in electricity costs.)

The presenters stressed how their personal math, writing, and communication skills are so important in their line of work. Gopal Shanker, solar engineer, of Récolte Energy, told the kids not to neglect their non-engineering classes: “Over the years, I have found that it’s not always the best contractor that gets the job, it’s the ones who can successfully communicate what they can and will do if they get the proposed job.” The entire panel nodded and chuckled when contractor Andy Brophy, of Roebblen Contracting, Inc., said, “I’ll tell you, in my job, I do a whole lot more writing than drawing.”

Following the presentation, the students were able to sit in, and listen to the group’s bi-monthly construction meeting – two of the students were invited to sit at the meeting table. The gathering’s agenda included future material delivery and installation dates, staffing issues, and several deadlines. The students and ACME instructors listened closely to this rare learning opportunity.

Throughout the morning presentation and construction meeting, high school senior, Jonathan Blanco (pictured above left), intensely listened to the speakers and read through the handout materials. He said that ACME has been a great program to help him find his interest in construction and engineering. “After high school, I will be enrolling into Caterpillar’s ThinkBig Technician Education Program,” said Blanco. “Where will I go after graduating the program? I’m not really sure what I’ll do next, but I do see myself working in mechanical engineering.”

Junior student, Cynthia Sandoval, (pictured left) said that she has enjoyed her enrollment in the ACME program. “I’m not sure if engineering will be the profession I choose, but I am learning a lot in this program, and I can certainly decide what career I’ll go into after high school and college graduation.”

After the construction meeting, everyone went out onto the construction site for a hard-hat tour. Wearing their hard hats and safety goggles, the students saw, up close, the massive solar-panel structures that are being installed in the CCCOE’s parking lot. Though it was pouring rain, the students had plenty of thoughtful questions they were more interested in hearing the answers to, than running back to the dry indoors.

After the site tour, the presenters, students, and teachers sat down for lunch and some more individual questions and answers. ACME’s Director Steve Seaman said, “This was certainly an outstanding opportunity for our students. We all learned quite a bit today, and really appreciate the CCCOE and the construction team providing a great learning experience!” Seaman reported that currently ACME has an enrollment of 156 students, but they are gearing up for 400 students in the very near future.

Dress For Success Fashion Show and Luncheon

2011-02-24T09:03:00.000-08:00

What fashions will the well-dressed soon be wearing in the workplace? Well, if you attended the recent Dress for Success Fashion Show and Luncheon, at Liberty High School, in Brentwood, you would know. More than 150 attendees got a glimpse of what our Community Based Instruction (CBI) students will soon be dressed in when they go to their jobs or job interviews.   

Now in its 8th year, the annual fashion show and luncheon was created to thank all the participating businesses, schools, and community organizations, that support CBI programs, and to increase the awareness in the community of our students' abilities and potential as excellent employees.  

CBI is a class for students with severe disabilities, ages 18-22 years old. The goal of this program is to facilitate the transition from K-12 school to adult life. Curriculum and transition strategies include: independent living skills, social skills, recreation/leisure opportunities, employment training, mobility training, economics/money management, community awareness and services, and volunteerism.   

This year, seven East County CBI classes took part in the soireé. These classes are led by teachers: Sue Madole, James Koch, Julie Duncan, Gary Wickman, Debbie Ross, Alona Saturnino, and Sue Kent. Also helping the teachers with the production details were the CBI administrators and the staff from the Workability Program, while the students starred as the runway models or the very capable luncheon servers.   

The program kicked off with the CBI student servers (above, white shirts) professionally maneuvering the food carts from the kitchen into the dining area, and then serving every attendee their delicious lunch. This was followed by a special welcome by Diane Misasi, principle of student programs, and Sue Madole, CBI instructor. Madole told the crowd: "We are so grateful for our community business partners! Thanks to these wonderful people, our students have real-life-work experience they need when they go out on their own to find employment!"  

The fashion show started when the very capable co-emcees Liz Wilson-Palmer and Janet Brown (at left) took control at the podium, and began introducing the models, giving full descriptions of what they were wearing. The models strode along the runway that circled around the crowded tables, which were filled with CBI student sponsors, families, and friends. During their walks, the models would stop to pose for the numerous photographers or to hug someone they knew in the audience, as the crowd cheered and clapped loudly.  

CBI student, Joseph (left), proudly sported a brand new three-piece blue suit—he was very excited about being one of the stars of the event. Prior to the action, Joseph talked about his CBI employment-training history, working with ROP's Restaurant and Hotel programs, which has taken him to work at the nearby Holiday Inn, Red Lion, and Crown Plaza hotels. And now, when he gets home, he cooks dinner for his family. Like the other 23 models, Joseph's outfit was generously supplied by Kohls department store of Brentwood. A few days before the fashion show, the models were invited to visit the store and pick out their outfits for the runway.  

After the last model made her way down the runway, the entire group returned for an encore, proudly displaying their brand new outfits, with plenty loud appreciation from the audience!   

The event concluded with all seven CBI teachers individually stepping behind the microphone and giving special acknowledgments and gifts to the 31 recognized employers of their CBI students.  Special thanks to the following CBI employers and volunteer organizations:

• ACE Hardware - Brentwood • ACE Hardware - Pittsburg • Aladino's Pizza • Amanda Krause • Antioch Covenant Church • Antioch Senior Center • Asahi Nursery • Baskin Robbins • Brentwood County Library • CAPS Bar & Grill • City of Brentwood Park and Recreation • CVS Pharmacy • Delta Informal Gardeners • Delta Park Athletic Club • Dollar Tree • Domino's Pizza - Brentwood • Domino's Pizza - Pittsburg • Friends of Marsh Creek • Houston Orchard • Krey Elementary School • Liberty Union High School Cafeteria • Marshall's • Network of Care • Pittsburg Senior Center • Salvation Army Church • St. Vincent de Paul Society • Straw Hat Pizza • Sutter Elementary • Sweeney's Bar & Grill • Togo's - Antioch • Togo's - Brentwood • Turner Elementary • Willy's Bagels & Blends

Contra Costa County Mock Trial Program Looking for Attorneys to Assist

2011-01-06T19:02:00.000-08:00

Miramonte High School, 2010 Mock Trial Winners

Bay Area practicing and retired attorneys are needed to provide assistance to their future brethren at the 30th Annual Contra Costa County High School Mock Trial Program, held in early evenings throughout the month of February and early March, at the Martinez Court Houses. (Complete listing of dates and times listed below.) Along with attorneys, 2nd- and 3rd-year law students are also welcome to participate with the scoring process. Last year, 100 Bay Area practicing and retired attorneys, law students, and sworn judges volunteered their time with Contra Costa County’s Mock Trials.

Coordinated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), Mock Trial is an academic activity for high school students. The hands-on educational program was created to help students acquire a working knowledge of our judicial system, develop analytical abilities and communication skills, and gain an understanding of their obligations and responsibilities as participating members of our society. This year’s case is a murder trial: People vs. Woodson.

Teams of high school students work with teachers and attorney coaches to prepare their version of the criminal case, from both the prosecution and defense perspectives. Students assume the roles of trial attorneys, pre-trial motion attorneys, witnesses, clerks, bailiffs, artists, and court journalists. Real life judges and attorneys score their performance and provide immediate feedback. Winning teams advance through seven rounds of competition. The county’s champion advances to the State finals. This year, there will be 16 Contra Costa County high school Mock Trial teams competing.

Attorneys and law students, who volunteer with this program, will score the two competing schools that argue their cases in court. Each night, will begin with a 15-minute rules and regulations session, then the volunteers will go into their scheduled courtrooms to serve as Mock Trial scorers—between three to seven scorers in each courtroom. The Mock Trials’ scorers are made up of Bay Area district attorneys, public defenders, and private practice and corporate lawyers, as well as seasoned law students. A practicing judge or commissioner will preside over each trial, and also serves as one of the trial’s scorers.

The two highest-scoring teams will advance to the finals on Tuesday, March 1. The winning team will then represent Contra Costa County at the State Mock Trial competition in Riverside, Calif., March 25-27. The California state finalist team will then compete in the National Mock Trial Competition, held in Phoenix, Ariz., May 5-7.

Schedule for 2011 Contra Costa County High School Mock Trials
• Preliminaries Rounds: February 8, 10, 15, 17 (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
• Quarterfinals: February 22 (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
• Semifinals: February 24 (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
• Finals and Consolation: March 1 (5:00-8:00 p.m.)

Interested attorneys and 2nd- and-3rd-year law students can find out how to serve as Mock Trial scorers by contacting Jonathan Lance, at jlance@ccccoe.k12.ca.us or (925) 942-3429. Participants may review and fill out this Attorney Volunteer Form, then e-mail back to Jonathan Lance.

In 1977, the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) introduced the concept of mock trials to the Los Angeles schools. In 1980, the program expanded to the state level. The California Mock Trial Program currently involves more than 35 counties and over 8,000 student participants from more than 400 teams. Approximately 1,500 attorney volunteers serve as team coaches and scorers, and 500 Municipal, Superior, and Appellate Court judges preside over the trials.

Meet the New and Familiar Members of the COE’s Board of Education

2010-12-16T12:03:00.000-08:00

Left to right, new Board Trustees Richard Asadoorian, Cynthia Ruehlig, and Ellen Elster, along with Superintendent of Schools, Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D.

At the last Contra Costa County Board of Education meeting (December 8), the exciting evening featured the installation and introduction of the three newest Board of Education trustees, as well as the county’s returning superintendent of schools. The newly elected trustees will join the two sitting members, Pamela Mirabella (Area 1) and Daniel Gomes (Area 3). In addition, Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D., was also sworn in to begin his fifth term as the county’s superintendent of schools.

Along with Dr. Ovick, most of the attendees recognized another familiar face, Ellen Elster, who has participated in many Board meetings over the years. Elster worked at the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) for 34 years, retiring last year as deputy superintendent of schools. During her tenure with the CCCOE, she also served as a special education teacher, ROP program manager, ROP director, and associate superintendent of Student Programs and Services. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in social studies, and a Master's Degree in school administration. Elster will be representing Area 2, which includes: Clyde, Crockett, Hercules, Martinez, Pacheco, Port Costa, Rodeo, and parts of Bay Point, Concord, Kensington, Lafayette, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, and Richmond.

Richard Asadoorian is another education veteran joining the Board, he is a former teacher, counselor, activities director and principal for schools grades K-12. In addition, he has served on two school board finance committees. Asadoorian has resided and worked in Arizona, Oregon, and Fresno, where he served as principal of Fresno Continuation High School. He has also donated many hours of his time as a counselor with several volunteer organizations. Asadoorian holds a Master’s Degree in education theory. His Area 4 covers Blackhawk, Clayton, Danville, Diablo, San Ramon, and parts of Alamo, Antioch, Bay Point, Concord, Pittsburg, and Walnut Creek.

Completing the new group of trustees is Cynthia Ruehlig, who currently works as a clerk for Contra Costa County’s Children & Family Services. Ruehlig’s additional community service also includes serving as the webmaster for St. Ignatius of Antioch Church, chief steward for American Federation of State County Municipal Employees-Local 2700, a member of the CCC Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Council, and an administrator for the Antioch Music Foundation. She possesses a Bachelor’s Degree in English. Her Area 5 includes: Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Oakley, and parts of Antioch, Bay Point, and Pittsburg.

The five-member Contra Costa County Board of Education establishes educational policies for the programs administered by the County Office of Education. These programs include special education, career technical education, and court and community schools.

Along with Dr. Ovick and the newest board members’ installation proceedings, the board elected their upcoming year’s officers:

Pamela Mirabella, president
Cynthia Ruehlig, vice president
Richard Asadoorian, clerk

32 Year Partnership Between Chevron and ROP Proves Successful

2010-12-03T13:27:00.000-08:00

ROP Instructor, Butter Simms with ROP graduate Stacey Reynolds.

Process Plant Operator course changes the life and future of student Stacey Reynolds.

In the latest issue of Chevron Richmond Today, CCCOE ROP graduate Stacey Reynolds shares how the Refinery/Process Plant Operator class she took 14 years ago changed the course of her life. Read the full story here.

The Refinery/Process Plant Operator course teaches mechanical skills for boilermaker, pipefitter, machinist, and welder, as well as other skills needed to pass employment tests for industries. Prerequisites: Pass basic math/reading test, valid California Driver’s License, instructor interview. To see a full listing of courses offered by the CCCOE ROP Program, click here.

For the past 32 years, Chevron has funded and provided instructors and other resources for the Process Plant Operator course taught in Richmond. You may access the Chevron quarterly news magazine Chevron Richmond Today, here.

Contra Costa County Transition Task Force Presents Transitioning Into A Social World

2010-12-03T12:36:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, January 4, 2010
7:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Parents & Professionals

Come ready to network and be inspired! This year's keynote speaker will provide us with innovative approaches to social success and practical information we can use! The registration fee includes a continental breakfast, buffet lunch and enrollment in 4 breakout sessions in a wide variety of courses covering these main topics:

Education
Disability Rights
Employment
Living Options
Benefits
Mental Health
Relationships
Parent Supports
Resource Room

During the conference lunch, visit the Resource Room located in the Trophy Room to gather information about resources in our community.

For full details about the workshops along with a registration form, click here for the pdf.

Sponsored by the Contra Costa County Transition Task Force, and

Contra Costa County Office of Education
Contra Costa SELPA
Contra Costa Developmental Disability Council
Mt. Diablo Unified School District
Regional Center of the East Bay
San Ramon Valley USD/SELPA
West Contra Costa Unified School District

CCCOE and Los Medanos College Come Together to Serve Their Community

2010-11-19T14:43:00.001-08:00

Within the past few years, the CCCOE and Los Medanos College (LMC) have come together in a special partnership to provide crucial services to East County infants, toddlers, and young adults, as well as their families, with both the College Connection Transition Program and Early Start Program. Both of these much-needed CCCOE programs are housed on the LMC campus.

The College Connection Transition Program is for students, ages 18-22, which are identified with special needs and have not yet received a high school diploma. The program offers numerous services to the students, including vocational interest assessments, life skills instruction, social and leisure skills development, speech therapy, ongoing evaluation of high school transcripts, and many more.

Instructor, Allan Saviskas said, "The CCCOE Transition class began here at LMC just a little more than a year ago. Currently, there are 14 students enrolled, with a total of 27 students who have attended since we've opened our doors." Giving an example of one of the services that the class provides, Allan said that this year the Transition Programs from DVC and LMC placed a dozen of their Summer Job Academy students in paying positions with Marshall's and CVS Drug Store.

Recently, LMC Interim President Richard Livingston visited the Transition Program. "He was quite impressed by the college classes our students were taking, and the fact that they were also working on vocational training, credit recovery toward their high school diploma, and independent living skills," reports Principal Barbara Berman.

Playgroup provides parents and siblings the opportunity participate with the student in learning signing and building communication skills. Pictured here playing in the LMC Child Care facility yard are (left to right): Marco Roman, sibling; Liliana Roman, mom; Mireya Salamasidis, instructional assistant; Gabriel Hidalgo, student; Fernando Roman, student; Alexa Ortega, student and Giants fan.

The CCCOE and LMC's partnership with Early Start began about five years ago. The Contra Costa County Office of Education also has Early Start programs at the CCCOE sites at Marchus School and O'Hara Park.

Early Start's teacher of deaf and hard of hearing infants and toddlers Sarah Buhre said, "We get our referrals from the California Newborn Hearing Screening Program, which helps to diagnose children at birth and gets the kids into Early Start by age six months. They will begin the program from anywhere between two weeks old to nine months old, or older. The children will then stay with us until they are three years old." The program works with east county kids who have exceptional needs, such as vision, hearing, orthopedic, or other developmental delays. At this time, the program has 26 kids enrolled, with a few new referrals waiting for assessments in the wings.

Then, longtime LMC president, Peter Garcia (currently DVC's interim president), visited Early Start, during this past summer, and was quite enthused with what he saw taking place on his campus. Sarah said, "President Garcia was quite impressed with the programs and enjoyed watching the children's circle time. He asked plenty of great questions about the program, such as how many students we served, what kinds of things we did on home visits, etc. He also said how happy he was that we were on the campus, and that Early Start was a great collaboration with the LMC's Child Study Center."

Our teachers, Allan and Sarah, have witnessed so many wonderful success stories, when it comes to the students attending these two programs. These stories would never materialize without their patience and hard work, as well as their fellow teachers and support staff - and the partnership of the CCCOE and LMC.

Two CCCOE Locations Serve the Visually Impaired in Contra Costa County

2010-11-19T14:24:00.000-08:00

For years, teachers of the visually impaired would access services for their students through the Resource Center for the Visually Impaired (RCVI) located at Mauzy School in Alamo. The Visually Impaired Program provides resource services to students with visual impairments and provides materials in Braille and large print to a wide variety of students throughout Contra Costa County who are either blind or partially sighted.

Above, VI teacher Heather Walsh (left) drops by the East County VI Resource Center to pick up materials from Braillist, Carolyn Brannan (right).

Last school year (2009-2010) Braillist Carolyn Brannan moved her services to East County (located in an office at the Joseph A. Ovick School) in order to better serve teachers in the east county, while central county continues to be served by Carol Drohan RCVI at Mauzy.

Carolyn started with the COE in 2005 working in Alamo with former lead braillist, Monica Kreiger. “Monica encouraged me to learn braille,” said Carolyn. Before coming to the COE, Carolyn worked for Brentwood USD starting in 2002, working one-on-one with, Victor Silva, the first Braille reader in the Brentwood Union School District at Krey Elementary and eventually Edna Hill School. “I knew the best way to help Victor was to learn braille,” Carolyn concluded, “but it was a long arduous task.”

Braille is a system of raised dots that represent letters of the alphabet, numbers, punctuation, and other symbols, some of which may stand for groups of frequently occurring letters. Braille may be embossed on paper, or read by means of computer-connected refreshable braille output devices, which present the raised dots on a keyboard-like apparatus. There are several levels of braille: in grade one braille, words are spelled out letter by letter; in grade two, a system of contractions streamlines the presentation significantly. Grade three is more highly contracted still and, like shorthand, often used for note taking by the older, more experienced students. Other braille codes are specialized for particular areas of interest, such as music, mathematics, and scientific notation. In order to become a Certified Braillist, Carolyn had to study and complete the Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing produced by the Library of Congress and the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Additionally she had to submit a manuscript of at least 35 full braille pages of high school level literary braille to the Library of Congress, which was then proofread by blind proofreaders.

"One of the challenges in my position is to know each student's grade level of braille, making sure that each student gets his/her daily worksheets, quizzes and tests, as well as textbooks and consumables (if they are not available from the state) in braille at their current skill level." That can mean switching between large print and the two grades of braille each day in order to best meet the students needs, and of course, keep them challenged and moving forward in their braille skills. Even though current technology has helped tremendously, Braillists must stay up-to-date on revised codes and rules.

The braillists, and Michael Parsons, braille assistant at the Mauzy site, also use a special piece of equipment called a Zychem Tactile Enhancer. It uses capsule paper which is coated with millions of “thermally-foamed” microcapsules that respond to light and cause the black image on the paper to swell, producing a tactile image (graphs, maps, tables, timelines, figures, etc.).
The county currently offers services to ten braille readers, ranging from pre-school to high school levels. From June 2009 to the present, the Braille Center has received over 153 textbooks, consumables, and novels. This figure does not include the worksheets, quizzes, and tests which the Braille center produces throughout the year. When added up, the Braille Centers have produced of more than 50,500 pages of braille and 4,800 tactiles for the school year thus far.

“I am very proud of the work Carolyn has done to create a complete Braille Center in East County,” said Diane Misasi, Student Programs principal at the East County location. “We invite our local districts and COE staff to schedule a visit, as the output from this office is truly incredible.”

Some e-circuit readers may remember former VI students, Caitlin Hernandez and Derek Czajka. They have both graduated high school and are juniors in college this year. Caitlin is a Literature major at UC Santa Cruz, and Derek is at Stanford majoring in Computer Science. 2007 graduate Jennifer Drohan is currently at DVC and plans to transfer to Saint Mary’s College and major in Psychology. She wants to be a social worker for the disabled population. Each of these students would credit their success in the mainstream classroom to their braille teachers and the Resource Center for providing their materials in braille during their K-12 years.

CTAG Projects Celebrated

2010-11-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

Teachers and principals throughout the county gathered to celebrate the final round of County Technology Academy Grants (CTAG). The CTAG program was made possible through the generous partnership between CCCOE and The Lesher Foundation. This opportunity joined teachers, schools, and the local community in supporting education for the past 13 years.

Left, Amy Geotina (former COE employee, now working at Las Lomas High) and Mac Carey, chief technology officer for the COE, strike a pose with Frank Marrero who proudly displays the Certificate of Achievement he received for the Professional Development Grant project: Communication, Collaboration, and the Writing Process: Using Wikis and Blogs to Enliven the Teaching of Writing. Mr. Marrero teaches at Ellerhorst Elementary in West Contra Costa USD. This year's CTAG Celebration was held October 28, in the COE board room.

The CTAG grant became a recognized grant program to support teacher and school projects that brought technology and training to staff to support student learning. Over the past 13 years, almost two million dollars in 246 grants have been awarded to more than 500 teachers in Contra Costa County.

Judy Lauper and Dennis Beck from Clayton Valley High School share steps in making a video lesson.

Angela Guidi and Monique Della-Santina from Rheem Elementary exhibit the advantages of having a Promethean ActivBoard in the classroom.

The goals of CTAG have remained consistent over the life of the programs:

To increase technology capabilities in classrooms in order to enhance curriculum and increase student learning.
To provide technical support to teachers to use new technology in ways that infuse technology into classrooms and curriculum.
To promote long-term community support of the local schools by requiring matching funds from each recipient's school/community.

Teachers have embraced the use of technology in their classrooms to impact over 10,000 students in Contra Costa County. A few examples of the type of technology that teachers have used funds to purchase and receive professional development on are: interactive whiteboards, document cameras, student response systems, LCD projectors, computers, and voice amplification systems.

"Acquiring the CTAG Grant and implementing our goal has not only enriched the learning environment for our students, but also has taken our teaching practices to a higher level."  Morello Park Elementary, Martinez Unified School District

This grant has had a significant effect on thousands of students in Contra Costa County and will continue to do so for several years to come. Contra Costa County Office of Education, along with the students and teachers we represent, appreciate the generous support of The Lesher Foundation.

Academic Events Showcase Our County's Youth

2010-11-17T14:36:00.000-08:00

2010 Model United Nations Gavel Winners

"I declare this session now open," and with a thud of the gavel the 20th Annual Contra Costa County Model UN began. The "delegates," representing countries from Afghanistan to Zambia, debated topics ranging from Post-Conflict Reconstruction to Energy for Sustainable Development. In all, nearly 300 students from 14 area high schools (Acalanes, Antioch, Athenian, California, Campolindo, Carondelet, Concord, De La Salle, Gunn, Las Lomas, Marin Academy, Monte Vista, Northgate, and San Ramon Valley) took part in this year's two-day event, held at Diablo Valley College (DVC) in Pleasant Hill. To help the whole event flow smoothly, members of the UC Davis Model UN Club acted as Committee Chairs -- guiding delegates through resolution proposals, caucuses, and voting sessions -- while volunteers from our Communications and Business departments assisted with registration and set-up. Read more about the event in the Contra Costa Times and see lots of action shots of day one at the Best Delegate Blog and day two here.

Along with our NEW Mock Trial Invitational on December 4, these fall events serve as a warm-up for the Academic Events staff as they get ready for the overlapping January and February competitions of Academic Decathlon and Mock Trial. The County Office serves as the regional host of these two events, determining the team that will go on to represent Contra Costa at the state competition. Hundreds of students acquire important real-world skills in negotiating, public speaking, research, and problem solving.

As the proud sponsor of these events, CCCOE is privileged to showcase our youth's academic achievements. We are even more fortunate so many of our staff feel the same way and volunteer each year as judges, proctors, and set-up artists to ensure that these events maintain CCCOE's reputation for quality. If you would like to be part of this program, please contact Karen Rice at krice@cccoe.k12.ca.us or (925) 942-3400. Volunteers for Academic Decathlon can find sign-up forms here; volunteers for Mock Trial (evening courtroom coordinators are needed) please contact Karen Rice.

Local Teen Parents Learned how Sharpen their Life Skills at Independent City

2010-10-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, October 19, more than 75 Contra Costa County teen parents attended this year’s annual Independent City, to learn how to be better providers and parents for their young families. This very successful program was directed by Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCEO) Supervisor Brenda Sharp, in collaboration of the CCCOE and FIRST 5 Contra Costa.

(l-r) Ursula Taylor, CCCOE & Michelle Williams, Brighter Beginnings helping young parents

Independent City is a reality skills workshop for teen parents in our community. The Ambrose Recreation Center, in Bay Point, Calif., was transformed into a simulated city, with agency tables set up around the room for the teen parents to receive information on business and community services needed for them to live out on their own.

“You are here to learn how to take advantage of all the services we have here in Contra Costa County,” Sharp to the attendees. Supporting agencies who took part with Independent City included Bank of America/Union Bank, Diablo Valley College, John Muir Women’s Center, STAND, Families First, Regional Occupation Programs (ROP), Youth Development Services, and the Contra Costa Employment & Human Services Department.

Brenda Sharp

The businesses and agencies brought copies of actual forms needed for their clients to receive services. Participants visited all business and agency tables, leaned how to learn how to complete actual application forms, in order to receive services. On this day, they gained knowledge about housing, insurance, continued education, employment, money management, health services, and smart shopping.

As Sharp told the young parents, “By learning these skills we practiced today, and continuing your education, you will be able to offer your child, as well as yourselves, so much more in life!”

For more information about this event, you can read this recent article in the Contra Costa Times.

Delta Vista Students get a Hall of Fame Lesson from One of the Greatest

2010-10-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

Well known for his incredible football career, as well as his numerous generous philanthropic gestures, Hall of Fame former San Francisco 49er Ronnie Lott took time out, on October 18, to spend the afternoon with the students at Delta Vista High School. Delta Vista is located inside the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility (formerly known as the Byron Boys’ Ranch), in Byron. On this day, the All Pro offered up the boys plenty of encouragement, empowerment, and entertainment.

As the close-to-100-young men (clad in orange, blue, or kaki jumpsuits), took their seats, Lott made it a point to great each one of them with a handshake and a warm hello. When his hour-and-a-half presentation began, he held all of the boys’ undivided attention as he talked about his younger days, football career, after-football career, the current status of the National Football League (NFL), and his philosophies on being successful in life. The only time the boys would look away was when they were passed Lott’s Super Bowl ring, for each of them to hold and try on for size.

Still looking like he could play this coming Sunday, Lott told the boys how important it is to take responsibility for your actions: “Every one of you has some game! It’s what you do with it that’s important.” Lott also talked about his important influences in his life: his coaches, friends, and especially his dad. “My dad always told me, ‘You have to exhaust life, because you never know when your number will come up.’” Lott’s accomplishments certainly prove that he was listening to his father.

Allan Cacciaroni, longtime Delta Vista teacher and program coordinator, has put together a number of these types of speaking engagements for his students. “I couldn't be more pleased with Ronnie Lott taking the time to talk to our kids; we can’t thank him enough, reported Cacciaroni. It was obvious to all the teachers, staff, and probation officers, that Lott shared the same desire of making a difference with this group of kids. “He had them fully captivated, like no other guest we’ve had in the past,” continued Cacciaroni. “It was his personable approach that caught the attention, not only with these youths, but with the full staff and administration. He was a true inspirational speaker with elaborate answers to all questions given, and I'm sure it will have an effect.”

An All-American defensive back at the University of Southern California in 1980, Lott was chosen by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 1981 National Football League (NFL) draft, and for the next 14 seasons he amassed one of the most successful football careers any player has experienced in the league. Along with the 49ers, Lott played with the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets. His many NFL accolades include being four-time Super Bowl champion, playing in 10 Pro Bowls, fifth on the NFL all-time interception list, and was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team in 1995.
Lott answered plenty of questions about his professional football career with the 49ers and Raiders, as well as his collegiate play at the University of Sothern California. He answered many questions about today’s NFL players and teams. There was also plenty of interest about his post football life. Lott now enjoys a very successful business and family life. He owns a carwash and an auto dealership in Tracy, Calif.

Obviously understanding his audience, Lott finished the session by telling the incarcerated boys: “Take my advice, I know you have rage inside you, I do as well. I know it’s hard. But, like me, you need to turn that rage into something positive and productive in your life! I know every one of you can do that!”

The Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) operates many different programs, such as Delta Vista High, for high-risk juveniles, including those referred by probation and by local school districts for expulsion, behavioral issues or school attendance problems, and those in probation court facilities. The programs provide challenging academic curriculum and assist students in developing positive social skills. For additional info, visit our website.

County Teacher of the Year Named

2010-10-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

Concluding an energy-driven and exciting evening at the Concord Hilton, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Joseph Ovick, Ed.D., announced the night-long anticipated naming of the county’s next Teacher of the Year – it was Pinole Valley High’s Michele Lamons. Lamons (at left) has been teaching English and sign language at Pinole Valley High for the past eight years.

After being named by the West Contra Costa County Unified School District as their district Teacher of the Year (TOY), this past March, Lamons successfully proceeded with the other 17 eligible county candidates through a rigorous county-wide selection process, which included an application screening, classroom evaluation, interview, and speech presentation. Her fellow finalists were John Korzick, San Ramon Valley Unified SD, (California High) and Lori Leach, Brentwood Union SD, (R. Paul Krey Elementary).

Close to 400 attendees were on hand for an evening that will certainly not be forgotten. The audience was made up of the TOYs’ family members and friends, as well as numerous local educators, business partners, and officials. Kicking off the festivities was a rousing version of “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” performed by Alhambra High School’s “Pivotal Vortex,” directed by teacher Julianne George. Master of ceremonies, Dr. Ovick introduced the TOY class of 2010-2011 (19 TOYs were on hand) by sharing stories to the audience about his visits to each of the teachers’ classrooms. This was followed by speeches of the three TOY finalists, their topic: “What I have learned from my students.” Following the three speeches, Lamons’ announcement was made.

Along with the courses she teaches at Pinole High, Lamons serves as an adviser and coordinator for several school student groups and activities, including the Forensics (speech and debate) Team, the African American Student Union, Black History Month, Day of Peace Celebration, and annual college fair. She also teaches English at Solano College, in Fairfield.

Lamons will now compete with all the other county representatives in the California State TOY competition. The California State Teachers of the Year are expected to be announced in early November.

The county TOY program is produced by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE). (For additional TOY info, visit the CCCOE website).

The Teacher of the Year Dinner Celebration was taped by Contra Costa Television (CCTV), and is scheduled for the following dates:

*October 13, 7:00 p.m.
*October 14, 4:00 p.m.
*October 18, 10:00 a.m.

CCTV is on Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32, and AT&T U-Verse channel 99.

For additional air dates, check CCTV's program guide at www.contracostatv.org.

CCCOE's Summer Jobs Program Student Interns Learned First Hand about Career Life

2010-09-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

While many of their classmates were enjoying the pleasures of summer vacation, high school students Benjamin Quach, William Quach, and Carlos Rivera were working hard, and learning applicable education and employment skills at BioCare Medical, in Concord. These three young men were enrolled in the CCCOE Contra Costa Youth@Work Summer Program. "It's so inspiring to see these three young men thrive and do so well with their jobs here at BioCare," says CCCOE Youth Development Specialist Oscar Blackwell. These three summer interns were just a few of the many Contra Costa high school students Blackwell works with directly, throughout the year.

Headquartered in Concord, Calif., BioCare Medical is an innovator in advanced care and diagnosis technologies to aid physicians to correctly diagnose challenging cancers. This was the second year the company has participated in the program.

"Students who qualify for Contra Costa Youth@Work program come from low-income homes, are in foster care, or qualify for Special Education," says CCCOE Youth Development Services (YDS) Manager Catherine Giacalone. "Whether they are flourishing, or not, in their classrooms, the majority of our summer program students demonstrate a capacity to be very successful in the work area." Without such a program, many of these students would not have the chance to work at such a company as BioCare Medical. This hands-on learning opportunity certainly sparks their interest and enthusiasm about their personal education and career paths.

With funding from the Contra Costa Workforce Development Board, YDS has developed county-wide work-site partnerships and hired staff to develop and implement an innovative and successful summer employment program. During summer 2010, 280 students each worked 132 hours, at $8.25 an hour.

Left to right, William and Benjamin Quach, and Oscar Blackwell, YDS specialist, in the lab at Bio Care.

Brothers, Benjamin and William, served as BioCare manufacturing assistants, working with the company's testing solutions, carefully mixing and filling containers for shipment. They both agreed that working with health care company was certainly an outstanding opportunity to be employed in a field related to their career choice, serving as medical doctors.

Older brother, William Quach, recently graduated from Ygnacio Valley High School, with an impressive 4.35 grade average. Through William's hard work and success, he earned an undergraduate scholarship to enter U.C. Davis this fall to study pre-medicine, with a concentration in neuroscience behavior physiology.

Younger brother, Benjamin Quach, entered his sophomore year this fall at Ygnacio Valley High School. Like his big brother, Benjamin's schedule of classes will be filled with honors courses, including pre-calculus. In addition, he joined the school's Health Academy. His goal is to begin his pre-medicine studies at Stanford University, after graduating high school.

Carlos Rivera (at right) and his mother came to the United States three years ago, from Puerto Rico. This summer, Carlos worked in BioCare Medical's accounting department. The junior at Mt. Diablo High School, will continue attending courses in the school's Architecture, Construction, Manufacturing and Engineering, (ACME) Academy. After high school, Carlos says he will attend Diablo Valley College, then transfer to University of California, Berkeley, where he will study to become an electronic engineer. But this past summer, he enjoyed his work in the accounting department. When asked if he saw any similarities to accounting and electronic engineering, Carlos quickly smiled and answered, "Yes, lots of numbers!"

Adding more about the importance of the summer work program, Giacalone says, "A key predictor of consistent employment in adulthood is early exposure to the world of work through summer and year-round employment, internships, and service opportunities in the teen years. Teen employment exposes youth to careers, promotes job readiness, and develops their skills in particular industries."

After meeting with his three students, Blackwell beamed with pride on how well they are doing with their work, as well as blending in so easily with the BioCare Medical staff and management: "These three young men share many of the same qualities to become successful in life. Their work here really showcases how bright and motivated they are!"

Dr. Ovick Elected President of California State Superintendents’ Association

2010-07-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

In looking for a leader with proven success, guidance skills, and applicable experience, during these challenging times in California public education, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D. was recently elected as the 2012 president of the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA). His commitment to this post will begin in January of 2011, serving as president-elect, with his presidency following in January 2012.

CCSESA provides the organizational mechanism for the 58 County Superintendents of Schools to design and implement statewide programs to identify and promote quality cost-effective educational practices and services, and provide support to school districts in the areas of student services, curriculum and instructional services, fiscal accountability and business services, and technology and telecommunications. CCSESA advocates on behalf of K-12 and early childhood education at state and federal levels. The organization maintains a website at www.ccsesa.org.

“Our state’s public schools have been forced to continually find ways to do more with less, as we watch our education budgets plummet,” says Dr. Ovick. “I look forward to working as president of CCSESA organization with county superintendents across the state to provide the stability in leadership and advocacy for our children’s education that is so crucial to the future of California.”

Dr. Ovick was elected to this position due to his extraordinary capabilities as a leader and manager who has developed strong coalitions of educators, community members, business leaders, and legislators in support of public schools. He has always been known to successfully communicate a compelling vision, and bring together the people and resources required to accomplish that vision.

Congressman George Miller, Chair of the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee says, "I have often turned to ‘Joe’ for unvarnished, detailed information about education and youth. His keen insights and wealth of information often help me make decisions about shaping, supporting or opposing key pieces of legislation."

Dr. Ovick advocates for all learners in the state and the nation by providing sound, practical counsel to legislators in the crafting of key education legislation. In addition to his tireless advocacy for K-12 funding, he has gone to bat for establishing universal preschools, because he supports a young child's right to enter elementary school prepared. He is a strong advocate for funding of community colleges and state universities. He travels to Washington, D.C. annually to update and discuss educational concerns with our members of Congress and the U.S. Senate. He is also a longtime strong voice for special education in his quest to secure full funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Dr. Ovick has been an educator for more than 40 years. He began his career teaching special education students in Santa Clara County, followed by serving as an assistant principal and principal. Later on, he joined the Contra Costa County Office of Education, as director of special education; assistant superintendent, student services; and associate superintendent, business. Since 1996 he has been the county’s superintendent of schools. In each of these jobs, he has maintained direct contact with students, and as superintendent, he visits classrooms regularly.

Dr. Ovick obtained his BA and MS at San Jose State University, followed by earning his Ed.D. at the University of La Verne.

California’s 58 County Superintendents of Schools and their respective county offices of education support the financial and academic stability of every district and school in the state. The primary aim of County Superintendents is to work collaboratively with school districts to ensure that every student benefits from a quality educational experience, regardless of their circumstances.

County Superintendents

The position of County Superintendent of Schools, established in the California State Constitution in 1879, has evolved to meet the changing needs of the state and its students. The responsibilities of these constitutional officers fall generally into these categories:

Educating specific student populations (i.e., special education and disenfranchised youth);
Monitoring and oversight of student academic environment;
Implementing regional support activities to assist district and school staffs;
Monitoring and oversight for district fiscal stability;
Providing direct services to small school districts; and
Providing academic support and assistance to districts and their schools.

*Quick Facts:

There are 6.2 million students in California (Source: California Department of Education, Educational Demographics Office (CBEDS, 2008/2009)
There are 1,043 districts in California (2008/2009)
There are 58 County Superintendents in California
53 County Superintendents are elected; 5 are appointed
Appointed County Superintendents include: Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Clara
There are 7 single district counties in the state: Alpine, Amador, Del Norte, Mariposa, Plumas, San Francisco, and Sierra

Two CCCOE Cabinet Appointments Have Been Filled

2010-07-28T15:04:00.000-07:00

As part of the senior managerial portion of the Contra Costa County Office of Education’s (CCCOE) reorganization plan, Superintendent of Schools Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D. recently announced two prominent changes to the organization’s cabinet. Current CCCOE cabinet member, Karen Sakata, has been named as the new associate superintendent of human resources and Pamela Comfort, Ed.D. has been hired to serve as the associate superintendent of educational services, a move that combines the departments of Educational Services with Student Programs and Services and eliminates one associate superintendent position.

In continuing to successfully meet the demands of providing quality service to the county’s students, teachers, and school districts, while also working within its own ongoing budget cuts, the CCCOE has been enacting a number of changes within its organization. The most significant change has been the recent voluntary early retirement of 51 CCCOE teachers, classified staff, administrators, and directors. Of those 51 vacated positions, approximately 20 (primarily teachers and instructional aids) will be replaced by new hires in the very near future. Another considerable adjustment with the CCCOE is the recent merging and restructuring of departments inside the agency, which makes these two cabinet updates so important. Since May 2008, Sakata has been the CCCOE’s associate superintendent of student programs and services. Prior to joining the CCCOE, Sakata was serving as principal of Ayers Elementary School, in Concord (Mt. Diablo Unified School District). Sakata brings more than 35 years of experience as a classroom teacher and an education administrator to her new position. She will be replacing the recently retired Associate Superintendent of Human Resources Michael Bowers.

“Karen [Sakata] was the perfect choice for this position because of her experience regarding personnel issues and because she is a graduate of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Personnel Academy and has attended the ACSA Personnel Institute,” reports Dr. Ovick. “She has assumed a leadership role backed by ten years of experience with negotiations, and she has both school district and COE experience with recruitments, staff evaluation, and conflict resolution, as it relates to providing quality services, while fully recognizing that the most important resource that we have is our staff.”

With the recent vacancy of Sakata’s former position and the retirement of Associate Superintendent of Educational Services Susan Magnone, the departments of Educational Services and Student Programs and Services were recently merged and will now be directed by Dr. Comfort.

Dr. Comfort joins the CCCOE after serving for the past two years as the assistant superintendent of educational services with the Newark Unified School District (Newark, Calif.). Prior to that position, she was the director of instruction and program improvement with the San Lorenzo Unified School District (San Lorenzo, Calif.). Her impressive work experience also includes other administration, principal, and teaching positions held with other Alameda County schools and schools districts, beginning in 1992.

“We feel very fortunate to have Dr. Comfort join us here at the CCCOE,” continues Dr. Ovick. “Her excellent background and vast applicable experience will be so important to fill this new cabinet position.”

These two appointments, as well as a number of other CCCOE employee and departmental changes were officially enacted on July 1, 2010.

Aster Tadesse Named CCCOE's Teacher of the Year

2010-06-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

In acknowledgment of her exceptional work and longtime commitment to assist others to become more successful members of society, the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) selected instructor Aster Tadesse as their 2010-2011 Teacher of the Year (TOY). For the past 14 years, Aster has been a health education and human development instructor for the Oakland Parole STAR program.

The STAR (Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery) program is a curriculum-based educational program designed to motivate parolee substance abusers to participate in post-release recovery activities. New skills are presented which help individuals understand the relapse process and prepare for smooth, drug-free community transition. The core components of the STAR curriculum address the process of addiction, the method of recovery, anger management, and community transition, as well as other essential elements that provide participants with information designed to ease substance abuse recovery.

Before coming to the CCCOE, Aster worked with substance-abuse patients serving as the director of a methadone clinic in San Francisco and later worked with chemically addicted parole violators at the Santa Rita Jail in Pleasanton. "Working in these two environments, I found that to be effective, I had to combine counseling and psychotherapeutic methods with practical advice-giving to motivate and empower these clients," says Aster. "I would say that I see my fundamental role as that of an educator, someone who teaches students how to learn, not simply what to learn. I use inspiration, care, and humor to help my students deal with the demons that pursue them."

"The majority of Aster's students face significant barriers, and she assists them in facing their fears, and teaches them new ways of living their lives free of illegal drugs and alcohol dependence," says Principal Shannon Swain. "Through a curriculum that focuses on anger and stress management, effective communication skills, the development of healthy relationships, and relapse prevention tools, she continues her tireless quest to see all students succeed."

Aster has a B.A. degree in linguistics from Addiss Ababa University, located in her native country of Ethiopia, and earned her M.A. degree in clinical psychology from New College of California, in San Francisco. Additionally, she has received teaching credentials from CSU, Hayward; CSU, San Jose; and the University of Phoenix.

Along with her 19 fellow distinguished TOY district representatives, Aster will be honored at the upcoming Teacher of the Year Dinner Celebration on September 23, at the Concord Hilton. The special evening will conclude with the exciting announcement of this year's Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year. The reciepient will then go on to represent the county in the California State TOY competition.

Gardens Abound at County Office of Education Sites

2010-05-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

When you look at the impressive activity and bounty in the COE's gardens, it's obvious that spring is here with summer right on its heels! Recently, we had a chance to visit the bustling gardens growing on our education sites: O'Hara Park Middle School (Oakley), Liberty High (Brentwood), Turner School (Pittsburg), Mauzy School (Alamo), and Delta Vista High School at the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility (Byron). Here's a brief crop report:

O'Hara Park Middle: Brian Brady, SMH teacher, recently applied for, and was awarded, a grant for $1,200 from the California Fertilizer Foundation. Pam Emery, representative of the Foundation, presented Brian and his class with a check, a shovel, a Home Depot gift card, and a supply of fertilizer to get their garden started. This grant will help fund a planned multi-layered campus learning garden. Plans for the garden include fruit trees, shrubs, fast-growing fruit vines, bulbs, and flowers. The garden, and its student-learning activities, will support facets of the school's curriculum on a daily basis.  
Above, Brian Brady and Sean hold the grant check presented by the CA Fertilizer Foundation.

Liberty Transition students, Christine (left), Jonny (center) with Instructional Assistant (IA) Cheri Aranda, and David (above), love their work in the Liberty garden.

Brian Brady plans to consult with James Koch, CBI teacher at Liberty High, on their new garden. Liberty is home to the first COE garden. Named in honor of former East County Student Programs Principal Evelyn LaTorre, the Liberty garden is a beautiful site to see, featuring fruit trees, flowers, and many types of vegetables. James holds a degree in conservation of natural resources with an emphasis on native flora of California, and brings a wealth of knowledge to the program.  

Left, Turner IA, Marlene Laisure, shows Malik the chard before the harvest. Teacher's assistant and volunteer, Harland (standing), from Sue Madole's Antioch CBI class, helps Sam with the hand trowel in preparation to plant their spring veggies.  

Turner School: Last year, Turner's garden project got off the ground with the help of Augie Marabuto of General Services, and Eloise Lovelace of Pittsburg CBI. Augie built the handicapped-accessible raised garden beds, and Eloise helped with raising garden donations. All of the classrooms at Turner participate in the garden, planting, weeding, and harvesting the bounty of vegetables which are enjoyed by students in the classroom, as well as the students' families and staff members. This year's winter garden included chard, spinach, cilantro, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, and onions. "We are currently planting our spring and summer veggies," said Marleen Laisure, instructional assistant in Robert Keller's SMH class. "We look forward to enjoying tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, string beans, and cucumbers with our students this season."   

Mauzy School: "Dave Verdin, our facilities worker, has worked very hard on the garden to get it ready for this season's planting," reports Paula Ramsey, office assistant at the school. "The tomatoes are in and we will be growing zucchini, beans, and herbs this season." MaryAnn Purcell's class is very involved in working the garden, as it is located right outside her classroom.   

Delta Vista High School (DVHS): Students at DVHS are also learning gardening skills in their huge on-site garden. Annually, the Discovery Bay Garden Club collaborates with the school to provide plants for the garden. In addition, the club works closely with the boys in the garden. "There is a therapeutic aspect woven into their work with our students," said Lynette Martelle, instructional assistant at Delta Vista. "The volunteers teach the students how to love and nurture the plants, flowers, and vegetables. The hope is that the boys will learn gentleness and nurturing skills that they can apply to their life." Lynette shares that many of her students have benefited from their time in the garden. Their comments have included, "I love working in the garden... when I go home maybe I can help my grandma in her garden." Others have said, "I am going to have a garden and do this at my home. This will keep me busy, focused, and out of trouble." The harvested vegetables from the garden are taken to the kitchen for all of the residents and staff members on site to enjoy. 

We wish all of our sites a bountiful harvest this season!

Contra Costa SELPA Annual End of the Year Celebration to Honor Several COE Employees

2010-05-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

Eight employees of the CCCOE (along with business partners and outstanding students) will be honored at the 20th Annual End of the Year Celebration to be held at the Lone Tree Golf Course in Antioch, May 20.

Congratulations to the following employees for their individual achievements:

Lisa Ecker - teacher, severely handicapped (SH), Turner School
Katherine Grant - teacher, severely multiply handicapped, Heritage High School
Anthony Lucas - teacher, SH, Los Cerros Middle School
Jim Mattson - teacher, multiple subjects, Delta Vista High School
Frank Escarnio - instructional assistant, Golden Gate Community School, Martinez
Lori Tovar - instructional assistant, Transition Program

Additionally, the CCCOE administrative support team will receive an award in the Distinguished Program category. Members of the team include:

• Susan Lee, accountant, Special Education
• Georgia Williams, administrative assistant III, Student Programs

Congratulations to all of you for your recognition!

Above from left, Georgia Williams and Susan Lee.

ROP Auto Tech Students from Las Lomas High Win Scholarships

2010-05-17T11:54:00.001-07:00

Left to right, Alexey Fedorov, ROP Teacher Steve Boone, and Lionel Khan at the
Las Lomas High Auto Shop.

Two ROP seniors from Las Lomas High won first place in the Northern California division of the Ford AAA Student Auto Skills competition held at the Blackhawk Automotive Museum on May 7, 2010. The team of Alexey Fedorov and Lionel Kahn got a perfect score on the hands-on aspect of the competition, diagnosing and repairing everything that was malfunctioning on their test car, and scoring very high on the written test as well. As a result, they each won a $20,000 scholarship from Universal Technical Institute. This is the first time the Contra Costa County ROP Auto Tech students have won this annual competition. The purpose of the competition is to encourage highly qualified students to enter the field of auto technology.

"Being part of this competition was a confidence builder for these students," says ROP Instructor Steve Boone. "It opened the door of opportunity for a career in the auto industry."

Congratulations to ROP Instructor Steve Boone and his winning ROP students!

ROP Robotics Team Wins Award at World Championship Competition

2010-05-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

Photo, top row: David Lambertson, Andy Renwick, Kristian Strotz, Nick Bublitz, and Daniel Baldwin. Bottom row: Shelby Lope, Kevin Mayo, Ethan Padilla, Matt Johnson, and James Hodgskiss. Not pictured: Will Grebe and Kyle Albert.

Students from Michael Smidebush's CCCOE ROP Robotics Engineering class (pictured above) at Concord High took home three trophies in a Northern California spring competition, and qualified to go to the VEX World Championships in Dallas on April 22-24, where they won the Educate Award.

The Educate Award is given to a team that has successfully integrated VEX Robotics into their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) curricula. The students were interviewed on several occasions by multiple judges. When the award was presented, the judges said, "This robot was built as a bi-product of the school's STEM curricula that encouraged the students with great enthusiasm to learn about robotics. Students proved themselves with great integrity and innovation to earn funding from the ROP sponsor for building their robots. The creativity and out-of-the-box thinking of the students was just an outcome of the school's sheer support through the inclusion of robotics in the curriculum."

Congratulations to ROP Robotics Engineering Instructor Michael Smidebush and his Concord High robotics team!

Region VI ACSA Awards Recognize COE's Educational Leadership

2010-04-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

Dr. Joseph A Ovick, Contra Costa County Superintendent of School and Marie McClaskey, Director of Student Programs.

Marie McClaskey, CCCOE Director of Student Programs, received the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region VI Nels Nelson Award at the organization's recognition dinner Friday, April 23. Region VI is comprised of all chapters in Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The person receiving this award is chosen based on educational leadership that is visionary, ethical, demonstrates a commitment and dedication to student achievement, and whose influence is far reaching.

During her 37 years in education, Marie McClaskey has been a model of integrity, honesty, and professionalism. As director of Student Programs and former program manager for the CCCOE, Marie's commitment to public education and to ACSA has been exemplary and unwavering. She has served ACSA as Region President, and Treasurer, and Delegate to the General Assembly. She devotes herself to providing the highest quality education possible and to giving back to the profession. Marie was honored for her tireless work, strong values, and her many contributions to public education.

Dr. Joseph A. Ovick, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools, was also honored at the ACSA Region VI recognition dinner. Dr. Ovick received the Ferd. J. Kiesel Memorial Distinguished Service Award that goes to a person whose contribution to public education has had a significant impact over a wide geographical area, state or national.

Joe was awarded this honor due to his extraordinary capabilities as a leader and manager who has developed strong coalitions of educators, community members, business leaders, and legislators in support of public schools. He is able to communicate a compelling vision and bring together the people and resources required to accomplish that vision.

Joe advocates for all learners in the state and the nation by providing sound, practical counsel to legislators in the crafting of key education legislation. In addition to his tireless advocacy for K-12 funding, he has gone to bat for establishing universal preschools because he supports a young child's right to enter elementary school prepared. He is a strong advocate for funding of community colleges and state universities. He travels to Washington, D.C. annually to discuss educational concerns with our members of Congress and the U.S. Senate. He is a strong voice for special education in his quest to secure full funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Congressman George Miller, Chair of the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee says, "I have often turned to Joe for unvarnished, detailed information about education and youth. His keen insights and wealth of information often help me make decisions about shaping, supporting or opposing key pieces of legislation."

Congratulations to both Dr. Ovick and Marie!

Special Olympics Track & Field Events Coming Soon

2010-04-22T12:19:00.000-07:00

More than 600 student athletes from the Contra Costa County Office of Education’s Special Education progams and East Bay school districts will be participating in two upcoming Special Olympic Track & Field events at the following locations:

Central County School Based Special Olympics
May 7, 2010
Ygnacio Valley High School
755 Oak Grove Road, Concord
Classroom & Athlete check-in: 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Opening Ceremonies: 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Competition: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

East County School Based Special Olympics
May 14, 2010
Liberty High School
850 Second Street, Brentwood
Classroom & Athlete check-in: 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Opening Ceremonies: 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Competition: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

For more information, please contact:
CJ Mills @ cmills@cccoe.k12.ca.us or phone 916-947-5008
To download a flyer, click here.

Letter to the PTA Following Education Rally at College Park High School

2010-04-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

PTA Article
Submitted by Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D.
April 16, 2010

Yesterday, April 15, I had the honor and pleasure of attending and speaking at the 32nd District PTA rally hosted at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill. It was a rally to restore adequate funding for schools. There were approximately 100 people in attendance, and we were fortunate that Senator Mark DeSaulnier, Assembly Member Joan Buchanan, Assembly Member Tom Torlakson, and the district director for Assembly Member Nancy Skinner were also present. The event was coordinated by Nancy Vandell with support from other members of the 32nd District PTA.

It is always a pleasure to meet with educators and parents of the children and youth who attend our public schools. It is a sad note, however, that the purpose of the meeting was simply to make known to the general public that our state is currently ranked 47th in the nation with regard to funding per pupil; and with the addition of $2.5 billion in reductions that the governor is requesting in next year’s budget, we will rank 50th among our 50 states.

This is truly a travesty when you consider the wealth of our state. Yes, we are in a deep recession, but we shouldn’t place the loss of revenue as a burden on the shoulders of our children and their future. If the people of California choose to continue to ignore the needs of our children, the impact will be felt for several generations, beginning with our children today. I feel limited by my command of the English language to be able to express how urgent it is for each and every one of us to write to our governor and share our concerns regarding his lack of leadership and his unwillingness to do what is right for our children and their future.

We were once the leader in the nation as a state regarding the dollars we spent to provide a wonderful education for our children. I personally benefited from that, and as Assembly Member Joan Buchanan shared at the rally, we can thank two former California governors—one a Republican and the other a Democrat—for their vision and commitment to our youth. Those men were Earl Warren and Pat Brown. Through their leadership, our K-12 education system, community college system, California State University system, and University of California system were stellar institutions for learning. We need to bring that back, and we need your help.

Thank you.

Two ROP Members Acknowledged with ACSA Awards

2010-03-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

The CCCOE was well recognized with awards at the recent Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region VI, Diablo Valley Charter Awards and Recognitions Dinner, held on March 18, at the Marriott Hotel, in Walnut Creek. Along with each award, there was a heartwarming story told about the recipient. One of the evening’s highlights was a story about two ROP awardees that had a special bond between themselves: an ROP student and an ROP business partner.

(l-r) Valeria Navarrete, Sally Savage, Amy Adams

ROP student, Valeria Navarrete earned the Every Student Succeeding Award and the John Muir Medical Center was presented the Partners in Education Award. The two were presented, that night, with their awards by ROP Principal Sally Savage, who had nominated the honorees late last year.

The John Muir Medical Center has been very involved with the CCCOE’s ROP since 2004, when they became interested in creating a summer internship/education program for high school students in Contra Costa County. Working together, John Muir and ROP produced such a program, with the first students beginning their internships in the summer of 2005. Qualified students are interviewed, evaluated, and hired to work in paid positions at John Muir, 40 hours a week, for eight weeks in paid positions. This admirable curriculum of work and education was created for students to gain important work skills on the job and in their ROP classes, which are held one day a week during their 8-week tenure at John Muir. Along with the real-life skills gained in such a program, the students also earn high school elective credit.

John Muir Medical Center’s Work Force Development Manager Amy Anderson, who received the Partners in Education Award in the hospital’s honor, has spent countless hours evaluating student applications, interviewing candidates, arranging department interviews for final candidates, and overseeing every aspect of the program. She arranges class schedules that include guest speakers from various hospital departments and many department tours.

Valeria Navarrete is a junior at Mt. Diablo High School, in Concord. Last summer, she applied and was accepted into the John Muir Medical Center’s summer internship/education program. Valeria is self-described as “the quiet and shy girl” who never does anything “extra” at school. Along with a challenging home life, Valeria has an IEP, which means she has a caseworker and a speech therapist that help her with her academic work. So with their help, Valeria wrote her résumé, completed the required essay, and successfully filled out the online application. Valeria was selected to interview at John Muir, which went very well. Amy Anderson said that Valeria was articulate, polite, and was clearly interested in doing something to better herself. Amy was anxious to place Valeria in the Medical Staffing Office at the Concord campus.

Valeria was hired and spent a very productive summer with a group of hospital workers who nurtured and cared deeply for her. The internship proved to be a life-changing experience for her. When asked what kind of an impact this made on her, she stated that she has started asking questions in class, and is no longer afraid that she might embarrass herself when speaking in the classroom. In the International Hospitality Academy, she feels she has become a quiet leader. It's quite obvious that Valeria has become more self-confident, and she looks forward to a future in the medical field.

It was agreed by all the attendees, that this special partnership was certainly worthy of celebrating with their awards.

Local hero, of national note, speaks to ROP high school class

2010-03-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

Corporal Ally Jacobs, the University of California police officer who helped break the Jaycee Dugard kidnapping case, spoke today to Patricia Blades’ ROP Law Enforcement Careers class, at Pinole Valley High School. “If I can inspire one person to take the time out of their day to help others, and listen to their gut instincts, then I’ve done my job,” said Corporal Jacobs to an enthralled classroom.

Corporal Jacobs has become something of a celebrity lately, and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, but she remains modest about her accomplishments. Standing in front of the ROP class, she told the students about her journey from high school to college to the Police Academy. She was inspired to go into law enforcement by a high school teacher. Now she’s back in high school trying to inspire others.

Corporal Ally Jacobs

Part of her message to the class was, “Pay attention to your instincts.” Corporal Jacobs believes hunches and intuition can be important. She told the story of her encounter with the protagonists in the Jaycee Dugard case. “I knew something was wrong in my gut,” she said, and she followed up on that feeling with a phone call that lead to more investigation, and the eventual return of a young woman who had been kidnapped 18 years earlier.

While this sensational case made her a hero in others’ eyes, Corporal Jacobs said, “We didn’t do anything stupendous. We just followed our instincts. Everyone in this classroom has the ability to have a positive effect on people’s lives.”

Jacobs shares stories about her career with students (l-r) Adam Brownrigg, Daniel Chavez, and Brandon Whitson in Pinole Valley High's ROP Law Enforcement Careers class

The Contra Costa County Office of Education’s ROP Program offers career technical education classes in every comprehensive high school in the county. There are over 50 different ROP courses, ranging from Law Enforcement to Biotechnology to Robotics Engineering, which help prepare students for college or future careers.

Contra Costa County Annual Health & Bioscience Career Fair

2010-03-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

An impressive group of local education, health care businesses, and health care organizations came together to present a conference for more than 450 Contra Costa County high school students that share an enthusiastic interest in the fields of health, health care, and bioscience, at this year’s annual Contra Costa County Health & Bioscience Career Fair. The extraordinary educational opportunity was held on March 4, at the Marriott Hotel in San Ramon.

At left, students from San Ramon Valley High ROP Sports Medicine Class (l-r) Gabrielle Patton, Jennifer Just, Bonnie Hagmaier (Teacher), Jordon Bosso, and Mackenzie Emerson.

The majority of attending students are currently enrolled in bioscience and health-care ROP and School-to-Career programs provided by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) and their representative schools. On hand, were a number of students from CCCOE ROP Sports Medicine classes. During the Career Fair, the students participated in a number of workshops that feature such topics as Technology and Health, Laboratory Medicine, Imaging, and Pre-Hospital Care. In addition, the students were able to meet directly with 19 local bioscience- and health-care-related exhibitors to talk to, interview, and learn more about the arena they are looking to enter after graduating high school.

The conference kicked off with an insightful and upbeat keynote presentation, made by Brian Feeley, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at the University of California, San Francisco, Sports Medicine Center. Dr. Feeley championed the day’s conference and the opportunities it offered the attending students: “I really wish I had such program to attend when I was your age.” Dr. Feeley talked about his education and career path, which included earning his undergraduate and medical degree from Stanford University, and then completed his hospital residency in orthopedic surgery at the UCLA Medical Center. He finished his sports medicine fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, where he also served as and assistant team physician to the New York Giants.

The presenting sponsors of the Contra Costa County Health & Bioscience Fair were John Muir Health, Sutter Health, and Kaiser Permanente. The event was produced in cooperation with the Contra Costa County Office of Education, Contra Costa Economic Partnership, Hospital Council, Contra Costa Community College District, and the Contra Costa Health / Bioscience collaborative.

“The Health and Bioscience Career Fair is a wonderful opportunity for our ROP and School-to Work teachers and students to learn more about the wide range of career opportunities that are available,” says Louise Barbee, coordinator with the CCCOE. “We received a lot of positive feedback from everyone involved today: students, teachers, and sponsors!”

Students attending represented the following Contra Costa County high schools: Ygnacio Valley H.S. (Concord), San Ramon Valley H.S. (Danville), Monte Vista (Danville) H.S., Richmond H.S. (Richmond) California H.S. (San Ramon), Mt. Diablo H.S. (Concord), Middle College H.S. (San Pablo), Heritage H.S. (Brentwood), and De Anza H.S. (Richmond).

All of the day’s vendors and presenters were very impressed with the overwhelming enthusiasm and interest the students displayed, as well as the number of great questions that were asked.

Miramonte High School named Contra Costa County Mock Trial Champions

2010-03-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

On March 4, Miramonte (Orinda) High School was named Contra Costa County’s Mock Trial Champion. Held at the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), the crowded room gave hearty congratulations to the team, and plenty of encouragement for their upcoming matches in the California State Mock Trials. This was Miramonte’s 4^th Mock Trial County Championship in a row.

For seven consecutive Tuesday and Thursday evenings in February and March, 10 Contra Costa County high school teams have been battling it out in the courtrooms of Martinez with a hypothetical murder trial. The final-two matches Miramonte vs. Campolindo (Championship Round) and Acalanes vs. California (Consolation Round) were held March 2 in the courtrooms of the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, in Martinez. Along with the Miramonte team, the following three teams in their respective rankings were also awarded: Campolindo (2^nd place), California (3^rd place), and Acalanes (4^th place). In addition, there were a number of individual awards for outstanding achievement presented to students who represented all of the participating teams.

Miramonte High School Mock Trial Team

This year’s participating Mock Trial schools include Acalanes (Lafayette), Alhambra (Martinez), Antioch, California (San Ramon), Campolindo (Moraga), Dougherty Valley (San Ramon), Miramonte (Orinda), Hercules, Heritage (Brentwood), and Northgate (Walnut Creek).

Contra Costa County Presiding Superior Court Judge Mary Ann O’Malley gave her overwhelmingly positive thoughts and observations about how impressive all the students performed during Mock Trials. “I look forward to seeing you all serving as attorneys in my courtroom in the very near future. And, I know some of you will be joining me at the Judge’s Bench, as well.”

Judge O'Malley with three of the five Judges' Choice Award Winners

Miramonte will represent Contra Costa County in the California State Mock Trial Competition, held in San Jose, March 19-21. (The California state finalist team will then compete in the National Mock Trial Competition, held in Philadelphia, Penn., May 6-8.)

Mock Trial is an academic activity for high school students coordinated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education, and sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. The purpose of this program is to teach students about the law and the workings of the legal system. Each participant portrays the part of a courtroom character such as an attorney, witness, court clerk, or bailiff. To prepare, the students conduct legal research and receive guidance on courtroom procedures from their school teachers and volunteer attorney coaches, where they acquire a working knowledge of the judicial system, develop analytic abilities and presentation skills.

An impressive number of 85 Bay Area practicing and retired attorneys, senior law students, and sworn judges volunteered their time to serve as Mock Trial Attorney Scorers and Judges with this year’s program.

Why Do I Need to Know Algebra?

2010-03-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

The Contra Costa Office of Education in partnership with Chevron Corporation launches a new project titled “Why Do I Need to Know Algebra?” This project addresses the gap in students’ knowledge between what they learn in the classroom and how they will use the knowledge as they move into higher education and into their careers.

Many students believe that algebra doesn’t apply to real life. They echo the common refrain, “Why do I need to know Algebra?” As adults we know that math applies to many careers, not just those in math and science. Through the curriculum materials and video clips, students will learn about a variety of careers that use Algebra. They will have the opportunity to hear real people talk about their careers and practice some of the math skills along the way. Take a look for yourself at wwww.cocoschools.org/whyalgebra . All materials may be downloaded from the website for free. For additional information contact Louise Barbee at lbarbee@cccoe.k12.ca.us.

2010-02-22T12:20:00.000-08:00

Acalanes High School (Lafayette) was announced as the overall team winner of the 2010 Contra Costa County Academic Decathlon, at the Awards Ceremony, held on February 10. This is Acalanes' fourth year in a row as the county's team winner. The top high school teams that followed Acalanes were, in order, Campolindo (Moraga), Miramonte (Orinda), and Pittsburg.

Everybody Counts

2010-02-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

The US Census Bureau has designated April 1, 2010 as Census Day and will be mailing census questionnaire forms to households sometime in mid- March. It is crucial to get an accurate count because data collected will have a significant impact on the quality of life in our communities. Census data are used to distribute Congressional seats to states, allocate more than $400 billion in federal grants to state and local governments, and help guide decisions at every level of government that will impact our communities. Significant work is now being done in our communities to promote the importance of the census and increase the mail-in response rate of our county residents. Special efforts are being made to reach the hard-to-count population including minorities, non-English speaking households, low income households and the transient population. The Census questionnaire is quick and easy to complete - 10 questions, 10 minutes. Responses are held in strict confidence and by law cannot be shared with anyone, including government, law enforcement agencies, not even the President of the United States! Please do your part to help our county and our communities. Fill out the questionnaire and mail it back promptly. Be counted and make a difference! For more information, please visit www.2010census.gov or www.cococensus.org.

2010 Census "Everybody Counts" Poster Contest

Contra Costa County is launching a countywide poster contest for all K-12 students in Contra Costa schools. The goal of the contest is to raise awareness of the importance of the census - that it is safe, easy and important - and that everyone must be counted.

What: "Everybody Counts" Art Poster Contest

Who: Open to all K-12 students in Contra Costa County

When: Poster entries are due March 10, 2010 at your school or may also be submitted to 651 Pine Street, 10th floor, Martinez

Why: To help promote the 2010 Census in Contra Costa County.

For more information about the contest, please visit our Web site.

Know anyone who has lost their healthcare coverage?

2010-02-22T11:49:00.000-08:00

Let them know they still have options if they have:

Been laid off from a job with health benefits

Can't afford COBRA benefits

COBRA benefits have run out

There are programs that might help them and their family get medical coverage.

Call 211
The service is free, confidential, and available 24/7.

Juvenile Hall Library Receives Grant, Benefits Mt. McKinley School Students

2010-02-18T14:04:00.001-08:00

Students attending Mt. McKinley School, located at Juvenile Hall, are learning the therapeutic qualities of self-expression through creative writing, poetry, performance of written word, and a fine arts curriculum. In 2007, Alison McKee (former Juvenile Hall librarian) applied for, and received, a federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The grant funds a three-year Artists In Residence Program. After an initial year of preparation, the 2009/10 school years marked the start of the two-year-classroom program. During the course of the program, every visiting artist will conduct four one and a half-hour workshops in each of the nine classrooms at Mt. McKinley.

The following artists have committed to the first year of the program (2009/10):

Jennifer Scaife, creative writing instructor, will introduce students to ways of expressing memories and feelings through poems and stories. "I will teach different strategies to writing, ones that are not encountered in normal high school classes. The goal is to teach students that writing can be a form of therapy." She is program director of the Prison University Project, a college program dedicated to providing higher education to inmates at San Quentin Prison.

Youth Speaks is a nonprofit group in San Francisco dedicated to teaching and creating spoken word performance. Jose Vadi, a Youth Speaks mentor, will take the lead in this residency, aided by Kirya Traber, residency program manager. Visit their Web site for more information.

Javier Reyes, is one of the founders of Colored Ink, a hip hop theater group composed of young adults from urban neighborhoods in the Bay Area. Javier's goal is to demonstrate to the kids in Juvenile Hall the therapeutic power of live performance.

Tim Hancock is from ArtReach, a division of the City of Walnut Creek's Civic Arts Education program. Gearing his workshops toward beginner artists, Tim will teach the kids how to express their individuality through visual art.

Cindy Wolley, a teacher at Mt. McKinley, commented, "I have seen a breakthrough with one particular student in the serious offenders' unit. This student had been angry and not willing to participate. These workshops have helped this student express himself."

At the end of the first year, there will be a reception at Juvenile Hall, which will include a display of the students' artwork (date will be announced when scheduled).

Tutoring Services Offered at Local Homeless Shelters

2010-01-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

The Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) Youth Development Services (YDS) partners with Shelter Inc. to provide on-site tutoring at local shelters and transitional housing facilities. Through a grant funded by Shelter Inc., YDS provides tutors to work with both children and adults staying at the Mt. View House Interim Shelter in Martinez and the Lyle Morris Family Center in Antioch.

School-aged clients are pre and post-tested in both math and reading to track student progress and to monitor the effectiveness of the services being provided. Tutors assist students with their homework and help students improve academic skills. Students have showed significant improvement in test scores in school and greater success completing homework assignments. (The tutor pictured is Gianna Sacco-Alexander, SMH Teacher, CCCOE East County Student Programs.)

The adult clients who receive tutoring are assisted with math and literacy skills, GED preparation, college or vocational training assignments, job readiness, and employment skills. English language learners also receive assistance. Outcomes include mastery of basic computer skills, development of a professional resumé, improved interview techniques, and successful completion of their GED and job placement. Tutoring supplies and educational materials are also provided to the shelters through CCCOE's Youth Development Homeless Program (funded through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act).

Read more in the Contra Costa Times.