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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.