Teacher of the Year Dinner Celebration Broadcast Schedule

The 2012-2013 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year

The recent (September 20) Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year (TOY) Dinner Celebration was taped and edited into a one-hour- and 30-minute program. The first five TV broadcasts are now scheduled. In addition, the entire program is currently posted on the City of Walnut Creek's YouTube channel. 

For complete broadcast details, please visit Contra Costa County Office of Education's TOY Web page. 

The San Francisco-Bay Area Common Core State Standards SUMMIT

Dr. Joseph A. Ovick

To assist local educators in transition and implementation of the California Common Core Standards in their schools, Dr. Joseph A. Ovick, president, California County Superintendents Education Services Association (CCSESA), and Contra Costa County superintendent of schools is convening the San Francisco-Bay Area Common Core State Standards SUMMIT on October 29-30, at the Concord Hilton. This thought-provoking two-day workshop will feature numerous noted speakers and practical breakout sessions.

 “The Contra Costa County Office of Education [CCCOE] is dedicated to supporting schools and districts as they begin transitioning to the California Common Core Standards,” reports Dr. Ovick. “With the implementation of the Common Core, educators will work collaboratively to implement curriculum, assessment, and ongoing professional development. Our goal is to support districts as they build capacity at all levels to support teachers, students, and school communities. The Common Core provides a means for all students to be college and career ready and to thrive in the 21st century workforce.”

Visit this Web site to review the SUMMIT’s presentations and breakout sessions. In addition, attendees will have tremendous opportunities to network with colleagues and other professionals who can share personal knowledge about Common Core State Standards.

The SUMMIT registration fee is $110.00 per participant. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided on both days.  For more information about the San Francisco-Bay Area Common Core State Standards SUMMIT, please contact Marsha Tokuyoshi at (925) 942-3385. Participants can register online at Eventbrite. The Concord Hilton is located at 1970 Diamond Boulevard, Concord.

About California Common Core State Standards

The mission of the California Common Core State Standards is to provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.

Vicente Martinez High Teacher Named County’s Teacher of the Year

Contra Costa County 2012-2013
Teacher of the Year Dr. Rona Zollinger

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 Vicente Martinez High School’s Rona Zollinger, Ph.D.   The 14-year teacher has been teaching her environmental studies academy (core subjects) course at Vicente Martinez High for the past 11 years.

After being named by the Martinez Unified School District as their district Teacher of the Year (TOY), this past March, Dr. Zollinger successfully proceeded with the other 19 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 Mona Keeler, San Ramon Valley Unified SD, (Iron Horse Middle) and Terryl Miller, Moraga SD, (Los Perales Elementary).

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 an incredible performance by the Bristow Middle School Choir (Brentwood), led by 2009 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Mark Morello.  Dr. Ovick introduced the TOY class of 2012-2013 by sharing to the audience of his visit 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.”   After the three speeches were given, Dr. Zollinger’s announcement was made.

Dr. Zollinger created the Environmental Studies Academy (ESA) in 2003, as an alternative learning experience for high school students in the Martinez Unified School District who are interested in schooling outside the box.  The ESA was part of the environmental efforts of the Alhambra Creek Restoration Environmental Education Collaborative, which is a community-based network of partners that help organize and facilitate unique hands-on learning experiences for ESA students.  In 2009, a large grant was received from Contra Costa Mental Health Services to expand the ESA program.  At this point, the ESA became New Leaf: A Sustainable Living Collaborative. New Leaf is organized around the ecological principles of sustainable education.  The curriculum utilizes transdiciplinary strategies and practices of project and place based learning, ecological service learning, and a rites of passage curriculum all done through participation in a small learning community.  

Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools 

Dr. Joseph A. Ovick and Dr. Rona Zollinger

In announcing Dr. Zollinger’s name, Dr. Ovick mentioned how a former neighbor (John Muir), just up the road from New Leaf, would be happy about this year’s winner.

Dr. Zollinger will now compete with the other county representatives in the California State TOY competition. The California State Teachers of the Year are expected to be announced in late October. The county TOY program is produced by the Contra Costa County Office of Education. (For additional TOY info, visit the CCCOE’s Teacher of the Year page).

The 2012-2013 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Representatives

Vanesa Arreola-Navarro, Pittsburg USD, Foothill Elementary

Dan Auza, John Swett USD, Carquinez Middle

Michael Buchel, Acalanes UHSD, Acalanes High

Kim Burris, Orinda USD, all five OUSD Schools

Erin Carson, Walnut Creek SD, Indian Valley Elementary

Marina Chinchilla, Knightsen ESD, Knightsen Elementary

Kathy DeRenzi, San Ramon Valley USD, Quail Run Elementary

Rochelle Gardiner, Oakley Union Elementary SD, Vintage Parkway Elementary

Heather Harper, Liberty UHSD, Freedom High

Joshua Hastings, West Contra Costa USD, Richmond High

William Hyres, CCCOE, Golden Gate Community School Rodeo

Mona Keeler, San Ramon Valley USD, Iron Horse Middle

Kevin Lindell, Byron USD, Excelsior Middle

Cynthia McGrath, CCCCD, Los Medanos College

Terryl Miller, Moraga SD, Los Perales Elementary

Naomi Phillips, Brentwood USD, Edna Hill Middle

Mona Lisa Ricard, Mt. Diablo USD, Sequoia Elementary

Tracey Singh-Poole, West Contra Costa USD, DeAnza High

Mette Thallaug, Lafayette SD, Burton Valley Elementary

Stacey Wickware, Antioch USD, Dozier-Libbey Medical High

Dr. Rona Zollinger, Martinez USD, Vicente Martinez High

Note regarding eligible participants:

• Seventeen of the eighteen Contra Costa County school districts represented (plus the CCCOE) are participating in this year’s TOY program.
• Each year, one instructor from Contra Costa Community College District is submitted to the TOY program for his/her outstanding body of work with their designated college.  The colleges rotate each year between Diablo Valley, Los Medanos, and Contra Costa.  This year, it is Los Mendanos’ turn.  Due to the larger number of students in their districts, West Contra Costa USD, Mt. Diablo USD, and San Ramon Valley USD are allowed to select two TOY candidates.  (This year, Mt. Diablo USD only submitted one District TOY.)

California Preschool Instructional Network

Attendees participate in painting activity during breakout session of the
Annual Bay Region 4 CPIN Network meeting in Berkeley.

California Preschool Instructional Network    

The California Department of Education's California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN) is an initiative designed to close the "school-readiness gap" for three- to five-year-old children, including English learners and children with special needs, by providing all children with opportunities to begin kindergarten ready to succeed.  The Contra Costa COE (CCCOE) is the lead educational agency that houses Bay Region 4 CPIN, serving Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Solano Counties.

CPIN provides evidence-based resources in social-emotional development, language and literacy, English language development, mathematics, visual and performing arts, physical development, and health.  In 2012-2013, CPIN will be adding history/social science, and science components.  The Network provides onsite support and technical assistance to preschools feeding into the highest need elementary schools, along with professional development and networking opportunities based on CDE publications: 

• California Preschool Learning Foundations
• California Preschool Curriculum Frameworks
• Preschool English Learner Resource Guide
• Inclusion Works! Creating Child Care Programs That Promote Belonging for Children with Special Needs

Debbie Supple, CPIN Region 4 director, and her team conduct regional network meetings for preschool and early elementary teachers, as well as other caregivers, administrators, program directors, principals, and other early childhood agency representatives that provide current evidence-based resources to support high-quality professional development.

In April this year, CPIN held their annual Bay Region 4 Network meeting.  The title of this year's network meeting was Celebration of Imagination: Foundations in Visual and Performing Arts.  Presenters included Debbie Supple, Eloisa Mendoza-Hinds (English Learner Lead), and Lisa Shaanan (Special Education Lead).  This meeting is held in a mini-conference format with hands-on resources, research-based information, and strategies for teachers and administrators to use to close the school-readiness gap.  "The goal of the network meeting is to provide attendees with the opportunity to communicate, share ideas, and build relationships, along with providing training materials to take back to their school sites to share with their colleagues," said Debbie Supple.

During the artwork breakout session, approximately 120 attendees created works of art using a variety of medium, such as paint, decoupage, and string art (see photos).

     

The day focused on attendees learning and experiencing through hands-on activities based on the Visual and Performing Arts CA Preschool Learning Foundations and Curriculum Framework.  The entire room was filled with colorful displays of visuals and tools they could use at their sites when incorporating visual and performing arts into their curriculum.  Attendees sang songs, danced, drummed and made music, participated in dramatic play, and created art projects.  These activities were presented in a way that was meant to show participants the fun side of teaching young children, based on the Foundations and Curriculum Framework. 

Additionally, participants learned perspectives on teaching English learners as well as children with special needs, focusing on the importance of inclusion.

On July 23-24, the COE Educational Services Division and CPIN hosted their Summer Institute: Bridging the CA Preschool Learning Foundations and Curriculum Frameworks with Transitional Kindergarten (TK).  Four separate modules were offered, including:  

• Social-emotional development with a focus on self regulation
• Social-emotional development with a focus on making smooth transitions between activities
• English language development (for English learners)
• Dialogic reading (an interactive read-aloud approach that promotes oral language and vocabulary development)

This institute evolved out of the CCCOE TK Workgroup comprised of Contra Costa County school district TK representatives, and was facilitated by Pamela Comfort, Ed.D., Associate Superintendent, Educational Services.

Preschool, TK, and kindergarten teachers, administrators, and directors were invited to attend.  "These modules were designed using the Foundations and Frameworks to help the attendees understand what children typically know and are able to do at or around 48 months, and at or around 60 months of age," said Debbie Supple.  "This makes sense since children in TK programs are not yet 60 months old and may be operating along a continuum of learning.  It was great to see TK and preschool teachers and administrators interacting across systems around what's best for our youngest children.  We have had positive feedback about the value of this institute."

The Summer Institute provided opportunities for approximately 40 plus attendees to become familiar with the CA Preschool Learning Foundations and Curriculum Frameworks as resources for intentional planning of environments, activities, and materials in the classroom to enrich learning and the development of our youngest learners. Plenty of opportunities to share ideas with colleagues were built into each session.  One participant stated, "It was very helpful to have a training that bridged Preschool-TK-Kindergarten!  I have much more clarity about how TK will fit into this continuum."

For more information about TK, visit the CCCOE TK web page  or contact Pamela Comfort.  For information about how to get involved with CPIN, contact Debbie Supple.

2012-2013 Teacher of the Year finalists give their speeches

On August 20^th, the three 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year (TOY) finalists completed their third and final leg of their competition with TOY Speech Presentation.  This year’s finalists are Mona Keeler, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Iron Horse Middle; Terryl Miller, Moraga School District, Los Perales Elementary; and Rona Zollinger, Martinez Unified School District, Vicente Martinez High.  Each candidate gave a three- to five-minute speech, titled, “What have I learned from my students.”

(l-r) Miller, Zollinger, Keeler

The Speech Presentation panel was made up of an impressive group of Contra Costa County representatives that included education, government, and business:

(standing, l-r) Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston; Contra Costa Times Account Executive Maxine Nelson; Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson; Contra Costa County Public Defender Robin Lipetzky; and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Daryl Louder.                 

(seated, l-r) California State University, East Bay Teacher Education Department Chair Dr. Jeanette Bicais; Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Diana Becton; Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Jill Fannin; and Contra Costa Community College District Chancellor Dr. Helen Benjamin.

William Hyres Named CCCOE’s Teacher of the Year

It is quite obvious, that when you walk into William “Will” Hyres’ Golden Gate Community School classroom in Rodeo, our Contra Costa County Office of Education’s (CCCOE) newest Teacher of the Year (TOY) has found his professional calling—and his students are the benefactors of his passion.  It’s a treat to watch Will tend to the needs of his entire classroom, which can certainly be a challenge, with ease and confidence.  Whether he needs to settle down a few students who are talking; presenting his lesson to the class; or walking over to a student’s desk, after being respectfully asked, “Hey Hyres, is this correct?” 

Most of Will’s 25 students, grades 7-12, have been referred by school district expulsion (John Swett USD), as well as truancy and behavioral issues.  His classroom is located in an old storefront on the main street of the small town of Rodeo, most of his students live within walking distance.  “As the only CCCOE class in town, Will must meet many challenges, but he has made them into many daily opportunities for the students and their families,” reports the school’s Principal Rebecca Corrigan. 

Right after earning his bachelor’s degree in history, followed by obtaining his teaching credential at Chico State University, Will began teaching for the Butte County Office of Education’s School of Applied Resources, which is their version of our community schools.  A few years later, Will taught a year of middle-school social science in a traditional-school setting, in Elk Grove, but he did not enjoy the experience as he did with the Butte COE.  While surveying his classroom’s students, during their lunch break, Will said, “I really like the personal attention I can give to my students and their parents with a class like this one.  For me, it’s a more positive teaching experience.”

After his traditional-school-teaching stint, Will joined the CCCOE in 2005.  “My mother graduated from [nearby] John Swett High School, so I feel good about assisting the students that come from the same region,” says Will.  “I either help them get back into John Swett, help them graduate, or help them repair their credits as much as humanly possible so that they can quickly graduate from adult school.”

“I watch them enter into college, work, and sometimes parenthood,” Will adds.  “They check back in with me, and I am pleased to see so many living productive and successful lives.  I sometimes hear the tragic stories about those who don’t finish high school, but I cannot dwell on the negative.  I see the harm that comes from not finishing high school, and though I will keep those tales private, I truly understand why it is so important that all kids be inspired to learn and keep learning past high school.”

Continuing to reflect about her newly honored teacher, Rebecca adds, “Will has created a ‘family feel’ to his classroom.  He has more than 80% attendance monthly, which is very impressive for a community school, and his class has a waiting list to enter.  One of the many reasons Will’s class is so successful is the way he develops relationships with the students and with their families.  Most days, after school, students stay to practice CAHSEE prep on the classroom computers and parents drop by to review their student’s progress, or just to talk.”

When reminiscing about his formative years, Will has fond school memories while growing up in Redding, California, “I was fortunate to attend public schools with dedicated teachers that inspired me to want to do the same.”  He quickly named-off a half dozen English, music, and history teachers who taught him at Enterprise High School, which he also proudly noted is a California Distinguished School.  “How lucky was I, to be raised in a small town in Northern California, with good teachers, and plenty of opportunity for hard-working individuals?”

And, how lucky are we at the COE to have Will??!!

Will, along with his 21 fellow distinguished TOY district representatives, will be honored at the upcoming Teacher of the Year Dinner Celebration on September 20, at the Concord Hilton.

Professional Development Program Provides Support to Early Care and Education Professionals Throughout Contra Costa County

Staff from the Martinez Children's Center, Community Services Bureau Team participating in an end-of-year-group-reflection session, facilitated by Dr. Debi Silverman, Early Childhood Education program officer. 

by Ruth Fernandez, LPC Coordinator
 

The AB212 Professional Development Program, administered and implemented through the Contra Costa County Office of Education, provides professional development opportunities, coaching, mentoring, professional growth and educational advising to early care and education professionals throughout Contra Costa County.  The program serves approximately 450 early childhood educators working at state preschool and child development programs. 

The goal of the Center-Based Team Professional Development grant program is to support and empower teams of early care and education professionals to identify and engage in professional development with a team spirit and commitment to program goals.

The AB212 Center-Based Team Professional Development Program is designed to foster:

• PEER-LEARNING - through the creation of small-peer-learning groups or discussion groups.
• COMMUNICATION - to identify areas of staff expertise and areas for staff growth.
• MUTUAL COOPERATION - to promote sharing of professional knowledge, to utilize knowledge gained from professional development opportunities into practice in the classroom, and to support team-based approaches to program improvement.
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - in areas that have been identified by the staff team at the site.
• PERSONAL GROWTH AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR STAFF - to support the retention of a stable and skilled workforce.

Three years ago, AB212 began offering Center-Based Team Professional Development (CBTM) mini grants of up to $5,000 for early childhood programs that were interested and committed to developing and sustaining Professional Learning Communities (PLC) in their program.

Since the beginning of the AB212 CBTM program, a total of 15 teams of early childhood programs have engaged in intentional and purposeful activities to reach identified professional development goals which will support the early learning for children before kindergarten entry. Through collaboration and team-building, the early childhood educators have begun to review policies, develop new strategies, and implement new practices in their programs.  

As we conclude the fiscal year 2011-2012, the AB212 CBTM wants to celebrate and acknowledge the success of the teams who have completed the program.  Each team is committed to sustaining the PLC model by engaging in common and purposeful professional development to help them address a specific program need.

Martinez Early Childhood Center Director Cassandra Campbell, along with teachers Patricia Hamilton and Alma Bennett work together through a training on using the CA Preschool Learning Foundations and Creative Curriculum.

We especially celebrate Martinez Early Childhood Center.  They have participated in the CBTM program for three consecutive years.  As a result, the program has developed a brand new program website to increase communication with families about their curriculum, program philosophy, and year-round activities.  Part of their PLC work also includes alignment of Creative Curriculum with the CA Preschool Learning Foundations and classroom observation assessments. As CBTM program graduates, they will also play a leadership role by providing mentoring and coaching to incoming centers new to the professional learning communities model.  Congratulations Martinez Early Childhood Center!