1605 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95125 - www.kidsincommon.org - (408) 795-3771
Bold Steps for Children Newsletter
NOVEMBER 2014  


College Day was October 10th, and schools all over Santa Clara County created a college-going culture by hosting college rallies, playing college fight songs during passing periods, and having guest speakers share their college experiences. Teachers conducted lessons about going to college and told the story of their own education journey.

Lately, there is talk that perhaps college isn't for everyone. However, the overwhelming number of students who do not go to college are low-income or are Latino or African American. I cannot help but believe that this is because of a difference in the opportunities and expectations these young people face every day. Not going to college should be a choice, not an inevitability because you live in a certain zip code or because your parents did not go to college. When every child graduates from high school ready for college, then we can discuss whether or not college is for everyone.

College Day is about seeing the promise each child holds. It is about treating every child as though they are your own, and establishing the expectation and generating enthusiasm about going to college. College Day is not meant to be just one day a year - the more we talk about college, the more young people will see it in their future. If you know a young person, you can talk with them about their dreams. You can help them find their spark. You can help them see their path to college.

At Katherine Smith Elementary School, 81% of the students are on Free/Reduced Price meals, 53% are English Learners, and 100% believe they are going to college - no excuses. Watch a video of their College Day celebration at www.collegeday.org.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

In community spirit,
Dana Bunnett, Director
Kids in Common
Kids in Common wants every child safe, healthy, successful in learning, and successful in life!

Kids in Common advocates for policies, partnerships, and investments that improve children's lives in Santa Clara County. The cornerstone of our work is the Children's Agenda, a county-wide initiative working to create measurable, positive changes for Santa Clara County children and families.

From Assembly Speaker pro Tem
 Nora Campos


School children will now have better access to free vision screening after my legislation, AB 1840, was signed into law this year.

AB 1840 allows new types of digital and photo screening technologies to be used in addition to the traditional eye chart. This new low-cost vision technology will help ensure that all students have access to free screenings for early detection of vision problems. AB 1840 is modeled after Santa Clara County's Focus First program, which is funded by the Healthier Kids Foundation.

For more information, please go to www.assembly.ca.gov/campos.
Community Events

Mentor Tutor Connection Information Open House
Mentor Tutor Connection, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, urgently needs high school mentors and K- 8 tutors for students in Los Altos and Mountain View schools. Come hear about how you can support youth in our community.
Date:
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Time:
12:00 - 1:00pm (lunch included)
Location:
Los Altos High School - Attendance Building Conference Room, 201 Almond Avenue, Los Altos, CA
For More Information:
Send email to programs@mentortutorconnection.org. You can register online by clicking here.

Child Advocates Volunteer Open House
Learn how you can make a difference in the life of a foster youth by being a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA).
Date:
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Time:
6:15pm - 8:00pm
Location:
Sobrato Center for Nonprofits, 1400 Parkmoor Avenue, San Jose, CA
For More Information:
Send email to Amalia Renteria at amalia@cadvocates.org, or call (408) 573-5611.

Pulling Together for the Whole Child

The vast support system around a child must also work in harmony to ensure that the child develops into a healthy, happy adult. The Center for Early Learning at Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Children Now invite you to join us for Pulling Together for the Whole Child - a morning's look at silo busting within the early childhood sector. Learn ways cooperation, communication, and collaboration can improve services to children and help collectively advocate for relevant public policies and systems' changes.
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Time: 10:30am - 1:00pm
Location: Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, CA
For More Information: Send email to Margot Rawlins at mmrawlins@siliconvalleycf.org. You can also visit www.siliconvalleycf.org.

Special Screening of FED UP
Everything we've been told about food and exercise for the past 30 years is dead wrong. FED UP is the film the food industry doesn't want you to see. This special screening will be followed by a panel discussion with leaders in the fields of nutrition and health: Christopher Gardner, PhD (researcher), Bryan Lian, RD, (nutritionist) Thomas Robinson MD, MPH (pediatrician/researcher), and Sophia Yen MD, MPH (adolescent medicine) from Stanford and Stanford Children's Health. Cost is $15.
Date: Sunday, December 14, 2014
Time: 2:00 - 5:00pm
Location: Freidenrich Auditorium, 725 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA
For More Information: You can register by clicking here. Scholarships are available; send email to Felice Stonestrom at FStonestrom@stanfordchildrens.org.
For Your Reading or Viewing Pleasure

The Developing Brain: Implications for Youth Programs
Join us for a free webcast! You'll learn how the brain grows and learns; how the brain responds to trauma, and how this response differs in children and adults; how the environment, experience, and genetics impact the brain's response to challenges and learning; and how programs can apply this new research to help children and youth. Participants include: Moderator Kristin Anderson Moore, Ph.D., Senior scholar, Child Trends; Presenter Jane Roskams, Ph.D., Professor in the Brain Research Centre and Director of the Lab of Neural Regeneration and Brain Repair at the University of British Columbia; Respondent Daniel Cardinali, President of Communities in Schools; and Respondent Dianna Walters, Associate at the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative. This webcast will be held on
Wednesday, November 5, from 1:00 - 2:00pm ET. You can join the webcast by clicking here.

Foster Youth STEM and Work Readiness Program
Silicon Valley Children's Fund and TeenForce announced that Symantec will be funding the pilot and implementation of the Foster Youth STEM and Work Readiness Training Program. This program was developed as part of the Clinton Global America Initiative. You can read the press release about the program by clicking here. You can also read about this commitment to action by clicking here.

New Study: C�mo Est�n los Ni�os? The Health of Latino Children and Families in California
A comprehensive new study of California's Latino children paints a complex picture of their health and well-being, and finds striking differences within a 4.7 million-strong population that comprises more than half of all the children in the state. You can review the study by clicking here.

VIDEO: Sports Illustrated Introduces Us To America's Homeless Student-Athletes
More than 100,000 student-athletes in America are homeless, according to Sports Illustrated. While athletes such as Kevin Durant and James Jones have made headlines for overcoming childhood poverty and struggles, the magazine introduces us to today's kids who are succeeding in athletics but have no place to call "home" at the end of the day. You can watch the video by clicking here.

FIRST 5 Obesity Prevention Efforts
The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) recently profiled FIRST 5 Santa Clara County's efforts to prevent early childhood obesity. Through a blog post and video, CSAC highlights how FIRST 5 programs are making healthy habits fun! You can read the blog by clicking here; you can watch the YouTube video by clicking here.

New Data on California's Homeless Students
The story of California's homeless students is largely a hidden one - many are doubled up with family and friends, while others live in shelters. See new data from Kidsdata.org and the California Homeless Youth Project about homeless students in your county and school district by clicking here.

Creating Positive Social Climate Change
Assess the social climate in your child's life, and learn skills to fight social pollution and create positive social climate change. See the article from Kidpower's extensive free online library by clicking here.

Mercury News Editorial: Pepper Spray in Juvenile Hall? Let's Talk It Over
Staff at Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall soon will be permitted to use pepper spray on out-of-control kids in custody. Why? Because the Probation Peace Officers Union negotiated it into its latest contract. You can read the full article in the San Jose Mercury News by clicking here.

Bullying Prevention
On August 15, 2014, the U.S. Department of Education held its 4th Annual Summit about Bullying Prevention. Many agencies and organizations shared their recent collaborations that have been underway to promote the most effective strategies for creating healthier social climates in schools. You can read many of the resources shared at the Summit as well as other local links and connections to support youth in schools on the Safe Schools & Communities Resources Page by clicking here. For more information about related school climate improvement initiatives, send email to Roxana Marachi at roxana.marachi@sjsu.edu.

ARCHIVED WEBINAR: How to Put Legislative District Data to Work For California Children
If you missed Kidsdata.org's recent webinar about putting legislative district data to work on behalf of children, the recording is now available on the Kidsdata.org website. The webinar covers how to access data available by legislative district and overlay legislative district maps on many other indicators of child health and well-being available by county, city, or school district. You can review the webinar by clicking here.

Hewlett Foundation Blog Post: The Paradox of Story Telling
The Opportunity Youth Partnership (OYP) and Kids in Common Children's Summit were recently featured in a blog post by Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Program Fellow at the Hewlett Foundation. You can read the blog by clicking here.

Former Foster Youth Take Politics Into Their Own Hands: Sokhom Mao
Sokhom Mao is a former foster youth who is now running for Oakland City Council. You can read his inspirational story on The Chronicle for Social Change website by clicking here.

Early Literacy in California's Immigrant Families

Read this report about disparities in exposure to book-sharing programs among California's immigrant families. The Chair of the Children's Agenda Vision Council is a co-author of this report. You can read it on Reuters by clicking here.

School Discipline Consensus Report
Recently released by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, this report presents a comprehensive set of consensus-based and field-driven recommendations to improve conditions for learning for all students and educators, better support students with behavioral needs, improve police-school partnerships, and keep students out of the juvenile justice system for minor offenses. You can read the report by clicking here.

How "Stranger Danger" Hurts Kids: "Stranger Safety" Empowers Kids with Knowledge and Skills
This Kidpower article describes the skills that teach kids how to stay safe around strangers, and that when they're having an emergency, they may need to ask for help from someone they don't know. Read this very popular article by clicking here.

The 2014 California Children's Report Card 
This study identifies how kids are doing in our state and what needs to be done about it
. Released by Children Now, it covers 27 critical education, health, and child welfare issues and provides a comprehensive evaluation of the current status of California's kids. You can read the Report Card by clicking here.
Volunteer Opportunities 

Volunteer to Become a Certified Car Seat Technician 
In the Bay Area, 4 out of 5 car seats are installed incorrectly. ACCESS (a service of the Good Samaritan Hospital Auxiliary) hosts free car seat fitting inspections. Join ACCESS in our efforts to ensure infants and children are safe in their vehicles. Training is provided at Good Samaritan Hospital, 2425 Samaritan Drive, San Jose, CA.
For More Information:
Call Shannon Hickok at (408) 559-2395, or send email to shannon.hickok@hcahealthcare.com. You can also visit the ACCESS website by clicking here

OYP Is Seeking Youth Leaders  
The Opportunity Youth Partnership (OYP) is once again opening Youth Voice positions for youth ages 16 - 24 years who would be interested in representing their peers in this partnership. If you know of a youth who would be interested in the role, please have them complete an application. This is a wonderful leadership opportunity, and a stipend is provided for the youth members.
For More Information:
You can download the application (PDF format) by clicking here.

Be a Child Advocate! 
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley is currently seeking individuals, 21 years and older, to become a volunteer Child Advocate to one of the nearly 200 foster youth on our waiting list. 
For More Information: Send email to Amalia at amalia@cadvocates.org, or visit www.bemyadvocate.org.

Join the LPC Council of Santa Clara County 
The Local Early Education Planning Council (LPC) of Santa Clara County is seeking individuals who are interested in applying for membership to the Council. Funded by the California Department of Education and housed at the Santa Clara County Office of Education, the mission of the LPC is to assess, represent, and promote the early care and education needs of children and families in the community. Applicants must work or live in Santa Clara County, and exhibit a strong commitment to advocating for increased quality childcare services; an ability to make information-based decisions; and excellent leadership skills.  
For More Information: If you are interested in submitting an application, send email to Michael Garcia at michael_garcia@sccoe.org, or call (408) 453-6649.

Volunteer with Junior Achievement 
Inspire students at local elementary schools with Junior Achievement! Junior Achievement prepares youth for economic success through a short series of age-appropriate lessons about entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness. You can volunteer to work in schools and teach these lessons (the teacher will be in the classroom to provide support.) The dates, times, and locations are flexible, including any school or after-school program (i.e. public, private, charter, etc.) There is a one-hour mandatory training.  
For More Information: Send email to Amanda Lopez, District Manager, Silicon Valley, at alopez@janorcal.org, or call (408) 217-7906. 

Be a Mentor for Elementary School Children

Collaborative Community Program (CCP) is seeking mentors for children from Washington Elementary School in downtown San Jose. Mentors meet with children in Kindergarten through 5th grade on Thursdays from 3:30 - 5:00pm at the Biblioteca Latinoamericana Branch Library.
For More Information: Send email to Rochelle at  
CCPSantaClara@gmail.com, or call (408) 634-2125.  You can also visit Collaborative Community Program on Facebook.
We'd Love to Hear From You!
 
If you have a story or an opportunity that 
 you would like to share in a future newsletter, please send us an email!  info@kidsincommon.org  

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Crowdsourcing for the Next Great  
STEM Program, Idea, or Initiative

United Way Silicon Valley believes the next great idea about how to address Science, Technology Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in our community may come from a new source that we have yet to discover. STEM education is the wave of the future, and no longer will just a high school diploma suffice as the 'finish line' for student success - career opportunities in STEM need to be the new 'finish line' for students.

To this end, we have embarked upon a crowdsourcing project to uncover the next great idea. We invite those in our community, in addition to any other community, to provide us with your insights to develop this next great idea. Please visit www.futureofsiliconvalley.org, and give us your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.

For More Information:
If you have any questions or want additional information, send email to Zane Barnes, Grants Manager, United Way Silicon Valley at zane.barnes@uwsv.org, or call (408) 345-4308.
Community Resources
 
FOR EDUCATORS: Embrace the Core Website and Communications Toolkit
The Embrace the Core website and Communications Toolkit are designed to help educators cut through the noise and communicate to parents about California's Common Core State Standards in their classrooms. Teachers, principals, district leaders, after-school program administrators, and anyone else who regularly fields questions from parents can use the posters, sample letters to parents, talking points, and various other resources to drive those conversations.
For More Information:
Visit the website at www.embracethecore.com. You can get to the toolkit by clicking here. If you have questions, send email to Neha Singh Gohil, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, at nsgohil@siliconvalleycf.org.

Good. To Go. Is in San Jose!
Good. To Go. (G2G) is a community-based marketing campaign aimed at increasing San Jose residents' purchase of "fun, fast, and fresh" items such as fresh produce and kid-friendly 'grab n go' snacks at participating G2G outlets: Healthy Corner Stores, Fresh Cart mobile produce vendors, and PCFMA farmers' markets. To find G2G locations in San Jose, visit our online interactive map by clicking here. To stay up to date on events, new products, and program updates, be sure to Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gd2go.
For More Information: To learn how to spread the word about G2G within your network and become a G2G brand ambassador, please contact Misha Taherbhai at mishat@healthtrust.org or call (408) 513-8716.

A Proven Way to Restore your Child's Health: The Pediatric Weight Control Program

Based on almost 20 years of Stanford's research, the Pediatric Weight Control Program for overweight children and teens has a success rate of over 80% in restoring and maintaining a lifetime of healthy weight. Parents lose weight too!  Early intervention is the best way to ensure your child's success. Class options for groups in English are Mondays from 4:30 - 6:00pm, and 6:00 - 7:30pm. Class options for groups in Spanish are Wednesdays at 6:00pm. Classes will run every week for six months in Menlo Park, CA. No referral needed!
For More Information:
If this sounds like a good fit for your family, call (650) 724-5611, or send email to pediatricweightcontrol@stanfordchildrens.org to reserve your space.

New Teacher Intern Credential Program: Education Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms
This Fall, the Inclusion Collaborative started an education specialist credential program focusing on inclusion: Preliminary Early Childhood Special Education, Preliminary Moderate/Severe Special Education, and a Clear Education Specialist Induction Program. Classes are held in the evenings and occasionally on Saturdays. These are alternative pathways to acquiring a teaching credential, allowing students to earn their credential while interning with a school district. Education Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms (EPIC) accepts new students every 2 years, so if you are interested in one of the three programs, plan to apply for Fall 2016.
For More Information:
To learn about the program, see the FAQ page by clicking here. For additional professional development opportunities and resources, visit www.inclusioncollaborative.org.
 
FREE Girls Exploring Math (GEM) Program at Mathson and Crittenden Schools
An exciting, all-girl, after-school math program will be starting mid-October at Lee Mathson Middle School in San Jose and Crittenden Middle School in Mountain View. Through this new, FREE program, offered by ALearn, 7th-grade girls will explore the exciting world of everyday math through hands-on art and science projects. These fun projects help them learn pre-algebra skills needed for high school math success. They will journey through self-discovery and learn about empowerment. Girls will also explore the value of a college education, classes needed for college admission, and careers for women.
For More Information:
ALearn offers FREE after-school and summer math programs for 6th, 7th, and 9th grade students at area schools. For more information about ALearn and its programs visit www.alearn.org, or call (408) 260-7545.

FREE
Kids' Vision and Dental Screenings
Healthier Kids Foundation FocusFirst and DentalFirst programs are conducting FREE (donor-funded) vision and dental screenings for children ages 6 months - 18 years old. Vision screenings are performed with a high-optic digital camera, and dental screenings are performed by a licensed dentist, Monday through Friday at your school, church, daycare center, community center, after-school program, or community-based organization. For dental screenings, all children will receive a FREE toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. Healthier Kids Foundation staff will help parents with any follow-up as needed.
For More Information: This program is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Schedule your screenings by calling Sunny Ochoa at (408) 564-5114, Ext. 206, or send email to  sunny@hkidsf.org.

Personal Safety Workshops   
Kidpower's Public Workshops for ages 3 years to adults offer personal safety skills training that is relevant to the ages and life situations of the students. These dynamic, upbeat workshops teach skills such as boundary setting, advocacy, stranger safety, safety with words (spoken or online), help-seeking, and de-escalation. There are multiple workshops for different child age groups coming up in November. Classes fill-up quickly, so let Kidpower know right away if you're interested! 
For More Information: See the public workshop schedule by clicking here; you can get registration information by clicking here. For additional details, call (800) 467-6997 Ext. 1#, or send email to safety@kidpower.org.

Get Help with College Planning  
The Online Colleges Database helps to make the college planning process easier for future students.  It provides an easy-to-use search tool with relevant data and integrated Google Maps. It also includes expert-driven topical guidebooks that aid specific demographics, such as minorities, students and families with disabilities, and veterans who may need a different set of advice and information.  
For More Information: Visit www.onlinecollegesdatabase.org.

GED Preparation Classes 
These classes target older youth, ages 17 - 24 years. An assessment of a student's basic skill level will determine placement. Classes include both lecture and computer-based learning. The GED program is open-entry/open-exit during the school year.
Date:
Monday through Friday
Time:
8:30am - 11:40pm
Location:
749 Story Road, Suite 10, San Jose, CA
For More Information:
Contact Mariah Artley at (408) 213-0961, Ext. 27, or Caroline Sailor at Ext. 30.
 
 
City of San Jose's Recreation of City Kids (ROCK) After-School Program 
This program offers quality, safe, affordable, and fun after-school care for children in Kindergarten through 6th grade. The program consists of enrichment activities, homework assistance, healthy recreation, cooking projects, special events, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) curriculum. Scholarships are available. 
Date: Monday through Friday during the school year 
Time: End of school until 6:00pm 
Location: Schools throughout San Jose 
For More Information: Visit www.sanjoseca.gov/prns, or call (408) 535-3576.

FutureArtsNow! 
This program hosts weekly Open Dance Sessions at the Edenvale Community Center for $3/session. Youth and young adults are invited to come and hone their Hip Hop Dance skills during our weekly sessions inside the Edenvale Dance Studio/Gym.  
Date: Every Wednesday and Thursday  
Time: 8:00 - 10:00pm 
Location: Edenvale Community Center, 330 Branham Lane, San Jose, CA  
For More Information: Call Demone Carter, Program Director, at (408) 320-5022; send email to futureartsnow@gmail.com; or visit www.futureartsnow.org.

Youth Facing Expulsion   
If you know of youth facing expulsion, Legal Advocates for Children and Youth may be able to connect you with a free lawyer to represent your child in a school expulsion hearing.  
For More Information: Call (408) 280-2416.

Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) Dollars
Looking for resources to help advocate for Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) dollars to support early learning and development? Children Now can help! 
For More Information: Check out Children Now's new campaign with resources by clicking here. Sign up for The Children's Movement of California to receive more talking points, tips, and tools that will be released over the coming weeks and months by clicking here.

CalFresh (Food Stamps) Outreach and Application Assistance

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties can do pre-screening, answer questions, and help clients complete applications for CalFresh benefits. Application assistance can be arranged for weekdays, weekends, and evenings at community locations throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. 
For More Information: Call Second Harvest's Food Connection, 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, at (800) 984-3663, or visit www.shfb.org/getfood

Free Food for Low-Income Families
Free food resources are available to low-income families through Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Our region's Family Harvest, Produce Mobile, Pantries and Prepared Meal programs can accept more participants. Food distributions and meal programs are available weekdays and on weekends at community locations throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. 
For More Information: Call Second Harvest's Food Connection, 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, at (800) 984-3663, or visit www.shfb.org/getfood

For All of Our MFCCs and Other Professionals Under the Board of Behavioral Sciences
 
Kidpower is now certified as a Continuing Education Provider under the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences!
For More Information: Visit www.kidpower.org
.

Kaiser Permanente Child Health Program
Did you know that Kaiser Permanente in California insures low-income children who are not eligible for Medi-Cal or Covered California through its Child Health Program? With all of the confusion surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many mixed status and immigrant families do not know that the program is an option for their child. The Child Health Program is pleased to offer a quality option in California that gives children the healthcare they need for just $0, $10, or $20 per child, per month, for up to three children, depending on the family's income. Additional children are covered at no extra premium. There are also no co-pays (no charge) for services at Kaiser Permanente facilities.
For More Information:
Send email to Sarah Hurd at sarah.m.hurd@kp.org. You can also get additional details, including eligibility guidelines and how to apply, by clicking here.

PARENT PROJECT
This 12-week program, which offers classes throughout Santa Clara County, is specifically designed for parents with difficult or out-of-control adolescents. Parents learn specific prevention and intervention strategies for destructive behaviors.
For More Information: Visit www.ParentProject.com; call (408) 808-3794; or send email to parentproject@da.sccgov.org.

Silicon Valley Kids Climate Club 
This club offers children (and adults) important lessons about conserving energy and water, recycling trash, and finding new food sources.  Supervisor Dave Cortese started the Kids Climate Club to introduce children in 3rd through 12th grades to simple tips they can use to help protect the environment. 
For More Information: If you would like Supervisor Cortese to give a presentation to your school or youth group, call (408) 299-3050, or send email to dave.cortese@bos.sccgov.org.

 
Have You Signed the Bill of Rights for Children and Youth?
 

Kids on Grass

For information about the Bill of Rights for Children and Youth go to:
www.kidsincommon.org/bill-of-rights  

 

 
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