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 Mark your calendars for the next Building Healthy Communities-South Kern Central Table Meeting. You don't want to miss this meeting, where the Action Plan will be approved.
The meeting will be at 5 p.m. Thursday, August 27 at the David Head Center, 10300 San Diego Street, in Lamont.
Please invite residents and organization partners working in south Kern to join us as we celebrate finishing this process.
Transportation will be available. For more information call: (661) 845-2724 or visit our website.
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'Game Changer' Pilot Program Brings College Courses to Arvin High School
Creating a college-going culture is a priority for Building Healthy Communities-South Kern. Therefore, we are delighted to announce that last week, the Kern County Board of Supervisors awarded $400,000 to Arvin High School to form a partnership with Bakersfield College that will provide Arvin High students with an opportunity to enroll in higher education courses.
"The [pilot] program hopes to allow students to pursue multiple pathways that can lead to a high school general equivalency certification an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree," said Teresa Hitchcock, assistant county administrative officer with the county of Kern.
Click
here
to go to Bakersfield College President Sonya Christian's blog's and read more about this historic win.
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South Kern in the Billion Dollar Mix
How do you spend $1 billion? That is the question that The California Endowment, the state's largest health foundation, had to answer. In 2010, the endowment responded by committing $1 billion in a 10-year period, 2010-2020, to a strategic investment in Building Healthy Communities in 14 of the state's highest-needs communities.
These communities spanned from Del Norte County near the Oregon border to City Heights near the Mexican border, and included such well-known poverty areas as East Salinas, East Oakland, Southeast Santa Ana, as well as south Kern, made up of Arvin, Lamont, Weedpatch and the unincorporated areas of Greenfield.
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Local Control Funding Formula Victories
The Kern Education Justice Collaborative, comprised of Building Healthy Communities-South Kern partners, has been working to improve education for children who were suspended at a rate that was four times the state average and affecting students of color at disproportionately higher rates. The results of their work will be seen in the upcoming school year.
For the 2015-2016 school year, the Kern High School District (KHSD) allocated $2.59 million to address the school climate. The district will implement the Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports and Restorative Justice programs, hire eight additional counselors, and conduct trainings on implicit bias.
An additional $1.18 million was allocated for parent involvement. These funds will be used to open eight new parent centers and train school staff to work with parents.
The collaborative was founded in 2013 to address the disparity in suspension rates between minority and non-minority students in KHSD.
The latest Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) has resulted in improvements, but more progress is necessary.
The Kern Education Justice Collaborative is comprised of The Dolores Huerta Foundation, Faith in Action Kern County, California Rural Legal Assistance, Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Children First, the National Black Alliance and Building Healthy Communities-South Kern. |
#HEALTH4ALL Press Conference, Aug. 17
Faith in Action Kern County, California Partnership, UFW Foundation
and
in partnership with Building Healthy Communities South Kern will be having a press conference on Monday, August 17 to urge the Kern County Board of Supervisors to
draft a budget that
offers health care for all regardless of immigration status. Click here for more information.
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Leadership Counsel is Seeking Two Policy Advocates
Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, a Project of the Tides Center is seeking two full time Policy Advocates to be based in Fresno, but will consider a remote location in Kern County for one of the positions.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Policy Advocate will be primarily responsible for working alongside community residents,
conducting community education, and developing local, regional and state level advocacy campaigns
to improve conditions in California's rural communities. The Policy Advocate will also be responsible
for conducting research and analysis of proposed and existing polices at all levels of government
to
support resident advocacy efforts.
Click here to see the job description. If you are interested in applying please submit a cover letter
and resume to Veronica Garibay at [email protected] by COB on August
21, 2015.
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About Us
Building Healthy Communities is a comprehensive community initiative that is creating a revolution in how Californians think about and support health in their communities.
More than 2,500 residents, youth, businesses and organizations are leading the BHC-SK effort to improve the health of our communities through a shared vision, goals and action plan. Residents in Arvin, Lamont, Weedpatch, and the unincorporated areas of Greenfield are proving that we have the power to make health happen in our communities.
BHC-SK is promoting healthy change in the areas of:
- Education: Improving education from pre-K through adult education
- Environment: Creating a healthy environment with clean air and water
- Health Access: Increasing access to a better health care system
- Recreation: Improving recreational activities, facilities and parks
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We have the power to build healthy communities for the next generation.
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Building Healthy Communities South Kern Youth Leaders in partnership with Mighty Kicks, Dignity Health, and the Boys and Girls Club of Kern County will be hosting a soccer camp for children ages 5 to 12 at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 15 at Haven Drive Middle School located in the corner of Hood Street and South A Street in Arvin.
Click
here
for more information.
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