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Contra Costa County Office of Education April  2016
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Greetings!

 

Welcome to the April 2016 issue of  Dateline. This informative newsletter is for all those in Contra Costa County who work in education. Please tell your fellow teachers and administrators, as well as your friends who would be interested in joining our mailing list ( click here, or the link button at the left column). 

Professional Development / Opportunities

CCCOE Presents Number Talks
Number Talks support implementation of the California Standards in Mathematics (CCCSS). Participants engage in discourse, conversations, and alternative thinking in mathematics.

Secondary Number Talks 1.0, for grades 6-9 Instructors.  This workshop is framed around the Making Number Talks Matter book, written by Cathy Humpreys & Ruth Parker. This resource is included in the price of the workshop. 
Date and location: April 5, 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
For info: Contact Christen Schwartz at 925-942-3435 or visit this page
Fee: $175

Number Talks 1.0, for grades K-5 instructors.  This workshop is framed around the Number Talks book, written by Sherry Parrish. The book contains more than 850 purposefully designed number talks and a DVD featuring 19 number talks filmed in actual classrooms. These resources are included in the price of the workshop. 
Date and location April 6, 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
For info: Contact   Christen Schwartz at 925-942-3435 or visit this  page
Fee: $175
21st Annual Distinguished Speaker Series - The Best Practices in Teaching Leadership

Over the past 20 years, the Distinguished Speaker Series (DSS) attracts more than 1,000 educators per year from 5 local counties and over 30 regional school districts. Internationally renowned speakers, authors and consultants have been inspiring participants to make a difference in their classroom, school and community.
Date and location : April 9, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.;  Saint Mary's College, Moraga
For info: Contact Jeannie Harberson at 925-631-4936, or visit their
Fee:  $65 for individual sessions  (academic credit available)
Administrative  Leadership Program (ALP) 

Contra Costa County Office of Education is a local program affiliate with the Association of California School Administrators and the New Teacher Center that offers an alternative program for the Professional Clear Administrative Services Credential. The ALP provides two years of on-site individualized coaching by certified Leadership Coaches to beginning school administrators. Driven by the California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, candidates create an individualized plan for demonstrating performance standards that will determine the focus for coaching. At the end of two years, candidates who successfully complete all program requirements will be recommended for the Tier II Professional Clear Administrative Services Credential. 

For info: Contact Marsha Tokuyoshi at (925) 942-3385, or visit the program's Web page

Dates: TBD over a two-year time frame

Fee$3,500 per year CCCOE-ALP for 2 years, plus $1,000** per year to ACSA/ACCP; total cost for the two-year program is $9,000

Upcoming Events / Field Trips

California Student Mock Election
The 2016 Presidential election cycle is here and it is once again time to get students involved and excited about civics. The California Secretary of State and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction are partnering to host another California Student Mock Election on Tuesday, October 11, 2016. This program helps young people experience the importance of elections and the power their vote has in our democracy. This year it builds on the excitement of a Presidential election by giving California's high school and middle school students a chance to have their say on who they want to be the next President of the United States. Once their votes are counted, students can compare their choices to those of their peers at schools from all over the state.
For info: Contact the Student Mock Election Team at (916) 651-3070, or visit their website
Fee: Free 
 
Expanding Your Horizons
Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) is a conference specially designed for middle school girls. Their mission is to inspire girls to recognize their potential and pursue opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Date and location: May 7, 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill
For info: Contact Kathleen Thomas at 925-969-2037 or visit this website

Youth Conference and Empowerment Summit

Each year Contra Costa County District V Supervisor Federal D. Glover, sponsors a summit for the youth of Contra Costa County. 
It unites sixth through twelfth grade youth with local dignitaries, mentors, and community leaders for an incredible day complete with exploration, education, and entertainment. The event will be a community effort to build healthy attributes such as self esteem, honesty, and integrity. Our goal is to assist our students in constructing the foundation they need to be successful by equipping them with experiences that will enhance their personal and social standards. The interactive workshops provided at the Summit will offer life skills, assist with career development, and provide a venue for appropriate activities that reduce the risk of undesirable behavior. 
Date and location: May 21, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Pittsburg Creative Arts Building, Pittsburg
For info: Visit their website
Fee: Free, but you must register before May 20
STEM Summer Education Camps 

The STEM Initiative's goal is to provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) summer enrichment opportunities for high school students and teachers.The STEM summer camps offer the opportunity to explore theory and practice in week-long experiences that blend hands-on exploration, field visits to industry workplaces, problem-solving and presentations by experts, combined with college campus exposure and college credit. 
Dates and locations: Engineering, June 13-17, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill; Discover  Engineering!, June 19-24, TBA; Biotechnology, CSU-East Bay Concord Campus, June 27-July 1, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Solar Energy, CSU-East Bay Concord, July 11-15, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., (The Solar Science Academy is by invitation-only); Environmental Sciences, CSU-East Bay, Concord, July 18-22, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
For info: Contact the program via email or phone (925) 246-1880 or visit the programs' website
Fee: Each camp has a different price point, see website
Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society

The Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society will gladly organize an astronomy night for your school, youth group, or community organization. The organization's members volunteer their time and their telescopes to bring the universe to you. They also provide knowledgeable speakers and activities on various astronomy topics, either in a classroom or in a meeting setting.
For info:  Visit their website
Fee: Free
Grants / Scholarships
The Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust Fund

The Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust Fund annually distributes three separate $10,000 grants to outstanding teachers. The Trust will select nominees who exhibit extraordinary commitment of personal time and energy on behalf of their students. Teachers can self-nominate, or be nominated by an administrator, colleague, or student. The award may be used in any manner the recipient wishes.
For info: Contact Peggy Toovey at (925) 945-0200 or visit their website
Deadline: May 15
Voya Unsung Heroes Awards Program
For nearly 20 years, and with over $4 million in awarded grants, Unsung Heroes has proven to be an A+ program with educators. The program's "alumni" have inspired success in the classroom and impacted countless numbers of students. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000.
For info: Visit their website
Deadline: April 30
Toshiba America Foundation

The Toshiba America Foundation is currently accepting applications from teachers who are passionate about making science and mathematics more engaging for their students.  Do you teach grades 6-12 science or math?  Do you have a wish list of instructional equipment that will make learning more exciting for your students?  If the answer is yes to these questions, Toshiba America Foundation would like to hear from you. Grades 6-12 applications for $5,000 or less are accepted on a rolling basis, throughout the calendar year. Grant requests of more than $5,000 are reviewed twice a year. 
For info: Contact (212) 596-0620 or  email, or visit their  website
Deadlines: Applications for grants of more than $5,000 are due August 1st and February 1st each year.  

Resources / Contests

Contra Costa County Library is celebrating the Year of STEAM
All 26 branches of the Contra Costa County Library will focus on programs and education in this year-long celebration that revolves around science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). Library patrons of all ages will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of STEAM programs and activities that inspire creativity and innovation through education and entertainment.
For info: Visit www.ccclib.org/steam
Google Science Fair
The Google Science Fair is a global online science and engineering competition open to individuals and teams from ages 13 to 18. Submit a science or engineering project and win unbelievable prizes.
For info: To sign up for fun and free resources kits for your classroom or school, visit their website
Deadline: May 17
Fee: Free
Contra Costa Community Warning System
The Contra Costa County Community Warning System (CWS) is a comprehensive system designed to alert the public in the county of imminent threats to life or health. The system was developed by the Community Awareness and Emergency Response organization (CAER) and is operated by the Office of the Sheriff.  The CWS mission is to alert the public of imminent threats to life or health, inform the public of basic hazard information and guide them to resources to gather more detailed information.  The CWS uses a variety of tools to reach the public as quickly and reliably as possible such as:
  • Telephone notification (cell and landline)
  • Email
  • Texting
  • Social Media (Facebook and Twitter)
  • Sirens
  • Radio and TV
  • NOAA Weather Radios
  • Cable Television
For info: Contact the CWS Staff at (925) 313-9622 or visit their website