Dateline Masthead
Contra Costa County Office of EducationJanuary 2012
In this issue
2nd Annual CCCOE STEAM
Common Core Standards
Digital Citizenship Webinar Series
Best Practices in Teaching Leadership BTSA Saturday Seminar Series
Science Lab
Cool Tools VIII
Creating a Peaceful School
Bay Area Environmental Education Resource Fair
Academic Decathlon (volunteers needed)
High School Mock Trials (Law Professional volunteers needed)
Emergency Shelter-in-Place Preparedness Grants
The Captain Planet Foundation
FindTuition.com
Annual LegiSchool Projects Essay Contest
Coastal Art and Poetry Contest
Contra Costa County Science & Engineering Fair
Create a Winning Science Fair Project
Alliance for Climate Education (ACE)
Quick Links
Join Our Mailing List
Welcome to Dateline!
 
Greetings!

 

Happy New Year!  Welcome to the January 2012 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 to join our mailing list (click here, or the link button at the left column).

Professional Development / Opportunities

2nd Annual CCCOE STEAM Colloquium

Full STEAM Ahead is the title of this year's 2nd Annual CCCOE STEAM Colloquium, which is a forum to discuss and share best practices in STEAM  (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Education.  Participants will include educators, business leaders and community organizations. The colloquium will include breakout sessions and a keynote speaker.   

Date and location: February 2, 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Hilton Concord, Concord  

For info, sponsorship opportunities, and presentation proposals: Contact Hilary Dito at (925) 942-3396 and keep your eye on The Colloquium updates on the CCCOE's STEAM website  

Fee: Free

Common Core Standards
Learn more about the Common Core Standards and the California legislation governing the rollout of new textbooks.  The session will address:
- Some overarching themes of English language arts and math standards
- Resources available to support Common Core rollout
- Specific professional development materials to assist teachers' integration of the Common Core

Date and location: January 26, 4:30-7:00 p.m.; CCCOE, Pleasant Hill

For info: Contact Hilary Dito at  (925) 942-3396, attendees can sign up online

Fee: Free

Digital Citizenship Webinar Series

A webinar series, produced in partnership by the CCCOE, AT&T, Region IV CTAP, and East Bay Computer Using Educators, will be covering the issues surrounding digital citizenship.  These presentations are directed to school-district or school-site administrators, teacher leaders, and technology managers.  The one-hour sessions are presented by nationally recognized guest speakers, representing such services as NetSmartz and Common Sense Media.  Each webinar will leave time for questions from the participants.

Dates: Multiple sessions, January-February

For info: Visit their website

Fee: Free

Best Practices in Teaching Leadership BTSA Saturday Seminar Series

This seminar series provides a broad range of opportunities for professional educators to learn research-based techniques and strategies from local and national professionals.  Keynote and breakout sessions cover a variety of topics and grade levels, and provide practical and purposeful tools for both general and special educators to improve teaching practices.  Networking opportunities with educators from other schools and districts are another key benefit.  The program meets BTSA Induction professional development requirement. Graduate academic credit or continuing education units may also be earned. 

Dates and location: January 28, February 25, March 24, and May 5; Saint Mary's College, Moraga

For info: Contact Lydia Wiley at (925)-631-8124, or visit their website

Fee: $60 for individual sessions

Science Lab
KQED Education, in partnership with Lindsay Wildlife Museum and the CCCOE is pleased to present a free professional learning opportunity specifically for Contra Costa County K-3rd educators who are interested in learning how to incorporate digital media tools, such as video and audio, to strengthen science instruction. Participants must attend all seven classes.
Dates and location
: January 11, 18, 25 and February 1, 8, 15, 29, 4:00-6:30 p.m.; Lindsay Wildlife Museum and the CCCOE 

For info
: Contact Nancy Yamamoto at (415) 553-2282 

Deadline: Applications must be in by January 6
Fee: Free
Cool Tools VIII

East Bay Computer Using Educators (CUE) presents Cool Tools for Learning VIII. East Bay CUE is a professional organization of educators dedicated to supporting the use of technology in education. This day-long program will feature 12 hands-on labs focusing on how K-12 teachers can implement technology tools and applications in the classroom.

Date and location: February 11, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Head-Royce School, Oakland

For info: Contact Eileen C. Walters or Anna Massi, you can also visit CUE's website 

Fee: $75

Creating a Peaceful School

Bay Area middle- and high-school educators, administrators, classroom 

aids, school staff, and after-school-program providers are invited to this one-day conference that will focus on creating peace on the school campus and in the school's community.  There will be plenty of workshops and classes for attendees to choose from.

Date and location: February 4, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Acalanes High School, Lafayette

For info: Contact the organizers at this email address 

Fee: $25 before December 31, $35 after (Five instructional hours, .5 CEU, of continuing education will be available from St. Mary's College,for $25)

Upcoming Events / Field Trips

Bay Area Environmental Education Resource Fair

For 35 years, educators, parents, and students concerned about the environment we share, have been coming to the Bay Area Environmental Education Resource (BAEER) Fair for the latest in classroom materials, environmental-education programs, and information about field-trip sites.  More than 70 exhibitioners will be on hand to provide a variety of events, demonstrations, interactive opportunities, and workshops.

Date and location: Jan. 21, 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Marin Civic Center Exhibit Hall, San Rafael

Fee: Sliding scale

For info: Visit the BAEER website

Academic Decathlon (volunteers needed)
Come out and join the excitement, while helping our students with this outstanding event.  The Contra Costa County Academic Decathlon is held on three separate days, and we are looking for volunteers to judge Essay, Speech, and Interview sessions on two of the scheduled dates. 
Dates and locations: January 28, morning; CSU East Bay, Concord (Speech and Interview sessions) and January 31, early evening; CCCOE, Pleasant Hill (Essay screenings)
For info: Contact Peggy Marshburn, CCCOE, (925) 942-3420 or visit the Academic Decathlon website 
High School Mock Trials (Law Professional volunteers needed)

The CCCOE is looking for additional members of the California Bar Association and current law students to serve as scorers and judges at the upcoming 31st Annual Contra Costa County Mock Trial Program.  New volunteers will be joining more than 150 practicing and retired Bay Area lawyers, district attorneys, public defenders, and judges, as well as Bay Area college law students, who will be returning as Mock Trial scorers and judges.

Dates and locationFebruary 7, 9, 15, 16, 21, 23, and March 28, 5:00-8:00 p.m.; Martinez courthouses  

For info: Contact Jonathan Lance, CCCOE, at (925) 942-3429 or visit the Mock Trial website
Grants / Scholarships
Emergency Shelter-in-Place Preparedness Grants

The Contra Costa County Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) provides up to $2,000 grants to improve the preparedness of Contra Costa County schools and agencies in responding effectively to shelter-in-place emergencies.  The proposed drills and exercises must have a stated list of objectives and goals that must be addressed. 

For info: Contact Lori McDonald at (925) 313-9296 or visit CAER's website

Deadline: February 12

The Captain Planet Foundation

The Captain Planet Foundation funds grants to promote understanding of environmental issues for school-age children.  Grant amounts range from $250-$2,500, with applications reviewed three times a year.

Next Deadline: January 31

For info: Visit their website

Resources / Contests

FindTuition.com

Do your students need help finding scholarships for college?  Have them visit FindTuition.com.  This free site has approximately 1.7 million scholarships and grants, worth more than $7 billion.  Users can search by eligibility, major, college, and many other categories.  They can also find scholarships and grants that match their individual strengths, be they academic or athletic. 

For info: Visit FindTuition.com

Deadline: Ongoing

Fee: Free

Annual LegiSchool Projects Essay Contest

The LegiSchool Project's Center for California Studies is seeking entries for their annual essay contest.  This year, students are asked to share their views on Bullying in California's High Schools.  The contest is open to 11th- and 12th-grade students attending California high schools.  Ten winning essayists will be selected and will receive round-trip travel to the Sacramento State Capitol to participate in the Student Legislative Summit and Student Run Press Conference.  LegiSchool Project is a civic education collaboration between California State University, Sacramento and the State Legislator, and is administrated by the Center for California Studies. 

For info: Contact Gabrielle Jackson at (916) 278-7563 or visit their website

Deadline: January 20

Coastal Art and Poetry Contest

To encourage youth to reflect on the beauty and spirit of our state's beaches and ocean, this special contest challenges California students to create artwork or poetry using a California coastal or marine theme. Prizes, awarded to five separate grade-level categories, include $100 gift certificates to an art-supply or book store.  Winners and honorable mentions will receive tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific.  Each winner's teacher will receive a $50 gift certificate for education materials,

For info: Contact the California Coastal Commission at (800) COAST4U, or visit their website 

Deadline: Jan 31

Contra Costa County Science & Engineering Fair

Contra Costa County businesses will once again join our county's educators to produce the annual Contra Costa County Science & Engineering Fair, this coming spring.  The program is for grades 7-12 students.

Dates and location: March 15-17; Los Medanos College, Science Building

For info: Contact Liz Ritchie at (925) 684-4995 or visit the Science & Engineering Fair's website

Deadlines: Students may submit their project applications anytime between now and January 20. 

Fee: $25 

Create a Winning Science Fair Project

The 2011 Intel-Affiliated International Science Fair winners will be

presenting Create a Winning Science Fair Project to interested students. The program will include the following topics: Focusing and Refining Your Project, Designing a Winning Project Board, Relevant Research for Computer Science and Mathematical Projects, Tips and Advice, and Questions and Answers.  Due to limited space, the presentation is open to the first 120 students registered and confirmed.

Date and location: January 7, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Los Medanos College, Pittsburg

For info: Contact Liz Ritchie at (925) 684-4995, click here to register

Fee: Free

Deadline: January 3

Alliance for Climate Education (ACE)

ACE is a national nonprofit, based in Oakland, that offers free multimedia assemblies on climate science and solutions.  ACE has reached more than 600K students nationwide, and more than 100K students in the Bay Area. After the assembly, ACE helps schools set up Action Teams to take on eco-projects at school, and offers grants, scholarships, and leadership training for committed students.  The program addresses state science standards. 

For info: Contact Ethan Burke at (510) 251-5993 or visit their website
Fee: Free
CCCOE Logo

Published by the Contra Costa County Office of Education Communications Office
77 Santa Barbara Road, Pleasant Hill, California 94523
Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
Editor: Peggy Marshburn; Writer/Layout: Jonathan Lance, (925) 942-3429;
Diane Morrell, Designer; Robin Wood, Web Developer 
 
Dateline is distributed during the school year to all public schools in the county by the Communications Office. Information must be received by the first of the preceding month. Publication does not signify the Contra Costa County Office of Education endorses the event or program mentioned.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Lance
CCCOE