ACSA is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the US, serving more than 18,000 CA educators.
November, 2017
President's Message
Districts throughout Region 6 are making “Winter Wishes” as we wrap up the calendar year and prepare for 2018. My wish for every administrator, certificated and classified staff member, and family we serve is rejuvenation and restoration as we push forward for the remainder of this academic year. Despite challenges and negativity that seem so pervasive in the media and in our society, I have HOPE for a better tomorrow. Margaret Mead once said, “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” I have no doubt that if we continue to work in concert as a region and an organization, we can indeed change the world, one…student… at… a… time.
At the region level, as you know we will continue to work to achieve three key goals for our constituents including: Increasing Communication , offering high caliber Professional Development and Increasing Advocacy efforts with our local and state legislators. Our State ACSA Board is working to develop a new, relevant, and informed Strategic Plan which will focus and manage the work of the Association for the next five years. The planning process will be flushed out in four steps throughout the process and is scheduled to be concluded and presented for approval in May of 2018. Our representative for the Core Planning Group for Region 6 is Lori Ventura, our esteemed Comptroller and a Dublin USD Principal. She is certain to be keeping us up to date on this endeavor.

Our Executive Committee is always excited to hear from you! I have been able to personally go and visit with administrators working in both Alameda and Contra Costa Counties including: Amador Valley, Castro Valley, Delta Charter, Diablo Valley Charter, Diablo Managers Association, and the Retirees Charter. These individual Charters are working hard to support their local membership and provide high quality and relevant professional development to our members. I was able to personally see presentations around: Mindfulness, Equity, and Culturally Responsive Leadership. I also attended the Leadership Summit in San Jose, “Leading Beyond Limits” where keynote speakers: Margaret Wheatley, Michael Bonner, and Jose Antonio Vargas shared some amazing stories and wisdom for leaders. Please take advantage of the free professional development within your own charter or others that you may see advertised on our webpage in addition to our local charter websites within the Region.

As we sunset on 2017 and prepare to sunrise in 2018, ACSA Region 6 wishes you Happy Holidays, a Happy New Year, and continued success in touching the lives of students daily!

Regards, Essence J. Phillips
      
Region 6 Welcomes New Superintendents
We apologize for leaving off Dr. Kim Wallace in the last issue. Region 6 wishes her a successful year as the new Superintendent of Fremont Unified School District. Dr. Wallace previously served as the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services in Fremont USD.
2017 ACSA Leadership Summit and Administrators of the Year Awards Dinner
The Annual ACSA Leadership Summit was held from November 2-4 in San Jose with the theme of "Leading Beyond Limits." Nearly 1,000 leaders from across our state attended this event including a large contingent from Region 6. Our Region's Every Student Succeeding winner, Carnisha Martin, was recognized at a special luncheon on Thursday along with other winners from all regions.

On Friday evening, our Region's Mistee Guzman, now a principal in Livermore Valley School District, was recognized at the Awards Dinner as ACSA's Secondary Co-Administrator of the Year.
ACSA State President Lisa Gonzales opens 2017 Leadership Summit
Region 6 President Essence Phillips and Rob Stockberger, Past Region 6 Director on ACSA State Board
Chris Bristol of IES, sponsor of ESS scholarships, Bob Giannini, Lisa Gonzales, and Karen Sakata
Karen Sakata and Rob Stockberger with Region 6 Every Student Succeeding winner Carnisha Martin from John Swett USD
Holly Edds, ACSA President-Elect, presents AOY Award for Secondary Co-Administrator to Mistee Guzman from Region 6
Mistee Guzman with family and friends
Region 6 Business/ Activities
ACSA Region 6 represents 19 charters in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. These 19 charters represent 36 school districts, 2 county offices, and Cal State East Bay administrative credential students. The Region 6 Board of Directors is currently updating the Region's By-laws. Changes include the addition of the Region's Chair of the Equity Committee on the Executive Board. The rationale for this change is to insure that equity continues to be front and center of our region's work. The Executive Board will be conducting interviews of candidates for County Superintendents in Region 6.

Several elected position on the Region 6 Executive Board will be open for 2018-19. If you are interested in any leadership opportunity in ACSA, please contact Bob Giannini or Rose Lock.
2018 Administrators of the Year
ACSA State Awards Program

It’s not too late to keep working on encouraging nominations for Administrator of the Year Awards. Nominee should be someone who has not been nominated before in the category. I encourage members to work together to recognize the great work that is happening in your district. We all have lots of great people working in our charters and this is a way to honor them.

I would also suggest that district/charter winners from last year “pay it forward” with a nomination. If you haven’t yet, please watch the short video about online nominations to help support you through this process. If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks for your great work!

Cindy Matteoni, VP Programs  

January 8, 2018: Region Application deadline (Check with your charter president for charter deadline)


January 12 2018: Nomination Committee will review applications and choose Region winners
Women's Leadership Network
Region 6 leaders listen to Namita Brown at October WLN event at the office of Fagen Friedman and Fulfrost
Namita Brown speaks on Cultural Proficient Leadership
At our first WLN event held on October 26, over 30 men and women leaders attended a presentation on Cultural Proficient Leadership by Namita Brown, an attorney with Fagen Friedman and Fulfrost. We want to thank Namita for her inspirational words and her law firm for hosting the event at their office with delicious refreshments and generous door prizes.

We look forward to our next event on January 18, 2018 featuring Dr. Trudy Arriaga on Opening Doors for Women in Leadership. She will be presenting a full-day ACSA workshop from 8:30 to 3:00 at the Orinda School District Office. Our Region 6 WLN networking event (FREE) will follow from 4:30 to 6:00 pm. Here is the flyer for the networking part of the day and you need to register separately at http://r6acsa_wln.eventbrite.com.

Information on Trudy's full-day presentation can be found on the ACSA website or click here.

Save the date for the third WLN event of the year.
March 22, 2018
Dr. Karina Gerger on How to Use Digital Tools to Increase Productivity

Topics were selected based on survey done last spring. All school leaders, men or women, are welcome. For updated information, check Region 6 website. Click here.
Region 6 Provides Monetary Support to Members
("What do you get as an ACSA member?")
Have you applied for the three ACSA Region 6 awards/scholarships? Don't miss out and don't delay!

1. MINI-GRANTS
Ten $1,000 grants are provided to ACSA members who are in need of financial support to start a new program (any school or district office) that enhances student learning.
DUE DATE – February 23, 2018

2. STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
Ten $1,000 scholarships are provided to children of ACSA Region 6 members who are seniors in high school going off to college or continuing their education as graduate students.
DUE DATE- March 16, 2018

3. EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDING SCHOLARSHIPS
ACSA Region 6 recognizes students who have made significant academic growth and have overcome physical and/or emotional barriers to succeed in school. Winner receives $1,000 and each nominee receives $250.
DUE DATE – March 16, 2018

You will find the application forms and submission addresses by contacting your charter President or going to our region website at acsaregion6.org (click awards/scholarships for the forms). 
From the Desk of Bob Giannini, Region Executive
In what ways can we help you as a member of our Region 6 ACSA professional organization?

As the Region 6 Executive, these are the ways I can help you:
  • Questions about the yearly Region 6 calendar
  • How to get involved in Region 6 leadership and activities
  • Information about mini-grants, scholarships, and every student
  • succeeding grants.
  • Questions about yearly elections and nominations process
  • Questions about awards night and annual Region 6 conference
  • Questions and help with job related issues and whom to seek for help
  • Questions and ideas about website
  • Questions about Region diversity issues and strategies
  • Questions related to financial matters or Region charters
  • Questions about retirement issues and the retiree charter

I am available to help Region 6 members with questions, issues, information or concerns. Rose Lock is our Region Consultant who provides support to charters and involvement within Region 6. She is also available to get you connected within our region for a successful experience as an administrator. We are both here to help and support you whenever needed.

Take an active role in our region or your ACSA charter and it will pay off for you in many ways.
Call me: 925-216-9430 or Email me: bobgiannini@comcast.net 

Bob Giannini, Region 6 Executive 
What's Happening in Our Charters?
RASA - West Contra Costa Charter Engages Administrators
The RASA charter hosted a professional development on Monday, October 16, 2017. The topic was "What do teachers expect from an administrator". All three teachers, Paula Raj, Jessy Kronenberg and Sarah LaDue shared their insights and spoke honestly about how administrators working collaboratively with teacher leaders can lead to transformative change for schools and their students. Paula Raj one of the administrators of the year was named the County Teacher of the Year for Contra Costa County. All of these teachers are change agents at their sites and the message was informative for our administrators.

RASA Recruitment efforts pay off! Membership Chair Denise Pinney held a successful recruitment opportunity at the West Contra Costa beginning of the year leadership meeting. All new members who signed up for membership in RASA and/or ACSA were entered in a raffle for an anywhere spa gift card. The membership committee signed up 24 RASA members and 19 new ACSA members!

Diablo Managers Association Members Enjoy Social Activities
Fall is in the air and the Diablo Managers Association has been busy with several activities and events. Our Fall Social was held on October 9 at Jack's in Pleasant Hill in which managers were welcomed back to the new school year! We also had several administrators recently attend the ACSA Leadership Summit in San Jose. Conference attendees will share information and best practices with fellow administrators at our next DMA meeting on Monday, November 13. Our next scheduled event will be our Winter Social which will be held on December 6, 2017 at the Contra Costa Country Club. 
Welcome to new ACSA members
Region 6 welcomes the following new members:
Acalanes UHSD
Tiffany Benson
Alameda USD
Benjamin Lundholm
Antioch USD
Danielle Pharr-Matthews
Berkeley USD
Antoinette Sperske, Susannah Bell Fishman
Brentwood UESD
Abbey Wheeler
Byron UESD
David Croy
Cal State East Bay
Margaret Harris, Michael Fanning, Mariama Gray, Gerald Reyes
Castro Valley USD
Patrick Hansen-Schmitt, Affie Sklut
Dublin USD
Tamara Koeppen, Shobhaa Tejwani, Lauren McGovern, Claire Mognaga
Eden ROP
Bernard Phelan
Fremont USD
Amy Perez, Sukhwani, Jaclyn McClintock, Ian Squibb, Jamie Shimomura
Hayward USD
Peter Parenti, Monica Roberts, Heidi Andrews, Lori Oldham
Liberty UHSD
Iram Carreou
Livermore Valley JUSD
Jeanette Garza, Jeremy Vilkins, Michael Biondi
Mt. Diablo USD
Ben Capponano, Samantha Allen
New Haven USD
James Malone, Teresa Malone, Sabrina Yacoub
Newark USD
Julie Radcliffe, Debra Romero
Pittsburg USD
Lindsay Bell, Martha Campos-Lopez, Miren Doolittle, Dashiell Gerdes, Joanne Ireland, Danny Lockwood, Sonya Maturant, E Lynne Nicodemus
San Leandro USD
Javier Gutierrez
San Lorenzo USD
Edward Hearn
San Ramon Valley USD
Gregory Duran
Walnut Creek ESD
Kelly Eagan, Alison Gomez
West Contra Costa USD
Paul Mansingh, Rosalind Brown, Helene Burks,Lyda Butler, Michael Hatcher, John Hillyer, Allison Huie, Chelsea LaForest, Melinda Piezas, Jennifer Porter Gulick, Rachel Porzig, Poppy Sheldon, Melissa Sigars, Matthew Sloan

Kudos to the following ACSA members for recruiting new members this quarter:
Linda Anderson, Carri Cassidy, Dennis Chaconas, Ardella Dailey, Debbie Gold, Lisa Gonzales, Evie Groch, Antoinette Henry-Evans, Philip Johnson (3), Renee Lama, Rose Lock (2), Heidi McFadden, Sonja Neely-Johnson, Tracie Noriega, Essence Phillips, Denise Pinney (10), Nancy Steele, Dayna Taylor, Erik Taylor, Lorianne Ventura, Blair Wilkins, Peg Winkelman
We welcome your feedback and suggestions.


Region 6 Staff
Bob Giannini, Executive
Rose Lock, Consultant
Region 6 Leadership
President:  Essence Phillips
President-Elect: Sonja Neely-Johnson
Past President: Steve Collins
Vice President, Staff Development: Pam Comfort
Vice President, Programs: Cindy Matteoni
Vice President, Legislation: Lynn Mackey
Vice President, Membership: Kris Martin-Meyer
Secretary: Pam Hughes
Treasurer: Pam VandeKamp
Comptroller: Lorianne Ventura
ACSA Board Director: Karen Sakata
At-Large Representatives: Kevin Grier, Bruce Burns, Kathy LaCome, Tracie Noriega
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela