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Contra Costa County Office of Education March 2017
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Welcome to the March 2017 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

Administrative  Leadership Program (ALP) 
What is the Administrative Leadership Program (ALP)?  CCCOE-ALP is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing as a Professional Preparation Program for the Clear Administrative Services Credential (formerly referred to as the Tier II Professional Clear Administrative Services Credential). In partnership with the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), CCCOE-ALP provides high-quality, researched-based professional learning and development for new leaders. Credential candidates expand and deepen their leadership knowledge, skills, and behaviors through individualized, job-embedded induction.

Program highlights include:
  • One-on-one coaching by an experienced administrator
  • Assisting and supporting participants in their administrative roles
  • Advancing the knowledge and skills of participants in relation to the California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (CPSELs)
  • Helping administrators lead, reflect, and grow capacity
  • Candidates complete a portfolio based on an Individual Induction Plan, setting goals and outlining their experiences and growth as new leaders. Upon completion of the two-year program, candidates will be recommended for the 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; t otal cost for the two-year program is $9,000
Number Talks 2.0
In this one-day workshop, we will embark on how to structure and lead productive mathematical discussions. We will emphasize setting mathematical goals for each number talk, learn how to use models to develop students' conceptual understanding, explore how to productively move students toward efficient strategies for problem solving, and provide timely and appropriate feedback to students. Throughout the workshop we will engage and explore open-source resources to take our number talks to the next level in student mathematical thinking and engagement.
Date and location : March 1, 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.; CCCOE, Pleasant Hill
For info : Contact Christen Schwartz  at 925-942-3435, or visit this Web page for more details and registration
Fee: $125,  Intentional Talk book and lunch will be provided
LGBTQ Inclusive Classrooms Training

This training, facilitated by skilled staff from the Rainbow Community Centerwill provide the opportunity for participants to increase their understanding and skills to create safer, more inclusive classroom environments for young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ). The day will cover three main areas:
  • LGBTQ 101, providing important, foundational information,
  • Health disparities, including increased alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, and
  • Specific strategies and resources available.
Dates and location : March 3, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; CCCOE, Pleasant Hill
For info : Contact Emily Justice  at 925-942-5328, or visit this Web page for more details and registration
Fee: $50, light breakfast and lunch provided
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training
This training is designed for adults who work with young people, ages 12-18, and who do NOT have a mental-health background: teachers, nurses, counselors, coaches, secretaries, campus monitors, yard supervisors, registrars, lunch staff, bus drivers, and leaders of faith communities, law enforcement, parents, and other caring citizens. 
Participants will learn a five-step action plan to offer initial help to young people showing signs of a mental illness or in a crisis, and how to connect them with the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care.
Dates and location : March 8, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; CCCOE, Pleasant Hill
For info : Contact Emily Justice  at 925-942-5328, or visit this Web page for more details and registration
Fee: Free
CCCOE Distinguished Speaker Series: 
Introduction to the CA History-Social Science Framework
UC Berkeley History-Social Science Projects (UCBHSSP) will introduce participants to the new History-Social Science framework, which was adopted in July 2016. A central aspect of both efforts is to support teaches in developing inquiry-driven courses that integrate the H-SS Standards (content and historical analysis) and Common Core Standards for Literacy in History while integrating ELD instructional models.
Date and Location: April 13 or April 24, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.; CCCOE, Pleasant Hill
For info: Contact Dr. Pam Tyson at 925-942-3381, register at this Eventbrite platform 
Fee: $110 - lunch will be provided
CCCOE Distinguished Speaker Series: 
Using Notebooks to Elicit Scientific Thinking
Science notebooks are a tool that can improve teaching and learning, developing students' thinking over time, and supporting student engagement in NGSS Science and Engineering Practices. Learn how notebooks can be used to guide investigations, assess for learning, and communicate students' findings. Join staff from the California Academy of Science's Teacher Institute on Science & Sustainability for a full-day workshop on integrating science notebooks for scientific meaning-making! This program is for K-12 educators, including administrators (site or district), instructional coaches, and classroom teachers.
Date and Location: May 16, 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.; CCCOE, Pleasant Hill
For info: Contact Hilary Dito at 925-942-3381, register at this Eventbrite platform 
Fee: $110 - lunch will be provided
The 2016-2017 Distinguished Speaker Series
Over the past 21 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.
Dates and location: March 4, April 8, and May 13, all seminars are held 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; 
For info: Contact  Jeannie Harberson  at 925-631-4936, or visit their
website
Fee: $65 for individual sessions  (academic credit available)
Fun Exchanges & Activities for Science Teachers (FEAST)
Have you been looking for new, exciting, teacher-tested ideas for your science classroom? Or perhaps you've wanted to have a discussion about science resources, safety in the lab, or how other teachers manage a certain science demonstration, or other activity? Or maybe you simply want to network with other science teachers and build a lasting friendship with other science educators. If this is what you're looking for, we welcome you to FEAST. FEAST is truly a grassroots effort that began with a small group of about eight secondary science teachers in the fall of 2005.
Dates and Location: February March 4, April 1, May 6, - 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland
For info: Email them at Feast@ChabotSpace.org visit this website to review program subjects and to register
Fee: Free

Upcoming Events / Field Trips

Contra Costa Teacher Job Fair
All school districts in Contra Costa County are recruiting for classroom teachers. This is an opportunity for qualified candidates to meet with school district hiring administrators! Representatives from the Contra Costa County school districts will be at this central location for a day of interaction with candidates. The County Office of Education has a need for teachers in Special Education, Parolee Education, and Jail Education programs that are located throughout the county.
Date and location: March 4,  9:00 to 11:30 a.m.; Alhambra High School (gymnasium, Martinez
For info: Contact   Beverly Christie  at (925) 942-3387, or visit the event's Web page
13th Annual Young Children's Issues Forum 
 

"Speak Out for all Children: Educate and Advocate" is the theme of this year's Forum.  Join your local state legislators, local elected officials, business leaders, families, early childhood educators, and the community in a dialogue about the current movement to elevate the quality of Early Care and Education services for all children and promote increased compensation.  Certificate of professional growth hours available.
Date and Location: March 18, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.; Pleasant Hill Community Center, Pleasant Hill
For info: Contact Ruth Fernandez at (925) 942-3413 or review this flyer for additional details and registration 
Fee: $15, includes resources, continental breakfast, and light lunch

14th Annual Get Real Academy
The 14h Annual Get Real Academy, presented by Soroptimist International, is a life-skills conference for high school senior girls focusing on life after high school. Seminars throughout the day will include such topics as money management, women's health, domestic and workplace violence issues, insurance, career success, and job search tips. Sign-ups are now being taken.  
Date and Location: March 2, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Hilton Concord, Concord
For info: Contact P. Eileen Fisher
Fee: Free  
Grants / Scholarships
Voya Unsung Heroes Awards Program
 

With over $5 million in awarded grants, the Voya Unsung HeroesTM Awards Program 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
The Safeway Foundation's Grants

Safeway funds grant applications for communities where stores are located. Grants should focus on Safeway's priorities, including education. The Safeway Foundation's Grants are accepted throughout the year. Typical grants are between $2,500 - $10,000  For more information and to apply visit their website.
For info: Visit their website
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-$2500, with applications reviewed three times a year.
For info: Visit their website 
Next Deadline: January 31

Resources / Contests

Creative Educator

Looking for ideas to engage your students across the curriculum? Check out Creative Educator for project-based learning, professional development, and other resources. Articles include Five Hallmarks of a Creative Project and The Power of Play. 
For info: Visit their website
The 2017 Student Voices Campaign 
California students are guaranteed a voice in planning and budgeting for their school district. The Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, requires that districts consult with students, parents, teachers, and community members each spring to create an official plan for the coming years. The Student Voices Campaign, launched by the California Alliance for Arts Education, is a creative way for young people to make their voices heard in their local school district! The Campaign invites students in grades 7-12 to create videos that respond to the prompt, What's your vision for your school? and share them with their school district leaders.
For info: Visit their website
Deadline: April 1
The Intel-Affiliated Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair 
 
 
 

Contra Costa County businesses will once again join our county's educators to produce the 2017 Intel-Affiliated Contra Costa County Science & Engineering Fair, this coming spring. The program is for grades 7-12 students.
Dates and location: March 16-18; Los Medanos College, Pittsburg
For info: Contact  Janice Fujii  or visit the Science & Engineering Fair's website
Deadline: Final project approval deadline is January 16 
Fee: $25 per student ( A limited number of fees are  waived and are available for students with hardships)  
CourAGE Youth Health Coalition's Annual PSA Contest

Here's an opportunity for middle-school students to get creative and have their voices heard. We know tobacco, Marijuana, Alcohol, and prescription drugs have a tremendous effect on young people. Students are asked to create a short video regarding one of these substances, and highlight how it affects themselves, their family, and/or their community. First place winners will win $100 in gift cards.
For info: Contact Derrick Kirk at (925) 942-5318 or visit this website 
Deadline: March 31 
Law Day Art Contest 
 
 
 

This annual contest provides a wonderful opportunity for students, grades 9-12, to learn about our legal and justice system, while getting creative and winning prizes. Students are allowed to submit an art piece, which may be represented in two-dimensions to be entered in the Law Day Art Contest. Students are encouraged to use their creativity and create art pieces in any medium desired (including, but not limited to, drawings, paintings, films, photographs, graphic novels, comics, etc.). This year's theme is The 14th Amendment: Transforming American Democracy.
For info: Contact Asia Harris or visit their website
Deadline: March 31 
The American Association for the Advancement of Science

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) website lets users create and administer online tests to their students and then compare their students' performance to national norms. You can assemble tests by selecting questions from more than 700 items that have been developed by AAAS Project 2061 to measure what students know in 16 key science topics. 
For info: Visit their website
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

77 Santa  Barbara Road, Pleasant Hill, California 94523
Karen Sakata, Superintendent of Schools
Editor: Terry Koehne; Writer/Layout: Jonathan Lance, (925) 942-3429;
Diane Morrell, Designer; June Stephens, 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

Follow us at @cocoschools