Newsletter | Friday, January 12, 2024

The MCOE office will be closed on Monday, January 15, to observe the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character–that is the goal of true education.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Children and Youth Experienced Learning Opportunities During the Holiday Break

The importance of enhancing children’s learning experiences through art education, music instruction, outdoor programs, and after-school activities is heavily emphasized during the academic school year, but how do families ensure that their child(ren)’s thinking cap stays on when there is a temporary pause in the learning structure of the classroom environment? From storytime lessons and family travel to baking and outdoor adventures, MCOE staff ensured their child(ren)’s learning didn’t end when the holiday season began. Take a look at how these children participated in at-home activities and intellectual engagement over the holiday break, such as creating artwork, playing sports, visiting museums and science exhibits, and doing hands-on projects to activate motor skills, strengthen memory, and build a better understanding of the world around them. 

With scheduled winter breaks being essential, providing children with a chance to reset academically and enjoy family time and togetherness during the season’s festivities is important to keep young individuals engaged and their academic skills polished for their return to school. An excellent resource for finding local and engaging activities for children to attend is the InPlay Monterey County Children and Youth Activity Guide. Many options listed will help keep children involved in learning, foster social-emotional well-being, and provide academic enrichment. With a little creativity and a commitment to learning, the holiday season can be both educational and memorable for everyone.

ABI Staff Receive Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment Training to Support Students 

MCOE’s Arthur B. Ingham School held a professional development training for staff on Monday, January 8, by Teacher for the Visually Impaired Ms. Cynthia Diaz. The topic was Literacy Activity for Students with Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI), and the training delved into what CVI is and how to work with students in this population to maximize accessible and meaningful learning. As explained in the training, CVI is the leading cause of childhood blindness and low vision. CVI is a lifelong brain-based visual impairment caused by damage to the brain’s visual pathways or visual processing areas. (Perkins.org, 2024) With CVI, the brain has difficulty converting the raw data from the eye into a reliable, meaningful image of the world that can be interpreted and acted upon. (Matt Tietjen, CVI and leader in the field) Teachers play a vital role in changing the future of children, and familiarizing the special needs of students with CVI is essential for their academic growth.

In addition to the materials covered during training, participants explored different projects that they could take back to their students, helping them to experience how projects integrate developing visual skills into functional contexts. The participants made file folder activities using black file folders because saturated colors become bolder when using a black background, thus showing how colors help students focus on the objects and pictures presented. Participants also made shape-matching, number-matching, and color-matching folders, as well as a storyboard on building a snowman that went along with a book that was read by Ms. Diaz. MCOE Special Education Principal Richelle Drollinger expressed the positive outcome that the training provided staff, as every professional development effort benefits students’ learning experiences.

New Employee Spotlight

Join us in welcoming MCOE's new Paraeducator Gabriela Valencia and Paraeducator/Interpreter for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Mia Molina. Gabriela and Mia are two of the newest members to join the Special Education Division.

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month

For National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month, MCOE held an informational session covering human trafficking prevention measures led by the Information Technology Department. A short video on human trafficking awareness played on a loop for employees to watch. Employees also gathered for a live demonstration on how to break free of zip ties. This effort was held on January 11 and is recognized nationally as Human Trafficking Awareness Day. As part of the Human Trafficking Awareness Day campaign, employees wore blue to show their support for victims of this traumatic crime. 

The reality of human trafficking is that it continues to grow at an alarming rate in California. Monterey County is highly vulnerable to human trafficking with its high percentage of the immigrant population, a large number of trucking and agricultural businesses, and many gang-infused communities. MCOE employees serve high-risk children who are connected to foster care and the juvenile justice system and who have the potential to be targeted and exploited. As mandated reporters of child abuse, this, among many efforts, helps to provide resources to all 600+ employees and trains them to watch for key indicators and signs of child endangerment. 

MCOE and the Monterey County Board of Education understand the importance of educating youth and their family members on the realities of human trafficking. The Monterey County Board of Education passed Board Resolution 23-24-18 to recognize National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. MCOE also partners with many outside organizations working to tackle this issue. These partnerships have produced the annual Human Trafficking Symposium that is held every spring and is a combined effort to bring awareness to the community. For more information on Human Trafficking Awareness Day, visit the Blue Campaign webpage.

AIM Awareness Design Challenge

AIM Youth Mental Health is launching the 7th Annual Awareness Design Challenge. AIM Youth Mental Health is calling all middle and high school students to share their voices through creative expression on the mental health challenges that youth face today. Now more than ever, Monterey County youth need to know they are seen and heard by their community. The theme this year is: We Are Listening. Entries may be either traditional (painting or drawing) or graphic design. A student may submit more than one entry, and a group may submit a collaborated entry. Prizes will be awarded for 1st through 3rd place in each category for middle and high school entries. Prizes will be shared amongst any group entries. The artwork will be on display at the Carmel Sunset Center for the Design Challenge presentation of awards and reception on May 1st. Artwork is then displayed at the MCOE.

The deadline for entries is April 1st by 5:00 pm.

For the entry form and more information visit:

AIMymh.org/Design-challenge.

VITA Volunteer Opportunities

Calling all volunteers! United Way is actively recruiting individuals to assist 3-4 hours per week between February and April as volunteer tax preparers and intake assistants at one of the VITA free tax prep sites in Monterey County. Free training is provided. For more information and to sign up, please visit unitedwaymcca.org/vita-volunteer.

NAMI Family-to-Family Program

NAMI Family-to-Family program is a valuable resource for individuals and families affected by mental health challenges. This free evidence-based educational program is designed to provide support, information, and resources to those who have a loved one living with a mental health condition.

Program Details:

Name: NAMI Family-to-Family Program

Course options:

• Fridays, January 19 - March 8, 6 - 8:30 p.m. on Zoom or Saturdays
• March 30 - May 18, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in Salinas
• Familia-a-Familia, a course in Spanish. Dates to be determined soon. Call or email for availability.

Description: An 8-week education program designed for family, friends, and significant others of adults with mental health conditions. This program is designed to increase understanding and advocacy skills while helping participants maintain their own well-being.

Paid Summer Internship Opportunity

The application process for the Bank of America Student Leaders Summer Paid Summer Internship Program is underway.  All Monterey County Junior and Senior High School Students are eligible to apply. Selected students will participate in an eight-week paid summer internship program with a local non-profit (35hrs/week at $17/hour) and a week-long, all-expenses-paid leadership summit in Washington, D.C. Applications are open through 1/17/24. 

Visit the website for details and to submit an application.

Upcoming ARIEL Theatrical Productions

The Bear Went Over the Mountain - A Musical Journey of Friendship and Adventure

Join ARIEL Theatrical for a story about a curious bear who wonders if there is more to life than eating honey and berries and sleeping the winter away. This musical journey is perfect for families with young kids as an introduction to musical theatre. This production features youth performers who practice Accountability, Respect, Integrity, Excellence and Leadership (A-R-I-E-L) both on and off the stage. Tickets are $6 for all ages. See you at the foot of the mountain!

Disney Frozen Jr. 

Do you want to build a snowman? Join ARIEL for this colorful and heartwarming stage adaptation of the beloved animated movie that features Anna, Elsa, and all of your favorite characters as they embark on an epic, ice-filled journey. Your favorite songs, along with beautiful new songs from the Broadway production, will fill the theatre and melt hearts. Local youth performers will share their talents and demonstrate that practicing Accountability, Respect, Integrity, Excellence and Leadership (A-R-I-E-L) is key to a great performance and, more importantly, a great life! Tickets are $12 for kids ages 3-12, $14 for students/seniors/military, and $16 for adults. Children under age three and sitting on a lap are FREE!

Visit www.arieltheatrical.org to purchase tickets.

$1.5 Million in Scholarships Available

The Community Foundation of Monterey County offers $1.5 million in 2024 scholarships to Monterey County students thanks to generous individuals, families, and businesses. Learn more or apply by the March 15 deadline at cfmco.org/scholarshipapply. Students can apply to up to 70 scholarships with one application. Eligibility requirements vary by scholarship.

Ohana Campus Opened to Patients

Montage Health is excited to announce that the Ohana campus is officially opened for patients today. The new Ohana campus will help to expand the work in addressing youth mental health in Monterey County and beyond. For more information on the Ohana Campus, please visit montagehealth.org/ohanacampus.

CalKIDS Can Help Kids Dream Big

California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) gives children in California a jump start on saving for college or career training. Help spread the word. To be eligible for CalKIDS, participants must be:

• Born in California on or after July 1, 2022; or
• An eligible low-income public school student in grades 1-12* in California.
• All participants receive a seed deposit in a CalKIDS account to help pay for future education after high school.
• Please note that eligibility for low-income public school participants is defined by the Local Control Funding Formula.

For more information, visit calkids.org.

Invite a friend to sign up for MCOE Newsletters

Help your friends stay informed by sharing the MCOE Newsletter sign-up form with them.

Follow us on Social Media