Newsletter | Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Monterey County Leaders Gather for the Inaugural Monterey County Safe and Healthy Schools and Communities Coalition (MCSHSCC) Leadership Breakfast

The Monterey County Safe and Healthy Schools and Communities Coalition (MCSHSCC) Leadership Breakfast was held on Friday, February 9, at the CSUMB Salinas City Center. Monterey County leaders gathered for a morning of information sharing and next steps surrounding the health and safety of students and the community. The Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC) President Ginger Pierce and CAPC Board members also presented their annual awards.

Highlights from the event included the coalition’s achievements, 2024-2025 goals, and recognition of outstanding organization leaders making significant impacts on the health and safety of the Monterey County students.

In August of 2022, MCOE launched the Monterey County Safe and Healthy Schools and Communities Coalition (MCSHSCC). The coalition is a multi-agency collaborative that includes representatives from education, law enforcement, first responders, behavioral health, child welfare, probation, juvenile justice, and other youth-serving agencies and organizations throughout Monterey County. The coalition’s mission is to identify and address the health and safety needs of the county by developing and implementing best practices in emergency preparedness, youth mental health, crisis prevention and response, the use of common protocols, providing training opportunities, and multi-agency collaboration that is supported by a legally sound information-sharing framework.

Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Deneen Guss kicked off the MCSHSCC Leadership Breakfast with a welcome and presentation of Colors and the National Anthem led by the Soledad NJROTC Color Guard. Deputy Superintendent Brett W. McFadden then provided an overview of the coalition's highlights, accomplishments, and goals for 2024-25. Presentations were given by some of the coalition’s partner agencies, including District Attorney Ms. Jeannine M. Pacioni, Monterey County Undersheriff Keith Boyd, Dr. Jerry Traynor with M.C. Kimball and Associates, Santa Rita Union School District Director of Parent and Family Engagement Dr. Summer Prather-Smith, Salinas Union High School District’s Superintendent Dan Burns, and Montage Health's Prescribe Safe program leaders Dr. Reb Close and Casey Grover.

Some of the topics of discussion covered the opioid and fentanyl crisis, creating wellness centers in schools, law enforcement’s role in education, active shooter and incident command training, and effective threat assessments, just to name a few.

MCSHSCC Leadership Breakfast Awardees

The Monterey County Safe and Healthy Schools and Communities Coalition Innagural Leadership Award was presented to coalition partner Prescribe Safe, received by Dr. Reb Close and Dr. Casey Grover for the program’s outstanding work in providing action through multi-faceted approaches to save lives and for providing resources and support for those affected by addiction and the fentanyl crisis.

CAPC also presented its own Longevity, Commitment, and Service Award presented by CAPC Director Ginger Pierce, honoring Dr. Melissa Egge, Natividad Medical Center Child Advocacy Center, for her commitment to serving the needs of our county’s most vulnerable children and inspiring change in how we collaborate to support children and families. An additional Longevity, Commitment and Service Award was awarded to Monterey County Human Trafficking Symposium Partner Agencies, which include the Monterey County Board of Education, Monterey County Office of Education, Monterey County Dept. of Social Services, Community Human Services, and YWCA, who have demonstrated unwavering commitment to addressing the complex challenges posed by human trafficking.

February is National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month

During the month of February, MCOE joins educational agencies in celebrating the achievements and contributions that career and technical education (CTE) programs provide in readying students for college and careers. CTE programs have become more prevalent, especially with high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand specific industry careers on the rise, which help to provide students with hands-on, real-world learning experiences. MCOE’s own CTE programs align with Governor Newsom’s Master Plan for Career Education by offering students career pathways at the Bob Hoover Academy at MCOE, which focuses on aeronautics and airplane mechanics, and with MCAET’s Mobile Fab Lab, which prepares students in robotics, digital design, and fabrication.

Monterey County school districts have implemented CTE programs, which were explored by visitors of last month’s Inside Education Monterey County tour. Specific programs include dentistry, food services, nursing, and aeronautics fields at various sites, such as Soledad High School, the Mission Trails Regional Occupational Program Center, and the Bob Hoover Academy at MCOE. The career-centered programs introduce students to industry sectors such as health science, agriculture, medical technology, aviation mechanics, and robotics and help students discover their interests, gain transferable skills, and prepare for college readiness.

By exposing students early to potential career fields and offering them hands-on practice, we are giving them the knowledge and skills that they will need to succeed in high-demand career fields. MCOE will continue to look for ways to create pathways and partnerships to offer students, which will broaden their imaginations and grow their passions.

In a strong effort to increase career pathways and opportunities for students throughout Monterey County, MCOE is a participating consortium member in the Central Coast K-16 Regional Collaborative, which was just awarded a $18 M collaborative grant to build and/or enhance existing career pathways for districts throughout the multiple counties (Venture, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Cruz) in the areas of Healthcare, STEM education, Computer Science and Engineering. This funding will be made available to individual districts, or a consortium of districts, through an application process. Districts will be required to work in collaboration with local community colleges, universities and industry partners (i.e., within Monterey County participating educational institutions include MPC, Hartnell, CSUMB, UC Santa Cruz). MCOE is a proud partner in this effort to expand career pathways for students and we will share more news in the near future. More information about the Collaborative can be found at centralcoastk16collab.org.

Monterey County Home Charter School Spelling Bee Awards Winning Spellers

Annual spelling bees help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabulary, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives. The Monterey County Home Charter School Spelling Bee brought together students for a morning of friendly competition at MCOE main. This year, there were four spellers in each Splling Bee, including elementary and middle school students.

In the first round of 3rd through 5th-grade spellers, 5th-grade student Eissy Jimenez Rea finished in second place, and 4th-grade student Esteban Felix finished in third place. Victoria “Tori” Fernandez, a 4th-grade student, took first place in a suspenseful 14-round win, ending with the winning word: Precious.

In the second Spelling Bee, including 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade spellers, 7th-grade student Sasha Batistich came in third place, 8th-grade student Shane Singh came in second place, and 8th-grade student Avery Hernandez-Magallanes came in first place after three intense rounds. Avery won the competition by correctly spelling the word: Superior.

Avery will go on to represent the MCHCS in the countywide spelling bee, which will be held on March 16 at MCOE. The winner of the countywide spelling bee will then continue on to represent Monterey County in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May.

Download the Flyer

MCOE's Annual Recruitment Fair is on Saturday, February 24!

MCOE greatly values its employees, and the genuine passion they have that is seen in the work they do each and every day. Speak with our dedicated and supportive MCOE staff at the 2024 Recruitment Fair hosted at Hartnell College in the Student Center on Saturday, February 24, from 9 am to 12 pm, and learn how you can join the team.

To see a current list of open positions, please visit edjoin.org/montereycoe

Students From Graves Elementary School Attend MCAET Robotics Workshop

The MCAET Robotics Workshop proudly announced its recent collaboration with Graves Elementary School, fostering a dynamic cross-grade experience for students in grades 5 through 8. On February 12th, 2024, students were guided through an engaging journey, honing their building, testing, and programming robotics skills to conquer real-world challenges.

Encouraging hands-on learning, the workshop provided students with invaluable opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, preparing students for success in today's ever-growing technological world.

Mark your calendars for the next Robotics Workshop scheduled for February 19th, to be held at the cutting-edge Digital Makers Lab located at MCOE. All workshops will provide opportunities for teams of students in grades 5th-8th to get hands-on experience building robots to complete various real-world challenges. For additional details, please visit the MCAET Mobile Fab Lab website at centralcoastmobilefablab.org or register here.

Monterey County Collaborative Meets to Address Chronic Absenteeism

Ongoing efforts continue to support positive student attendance and engagement in Monterey County following the significant challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, remote learning, and the increasing mental health and financial strains that are prevailing, all of which factored into a substantial increase in chronic absenteeism rates over the past couple years. In response to these challenges, four school districts in Monterey County continue to focus on this work through collaborative action as a part of the Research-Practice Partnership with the Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE) and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE). Together, working with Attendance Works, district teams engage in continuous improvement practices to refine systems and design a culture of belonging for students and families. We are pleased to share that Monterey County school districts continue to show measurable growth and larger improvements than districts in California on average. With this significant progress, MCOE is eager to continue co-designing responsive systems and maximizing resources to further boost school attendance and student success.

Special Education Students Touchdown for Sports Gear Day in Celebration of Superbowl

Students in MCOE’s Special Education program at Gabilan School in King City proudly wear their favorite sports team apparel for a spirit day held on Friday, February 9, just in time to celebrate the upcoming weekend’s Superbowl. Students are seen showing their school spirit next to their football paper players for Sports Gear Day.

MCSBA Training: How Not to Be a Terrible School Board Member

The Monterey County School Boards Association annually conducts a series of trainings to ensure that school district board members are provided the best possible insight on hot topics related to school board governance. These high-quality training opportunities are tailored specifically for school board members and school district superintendents across Monterey County. Last month, the MCSBA invited school board members to attend a two-hour training entitled: “How Not to Be a Terrible School Board Member.” This topic, based on a book written by veteran School Board Member Richard E. Mayer, takes a humorous approach to how administrator-board relations can sometimes present negative behavior scenarios. It then analyzes the situations and offers alternatives to provide win-win solutions. The goal of the training was to help school board members understand the best ways to navigate difficult situations and how to work with their superintendent to have a well-functioning and collaborative governance team. Additionally, talking points included the expectations of a school board member and how to perform their responsibilities well alongside their fellow trustee members.

MCOE Employees at the Main Office Brought the Heat for the 5th Annual Chili Cook Off

MCOE’s Chili Cook Off is an annual tradition that encourages team building and employee engagement for a friendly theme-based chili competition. The chili tasting is an interdepartmental chili-tasting potluck held during the noon lunch hour. This employee engagement event brings departments’ best chili cooks and allows everyone to taste and vote on their top three favorite chilis. The competition was fierce, with seven chilis competing for top titles.

CHISPA Annual Celebration Honors Students with Scholarships

The Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association (CHISPA), the largest private, non-profit housing developer based in Monterey County, held its 44th Annual Celebration on Thursday, Feb. 1. This yearly celebration and fundraising event brings together community members to be able to share the organization’s mission and achievements. County Superintendent Dr. Deneen Guss was in attendance to help congratulate and celebrate the annual CHISPA scholarship recipients. CHISPA scholarships are available to all undergraduate students who live and/or have family in housing developed and provided by CHISPA, helping to bring these students one step closer to their educational goals.

Central Coast Early Childhood Advocacy Network’s (CCECAN) 5th Annual 2024 Parent Power Summit

The 5th Annual 2024 Parent Power Summit hosted by the Central Coast Early Childhood Advocacy Network (CCECAN) was held on February 10 at Sherwood Hall in Salinas. The CCECAN is a collection of parents, community members, and policy advocates who aim to strengthen and advocate for policies that support thriving families. The Parent Power Summit is a bilingual community event that helps to support the building of community and resources for families in Monterey and surrounding counties.

Discussions and talking points presented at this year’s summit included the improvement of childcare in our region through collective action and advocacy, Building relationships with other parents, caregivers, and local elected officials from Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties, and Making advocacy voices heard. The inclusive event was primarily held in Spanish with simultaneous interpretation for all participants to speak and listen in their preferred language. Agencies in attendance included GoKids, First 5 Monterey County, First 5 Santa Cruz County, City of Salinas, Positive Discipline Community Resources, and Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Development Initiative.

New Employee Spotlight

MCOE welcomes a new Human Resources Generalist

Meet Elizabeth “Lizz” Wiles, the newest member to join the MCOE family as part of the Human Resources Division. In her new role, Lizz will screen applications, assist programs in the recruitment process, and be responsible for additional Human Resources affairs.

Lizz is a graduate of California State University, Monterey Bay, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities & Communication. Lizz comes to MCOE with a wide range of transferable skills and previous experience in Extended Education programs from her previous role at CSUMB.

We asked Lizz to share a fun fact about herself. “I am a poet at heart, but I am also trying to crank out my first novel. I spend most of my free time writing, editing, and story-plotting! I am excited to broaden my horizons as I enter the world of K-12!” said Lizz.

Lizz can be reached by calling the Human Resources department at 831.784.4214, extension 1214, or by email at ewiles@montereycoe.org.

MCOE Employees Join the Nation by Wearing Red to Recognize National Heart Health Month

MCOE employees wore red clothing, accessories, and ribbons on Friday, February 2, to show their support for National Wear Red Day, led by the Human Resources Department, as part of a monthly employee health awareness and engagement activity. Wear Red Day is a national campaign aimed at increasing awareness of heart disease and its impact on women's health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, and this day serves as a reminder of the importance of heart health education, prevention, and early detection. To learn more about National Wear Red Day and American Heart Health Month, visit goredforwomen.org.

MCAET Robotics Workshop

The MCOE's Mobile Fab Lab is offering a free Robotics Workshop open to grades 5 through 8. Students can gain hands-on experience building robots to compete in various real-world challenges.

For more information, please visit the Central Coast Mobile Fab Lab website or contact Juanita Savinon at jsavinon@montereycoe.org.

Open Door Charter Program

MCOE's Open Door Charter is an independent study program providing students, 18 and older, an opportunity to re-engage in their high school education, explore academic and career pathways, develop college and career readiness skills, and earn their diploma. For more information, visit the Open Door Charter School website.

SEL Sound Bath

A sound bath is a meditative experience

where participants are “bathed” in sound

by a variety of sound healing instruments

including quartz crystal singing bowls

aligned with the frequencies of the body's

chakra system, koshi chimes, rain sticks, a

crystal harp and Tibetan singing bowls.

Join Us, In-Person OMS Link to Register:

August 30, 2023

http://monterey.k12oms.org/1519-235393

December 6, 2023

http://monterey.k12oms.org/1519-238467

February 28, 2024

http://monterey.k12oms.org/1519-238468

May 15, 2024

http://monterey.k12oms.org/1519-238470

Affordable Connectivity Program Update

The My Life Story Conference centers on the experiences of the justice system impacted youth and their families. Through their stories, viewers learn about what programs and practices in Monterey County are having a positive impact and what practices we could improve. We strongly encourage all practitioners serving justice-impacted youth and their families to attend this unique conference!

Purchase My Life Story Conference Tickets.

2024 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra Auditions

Monterey Jazz Festival brings together some of the most accomplished high school jazz musicians to perform. Applicants must complete the application form and submit their audition videos to be considered. No application fees will be required, and the deadline is Friday, March 15, 2024 at 5pm (PST). Learn more about the audition details at Next Generation Jazz Orchestra.

Monterey County STEM Talent Expo

Join us for the Monterey County STEM Talent Expo. Convened by the Hartnell College Foundation President's STEM Task Force.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Hartnell College STEM Center Lobby

This exciting, free, one-day event will connect STEM industry leaders to talented students, former students, and community members who are looking for opportunities to further their education and career opportunities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics [STEM].

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.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Sharing information with the community is important to us. If you have information pertaining to education in Monterey County, such as events or scholarship opportunities that you would like to see featured in the MCOE newsletter, please email the information, including photos or flyers, to communications@monterecoe.org, and we will review your request. Thank you for your support!

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