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SCCSBA President's Message - By Jessica Speiser

We should all be in the home stretch of the school year now with culmination events filling up all of our calendars. While it can be a very exciting time of the year, it is also quite busy. I hope you find some time for yourselves here and there. Easier said than done, I know.   

Speaking of events, it was great to see so many of you at the 40th Annual Hoffmann Awards at MetroEd. It was great to enjoy the delectable cuisine prepared by the MetroEd Culinary Arts program, while celebrating all the winners that included: Campbell Union High School District (Post Secondary West Valley College Partnership Program), Cupertino School District (CLIP), Los Altos School District (Computer Science Program), MetroEd (Fashion Design & Textile Art), Morgan Hill Unified School District (CARE), and the Kristi Porter Award Winner, Oak Grove (Bilingual Immersion). Thank you to Isabel Jubes-Flamerich, Carol Presunka, Bridget Watson, Bonnie Mace, MetroEd, and Lindsey Wong of the SCCOE for your contributions towards ensuring such an amazing event!

This last weekend your Region 20 CSBA delegates (along with your Region 20 Director, Devon Conley, Sylvia Leong, Asian American Delegate at Large, and our very own President of CSBA Albert Gonzalez (and Santa Clara Unified Trustee)) descended upon Sacramento to represent Santa Clara County's needs at the May CSBA Delegate Assembly. The highlights of this May’s convening included the approval of CSBA bylaw changes to create a new structure within CSBA to represent the county boards of education, sharing how our local LEAs are handling the sunsetting of COVID funds, and how CSBA is fighting the Governor’s unconstitutional Prop 98 maneuvering (in which they could use our help, see a call to action here.)

Our last Lunch and Learn of the school year is coming up this Wednesday, May 22nd. As usual we will get an update from Dr. Dewan on the goings on at the SCCOE. Additionally, we will get an update from CSBA’s Chris Reefe on the Governor’s May Revise and what that means to us all.  

Have a great rest of your school year. You’ve got this!

SCCSBA Lunch and Learn on Zoom

With County Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan

Wednesday, May 22 at Noon

Please join us for our next Lunch and Learn at Noon on Wednesday, May 22 at Noon. County Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan will present updates and answer questions in the first half hour. The second half hour will be a conversation with CSBA Legislative Affairs Director Chris Reefe about budget. See the zoom link in your email calendar inbox.



CSBA Spotlight (csba.org)

Full details of the Governor’s May Revise released

Released in a somewhat unorthodox fashion, the May Revise was presented in two phases this year. The broad strokes of the May Revise were announced May 10, but the specific details, including proposed funding and programmatic changes, were released May 14. As presented on May 10, Gov. Gavin Newsom revised the state’s budget deficit to be $7 billion larger than projected in the January Budget Proposal and remained committed to his Proposition 98 funding maneuver that is likely unconstitutional and would cost schools tens of billions of dollars.

This summary will lead with the new information gleaned from the document release before revisiting our analysis of the overall May Revise and the threat it presents to the integrity of school funding.

For a quick look at CSBA’s initial reaction to the Governor’s 2024–25 May Revise Budget, read this statement from CSBA President Albert Gonzalez. For a slightly deeper dive on the top-level items in the May Revise, review this CSBA blog post.

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Santa Clara County Office of Education Spotlight

Local Educational Leaders Recognized

The Association of California School Administrators Region 8 (ACSA Region 8) recognized 16 education professionals, a community partner, and a student for their exceptional leadership traits and valuable contributions to education in the region. The honorees were celebrated at the end of April at an annual awards dinner.

​“A big congratulations to the winners,” said County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Mary Ann Dewan. “Their work touches the lives of many, and I am appreciative of their collaboration and commitment to students and community.”  

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Morgan Hill Unified School District

The Morgan Hill Unified School District (MHUSD) has launched the Morgan Hill Unified School District Education Foundation to enhance student opportunities by raising additional resources. The foundation's board includes John Horner, Wendy Sullivan, Adam Escoto, Nick Gaich, Cecelia Ponzini, and Superintendent Dr. Carmen García (Ex Officio). Feedback from the community indicated priorities such as athletics, arts, field trips, and guest educators, which the foundation aims to address.

Superintendent García emphasized the foundation's potential to enrich student experiences beyond the classroom. The foundation's creation followed research by an ad-hoc committee formed in 2020 by Sullivan, Horner, and Escoto. The Edward Boss Prado Foundation's $25,000 donation exemplifies community support.

The MHUSD Education Foundation is committed to providing resources that support athletics, arts, and other enriching activities. For more information, visit [MHUSD Education Foundation](https://www.mhedfoundation.org).

The Morgan Hill Youth Climate Action Team (MHYCAT), composed of students from Morgan Hill Unified School District, received a $10,000 grant from Silicon Valley Clean Energy to enhance climate literacy in the district. Sofia Ruiz-McGinty, a junior and co-lead of MHYCAT, emphasized the importance of youth leadership in climate action and career paths centered on the climate.

Superintendent Dr. Carmen Garcia praised the students for their initiative, highlighting their plans for professional development, school projects, and expert panels. The grant includes $6,000 for educator development and $4,000 for student activities like Earth Day events and education nights.

MHYCAT's first initiative, the Earth Day-Green Career Speaker Series, featured climate experts from various organizations, engaging students in green career opportunities. The next phase focuses on professional development for educators, aligning with the new mandate to integrate climate change education into the curriculum by 2024-2025. MHYCAT has proposed a summer program to train teachers in climate literacy.

Milpitas Unified School District

Milpitas Xtreme Robotics battles world's brightest at 2024 VEX World Championship

Milpitas High School's Xtreme Robotics Team 1669X compiled a record of 8-3 against the world’s top teams over three days of intense competition at the VEX World Championship in Dallas, Texas!

"Our resilient squad of nine students showcased exceptional engineering ingenuity and collaborative spirit, further solidifying Milpitas High School's reputation as a robotics leader," MHS Engineering teacher and MXR advisor Paul Okoye. "MXR Team 1669X takes great pride in representing Milpitas on the global stage with an astounding 117,000 attendees."

This marks MXR’s third consecutive year competing at the World Championship. Among 13,769 teams from 79 countries contending in the 2023/24 season, only 800 teams from 40 nations qualified to compete at this prestigious event.



"The invaluable experience gained from this competition serves as a cornerstone for our diverse team, offering unparalleled learning opportunities and igniting inspiration for future generations of innovators," Okoye shared.

Los Gatos - Saratoga Union High School District

Los Gatos & Saratoga High School Students Honored as Santa Clara County Office of Education Community Champions 

Los Gatos High School Senior Tian Chiu and Saratoga High School Senior Ryan Lin have been selected as Santa Clara County Office of Education’s (SCCOE) Power of Democracy Community Champions. Honored at the Power of Democracy event held in April, Tian and Ryan were two of only five high school students selected throughout the County for their civic and community service.

Since moving to Los Gatos High School (LGHS) in the 10th grade, Tian has played a significant role in bridging outside community opportunities for her peers, as well as volunteering outside the school day for causes that are passionate to her.

Ryan Lin is the founder of “Outreach Initiatives iCare,” a student-led organization that concentrates on substance abuse prevention, Ryan leads peers to plan new events, organize distribution of materials, volunteer at a drug rehabilitation center, and participate in leadership building exercises - all with the goal of reaching as many youth as possible.

The Power of Democracy: Civic Engagement Initiative, led by the SCCOE, unites public sector agencies, educators, community leaders, and youth across Santa Clara County to deepen their understanding of democracy's structure and processes.

MetroED

SVCTE Students Honored at 55th Awards Ceremony

More than 100 enthusiastic Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) students were recognized during the vibrant 55th Annual Awards Ceremony on May 17. The event was a festive affair, buzzing with excitement and pride, as students, families, and faculty gathered to honor the hard work and dedication that brought these students to this moment.

The evening was filled with applause and cheers as awards were presented, including valuable tools, equipment, and scholarships. These awards are not just tokens of recognition but essential resources.