INTRODUCING MCOE'S NEW DIVISION HEAD OFFICERS | |
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KAT UPPMAN, COMMUNICATIONS AND PR OFFICER
MCOE has appointed Katherine ‘Kat’ Uppman as Communications and Public Relations Officer. Mrs. Uppman joins the MCOE team with over 20 years of experience in both the education and business community. She most recently served as Vice Principal at Boronda Meadows Elementary School for the Salinas City Elementary School District. In her new position here at MCOE, she will be responsible for the MCOE website redesign, social media plan, customized newsletters, community outreach, and so much more! Welcome to the MCOE team, Kat!
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ADAM GAVALLA,
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
MCOE is proud to announce our new Chief Technology Officer, our very own Adam Gavalla! Mr. Gavalla previously served as MCOE’s Senior Director of Infrastructure, where his notable accomplishments included implementing the Digital Equity Task Force, which distributed necessary Chromebooks and MiFi devices during the height of the pandemic, and implementing the Internet Service Provider Program, which made it possible for school districts to get e-rate reimbursement for the internet services they are charged. We cannot wait to see where he leads our Technology Division.
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STUDENTS VISIT FRESNO STATE UNIVERSITY | |
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The Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program, along with the Homeless Children and Youth Services Program, teamed up to send 20 high school students to Fresno State University for a week-long college readiness camp called the Summer Scholars Program. Students participated in college readiness activities, such as an A-G requirement workshop and a financial literacy workshop. The students were able to experience college life by living in dorm rooms during their stay and participating in activities offered by Fresno State, such as swimming in the campus swimming pool and watching a movie at a nearby theater. The goal of the program was to expose our vulnerable student populations to college in order to show a college education was attainable. Several participating students have left the experience expressing their desire to attend college after previously stating college may not be for them.
"My experience at Fresno State has no words because no words can describe how I felt. This experience was the best. I felt so welcome and loved – I felt like I belonged for once. I met many people and got to hear their stories. Many of those people had the same stories as me. It opened my eyes and gave me hope that kids like me can have resources in school. "
– Patricia Hernandez, Soledad High School Student
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MCOE FINANCE AND BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
EMPLOYEE HIGHLIGHTS
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Biljana Tatomirovic
Biljana received a certificate of completion on June 6, 2022 after completing the Charter Business Officer Training Program at the Charter Schools Development Center. This program was a six-month hybrid training that included 200 hours of instruction in school finance, operations, and leadership. Not only did Biljana complete this program, but she also recently finished her master’s degree program.
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Youssef Hanalla
Youssef earned his certification as a Certified Public Accountant in January of this year. The CPA exam consists of 4 subjects that must be passed within 18 months, the first of which Youssef passed in February, 2020. He attributes that success as his inspiration to not lose any momentum and continue his progress to become certified. The path to his CPA certification was not easy, as Youssef took care of his three kids during the on-set of the pandemic, while his wife worked the frontlines of the pandemic as a health-care provider. However, he persevered and attributes this success to the support of his family.
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Deanna Aromin
Deanna earned her CA Association of School Business Officials certification on May 15, 2022. Deanna has been in K-12 school business for almost 5 years, after coming from 15 years in the university system. After her transition, Deanna noted the enormity of school business compared to the 23 CSU campuses. In an effort to understand and broaden her knowledge about school business, Deanna enrolled in the California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) Business Executives Leadership Program. This program, designed to ensure the success of future Chief Business Officers, was held virtually and lasted one year. The program discussed communications, human resources, finance, budget development and accounting, and leadership and operations.
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Congratulations Biljana, Youssef, and Deanna!
Their successes remind our entire staff that it is always possible to continue to pursue professional and educational betterment, no matter what stage in your career you are currently in. Thank you for inspiring our team and the community at large!
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LOCAL HUMANITARIAN
Nicholas Udwadia
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A recent graduate of Stevenson School, Nicholas Udwadia took the initiative to start the HELP Monterey County (HMC) Foundation after the COVID-19 Pandemic highlighted the importance of supporting the most vulnerable members of our community. This non-profit organization focuses on raising awareness and providing education on prevalent health and social issues facing Monterey County through promoting conscientious leadership and protection for our community, while helping to bridge the gap of education disparity and the lack of access to basic needs.
On behalf of HMC, Nicholas Udwadia raised funds for the purchase of ten Google Chromebooks, which he donated to MCOE during the onset of the pandemic to support our students in need. Recently, on June 17, 2022, Nicholas returned to MCOE with ten additional new Google Chromebooks in an effort to continue supporting our students.
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Not only has Nicholas been active in his attempt to bridge the digital divide highlighted by the pandemic, but he has also been an active volunteer in his community throughout the duration of his high school career. Nicholas dedicated much of his time serving as a Head Peer Tutor and Leader of the Writing Center at Stevenson School, as well as tutoring middle school and high school students in the local Washington School District. As a result of his volunteering, Nicholas graduated with three different distinctions: 2022 Braxton Stuntz Memorial Award recipient, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula 2022 Outstanding Leader Award recipient, and the Levinthal Family Award for Excellence in Community Service.
Nicholas will be attending Northwestern University this upcoming fall, where he is excited to be part of a collaborative learning environment and getting to know people from all over the world. During his time in University, he plans to continue to develop his passion for giving back to the community.
We thank Nicholas for all he has done to help the educational community in Monterey County and wish him luck in his future endeavors.
To learn more about the HELP Monterey County Foundation, visit the website here.
helpmontereycounty.org
To view Nicholas's delivery of the Chromebooks, click here!
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AIM YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING | |
Rates of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation were already on the rise prior to COVID-19; the pandemic exacerbated a growing problem. For this reason, AIM Youth Mental Health is offering Youth Mental Health First Aid Training and Certification to help parents, teachers, counselors, first responders, and other caring adults create a community-wide “safe holding place” for youth struggling with their mental health.
The next Mental Health First Aid training will be held via Zoom Tuesday July 5 and Thursday July 7 from 6:00-8:30 pm PT.
For more information and to register, click here!
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VACCINATIONS FOR
CHILDREN
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The Monterey County Health Department’s Public Health Bureau is now offering the COVID-19 vaccine to children six months to four years of age. To find a vaccine for themselves and their families, parents can:
- Contact their families’ primary care provider to see if the medical office is offering COVID-19 vaccination.
- Ask their local pharmacy if they are offering COVID-19 vaccinations and if so, to which age groups.
- Search for available vaccination opportunities at www.montereycountyvaccines.com.
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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! | |
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To be included in this e-Newsletter and our social media feeds, email us a photo with a caption and up to 150 words.
Email stories to kuppman@montereycoe.org or saytar@montereycoe.org
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MONTEREY COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
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