MARC APRIL 14, 2020 H 26, 2020
Governor considering when to lift
stay-at-home order
Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled six indicators that will guide California's thinking for when and how to modify stay-at-home and other orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said progress has been made on "flattening the curve," but that any consideration of modifying the stay-at-home order must be done using a gradual science-based and data-driven framework.

Although Newsom gave no timeline, he listed the six indicators needed to modify the stay-at-home order:
  • The ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
  • The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
  • The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges;
  • The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
  • The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and
  • The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.

The District is closely monitoring the state's action with guidance from the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office and planning discussions with District and college leadership and constituent groups.
Foundation offers PD webinars
Did you know the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges offers a series of personal development webinars via Zoom on wide-ranging topics of interest to the college communities? The twice-weekly webinars start at 10 a.m. and are from 30 minutes to an hour long. Several have been archived as YouTube videos. The Professional Development Series is mostly staff led, covering everything from applying for grants, Guided Pathways, scholarships and working from home.

The series launched when working from home began in March. Originally intended as professional growth and cross-training opportunities for Foundation staff, FGCC Chief Executive Officer Sally Cox soon realized they are also an opportunity for anyone districtwide to connect with colleagues during this time of self-imposed isolation.

Here is a schedule for the rest of April:
  • April 16, 2020: Griffin Works Internship Program” presented by Erica Olmos, CTE Program Specialist
  • April 21, 2020: Faculty Perspective on the Transition to Online Education” presented by Josue Franco, Cuyamaca College Political Science Professor
  • April 22, 2020: “Regional Strong Workforce” presented by Mollie Smith, Regional Consortium Chair
  • April 28, 2020: Lessons Learned in Labor Market Research” presented by Tina Bartel, Director of the Center of Excellence for Labor Market Research
Writing Remotely with Raul Sandelin
For those who want to do some writing in these times of self-isolation, here are some tips from Grossmont College English professor Raul Sandelin:
 
Do you have the urge to get your ideas out on paper, to write a book, an article, a poem, to do some self-discovery? If you’re thinking of writing, here are some tips:
 
  • Tap into your sub-conscious: Inspiration comes from our sub-conscious.Try to write early morning or late at night. This is when we’re more apt to be partially awake, partially asleep. The goal is to access our “inside world.” This is easier to do when we’re closer to sleep.
 
  • Write kinetically: The Mindbody movement tells us that we think with our bodies. We think with our gut, our muscles, our glands, not just our physical brains. So include physical movement and exercise in your daily writing habits. Often the best ideas come when we're pushing our body, which in turn activates our creativity.
 
  • Be bold emotionally: Pioneer moviemaker Mack Sennett said, “Never be boring.” This applies to all writing. We love excitement, suspense, and gut-wrenching emotion, especially if we’re living it vicariously on the screen or page.
 
  • Be vulnerable: Write about things that make you emotional, tear the scabs off of your half-healed wounds. Showing that you can “open up” will allow the reader to open up, too and that’s where the catharsis begins…for both of you!

  • Draft first, polish later: Don’t worry about making your first draft perfect. Thanks to computers, we can always go back and delete, insert, cut, and paste. So, when “drafting,” it’s better to get everything out first, then polish later. 
Just make sure there is a “later.” As Grossmont professor emeritus William Snead used to tell his students, me included: The goal is to finish your projects, not simply start them.

Feeing inspired? To paraphrase the old proverb, "The journey of writing begins with a single word."
My home office: Lorena Ruggero
  Today’s home office: Lorena Ruggero, College and Community Relations Director at Grossmont College

1.   Describe your home office:   My home office is my dining room table. I share it with my two new "co-workers" - my 4- year-old daughter and 8-year-old son. It's large enough to serve as a desk for my phone, laptop and notes, and allows me to be near my daughter who needs more supervision than my son. It's also got great connectivity for my many Zoom calls.

2.   What is a typical day for you working from home? My typical day starts off similarly to my pre-pandemic ones: reading local, national and higher ed industry news over coffee, while my children eat breakfast. Around 8 a.m., I make sure they're set up with activities - schoolwork for my son and pretend play toys for my daughter. Then, I'll go through email, check my calendar for meetings and webinars, and prioritize my work for the day. Between meetings and projects, I take a mid-morning break to serve up snacks, lunch around noon and recess in the late afternoon for a scooter ride and walk around our neighborhood for my children and me, respectively. I try to eke out as much progress as I can for the day before signing off each evening.

3.   What tip would you pass on to other GCCCD employees? For the mental well-being of myself and my colleagues, I make a point to touch base and check-in on a personal level with several people each day. I'll text a "good morning" to co-workers I used to see daily, chat back and forth with my Creative Services team on Slack and make the occasional phone call during my family's daily quiet time in the afternoon. It helps me recharge so I can continue to focus on my work.

 
Share your new working conditions with your fellow employees and we'll feature them in the Remote Report. Take a photo of you in your home office and answer the three questions above. Send them to Anne Krueger . Submissions may be edited for length and clarity.
In the Remote Report, you’ll see important updates, get your questions answered, and learn ways to help us all navigate this new world of mass telecommuting. Issues of the Remote Report will be archived on the District Remote Report page

If you have news to share or discovered a tip that helps you work better remotely, pass it on. Please send your items to Anne Krueger , Christianne Penunuri (Cuyamaca College) or Lorena Ruggero (Grossmont College).