Since 2019, the Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) has gathered students, families, community partners, educators, educational partners, and researchers to forge meaningful connections across culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The goals of these gatherings have been to share best practices for community engagement and support one another during challenging times—all while peer leading and learning from each other to accomplish these goals. The stories highlighted below offer lessons and models for other schools and districts looking to engage their communities more deeply and effectively.
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This issue of Voices from the Field introduces the Ontario-Montclair School District (OMSD), one of five CEI: Cohort I districts, and highlights the experiences, voices, and stories of five members of their CEI Team: the Assistant Superintendent, a Parent, a Teacher/Parent, the Director of English Learners, Program Development, and Instruction, and the Director of Family and Community Engagement.
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Through its participation in the CEI, Ontario-Montclair School District is addressing its current Problem of Practice which states:
"Our problem of practice will overcome barriers to parent involvement based on issues around cultural proficiency in schools, the district, and the community as measured by the creation of a district five-year action plan that encompasses a plan to build cultural proficiency among all stakeholders."
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Scroll down to learn more about the Ontario-Montclair School District
and hear their Voices from the Field stories...
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Ontario-Montclair School District Voices from the Field... |
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Introduction by
Steven Sterling Mitchell
Assistant Director,
Community Engagement and System of Support, CCEE (2:25)
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Tammy Lipschultz
Assistant Superintendent (3:16)
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Mireida Inzunza
Teacher and Parent (6:20)
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Arlene Rodríguez
Director, English Learners, Program Development, and Instruction (3:44)
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Yesenia Arvizu
Director, Family and Community Engagement (5:56)
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More information about the Ontario-Montclair Unified School District... |
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The Ontario-Montclair School District, founded in 1884, serves a 26 square mile area that covers most of the city of Ontario, Montclair, portions of Upland, and unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County. The district is the third-largest elementary district in the state.
More than 19,507 PreK-8 students attend 22 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 4 K8 schools, and 1 online academy school which will begin the 2022-2023 school year. Included in the 33 schools are magnet and academy programs, each of which is uniquely designed to provide an option for students to become fully immersed in an enhanced specially designed course of study.
OMSD boasts two California Distinguished Schools, eleven Gold Ribbon Schools, nineteen Pivotal Practice Schools, PBIS award-winning schools, International Baccalaureate Schools, a GATE Magnet, a STEM Magnet, Dual Language Academies, Arts-integrated Magnets, and many AVID Schools, as well as many other recognized programs.
Their Mission Statement: Ontario‐Montclair School District (OMSD) is committed to providing a world‐class education to all students in safe, respectful, culturally responsive and welcoming environments that value and empower students, staff, and families to be successful in a dynamic global society by cultivating college, career, and community partnerships.
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OMSD Family & Community Engagement
One of five (5) districtwide initiatives is to “Enhance student, family, community, college, career and business partnerships that align with the goals and priorities of OMSD." As part of this initiative, they have created a new director and department, Family & Community Engagement (FCE). Under the umbrella of this department, is the Parent Education Center, which provides the following:
- Parent Ambassador Committee
- GED Preparation (English & Spanish)
- ESL
- Keyboarding
- Math/Literacy Support
- Citizenship Preparation
- Family Leadership Institute curriculum
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FCE has also partnered with the following to offer additional classes/workshops for parents:
- CABE
- IMPACTtruth
- San Bernardino Superintendent of Schools
- Chaffey Joint High School District – Adult Education
- San Antonio Regional Hospital
- Arrowhead Credit Union
- Mexican Consulate
In collaboration with our OMSD Health & Wellness, FCE has access to an outreach consultant at each of our 32 school sites to support parent engagement.
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Questions about
Ontario-Montclair SD's Journey?
Contact:
Yesenia Arvizu, Director,
Family & Community Engagement
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Follow Ontario-Montclair SD: |
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In case you missed them,
check out these other CEI Cohort 1 Voices from the Field...
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What is CEI?
The Community Engagement Initiative is intended to strengthen the System of Support by building the capacity of school districts to authentically engage one another. This includes identifying effective models of community engagement, developing metrics to evaluate those models, having difficult conversations, building trusting relationships, and participating in the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) development process.
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Follow us on social media:
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Visit CEI Lead Agencies:
California Collaborative for Educational Excellence: ccee-ca.org
California Association for Bilingual Education: gocabe.org
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