April 2020 Golden Slate

April 2020

In This Issue

Sacramento Scene:

COVID-19 Impacts

California Department of Education Update:

April 2020 Update

News & Views:

CATA Governing Board Update
Six Agricultural Teachers Honored as Finalists for California’s Ag Educator of the Year Award
Impactful Leadership for Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology
What Matters Most?

Sacramento Scene: COVID-19 Impacts

By: Matt Patton, CATA Executive Director

As with the rest of the world, these are unprecedented times at the California State Capitol. Last week the Legislature pushed back its scheduled return by three weeks and is now scheduled to reconvene on May 4. Currently, both Assembly and Senate members are working from their districts until public health officials declare it safe to return to Sacramento. Governor Newsom has stated that the legislative calendar is “fluid” and the 2020/2021 proposed budget released in January “is no longer operable.”

California Department of Education Update, April 2020

By: Charles Parker, California Department of Education, State FFA Advisor

I woke up in a cold sweat, shaking in disbelief at what I had just dreamed! It had to be the strangest nightmare I’ve ever had. There was this strange disease that was taking over the earth and closing down countries. Schools were closed, sporting events disappeared and I could not see my family. As I calmed down and rose from the damp sheets, I clicked on the TV to catch the morning news. NO! It can’t be, not today, the world can’t be coming to an end.

CATA Governing Board Update

By Erin Gorter, CATA President

The Governing Board met virtually on April 9 to address topics concerning CATA. Below is a summary of what we discussed. In prefacing the content, please pause and watch the following AT&T Commercial . Go ahead…I will wait. Why was this important? Because this is a time for being bendy.

Six Agricultural Teachers Honored as Finalists for California’s Ag Educator of the Year Award

As the number one farm insurer in the United States1, Nationwide® is bringing attention to the importance of agricultural education through the Golden Owl Award®. This annual award honors exceptional agricultural teachers across select states and provides financial support for their education programs.

Impactful Leadership for Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

By: Sharon Freeman, Dr. Rosco Vaughn, Dr. Steven Rocca, Dr. Art Parham and Dr. Avery Culbertso

Dr. Dennis Nef recently returned to the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (JCAST) at California State University, Fresno. Dr. Nef began serving as Dean of the Jordan College in July of 2019 and has already positively impacted our students, faculty and staff. He has spent over 35 years on the Fresno State campus and has held multiple leadership positions including vice provost, associate vice president, dean of undergraduate studies, associate dean of the college of agriculture and as a faculty member and chair of the Agricultural Business Department. We are extremely fortunate to have his leadership once again within JCAST.

What Matters Most?

By Travis Cardoso, CATA Operations Division Chair

In this time of uncertainty, we find ourselves having more time for reflection. An overarching theme that has been reflected when speaking to many of you from up and down the state is, “what matters most?” Reflection has always been an important part of growth in agricultural education, and given these times, it is time to reflect upon what is most important to us as agriculture educators. We look to the past, present and future in this time of need but sometimes we still cannot find quite what we are looking for...that is completely justified.