Volume 7, Issue 11 | November 29, 2021
County Superintendent's Monthly Message
Students across the County are showcasing their talent, intelligence and commitment in a variety of academic competitive events currently underway. Our Student Events Team at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools is hard at work, collaborating with school districts, staff, parents, students and community members to enable our youth to rise to a higher level of excellence.
 
One student event organized by SBCSS, in collaboration with the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, is the San Bernardino County Mock Trial competition. It brings me great joy to watch our students thrive as individuals and as team players. This month, we held the first two virtual rounds of Mock Trial, and I can tell you we saw so many of our students shine!

The competition simulates a criminal case where hundreds of students present their case before a real judge. Students have been practicing diligently because next month, we’ll host the last two rounds, and then, it’s off to the semifinals and finals!
 
The Academic Decathlon also kicked off this month with an online scrimmage. This year’s theme is Water: A Most Essential Resource. Academic Decathlon is a countywide competition in which teams of high school students compete in ten academic events and a super quiz all centered around the competition theme. We recognize the efforts of each student, their coaches, and everyone involved in the engaging student events that are offered throughout the year.
 
This time of year is also a time of gratitude. With the winter season upon us, I would like to show my appreciation for the commitment, dedication and diligence put forth by our educators and staff. It is heartwarming to see the collaboration amongst our SBCSS family and our community partners, parents and teachers to accomplish a common mission: transforming lives through education.
 
Please watch this month’s Inspiration video newsletter to learn more about the collaborations and exciting milestones we’ve accomplished together.

Sincerely,

Ted Alejandre
County Superintendent of Schools
The Newsroom
Students Kick Tobacco and Vaping to the Curb
with New Mobile Game
I am thrilled to announce San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools launched its first-ever mobile video game: BeatNic Boulevard. It’s a play on words to symbolize beating nicotine in the community.
 
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about one in every five high school students reported in 2020 that they vaped in the past 30 days. That’s 20% of high school students! We understand the importance of reaching our youth early. That is why, in collaboration with video game developer Skillsgapp, our Tobacco-Use Prevention Education Program (TUPE) used content from Stanford University School of Medicine’s Tobacco Prevention Toolkit to develop BeatNic Boulevard.
 
It’s an educational, simulation-style and free-to-play mobile game where students learn the importance of living a tobacco-free lifestyle. As students play the game, they learn and recognize the impact of tobacco-use, vaping and how the sale of these products negatively affect schools and communities.
 
I am proud to say we are the first county in the state to lead a vaping and tobacco-use prevention effort like this. We are “leveling up” our strategy and tailoring our message into a medium that students understand. It is also a message that sparked the attention of our Los Angeles television stations. SBCSS was featured in segments about BeatNic Boulevard on NBC4 Los Angeles: Today in LA, FOX11: Good Day LA, and on Univision Network’s evening news.
 
SBCSS eSports Program “Ups” the Game for
Student Competitors
Each year more colleges are offering electronic sports video game, or esports, clubs and scholarships for their students. Playing video games has now become a way not only for our youth, ages 13 and older, to have fun but a pathway to pay for their own college education, learn essential life skills and discover a career.
 
That is why San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools is supporting schools to grow their esports programs. County Schools hosts a virtual SBCSS eSports League where teams from schools across the region can participate and compete against other area students in a safe and secure environment. This is the second year SBCSS Digital Learning Services is facilitating district participation in the growing field of competitive gaming. In fact, CIF announced esports is an official high school sport!
 
From cradle to career, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools aims to provide students the programs, resources and tools they need to be college and career ready. We recognize that esports can transform lives. Aside from the possibility of playing at a collegiate or professional level, students can leverage their esports experience in many Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) fields. Esports is a rapidly growing industry that offers career fields like programming and production. Like any team sport, it involves communication, collaboration and leadership among athletes. It is a competitive sport that requires students to maintain their grade-point averages and has become a highly motivating factor for some to improve their grades. Students also gain a sense of belonging to a community at school.
Literacy Assembly Energizes Students to
Become Excellent Readers
We know children who are proficient in reading by the end of third grade are much more likely to graduate from high school, attend college and become economically successful adults. Reading at grade level by third grade is one of the greatest predictors of a child’s success in school. San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools recognizes the importance of connecting literacy resources and tools to students. 
 
This month, we saw youth at Falcon Ridge Elementary School in the Etiwanda School District participate in a Literacy Assembly. With the health and safety of students and staff in mind, the school thought outside the box to provide a fun learning experience. Students remained in their respective classrooms for their literacy assembly called, “Virtual Adventures in Reading!” I had the pleasure of welcoming these young minds to the virtual assembly and spoke about the importance of reading as a life-long habit.
 
San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools offers support for schools within San Bernardino County who have PTA councils and are interested in hosting a literacy-related school event. The support we provide is part of a countywide effort to promote literacy through a partnership with SBCSS and the San Bernardino County Vision2Read Initiative.

SBCSS is accepting applications throughout the year. You may send an email here for more information.
SBCSS in the News
Please click on the link below each photo to watch the news stories featuring the positive programs and work we are doing here at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools.
Click to watch the story on SBCSS eSports on FOX 11 Good Day LA.
Click to watch the story on BeatNic Boulevard on Univision Network.
Click to watch the story on BeatNic Boulevard on NBC 4 Los Angeles
Click to watch the story on SBCSS eSports on ABC 7 Eyewitness News.
Have a story idea for our newsletter? We want to hear from you!
Keep up with the latest stories from our
Newsroom. Monthly articles feature staff, students and outstanding work being done throughout our county.
See the latest photos in our official SBCSS gallery. Each month we add images from noteworthy events that highlight staff, students and programs across San Bernardino County.
Superintendent Alejandre issues this monthly publication to keep stakeholders informed about the many services and programs SBCSS provides to our learning community throughout the year.