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SCCSBA President's Message - By Jessica Speiser

I hope you have had or are about to have a great Spring Break. I am just returning from my own that included attending CSBA’s Coast2Coast in Washington DC to advocate for federal legislation and resources for, among other things, educator and staff retention, full funding of IDEA (whether school aged or preschool), cybersecurity, and broadband. SCCSBA may have had the largest delegation with 23 attendees (trustees and superintendents)    

Here are my updates: 

• The results are in for CSBA Delegate Assembly. We had great candidates running this cycle, but could only vote for 4 individuals for our Region 20. Our delegation this year will be: Teresa Castellanos (San Jose Unified), Danielle Cohen (Campbell Union), Isabel Jubes-Flamerich (Sunnyvale), Van Le (Eastside Union High School District), Jodi Muirhead (Santa Clara Unified), Chris Norwood (Milpitas Unified), Jorge Pacheco Jr. (Oak Grove), Carol Presunka (Cambrian), George Sanchez (Franklin-McKinley), Jessica Speiser (Los Altos), Bridget Watson (Sunnyvale), and for county, SCCBOE Board President Maimona Afzal Berta. I know all our delegates will do their best to represent our districts and students' needs with CSBA. Together, our delegation will make sure Santa Clara County is heard. 

• Don’t forget to buy your tickets for the Hoffmann Awards Dinner Celebration being held at MetroEd on 5/8 here. There were over 20 Hoffmann Award applications this year and so many good programs for the readers to distinguish between. It was a tough decision, but the following programs won: Campbell Union High School District (Post Secondary West Valley College Partnership Program), Cupertino School District (CLIP), Los Altos School District (Computer Science Program), MetroED (Fashion Design & Textile Art), Oak Grove (Bilingual Immersion), and Morgan Hill Unified School District (CARE), Thank you to Isabel Jubes-Flamerich and the rest of the team for all their hard work reading and scoring the applications and visiting the sites. Thanks also to Carol Presunka and Bonnie Mace for all the planning work for the event itself.

Have a great rest of your week. I look forward to seeing you in person soon at the Hoffmann Awards!  

SCCSBA Lunch and Learn on Zoom

With County Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan

Thursday, April 25 at Noon

Please join us for our next Lunch and Learn at Noon on Thursday,April 25 at Noon. County Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan will present updates and answer questions in the first half hour. The second half hour will be a discussion of our featured topic of District Budgeting. See the zoom link in your email calendar inbox.



Candidate Workshop for School Board Candidates

Saturday, April 20 at 9 AM to 11 AM

All first-time or experienced school board candidates are invited to our special Candidate Workshop on Saturday, April 20 from 9 AM to 11 AM at the Santa Clara County Office of Education.

The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters will give a detailed presentation on the timeline and requirements for the November General Election, in addition to answering your questions. This will be followed by a SCCSBA panel of experienced school board members who will offer their campaign insights. This is a great refresher for those who have already run for office, and a great intro for those who are new to campaigning.

Please forward this message to any colleagues or friends who are first-time candidates and who would greatly benefit from this workshop. See the calendar invitation for this free event in your email inbox.

Annual SCCSBA Hoffmann Awards Dinner

Wednesday, May 8

We invite all trustees and superintendents to join us for our Annual Hoffmann Awards Dinner on Wednesday, May 8. This is our special annual event in which we celebrate outstanding programs in school districts throughout our county. This year's dinner will be held at MetroEd in San Jose, and it promises to be a fun evening of great food and award videos.

A big thanks to Isabel Jubes-Flamerich (Sunnyvale SD) for being this year's Event Chair. And a huge thanks to all those trustees who either scored the applications or conducted site visitations of the programs.

This year's event is sponsored by Voler Strategic Advisors, CliffordMoss, Facilitron, and TeamCivX.



SCCSBA Calendar of Events for 2024                                      

Candidate Workshop for School Board Members

Sat. April 20, 2024                        

9:00-11:00 a.m.

SCCOE

Hoffmann Awards Dinner

Wed. May 8, 2024                 

6:00-9:00pm

MetroEd

Annual Dinner for SCCSBA Officers, Delegates and District Reps.

Wed. May 29, 2024                

6:30-8:00pm     

Location TBD                  

Upcoming Lunch and Learns featuring County Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan

on Zoom

Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 12-1 pm

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 12-1 pm

CSBA Spotlight (csba.org)

State of the State addresses show common education priorities

Analysis conducted by the Education Commission of the States (ECS) and the National Governors Association of 42 State of the State addresses found six common trends in state education-related proposals regarding career technical education (CTE), funding, mental health, early education and more.

Workforce development and career technical education

Governors in at least 36 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands mentioned CTE and workforce development during their addresses, often stressing the importance of providing students with options for a clear, well-supported pathway into their careers. Ways to expand pathways into in-demand fields including health care, teaching and more were also common.

K-12 funding

At least 32 governors expressed a need to invest more funding into K-12 education, with some mentioning reforms to K-12 funding with targeted efforts to support specific student populations. K-12 funding has continued to be a top priority for governors for over 10 years, according to ECS.

Educator workforce

At least 27 governors mentioned teacher recruitment and retention or increasing teacher compensation as a means of building a strong teacher workforce, as well as creating new pathways into the classroom.

Early education

This year, at least 25 governors called for the expansion of preschool and/or transitional kindergarten and child care services, with some mentioning financial relief opportunities for families to better serve children in their states.

Academic achievement and literacy

California Gov. Gavin Newsom was among the 25 governors who addressed academic achievement and literacy through initiatives including intensive tutoring, increased funding for academic progress plans and efforts to support comprehensive testing plans. Governors also stressed the importance of focusing on early literacy and the importance of using updated literacy instruction to improve reading outcomes.

Newsom mentioned budgeting $25 million to support training educators to administer literacy screenings and $20 million to develop and provide training for math coaches and leaders who can provide training and support to math teachers.

Physical and mental health

At least 20 governors discussed efforts to provide quality health and wellness services for students and school personnel. Some focused on student mental health, proposing plans to expand the access of quality mental health services in school settings, while others discussed efforts around suicide prevention, ensuring students have access to healthy nutrition options and more.

In California, Gov. Newsom proposed $4.7 billion for children and youth behavioral health and $4.1 billion for community schools.

Other topics frequently mentioned included expanding school choice across multiple issue areas, including choice/open enrollment, school vouchers, charter schools and tax credit scholarships (19 governors), and postsecondary affordability. At least 15 governors highlighted efforts to decrease the cost of higher education for students and to establish loan forgiveness programs for specific populations or career pathways.

An interactive map provides complete summaries of education policy priorities outlined in each governor’s State of the State address. The full report is available here.

Santa Clara County Office of Education Spotlight

Local Santa Clara County Schools Receive State Recognition

The Santa Clara Unified and Union School Districts join the ranks of districts recognized for their efforts to greatly ensure all students realize their potential. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced Union Middle School as a Redesignated 2024 California School to Watch and Mission Early College High School a 2024 California Exemplary Dual Enrollment Awardee​. 

“Congratulations to the schools and their districts on this great distinction,” said County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary Ann Dewan. “Their innovation and practices benefit students and provide the education community an opportunity to learn from their example.” 

Union Middle School, of the Union School District, is one of 52 high-performing middle schools recognized as a California School to Watch for 2024. An extensive application and site visit by middle grade experts is required to earn and retain the designation. Each school undergoes reevaluation every three years. These schools were celebrated at the California League of Educators Celebration and Conference earlier this month. 

Mission Early College High School, in the Santa Clara Unified School District, is one of nine schools highlighted for its exemplary dual enrollment programs and practices. Awardees hold the title for two years. Middle College High Schools, Early College High Schools, and Alternative Education Schools are eligible to apply for the 2024-25 award, while high schools and early college programs can apply for the 2025-26 award. 

Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District

Putting Health First: LGSUHSD Implements Mandatory Heart Screenings for Athletes Starting Next Year

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death on school campuses and is the number one killer of student-athletes. This terrifying statistic has led the district to implement a new mandatory requirement for all athletes beginning in the 2024/2025 school year: all student-athletes must have a heart screening as part of the athletics clearance process. (In subsequent years, the heart screening will be required only for athletes in Grades 9 and 11.)

SCA is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It can happen to anyone, even those who appear healthy and have no known heart conditions. Shockingly, 1 in 300 youth has an undetected heart condition that puts them at risk for SCA. Even more shocking is that the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District is only one of two districts in the state of California that will require this screening of its athletes.

Thanks to a connection provided by Board Member Theresa Bond, the district has partnered with the Kyle J. Taylor Foundation to provide on-campus heart screening opportunities prior to fall, winter, and spring sports seasons. This non-invasive and painless screening includes a cardiac risk assessment, EKG, and doctor review and takes only about 40 minutes to complete. In a pro-active move to safeguard student-athletes’ health, the district will hold screenings for students in the Fall. Learn more here.

Cambrian School District

It's a Small World After All!



In the Cambrian School District, Sartorette Elementary School's International Night was a huge success in late March, with incredible student and family participation. Food and dance were part of the event, and students learned about many different cultures!

Milpitas Unified School District

MUSD's Thomas Russell MS, Calaveras Hills HS receive top honors from state

Thomas Russell Middle School (TRMS) was one of only 16 secondary schools in Santa Clara County – as well as 293 middle schools and high schools throughout the state – honored as a 2024 California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education.

“This is a testament to the years of hard work and diligence of our Russell staff, families, and other

community members,” said TRMS Principal Shangrila Mia-Ramzan. “It is an absolute honor and privilege

to be a member of such an amazing team. It truly takes a village, and the WOLVERINES know how to do

it!”

Meanwhile, Calaveras Hills High School (CHHS) was one of only two schools in Santa Clara County – and 31 schools throughout the state – recognized as a 2024 Model Continuation High School by the California Department of Education for providing comprehensive services to at-risk youth through the use of exemplary instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, and guidance and counseling services.

“Calaveras Hills HS is a school that helps students holistically to find their voice and a belief in themselves that they can be successful in school and in life,” said CHHS Principal Carl Stice. “This Model School award reflects CHHS's commitment to continuous improvement.”

MetroED

Silicon Valley Career Technical Education Fashion Design & Textile Art program selected for the Prestigious Glenn Hoffmann Exemplary Award Program

Metropolitan Education District (MetroED) is proud to announce that Silicon Valley Career Technical Education’s (SVCTE) Fashion Design & Textile Art program has been selected as one of the top six recipients of the esteemed 2024 Glenn Hoffmann Exemplary Award Program, given by the Santa Clara County School Boards Association (SCCSBA). This is one of SVCTE’s many model programs we highlighted during CTE Month. Named after the former county superintendent (1967-1984), these awards exemplify Dr. Hoffmann’s strong belief in educational leadership as the key factor in educational reform. The district will be presented with its award on May 8 at an awards dinner at MetroED. 

“On behalf of SCCSBA, congratulations on an outstanding program that exemplifies putting students first and excellence in education,” stated Isabel Jubes-Flamerich, chairwoman of the Hoffmann Exemplary Awards Committee and president of the Sunnyvale School Board of Education.

Launched in 2013, the Fashion Design and Textile Art program has rapidly become a cornerstone of educational innovation in Santa Clara County. With an emphasis on hands-on learning and real-world applications, the program equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the competitive fashion industry. By leveraging a 21st-century STEAM framework for college and career readiness, it offers a comprehensive curriculum where students explore various art mediums, including illustration, graphic design, screenprinting, and cosmetology, while honing their sewing and pattern-making skills.



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