Virtual session to support teachers in designing responsive designated ELD lessons that build upon students’ knowledge across disciplines.

Audience: Elementary Teachers, Site Administrators, EL Leaders

Location: Virtual 

Date: 5/6/24

Time: 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

Cost: Free 

Registration

Develop an LCAP that builds on the collective commitment of the District or Charter with an equitable, coherent, and sustainable system of services for Multilingual-English learner students.  

Audience: Administrators and District Team 

Location: Virtual

Date: 5/8/24

Time: 2-3:30 p.m.  

Cost: Free 

Registration

Session focuses on developing an English Learner Master Plan (ELMP) that builds on the collective commitment of the district or charter to develop an equitable, coherent, and sustainable system of services for multilingual students. Participants will engage with elements of The English Learner Master Plan Playbook and California EL Roadmap Implementation Guides and Toolkits for Administrators, as well as a multitude of other resources that build participants' capacity to intentionally lead for equity for multilingual students. LEAs and Charters at all stages in their development of their ELMP are invited to attend this session.    

Audience: Site Administrators, District Teams, EL Leaders 

Location: Virtual

Dates: 5/17

Time: 9-11:00 a.m.  

Cost: Free  

Registration

Early Care and Education Training Opportunities

April brings a variety of professional development options:

• Marvelous Math: Measurement by Lakeshore
• The Myths and Truths of Bilingualism
• Best Practices: The Integrated Nature of Learning
• Many more topics!

Read May PD Dates & Details

California Dyslexia Initiative Online Resources

The California Dyslexia Initiative presents a free, statewide professional learning bundle for California educators offered in partnership with the Sacramento County Office of Education and Glean Education. This professional learning opportunity is focused on building awareness and capacity to support struggling readers and students at risk for or with dyslexia throughout the state.

On-Demand Dyslexia Online Course Bundle: This three-part online course covers the topics of understanding dyslexia and dysgraphia, intensifying instruction for struggling readers, and serving students with dyslexia for school psychologists.

Audience: Educators K-12 

Date: Participants have Now until October 1, 2024, to complete

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free 

Registration

California Dyslexia initiative Dyslexia Training Series - Academic Interventions: Intensifying Instruction for Struggling Readers and Students with Dyslexia 

Audience: All 

Date: May 8

Time: 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

Cost: Free 

Registration 

CPIN – California Preschool Instructional Network    

CPIN invites you to attend our FREE regional professional development sessions for PK/TK teachers, IAs, home based providers and others in the early learning field – virtually and in person.     

Topic: Best Practices: Responsive Early Education for Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness 2 Part Series  

Audience: Early Childhood Teachers, Caregivers, TK Teachers and Instructional Assistants, Directors, Administrators   

When: May 7, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 

Location: Virtual   

Cost: Free  

Registration

*Participants need a Workforce Registry (WFR) Number to enroll in these sessions. More information about the WFR can be found at caregistry.org    

Registration for all sessions closes one week prior to each session.  

Project ARISE: Literacy Online Courses

Interested in leveling up your literacy instruction? Project ARISE is a grant funded project that offers access to 5 asynchronous, self-paced courses at no cost to all CA educators. Course content includes literacy as equity, executive functions, reading foundations, comprehension, and intensive interventions.  

Audience: All CA Educators - Teachers, Interventionists, Specialists, Paraprofessionals, Administrators

Location: Virtual

Cost: FREE 

More Info

Project ARISE: Spring Workshop Series 

This three-part series offers three different opportunities to explore your literacy instruction. Each workshop is facilitated by one of our project’s educational partners: 

• Intensifying Interventions for Students by The National Center for Intensive Intervention 

Dates: May 16

Location: Virtual

Time: 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. 

Audience: CA Educators, Teachers, Interventionists, Specialists, Paraprofessionals, Administrators

Cost: Free 

Registration

CCLA Literacy Community of Practice

The intent of this Community of Practice (CoP) is to leverage the expertise of others, to gain knowledge and deepen understanding of learning acceleration in foundational literacy skills and reading comprehension utilizing evidence-based practices and elements of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP). 

Audience: TK-12 Educators

Date: May 7, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Location: Virtual

Cost: FREE

Registration & Flyer 

Virtual Series on Building Family and Community Engagement 

In this Professional Learning opportunity, participants will:

·    Analyze the equity implications of current family engagement practices

·    Inquire into the ways in which leaders are engaged with UTK families and P-3 community partners in equity-focused early learning partnerships

·    Identify meaningful ways to build authentic, reciprocal partnerships with families

Audience: Central Office, Site Leaders, and Teacher Leaders 

Dates: May 7 and May 9

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 

Cost: Free 

Registration

Recentering CA ELA/ELD Framework Webinar Series 

This series is designed for educators who want to learn more about California’s recommended literacy policies and practices, as well as why the ELA/ELD Framework is as relevant today as it was in 2014, how it is organized what it offers, how it can be used, and how it supports Superintendent Thurmond's Literacy Campaign of "Reading by Third Grade and Beyond."

Audience: Educators and Administrators 

Location: Virtual

Date(s): May 14 

Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. 

Cost: Free 

Registration

Resources & Recordings  

Revisiting the CA ELD Standards Webinar Series 

A webinar series hosted by CDE Multilingual Support

Division, in collaboration with Region 15 Comprehensive Center

Audience: Educators and Administrators 

Date(s): May 22 

Time: 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free 

Registration

Seasons of CS - Computer Science Discoveries

The 6th-10th grade Computer Science Discoveries program includes: 

·        An in-person five-day summer workshop from June 10-14, 2024, will prepare educators to utilize Code.org CS Discoveries curriculum and teacher support systems. 

·        Follow-up support in the form of four quarterly academic-year workshops during the school year consisting of two 1 1/2-hour sessions of asynchronous work, and two 1 1/2-hour virtual after-school sessions for ongoing training and just-in-time support. 

·        Additional opportunities for online and face-to-face networking and collaboration with peers throughout the year. 

Audience: 6-10^th grade educators     

Date(s): June 10-14

Location: Contra Costa COE, 77 Santa Barbara Rd., Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 

Cost: FREE   

Registration

CS First and CS Fundamentals for K-5 

Bring computer science learning to all K-5 students! Learn how to integrate lessons into your existing curriculum to engage and expand your students' learning through computer science. Leave the workshop with a concrete plan to integrate computer science learning in your classroom in the new school year! 

Audience: K-5 educators     

Date(s): June 18, 20, & 21 

Location: VIRTUAL 

Cost: FREE 

Registration

Supercharge Your Year with AI

Discover how artificial intelligence (AI) and computing technology are transforming the educational world. Explore AI tools that can change the way educators organize their work, their time, and their instruction. Practice using tools to assess learning, design for learner variability, remove barriers, and build upon students’ strengths. Learn how to harness AI to open doors for students, elevate student voice, and improve equitable outcomes for students. 

Audience: K-12th grade educators  

Date(s): June 24 - June 26

Location: Santa Clara COE, 1290 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95131  

Cost: FREE  

Registration

Seasons of CS - Bootstrap: Data Science

Leverage students' curiosity about the world around them to inspire real data analysis and original research. Lessons are available for data visualization, measures of center and spread, programming, linear regression, and more. Mix and match to create anything from a one-week intro to a full-year course! Reimbursement for travel is available under certain conditions.

Audience: 7-12th grade educators  

Date(s): July 8-12

Location: Santa Clara COE, 1290 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95131  

Cost: FREE  

Registration

Celebrate Free Comic Book Days

From May 6 - 11, visit your local library to pick up free comics and fun take-home activities. Stay a while and enjoy in-person activities as well as register for other workshops and events. Find out who won the Free Comic Book Days bookmark contest and get your own bookmark in addition to your free comics. Discover more manga and graphic novels through curated book lists. Visit the website for more information.

Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month

May is a month filled with cultural richness as we celebrate the heritages of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), and Jewish Americans. We invite you to immerse yourself in the beauty and depth of these cultures through engaging activities and resources. Explore booklists and delve into captivating stories that celebrate the narratives, traditions, and experiences of AAPI and Jewish American communities. Your library card isn't just a ticket to books—it's a passport to adventure and learning. With Discover and Go, unlock a treasure trove of cultural experiences, including free passes to places like the Asian Art Museum and the Contemporary Jewish Museum.

Smokey Bear Reading Challenge

April 16 - May 17, 2024

Help Smokey celebrate his 80th birthday by learning how to prevent wildfires and help the environment. To participate, read three books on wildfire prevention or the environment. Track your progress on Beanstack to earn four activity badges and complete the challenge. Badges are earned by completing at least one activity in each section. Earn your first badge by taking Smokey’s Pledge. You can select books from Smokey Bear reading lists created by librarians or choose your own.

Washington Post - COMING SOON!

Digital Resource Coming in mid-May library patrons will get access to the Washington Post, with online access to expert reporting and analysis from Washington and around the world, including award-winning investigative coverage and editorial commentary. Also included are a searchable 15-year backfile, recipes, and crossword puzzles. 

Mother's Day Plant Swap

Saturday, May 11, 11 a.m. – Hercules Library

Come join the Hercules Library for a Mother’s Day plant swap. Bring cuttings or seeds from your garden to trade with fellow local gardeners. All varieties of plants are welcome. Fear not if you don’t have any cuttings or seeds of your own; there will be plenty for you to take to start your garden!

Science Show with Mike Meneghetti

Tuesday, May 14, 6:30 p.m. – Pleasant Hill Library

Soundwaves! Optical illusions! Chemical reactions! Electricity and more science fun for families with elementary school-aged children. Join in live experiments that require audience participation, and stay for a take-home S.T.E.M. craft.

Two and a Half Years Behind Barbed Wire

Monday, May 20, 6:30 p.m. – Danville Library

Yukio Shimomura will be sharing his family’s story of how Executive Order 9066 affected them during WWII. Shimomura will explain what he, his parents, and his older brothers experienced, as well as the lifestyle and dynamics in the Topaz camp and the significant ironies.

Exploration Station Saturday, June 1, 11 a.m. – Oakley Library

Discover science this summer at the Exploration Stations. Look, touch and explore to learn about our natural world and communities. Guests include the Lindsay Wildlife Experience, East Bay Regional Parks, Mt. Diablo and East Bay Astronomical Societies and 511 Contra Costa.

More Info

For more information on all Contra Costa County Library programs, digital resources and events, visit ccclib.org.

California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency (CalSHAPE) Program Grants (Submission Deadline: May 31)

The California Energy Commission has opened an additional round of funding for two grants under the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency (CalSHAPE) Program. More than $250 million is available for the current round of the CalSHAPE Ventilation Program, and over $170 million is available for the CalSHAPE Plumbing Program. LEAs and state agencies are eligible to apply; however, school sites must be within the service territory of Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Southern California Edison Company, San Diego Gas & Electric Company, or Southern California Gas Company. Interested LEAs must submit their applications electronically via the California Energy Commission Let's Get Started! web page and must have an account established before submitting the application. The submission deadline is 5 p.m. on May 31, 2024. Please email any questions to CalSHAPE@energy.ca.gov.

California Grant Portal

The California State Library has launched a new website that streamlines all available state agency grants for education, small businesses, nonprofits, individuals, tribal governments, and more!

Stipend Opportunity for Mental Wellness Club Advisors: School Mental Wellness Club Support

CCCOE's WISP has partnered with Bring Change to Mind, a national organization that empowers student to have conversations around mental health and create a culture of peer support within their schools. Through partnership, the goal is to help support mental health clubs in middle and high school across the county.



Training will include mentorship and funding to the mental wellness clubs, as well as access to online tools and materials. To learn more about this opportunity, please reach out to WISP Liaison Mary Lucido.

More Details

News and Media Literacy for All Webinar Series (May 16 at 3:30 p.m.)

The CDE has partnered with the News Literacy Project to develop a News and Media Literacy for All webinar series. This eight-part series was designed to increase news and media literacy skills for students, families, and educators. The final session, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Connected, will review new STEM-aligned lesson topics such as climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines, medical misinformation, pseudoscience, and conspiratorial thinking. Register via Zoom for the STEM Connected webinar. Missed a session? News Literacy Project posts recordings of each session, resources, and more on its California Educators Together page.

A's Teacher Appreciation Day

Thursday, June 20 vs. Royals

Time: 12:37 p.m.

The A's are proud to recognize and celebrate teachers who are dedicated to educating the next generation during Teachers Appreciation Day on Thursday, June 20! Friends and family can honor their favorite educators by purchasing tickets that are 10% off the dynamic rate through this special event link, which also includes an A's branded blanket giveaway. Partial proceeds will benefit the Oakland Public Education Fund's mission to develop and invest community resources in Oakland public schools so that all students can learn, grow, and thrive. Educators have the opportunity to request two complimentary tickets. Please register here.

Nominate Your Favorite Teacher

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week, the Oakland A's are celebrating Bay Area teachers and their dedication to educating our youth. Fans have the opportunity to nominate their favorite teacher to receive a special prize and shout out from the A's. Awardees will be recognized on the A's social media channels and presented with a gift. Nominations start Wednesday, May 1 at 10:00 AM PT, and close on Saturday, June 1 at 4:59 PM PT.

EDUCATOR APPRECIATION NIGHT - Lunch Box

Monday, June 24 vs. Chicago Cubs

Time: 6:45 p.m.

Educators, teachers and knowledge seekers, it’s time to trade your lesson planning for a baseball game. Join us at Oracle Park for a nighttime curriculum of appreciation. Watch your San Francisco Giants take on the Chicago Cubs, where the only pop quiz you’ll be administering is “How many garlic fries can you eat?”. Partial proceeds from each Special Event ticket will benefit local organizations within the educator community.

Purchase Includes: Special Event Item: Lunch Box

Redemption Location: View Reserve 334 - TOP OF RAMP UNTIL END OF 4TH INNING

Purchase Tickets

Request for Applications for the 2025-26 State Board of Education Student Board Member

The California State Board of Education (SBE) is accepting applications for the 2025-26 Student Board Member position. Any student who is a California resident and enrolled in a public high school, will be a senior in good standing in the 2025-26 school year, and will be available to participate in a statewide student leader conference November 10 – November 13, 2024, in Sacramento, is eligible to apply.

Complete applications must be received in the State Board of Education Office no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, September 20, 2024.

Application Information

New CDE STEAM Learning Podcast

Listen today to a new and exciting podcast related to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). A collaboration from CDE and the CDE Foundation, The STEAM Learning Podcast allows listeners to explore innovative practices, new resources, and practical solutions benefitting our students and educational communities and features fellow educators and technologists. In the first episode, CDE Computer Science Coordinator Katherine Goyette and Karyn Warner, Associate Director of STEAM Initiatives at the CDE Foundation, talk with Stephen Callahan about the impact of the FabLab, a 7,000-square-foot makerspace at the San Joaquin County Office of Education, on student learning. Start listening to The STEAM Learning Podcast now on Spotify.

“Never a Bother” Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign Education Partners Toolkit

The “Never a Bother” youth suicide prevention campaign supports suicide prevention efforts at your school by preparing students to recognize warning signs of suicide and how they can support themselves or a friend before, during, and after a crisis. Engage caregivers as partners in suicide prevention by sharing information about the warning signs, crisis resources, and the importance of reminding youth that they are never a bother. Visit the Never a Bother Toolkit web page to download free digital resources, which include a campaign activation toolkit exclusively for education partners.

CA Parks Adventure Pass 

State Parks is offering the California State Park Adventure Pass, which provides free entry for fourth graders and their families at 54 amazing state parks throughout the state. 

Audience: 4th graders and their families 

Date: All of 4th grade school year 

Cost: Free 

Registration

Educational Programming of edTV 

Looking for some additional quality Monday-Friday educational programming at home or in the classroom? Check out the latest edTV broadcasts.

edTV can be found in most of Contra Costa County on cable channels 32 (Comcast) or 99 (AT&T U-Verse). For info: Daily schedule can be found here.