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: Visual and Performing Arts - Drama 

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

Date: March 19

Time: 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 

Location: Virtual 

Cost: Free 

Registration

Topic: Building Bridges for Supporting Children Experiencing Homelessness 

Audience: Early Childhood Administrators, Program Directors, TK, and Early Learning Programs/Providers  

Date:  March 22

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Location: Pleasant Hill Senior Center, Pleasant Hill 

Cost: Free 

Registration

Topic: Visual and Performing Arts – Drama offered in SPANISH 

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

Date: March 23

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 

Location: Virtual 

Cost: Free 

Registration

Topic: Math - Measurement 

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

Date: March 26

Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 

Location: Virtual 

Cost: Free 

Registration

Topic: Developmental Writing 3-part series with a CoP in SPANISH 

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

Date/Time: March 26/6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., March 30/9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., and April 9/6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Attendance at all 3 sessions is required.

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: Elevating Literacy Instruction in California Online Courses

Project ARISE partners have developed a series of self-paced online courses that offer a whole-child approach to literacy instruction. Engage in content addressing literacy as equity, executive functions, research-informed best practices for reading instruction, and a process for intensive intervention. This professional learning opportunity is free to all California educators. Project ARISE is led by Contra Costa County Office of Education and supported by the CDE. Enroll for courses on the Project ARISE web page. Educators are also invited to attend a three-part virtual spring workshop series in April and May and can register today using this Qualtrics Survey.

Audience: Educators

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free

Register

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 until October 1, 2024, to complete

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free 

Registration

California Association of Science Education (CASE) 3-part California Science Test (CAST) prep Webinar Series 

Join CASE and CSU Northridge's San Fernando Valley Science Project Team for a 3-part virtual series on how to support science instruction and the California Science Test. 

Audience: Teachers and Administrators 

Date(s): March 7, March 21, April 11

Time: 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

Cost: $30 

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): March 12, April 9, May 14 

Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. 

Cost: Free 

Registration

Resources & Recordings  

Minor Consent and Confidentiality for Sexual Health Services in California 

Presented by Elaine Nye (CDPH) Facilitating and Rebecca Gudeman from the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL), this module provides an overview of the laws that impact minors and their access to confidential sexual health services in California and the different roles of clinical providers and educators. Participants will learn about minor consent laws and resources to support implementation in a school setting. 

Audience: Clinical providers and educators 

Location: Virtual

Date: March 19

Time: 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

Cost: Free

Registration

Distinguished Speaker – Annie Fetter: It All Starts with Noticing and Wondering 

Are your students making sense of the mathematics they explore? Renowned math educator, Annie Fetter will discuss reasons students do not make sense of mathematics. Come learn how noticing and wondering can increase student agency, support a positive classroom culture, and promote number sense. Math leaders will learn to support opportunities for students to explore and discover math concepts for themselves. 

Audience: K- 12 Educators    

Date: March 19

Time: 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

Location: Willow Pass Community Center, Concord  

Cost: FREE   

Registration

Flyer

Suicide Prevention and LGBTQ+ Ally Trainings

CCCOE's WISP is offering two nationally recognized trainings from The Trevor Project, the world's largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for LGBTQI+ young people.

The CARE Training:

The Connect, Accept, Respond Empower Training provides adults with an overview of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth and the different environmental stressors that contribute to their heightened risk for suicide.

The Ally Training:

Designed to create dialogue around being an adult ally for LGBTQ+ youth by informing participants about common terminology, the "coming out" process and challenges at home, in school, and in the community.

Audience: Teachers and support staff

Date: March 19

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Location: Virtual or In-person

Registration

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): March 20, April 24, May 22 

Time: Wednesdays 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free 

Registration

Creating a Developmentally Appropriate Preschool Experience

The CDE Diagnostic Center North invites participants to their virtual “Creating a Developmentally Appropriate Preschool Experience” training series. Participants learn how to use play-based sequencing activities to support later academic and language development, use observations of classroom activities to capture data for Individual Education Plan goals, and more.

Audience: PreK Educators

Date(s): March 28; April 25

Time: 2:45 p.m.

Cost: Free

Location: Virtual

Registration

Questions: contactus@dcn-cde.ca.gov or call 510-794-2500

Teaching Sexual Health Education: Facilitating Difficult Questions in the Classroom 

Elaine Nye (CDPH) and Sharla Smith (CDE) are facilitating this module to provide tips and tools for participants to navigate difficult sexuality-related questions in a classroom or group-setting. The interactive training will provide a framework to classify different types of questions and a protocol for answering questions. Participants have the opportunity to ask facilitators how to answer challenging questions.

Audience: Clinical providers and educators 

Date: April 16

Location: Virtual

Time: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. 

Cost: Free

Registration

Teaching Sexual Health Education: Facilitating Difficult Questions from Parents and Guardians 

Elaine Nye (CDPH) and Sharla Smith (CDE) Facilitating, featuring a team of diverse panelists and experts in Sexuality Education. This module provides tips and tools for participants to navigate difficult sexuality-related questions asked by parents and guardians to professionals in the education system. Participants will have the opportunity to ask challenging questions they’ve encountered and will gain comfort and confidence to answer any type of question that will be asked of them. You are welcome to submit a question for the panelists to answer during the webinar via this link.

Audience: Clinical providers and educators

Date: April 18

Location: Virtual

Time: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. 

Cost: Free

Registration

Forestry Institute for Teachers (FIT) Summer Sessions  FIT provides forest-based training in environmental literacy with award-winning environmental education curriculum that support and enhance the Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards, Career and Technical Education Standards, and STEAM-based instruction. 

Audience: PK-12 Educators 

Date: June 16 - July 20 (multiple sessions)

Cost: $300 stipend upon completion 

Registration 

California Dyslexia Initiative Conference

The California Dyslexia Initiative announces a two-day, statewide conference. It is hosted by the Sacramento County Office of Education in collaboration with the CDE, the California State Board of Education, and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. The event will be conducted virtually and offer a dynamic platform for advancing screening, instruction, and intervention practices. Attendees will learn effective ways to teach reading, meet the needs of a range of learners, and address dyslexia and related challenges. The conference will equip teachers, administrators, clinicians, and parents with knowledge and tools to teach reading, support individuals at risk for and/with dyslexia, gain actionable insights, contribute to dyslexia awareness and support in education, and ensure equitable access to education for all.

Audience: Educators, specialists, and advocates

Date: June 11-12

Location: Virtual

Registration

The California Arts Project (TCAP) 16^th Courageous Creativity Conference 

Join for a leadership conference grounded in the aspirations of the CA Arts Education Framework, the opportunities presented by Proposition 28, and in support of the amplification of all California students' arts education. 

Audience: Art Teachers & Administrators 

Date: June 18 – 20

Location: Anaheim 

Cost: $700 

Registration

Register by April 15

CCLA Mathematics Community of Practice

Collaborate on practical ways to integrate learning acceleration approaches to support student success! The Mathematics Community of Practice (CoP) is a space for learning and collaboration. Together, we will leverage the expertise of each other to gain knowledge and deepen understanding of learning acceleration in mathematics utilizing evidence-based practices and the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP). 

Audience: TK-12 Educators 

Location: Virtual  

Date(s): 5 sessions, August 2023 - April 2024, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Cost: FREE 

Registration

Flyer 

CCLA Hybrid Summit

This summit an inclusive space for educators to gain knowledge and deepen understanding of learning acceleration to reinvigorate classroom instruction to improve student outcomes.

Join us to:

• Create accelerated learning opportunities that are engaging, culturally relevant, and personalized to build student agency.
• Utilize effective formative assessment strategies to know where your students are and where they are going.
• Design transformative experiences that value and elevate moments with students

Audience: All Educators 

Location: Santa Clara County Office of Education/Virtual

Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. 

Cost: $60 In Person/$25 Virtual 

Registration

Flyer

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   

Location: Virtual

Date(s): 5 sessions, September 2023 - May 2024, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Registration & Flyer 

New Library Login Information

Maintaining the security of patron library card accounts is important, so the Library is changing the login process. Beginning on Wednesday, March 6, the last name field on the library account login screen will be replaced with a PIN field. This change will give patrons more control over the security and privacy of their account. On March 6, cardholders will receive an email with detailed instructions about how to make the change and which library services and resources are impacted. The email will also contain a default PIN number and instructions on how to change it. The transition should be simple and straightforward, but library staff are prepared and ready to help anyone who needs assistance. There will be some downtime for library accounts during the transition, and it may take a few days for all third-party vendors to complete the changes to their services and resources. Detailed instructions about the change will also be available at ccclib.org beginning on March 6.

March Madness

March Madness at the Library is a tournament all about children's books. Each week books will go head-to-head until only one remains. Vote online for one book in each round. For the first round, vote for your favorites in the Sweet 16. Then come back the next week to see which books make it to the Elite Eight. All the books have been chosen by our librarians from titles released in the last few years. The top title will be announced on April 1. The game started March 1.

Brainfuse HelpNow

Connect to FREE online tutors every day from 10 a.m.to 10 p.m. Tutors are trained in academic assistance and do not provide answers. They will help students master a problem’s underlying academic concepts. Tutoring and homework help services are also available in Spanish. Brainfuse also offers writing lab assistance, resume writing support, test prep, video lessons and study tools. Visit the Digital Resources page at ccclib.org to get started.

Bridging Literacy Gaps

Thursday, March 14, 4 p.m. – Via Zoom

In this virtual discussion, a parent, a professor, and a school district leader will discuss how parents and caregivers can support struggling readers. Sue Hampton Breazeale is the mother of a child with dyslexia and an experienced advocate of the Orton-Gillingham instructional approach to reading, spelling, and writing. Kathy Futterman, Ed.D., ET/P has worked in the field of special education for over 30 years, primarily with students with language-based learning issues in the areas of reading, writing and spelling. Shelley Velasco is the proud Coordinator of Elementary Instruction in Pittsburg Unified School District, which serves a diverse population of 12,000 students in preschool through high school.

Register

Circus Comedians Coventry & Kaluza

Thursday, March 14, 3:30 p.m. – El Sobrante Library

Award-winning circus comedians Coventry & Kaluza bring a variety of skills and thrills to their show, which features juggling, acrobatics, music, comedy, and high numbers hula hooping. It's interactive fun for the whole family.

More Info

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

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!

Grant Opportunity for High Schools: Peer-to-Peer Youth Mental Health High School Pilot Demonstration

The High School Peer-to-Peer Demonstration Pilot is a school-based youth-driven mental health grant opportunity with CCCOE's Wellness in Schools Plan (WISP) in partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). The project is a direct recommendation from The Hope, Healing and Health Collective (H3C).

 The Children’s Partnership is committed to a collaborative partnership with the eight high school grantees, desiring to identify best practices for peer-to-peer programs that can be implemented statewide and serve as a model for national efforts.

California high schools are invited to apply here!

Download a PDF of the RFA

The application deadline is Friday, March 22, at 11:59 p.m. (PST).

Essay and Visual Arts Scholarships to Raise Awareness of the Armenian Genocide (Deadline: March 29)

The California Armenian Legislative Caucus Foundation offers two scholarship contests in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. California high school students in grades nine through twelve are invited to participate in an essay contest and/or a visual arts contest to increase awareness of the Armenian Genocide on its 109th anniversary. Instructions and the registration form are available on the 2024 Scholarship Contest Google form. Please contact Natalie Bruton-Yenovkian at 1915essay@gmail.com with any questions. The deadline to submit is Friday, March 29 at 11:59 p.m.

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

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.

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.