Outlook 75.3 | Jan. 2022

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

OUTLOOK In this issue!

A HOLIDAY TRADITION AG ADVENTURES THE SPELLING BEE IS B-A-C-K BORN TO TEACH A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION Troy A. Brown, Ed.D., County Superintendent of Schools

AND MORE!

04

AG ADVENTURES

05

A HOLIDAY TRADITION

06

THE BEE IS B-A-C-K

07

BORN TO TEACH

08

IN SERVICE OF CHILDREN

10

A BRAND-NEW HEAD START

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A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

14

LET’S LEARN LAUNCHES

15

ON SATURDAYS, WE LEARN SCIENCE

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TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY

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FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE

21

IN THE CLASSROOM FAQ

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WE ARE SJCOE

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CONTENTS

PEER TO PEER

The Peer Interaction Team (P.I.T.) at Escalon High teaches peer counseling

First of four AgVenture events for third graders held in November

Showcasing student holiday artwork a long-standing tradition of the SJCOE

Top spellers from around the county compete in the 24th Annual San Joaquin County Spelling Bee Championships

President of Teachers College of San Joaquin retires after 44 years of service in the field of education

ABC Awards recognizes continued service through difficult times

Parents and students excited to return to newly renovated preschool center in Ripon

Local business owner donates night-lights to children in foster care

Coding school adds new workshops that teach multimedia skills to the public

San Joaquin County Office of Education and partner districts add science labs on Saturday to bring more hands-on learning to students

Come Back Kids student confronts past and transforms her future with high school diploma

Lincoln Technical Academy’s Career Technical Education pathways preparing students for their futures

SJCOE College & Career Readiness Director Pam Knapp answers the question: How can I make my CTE capstone class a pre-apprenticeship program and count as work-based learning in CALPADS?

What’s your New Year’s resolution? In this issue, SJCOE employees share their 2022 resolutions. #WeAreSJCOE

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OUTLOOK VOLUME 75 | ISSUE 3 | JAN. 2022

The Outlook is published bimonthly, September through May, by the San Joaquin County Office of Education Public Information Office.

DR. TROY A. BROWN

San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools

SCOTT ANDERSON Deputy Superintendent Business Services

LOOKING AHEAD

Events, trainings, & more!

Learn more about upcoming events, meetings, trainings, and workshops for students, families, and educators on the San Joaquin County Office of Education calendar at www.sjcoe.org/calendar.aspx.

JANINE KAESLIN

Associate Superintendent Student Programs and Services

JANE STEINKAMP Assistant Superintendent Educational Services

BRANDIE BRUNNI

Assistant Superintendent Special Education and SELPA

SEAN MORRILL

Assistant Superintendent County Operated Schools and Programs

CHRISTINA TORRES-PETERS Chief Human Resources Officer

The San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) is a regional agency that provides educational leadership, resources, and customized services to assist school districts. The SJCOE promotes student achievement and accountability, serves San Joaquin County’s most vulnerable students, and strives to create an environment in which every student, regardless of circumstances, has an opportunity for a quality education.

Zachary Johnson, Editor Carly Sexton, Editor Lisa Bryant, Contributor Brandie Moore, Contributor Veronica Tova, Contributor Melissa Galea, Contributor CodeStack Digital Media

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SUBMIT A STORY sjcoepio@sjcoe.net

Let’s stay connected!

OUTLOOK | DISTRICT HIGHLIGHT

PEER TO PEER

The Peer Interaction Team (P.I.T.) at Escalon High teaches peer counseling One by one, the students from Escalon High School inched down a low, wobbling rope suspended over the ground. They helped each other wherever they could, sometimes by forming a human chain along the length of the rope. As each student moved along the rope, a classmate stood behind them -- feet on solid ground with hands outstretched to catch them if they fell.

It’s what the students joined the Peer Interaction Team (P.I.T.) to do -- be there for others to provide support.

“It definitely is a lesson because it goes to show how people around you are really helpful, they actually care, and they are willing to lend a hand and be supportive,” said Aileen, a sophomore who was in her first year on the P.I.T. “The reason I wanted to join is because I have always found a need and I have always found joy in helping others as well as being part of a group. Being part of the P.I.T. is feeling that you are a part of something and then expanding from there to help others.”

The program at the high school traditionally includes a stop at the Venture On Challenge

Course at the San Joaquin County Office of Education’s Venture Academy Family of Schools to set the tone and build strong bonds within the P.I.T. group every school year.

P.I.T. is a peer-counseling group that was formed at the school in the 1980s following the death of a student by suicide.

“These students spend the school year learning peer counseling skills,” said Justin Thomason, their teacher. The students build the skills by learning how to build relationships and have dialogue with each other, first. The goal is to go to elementary and middle schools in the district to pair up with students who have been pre-screened by counselors as somebody who could use more support.

“They are students who could use an older person to pour into them, to help them to handle what they are going through and just have a friend,” he said. “These high schoolers can be heroes to some of these kids.”

The course is in high demand, and there is an interview process that precedes the class. It is not a leadership class, but Thomason said

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the students are encouraged to be leaders and help their peers at Escalon High, too.

Like their peers, the P.I.T. students have sometimes had to deal with issues made worse during the pandemic. Through the class, the P.I.T. students can learn how to use this in a positive way around campus.

“A lot of these students can use their experiences to help other students walk through their experiences, too,” he said.

OUTLOOK | IN THE COMMUNITY

AG ADVENTURES

First of four AgVenture events for third graders held in November Once again, students had a great opportunity to learn about nutrition and the agriculture that is an integral part of San Joaquin County at the annual AgVenture on Nov. 4.

Held at the Manteca Unified School District farm, the event was the first of four AgVenture events held throughout the academic year for San Joaquin County third-grade students.

It is organized by sponsors and partners,

including local industry and the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE), and made possible by an army of volunteers from the agricultural industry, high school Future Farmers of America (FFA) clubs, staff from schools and districts, and more.

There is also a supporting cast of animals that students love to meet in person.

The students who experienced hands-on learning at Thursday’s AgVenture event came from Manteca, Escalon, Ripon, and Tracy unified school districts. They went home with goodie bags and fresh fruits and vegetables, too.

“It’s an amazing experience for students to learn about how things grow and where food comes from,” said Jen Van Der Maaten, a parent volunteer with a class from Park View Elementary School (Ripon Unified).

At the Manteca event, about 2,800 students along with teachers and parent chaperones, turned out. This year an estimated 10,000 students will attend an AgVenture event.

Future events are scheduled in Stockton on January 19 and Lodi on March 3. New this year, the SJCOE will be hosting the Tracy AgVenture event on April 14 at its Durham Ferry site, which is home to Venture Academy Family of Schools Historic Durham Ferry Academy and SJCOE Stem Programs Durham Ferry Outdoor Education Center.

This year’s events also include Virtual Farm Trips available at www.sjcagventure.com/fieldtrips.

Increased Focus on Agriculture Education The San Joaquin County Office of Education added the new position of director of agriculture environmental technology. The first director in this position is Katie Wipfli, who previously had been the student events and activities coordinator. The new position will focus on the importance of agriculture in schools and the region with a goal of creating opportunities for students, including high school apprenticeships.

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 5

OUTLOOK | NEWS

A HOLIDAY TRADITION Showcasing student holiday artwork a long-standing tradition of the SJCOE The annual holiday card contest is a favorite tradition at the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE).

WINNER: Isabella Solis, twelfth grade Calla High School, Manteca Unified

Lana Crawford, sixth grade Weston Elementary, Ripon Unified

Each year, students throughout the county submit their artwork for the contest. The winning artwork is used on the SJCOE’s official annual holiday card. The winner and the runners-up all have their artwork framed and returned to them to display and share.

Contest-winner Isabella Solis -- a senior at Calla High School (Manteca Unified School District) -- said she’s always enjoyed making art. “I’ve been drawing since forever.”

Riley Ramsey, third grade Monticello Elementary, Jefferson District

David Olivares Cortez, fourth grade Don Riggio School, Lincoln Unified

6 | SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

She took her inspiration for her winning artwork from the sights and sounds she associates most with the holidays. “You always hear the bells ringing, and the lights are everywhere,” she said.

Also, she really wanted the star to look bright.

OUTLOOK | NEWS

THE BEE IS B-A-C-K!

Top spellers from around the county compete in the 24th Annual San Joaquin County Spelling Bee Championships Even spelling bee champions come across a word during competition that they aren’t sure about.

For Ishaan Ajay that word was “antecedent.”

Ishaan -- an eighth-grader at Brookside Elementary School (Lincoln Unified School District) was the Elementary Division champion at the San Joaquin County Spelling Bee in 2019. The year before, he was runner-up.

But he wasn’t so sure how to spell “antecedent” when it was the word that needed to be spelled at the 24th Annual San Joaquin County Spelling Bee Championship Junior High Division round

on Dec. 8 at the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE). Still, he got it right and went on to be a two-time county champion with the winning word - internecine.

After missing a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spelling Bee was back in 2021, with more than 70 students qualifying to compete from public, private, and charter schools across the county. Two spellers from each division qualify to compete in the state competition. This year, both divisions will compete in the California State Spelling Bee at the SJCOE on May 14, 2022.

ELEMENTARY DIVISION First Place

Pranvi Rikkamalle, sixth grade Anthony Traina School Jefferson Elementary School District Winning word: circumvent

Second Place

Praneet Kumaravel, fifth grade Jefferson School Jefferson Elementary School District

JUNIOR HIGH DIVISION First Place

Ishaan Ajay, eighth grade Brookside Elementary School Lincoln Unified School District Winning word: internecine

Second Place

Andrae Raymundo, seventh grade North Elementary School Tracy Unified School District

Meet Erika Chapman, the SJCOE’s new coordinator of Student Events and Activities Erika Chapman, a mother of twin 15-year-old girls and a 13-year-old son, has served as an art teacher for the past seven years with Manteca Unified School District. At Manteca Unified, she was the District Arts Coordinator and taught Introduction to Art, Advanced Art, AP Art, and Ceramics. Her passion for arts education has driven her to try and make an impact on all students regardless of their abilities. “I am so excited to be at the county office of education and have a much larger impact on our students here in San Joaquin County and support all students in a gamut of interests and passions,” said Chapman.

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 7

OUTLOOK | NEWS

Born to

TEACH T

here are people in life who know what career they want to pursue from a young age. The ones who seem to have been born with a passion and the innate courage to pursue their dreams.

People like Dr. Diane Carnahan, president of Teachers College of San Joaquin (TCSJ).

Carnahan always knew she wanted to be a teacher. As a junior in high school, she was already on her trajectory when she was able to earn school credit while working at McKinley Elementary School in Burlingame in Mary Jonnson’s first-grade classroom.

“It’s the people in your life that help support your future, your growth, your thinking, and what you do,” Carnahan said. “I was blessed to work with Mary (Jonnson) for a number of years in her firstgrade classroom until I became a teacher, and that gave me a really good foundational training.”

Her service at McKinley Elementary continued even after high school, while Diane attended community college in San Mateo and then

President of Teachers College of San Joaquin retires after 44 years of service in the field of education

San Jose State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and multiple subject teaching credential.

Upon graduation, she submitted job applications across California, and lucky for San Joaquin County, at the age of 23, Carnahan landed a teaching position at Jefferson School in Tracy, which at the time was a small district with one K-8 school.

In 1991, Carnahan moved to Holt School, where she taught second, third, and fifth grade. Her passion for teaching led to other opportunities in the field, from working at the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) as a leader in the California Science Implementation Network and becoming the first coordinator for the SJCOE TOPS program to serving as adjunct faculty at the University of the Pacific and California State University, Stanislaus, to joining WestEd K-12 Alliance as the regional director.

“I thought I would be a teacher my whole life,” Carnahan said. “But then all these

8 | SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

opportunities started opening up, and I took advantage of those opportunities.”

After earning her master’s degree and serving as the regional director for WestEd, Carnahan returned to the SJCOE in 2007 as TCSJ’s director of graduate studies. With a grant from the James Irvin Foundation, she and Dr. Sylvia Turner began a pilot program for eight teachers, which led to the development of the core coursework for the master’s program. Carnahan and colleagues continued the pursuit of becoming accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. This opportunity would make TCSJ truly one-of-a-kind.

In 2009 the college opened with its first group of students and became the first and only regionally accredited institution of higher education that is a department within a county office of education.

In Carnahan’s words, “The rest is history.”

But that was just the beginning of the mark that she would leave on the college. In 2015,

OUTLOOK | NEWS

Girlie Hale (left center) and Diane Carnahan (right center) with TCSJ Governing Board members.

Carnahan took the reins from Dr. Gary Dei Rossi to become TCSJ’s second president.

Under her leadership, TCSJ launched Master’s of Education concentrations in Early Education, Special Education, and Environmental Literacy. The college also received eligibility for In-School Deferment from the U.S. Department of Education. In 2021, TCSJ went global, offering their Master’s of Education Program 100% online. And in 2021, TCSJ partnered with TEACH! Academy to help develop Venture Academy high school students into the next generation of educators.

“Diane is a fearless, passionate, and fun-spirited leader who has had an immeasurable impact on the field of education,” SJCOE Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Jane Steinkamp said. “Although Diane will be heading into retirement, her contributions to our organization and professional accomplishments will continue to benefit San Joaquin County educators and students for years to come.””

Carnahan passes the baton to Girlie Hale Founded in 2009 by the San Joaquin County Office of Education, Teachers College of San Joaquin (TCSJ) is the only regionally accredited institution of higher education that is a department within a county office of education. The college serves over 1,300 students who work across 60 districts in an eight-county region of California.

Dr. Diane Carnahan, who earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of the Pacific, helped build TCSJ and has been its president since 2015. She retires in January 2022. Girlie Hale will follow in Carnahan’s footsteps as the third president of TCSJ. Girlie Hale has served as an educational leader in San Joaquin County for the past 24 years. Hale worked in Stockton Unified School District for 20 years, where she was a school principal for 12 years. She joined TCSJ in 2008 as an adjunct instructor and, in 2017, became the coordinator for TCSJ’s IMPACT Program. Hale has a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from the University of the Pacific and a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from the California State University, Stanislaus.

She is currently working on a doctorate in transformative action in education.

Learn more about TCSJ at www.teacherscollegesj.edu.

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OUTLOOK | NEWS

IN SERVICE of CHILDREN ABC Awards recognizes continued service through difficult times

The Action on Behalf of Children (ABC) Awards given by the Family Resource and Referral Center recognizes individuals, programs, and organizations working to improve the lives of children in San Joaquin County.

Instead of an evening gala, the 32nd Annual ABC Awards streamed online on Nov. 4 to honor the award recipients. Virtual gatherings -- whether to celebrate achievements or to accomplish everyday remote work -- have become commonplace during the pandemic.

The ability of people to rise above the challenges brought by COVID-19 and

AWARD RECIPIENTS Childcare Provider Diana Quiroga, Diana’s Day Care

continue to provide for children and families was a central theme of this year’s awards.

This year’s award winners have done more than overcome adversity during the early days of the pandemic -- they provide hope for the days to come, said Kay Ruhstaller, the CEO of the Family Resource and Referral Center.

“Hope is more than a sunny view that everything will turn out all right. It’s believing and having the will and the way to accomplish your goals,” she said. “The individuals that are being honored tonight restore our hope for the children in our community because

Children’s Health Lockeford Little Rascals Roller Derby Child Advocate Tama Brisbane

Business Mr. Otto’s Bookstore

Public Agency Family Justice Center San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office

Nonprofit Organization HOME Program Child Abuse Prevention Council of San Joaquin

School Discovery ChalleNGe Academy San Joaquin County Office of Education

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they refuse to give in to the overwhelming challenges brought by the pandemic in order to continue educating and caring for young children. These honorees and the spotlight we shine on them will help illuminate the path as we emerge from COVID-19 and begin to heal.”

Ruhstaller took a moment at the start of the ceremony to recognize the childcare and early childhood education community as a whole, “We see you and the enormous and courageous job you have done throughout the pandemic. And we thank you for your heroic service,” she said.

Supporting Children Through COVID-19 Jane Steinkamp, Assistant Superintendent San Joaquin County Office of Education The A-Squad San Joaquin County Office of Education Virtual Program Team Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library The awards ceremony is available online at https://youtu.be/u_m-p5vFrLQ.

OUTLOOK | NEWS

AN HONOR

The SJCOE recognized among the year’s award recipients at the 32nd Annual Action on Behalf of Children Awards

helped children return back to in-person learning this year,” Family Resource and Referral Center CEO Kay Ruhstaller said.

In addition to the two SJCOE award recipients in this category, a third award was given to the Virtual Program Team at the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library.

SCHOOL: DISCOVERY CHALLENGE ACADEMY The Discovery ChalleNGe Academy (DCA) received the ABC Award in the school category. DCA is a quasi-military, residential program that is one of three National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program sites in California and the only location in Northern California. It is a joint effort of the California National Guard and the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE), which provides the educational piece of the program. It serves teens at risk of not graduating high school. DCA holds two 22-week sessions a year that are followed by another year of support. Since DCA started in 2017, more than 900 cadets have completed the program.

“Our program has helped hundreds of students get back on track towards earning their high school diploma, awarding up to 65 credits in just 22 weeks,” said DCA Principal Brandy Thurman while accepting the award in a pre-taped video alongside Lt. Col. Marc Anderson, DCA director.

“We challenge our youth, focusing not only on academics, but also physical fitness, service to the community, citizenship, job skills, and life coping skills,” Anderson said.

JANE STEINKAMP, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT

This year the ABC Awards organizers added the Supporting Children Through COVID-19 award because of the unique way the community helped mitigate the impact of the pandemic on children.

In early 2021, vaccination against COVID-19 was possible, but the vaccine, itself, was hard to come by as supplies and vaccination locations were limited. In order to remove a barrier to resuming or expanding in-person instruction in San Joaquin County schools, the SJCOE took on the task of holding a series of vaccine clinics to inoculate teachers and all other school employees. In February and March, those clinics administered 25,822 doses of the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

“Many individuals and organizations truly stepped up to ensure that kids were engaged in learning, supported emotionally, and

Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Jane Steinkamp was the chairperson of the SJCOE Vaccination Distribution Task

SUPPORTING CHILDREN THROUGH COVID-19:

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 11

OUTLOOK | NEWS Force that organized and executed the mass vaccination, that combined the use of technology, re-purposing of SJCOE facilities, and coordination of hundreds of volunteers.

It was a combined effort of 385 volunteers that included SJCOE employees and nurses and other health care workers from school districts, Steinkamp said in a video accepting the ABC Award for her role leading the vaccination effort. “Our team rallied every day, with hearts on their sleeves, smiles on their faces, and the sincere commitment to providing the best customer service.”

THE A-SQUAD Part of the SJCOE’s County Operated Schools and Programs Division, the A-Squad’s primary focus is to provide interventions and support to chronically truant students. It involves partner organizations and has an emphasis on building positive connections with students and their families. That often means walking neighborhoods throughout San Joaquin County and meeting with students and their families where they live.

COVID-19 did close classrooms, but school continued through distance learning. Not all students participated. The A-Squad continued to do its work which was too important to stop.

Jacob Boyd, intervention and prevention coordinator, accepted the ABC Award with other members of his team: Administrative Assistant Katrina Gonzalez and Specialists Hector Calderon and Monica Bermudez.

“There was fear, uncertainty, and inconsistency in our families’ lives, and we figured that keeping consistency in their lives would help our students overcome barriers,” Bermudez said. “We learn to become resilient as a team so that we can help them become resilient and continue with their education.”

Discovery ChalleNGe Academy iamdiscovery.org

SJCOE Vaccine Clinics youtube.com/watch?v=LCvWOTYYplM

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A-Squad sjcoe.org/asquad

OUTLOOK | NEWS

A BRAND-NEW HEAD START Parents and students excited to return to newly renovated preschool center in Ripon

At 4 years old, Andrea can already write out her name. She’s been learning to draw and cut out shapes, too.

She was taught these skills at home by staff from the Children Achieve Maximum Potential (CAMP) Preschool at Ripona Elementary School (Ripon Unified School District). While the preschool-building construction project was underway, Andrea and other students received home-based services until the upgrade was completed.

On the first day of school back in the classroom, both Andrea and her mother, Julia Torres, were excited. Andrea was one of the children who tried out the new playground equipment during a November ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the reopening.

“She loved it. She really loved the playground,” Julia Torres said, who added she was looking forward to the other benefits being in the classroom will bring her young daughter.

“Socialization, too. It will help her learn how to share and to be with other kids.”

She said she knows the school will prepare Andrea for school because her oldest daughter had been in a Head Start program, too, and hit the ground running in kindergarten. And because the preschool is located at Ripona Elementary School, it will be an easier transition.

The program at Ripona is operated by the Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC), one of the partners offering preschool and other Head Start services to children and families through Head Start San Joaquin, part of the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE).

The service providers also include Creative Childcare Inc. as well as Lodi and Stockton unified school districts. The CAMP preschool daily hours are extended for its students through blended fiscal resources from the federal Office of Head Start and the California Department of Education. The renovation costs were funded through Head Start.

Besides helping children develop social skills, the reopening allows more engagement with families through parent meetings and the Parent Advisory Committee, said Kim Pawlowicz, CAPC early childhood education director. “The

families can get together and collaborate,” she said. “They assist in planning the curriculum.

Parents are encouraged to help plan for whatever studies we are currently doing.”

Parents also now have a space in the renovated facility to have private one-on-one meetings with CAMP staff. The office was just one of the upgrades in the completed project. There is also more room for students inside, which is especially important when it is raining, and students aren’t able to play outside, said Janeli Garcia, teacher and center manager for the preschool.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the regular rhythm of a preschool classroom began, as students played together, sang songs, then washed their hands while staff prepared breakfast. Garcia took it all in stride as she worked with students, comforted a girl who missed her mother, and explained to a visitor all the improvements in the new facility.

“It’s so different. The building and playground are bigger. And everything’s brand new,” she said. “It’s all very exciting.”

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 13

OUTLOOK | NEWS

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Local business owner donates night-lights to children in foster care Ashley Harvey, a former art teacher and owner of Manteca-based business Lily’s Lights, donated night-lights to the youngest children in foster care in San Joaquin County.

“When kids come from hard homes, nighttime is scary,” she said last fall when delivering the 72 nightlights to the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE). Growing up with three siblings who were adopted, she was looking for ways to donate to children in foster care when she connected with SJCOE Early Education and Support, which includes Head Start San Joaquin.

Head Start San Joaquin is the hub of a partnership that provides preschool and other services to families across San Joaquin County. The partners are Child Abuse Prevention Council of San Joaquin County, Creative Childcare, Inc., Lodi Unified School District, and Stockton Unified School District.

Representatives from the organizations came

to pick up the handcrafted elephants, giraffes, and other night-lights for their families.

The transition from traumatic home lives to foster care can be quick, with the children not able to leave with many personal possessions.

Night-lights are something they can call their own, but they are more than that.

“It can calm them at night,” said Lisa Lopez, school readiness and preschool director at Lodi Unified School District.

And it means something to children to know that somebody in the community cares for them, too.

“It is really inspiring to know that there are still good people out there who care about them,” said Karen Nelson, social services care manager at Stockton Unified School District. “We are all part of a team.”

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How to Help There are many ways to support youth in foster care. Find information about how to donate and volunteer from the Child Abuse Prevention Council of San Joaquin County at nochildabuse.org.

Through the Purposity app for your mobile device, you can also donate to individuals and families by following “Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program, San Joaquin County Office of Education” or other organization pages covering the region.

OUTLOOK | NEWS

LET’S LEARN LAUNCHES

Coding school adds new workshops that teach multimedia skills to the public The San Joaquin County Office of Education’s (SJCOE) CodeStack Academy coding school added multimedia and design to its curriculum available for high school graduates with the launch of “Let’s Learn” workshops in downtown Stockton.

CodeStack is the SJCOE’s software engineering department, which builds and operates the national education job-search platform, Edjoin.org, and many other projects serving state agencies, school districts, and the community.

It also includes a multimedia branch.

The first three-day workshop, offered in partnership with Huddle x Launchpad, focused on learning how to use the video-editing software Adobe Premier.

Subsequent workshops provide a wide range of multimedia and technological skills, including photography and graphic design.

In 2018, CodeStack added CodeStack Academy, Stockton’s first accelerated software engineering school, to provide affordable and immersive coding instruction for students interested in a career in the technology industry. There is also a need for a workforce of trained software engineers to fill current jobs and pave the way for future jobs and businesses in Stockton and the region.

“The new workshops expand on CodeStack Academy’s mission of creating a school and a culture that can build a homegrown community of highly skilled computer coders.

The workshops provide an opportunity to learn multimedia and additional technological skills right here in downtown Stockton,” said Johnny Arguelles, the director of the SJCOE’s CodeStack department.

Local officials celebrated the arrival of CodeStack in Downtown Stockton, and the first workshops drew a wide range of participants.

“I really enjoyed it, and I’m excited there will be more workshops. I’ll be signing up for those,” said Cindy Lora, a Stockton resident who is the site director for SMASH, a summer residential

program for teens at the University of California, Berkeley. She was new to video editing and was looking for ways to expand what her program could offer students over the summer.

Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon makes videos to tell stories about people in the community. The retired nurse is active in local nonprofits, including the group that holds Stockton’s Black Family Day. She took the workshop because the Adobe software has become more widely used than the software she’s used to. “The digital world changes so quickly. Just trying to keep up is a chore,” she said. And the CodeStack workshop was affordable and had a great atmosphere with helpful staff, she said.

Floyd-Okanlawon said she hopes other nonprofits will take the workshops to help them tell their stories, too.

codestackacademy.org

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OUTLOOK | NEWS

ON SATURDAYS, WE LEARN SCIENCE

San Joaquin County Office of Education and partner districts add science labs on Saturday to bring more hands-on learning to students Super Science Saturdays bring all the experimentation, hands-on discovery, wonder, and fun that can only be found in the lab.

Offered on select Saturdays through the end of the year, the Saturday labs were created by science educators from the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) and the Lodi, Stockton, and Tracy unified school districts.

“This is what science education is all about,” said Bret States, part of the SJCOE STEM Programs team that worked with districts to launch this program.

Super Science Saturdays are available to middle- and high-school students in the partnering districts. Each Saturday consists of labs where students can take part in focusing on chemistry, physics, biology, and middle school science activities and experiments.

The Saturday labs were designed to accelerate learning for students who missed

unique hands-on learning opportunities during distance learning. It was also designed to have a ripple effect by acting as a professional-learning opportunity for teachers to learn fun and engaging science labs and take them back to their schools.

In Stockton Unified School District, the Super Science Saturdays add resources and support, which gives teachers the tools and confidence to incorporate these labs into their classroom, said Marcus Sherman, district science coordinator during the first Saturday event at Stagg High School, which drew students from multiple grades and schools.

“It’s been shown in every type of discipline you can imagine that doing something handson enforces learning. It gives students the ability to try things and really problem-solve,” he said, adding that the labs were designed to be open-ended to invite inquiry and exploration. And they are fun, too, he said.

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In one lab, students learned about potential and kinetic energy by building roller coasters out of flexible foam tubes. When they were done, they sent a marble through their creations, racking points for sharp turns, loops, and corkscrews.

OUTLOOK | NEWS When Aneva -- a seventh-grader at Rio Calaveras Elementary School -- first started building her roller coaster, she built it high and put a loop toward the end of the ride.

But after some trial and error, she ended up moving the loop closer to the start. “I think it’s better when it’s hands-on in a lab,” she said.

“It’s easier because you aren’t just thinking about it. You can actually do it and test it.”

Francine Simmons, who teaches eighthgrade science at Fillmore Elementary School, ran the roller-coaster lab. “This right here is such valuable learning. They are touching it and creating it,” she said. “It is more than just reading about it in a book.”

In a biology lab, students gathered leaves from around the Stagg High campus before looking at samples under a microscope to better understand how plants take in the carbon dioxide they need for photosynthesis to work.

“I like the experiments,” said Jazlyne, a sophomore at Health Careers Academy, while looking at a sample on a microscope slide. “Last year we learned the material, but it wasn’t hands-on, so this is super fun.”

Super Science Saturdays More Super Science Saturdays are coming up! To learn more, reach out to the school district contacts listed below.

Lodi Unified School District: Beth Fox at bfox@lodiusd.net Stockton Unified School District: Marcus Sherman at msherman@stocktonusd.net Tracy Unified School District: Dean Reese at dreese@tusd.net

Annie Cunial takes the helm from Kirk Brown as SJCOE STEM Programs Division Director Throughout his career, San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) STEM Programs Division Director Kirk Brown has had an immeasurable impact on San Joaquin County students and educators. Among his former students, 107 (and counting) cite Brown as inspiring them to pursue a career in education. And Brown’s reach is about to go even further as he leaves the SJCOE to become the head of K-12 programming at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream in Washington D.C. “I’m excited about this new opportunity to participate in a shared mission to help people realize their American dream. As a teacher, I have participated in that process directly with students and have seen many realize parts of those dreams,” he said.

Brown has spent his entire 35 years as an educator in San Joaquin County and hopes that he can now use his experience to help young people across our country and around the world. Effective Dec. 1, 2021, Annie Cunial took the helm from Brown as the SJCOE STEM Programs division director.

Cunial began her career in education in 1992 as a teacher with Manteca Unified School District at Stella Brockman Elementary School, where she taught math and science to junior-high students. She later transferred to Golden West Elementary School, teaching first- and second-grade students. In 2001, she moved to a program coordinator position within the district,

overseeing various student achievement duties, tutoring programs, and more.

In 2011, Cunial joined the SJCOE as the Student Events and Activities coordinator. In this capacity, she organized and evolved student events and activities offered by the SJCOE for San Joaquin County students, such as Academic Decathlon, Science Olympiad, spelling bees, Pinnacle, Youth in Government Day, and more. During this time, Annie forged valuable relationships between the SJCOE and our county’s students, families, educators, school districts, and community members.

Cunial’s experience as a coordinator and can-do attitude landed her a director position with the STEM Programs department in 2018, where she assisted with the land donation transaction from PG&E to the SJCOE and oversaw the opening of the Sky Mountain Outdoor Education Center in Placer County. “I went from the ‘most positive’ job you can have in education to the ‘most fun’ job you can have in education,” she said.

Together with the STEM Programs team, Annie will continue to look for opportunities to educate, innovate, and inspire the students and educators of San Joaquin County and our local region. “I understand the importance of being organized, motivating others, and looking at the whole picture when making decisions,” she said. “The responsibility of leading a department like STEM, with a large audience and sphere of influence is a privilege.”

WATCH | Kirk Brown: Inspiring the Next Generation of Educators, a video from the Milken Center.

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 17

OUTLOOK | FEATURE

TRIUMPH over adversity

T

Come Back Kids student confronts past and transforms her future with high school diploma

he road to recovery requires many steps. For Viola Dinkins, her path started with tackling drug addiction, then taking other steps to put the pieces of her life back together so she could keep moving ahead.

One of the pieces that she put back into place was her education. She was able to do so through Come Back Kids (CBK), a free program offered by the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) for anybody 18 years and older to receive a high school diploma.

Adults may not have received their high school diploma by the time they reach the age of 20, 30, or older, due to many different obstacles. CBK provides flexibility and resources to help students reach their education goals.

18 | SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

OUTLOOK | FEATURE One place CBK connects to students is through the Family Justice Center, a facility of the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office designed as a one-stop shop for victims of crime. The services don’t just focus on the immediate trauma of victims or the support they might need as the wheels of justice turn. It also connects victims of crimes to services that will help them grow and thrive long after the final gavel has fallen on their case. It was the place where Dinkins -- a victim of human trafficking -- found her path to getting an education.

She received her high school diploma at the CBK graduation ceremony in 2021 at the age of 41.

“I didn’t finish high school because I thought, like every teenager, I knew what was best for me,” said Dinkins, a lifelong Stockton resident.

Dinkins said she was a “functioning addict” when she began using drugs. She had a job, children, and a fiancé, but she was able to hide her drug use. Her addiction got worse. “I quit my job. I hit the streets, and I hit the streets running,” she said. The drug use continued, and she started on a path of prostitution that would eventually lead to her becoming a victim of human trafficking.

Dinkins found her way to the CBK program through the Family Justice Center. At the center, victims of crime can connect to counseling, therapy, parenting classes, assistance finding jobs, and many other services that help victims overcome what can sometimes be years of trauma and abuse, said Suzanne Shultz, Family Justice Center program manager.

“We see in the victim population that we’re serving that disempowerment is a critical component,” she said. Abusers or traffickers break down their victims in order to control them, she said. The array of services found through the center can help build victims back up, but it can take time. “Opening the doorways of opportunity for true resiliency and thriving is what all of those resources are critical for.”

The CBK program is a good fit for the Family Justice Center, not just because of the educational component, but because the educators that are part of it understand how to help those experiencing trauma and other challenges, she said.

Beyond academics, CBK has relationships with service providers to help students of any age overcome the barriers between themselves and their diploma, said Doug McCreath, CBK director. “Even if they don’t come to us from

the Family Justice Center, they still come to us with financial assistance needs, housing needs, mental health needs, clothing needs, and more,” he said. “We know if we can’t help them stabilize those issues, then they can’t focus on getting their high school diploma.”

The CBK program was also designed to be flexible enough that adults of any age would be able to complete the program in a way that works for them, including giving students access to Chromebooks to do work at home.

The flexibility allowed Dinkins to find time around two jobs to do her schoolwork. “This was very much at my own pace,” she said.

“So, in between shifts, on my breaks, or in between everything, I will just take it out, and do some homework.” When she couldn’t do the work on the Chromebook, she could do the work on printouts. And even though she would usually do the work on her own, the support from her teacher was always there when she needed it, she said.

On May 24, 2021, Viola Dinkins joined her CBK classmates at the drive-through ceremony to celebrate completing the program and earning her high school diploma. If receiving the diploma opens more doors for her, she knows she will use those opportunities to help people.

During this time of addiction, she also had another child. When Child Protective Services stepped in for the child’s protection, it provided the chief motivation for Dinkins to make a change. She entered into a rehabilitation program to get clean and began down the path to recovery.

As she progressed, she worked to open doors of opportunity that were closed to her because she had never finished high school. She also decided to get a high school diploma to prove to herself and her daughter that it could be done and to set a positive example. “I couldn’t follow my dreams because I didn’t finish school,” Dinkins said. “I want my daughter to be who she wants to be. She is a bright, intelligent girl, and she deserves the best in life.”

WATCH | Learn more about Viola Dinkins’ inspirational story in this issue’s feature video.

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 19

OUTLOOK | FEATURE It is what she does today as the assistant director of recuperative care at the Gospel Center Rescue Mission in Stockton.

In that job, she starts her morning rounds at 6:30 a.m. to check on all her clients.

She wants to know if they’ve taken their medications or if they have taken a turn for the worse and might need medical care. But she also does it as a friendly face in the morning to ensure they know that breakfast will be waiting for them.

Above: Viola Dinkins, assistant director of recuperative care at the Gospel Center Rescue Mission and a 2021 Come Back Kids graduate.

She works hard to make a connection with her clients. Her experiences help her do it. “Some of them put up walls,” she said. She puts them at ease, and lets them know that no matter what their past is that she is there to do whatever she can to help them right now.

About the programs

Throughout her recovery, Dinkins received help from many along the way.

She feels obligated to do the same. “I give back what was freely given to me.”

It is clear that she cares for people at the Rescue Mission, said Bert Cebrian, a veteran and former firefighter injured on the job some 27 years ago who was a client at the mission.

It’s because of her that he was headed to stable housing in a Veterans Administration-funded home. He said she filled out all the paperwork during a long process and was the main point of contact with the agency providing the housing.

“She’s amazing,” he said. “She’s a flawless diamond.”

COME BACK KIDS

COME BACK KIDS Come Back Kids (CBK) is a free, mostly online educational program that is offered through the San Joaquin County Office of Education’s (SJCOE) County Operated Schools and Programs Division that can help anyone 18 years and older earn their high school diploma. CBK is an independent study program that allows individuals the opportunity to complete the necessary coursework to obtain a high school diploma through flexible, individualized schedules. This program will help adults who have wanted to advance in their jobs or education but have found that not having a high school diploma has held them back. CBK is offered through the SJCOE’s one.Charter Academies with seven program locations in Lodi, Stockton, Lathrop, and Tracy.

www.sjcoe.org/cbk

FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER Launched by the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office in its location in the former Stockton Courthouse, the San Joaquin County Family Justice Center is a one-stop center that provides a wide range of services under one roof to help victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, and child and elder abuse.

www.sjcfamilyjusticecenter.com

20 | SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

OUTLOOK | IN THE CLASSROOM

Decked out in maroon scrubs, Aaliyah greeted her patient and began asking questions.

FOCUSED ON THE

As she asked follow-up questions, she documented everything in her chart. She wrote that the patient, who arrived at 8:19 a.m. on Nov. 16, 2021, had pain in her stomach. She also noted the patient hadn’t been taking any medication for the pain but had tried using a heating pad. As Aaliyah took the patient’s blood pressure, temperature, pulse, and other vital signs, she continued to write the information carefully in the chart.

FUTURE Lincoln Technical Academy’s Career Technical Education pathways preparing students for their futures

The patient, Emma, wasn’t a patient at all. She wore the same maroon scrubs as Aaliyah because they are both students at the Lincoln Technical Academy (LTA) in Lodi Unified School District in a class where they are learning the skills needed to become medical assistants.

The role-playing exercise isn’t just to help them practice taking vital signs. They are practicing speaking with confidence and being thoughtful in their questions and note-taking, too.

“It’s assessing the patient and using critical thinking to ask the right questions that the doctor will need answers to before the doctor gets in

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 21

OUTLOOK | IN THE CLASSROOM the room,” said Kristin Shinn, one of the instructors. “And that’s hard to teach, so that’s something we practice a lot.”

Next, Shinn will review the notes to check on student documentation and ensure they asked the right questions. As the students progress, they will soon find themselves in an externship -- working in an actual medical office using these skills.

Altogether, the students are learning skills that prepare them for careers, whether they intend to work as medical assistants or other jobs in the medical field. Even if they don’t end up in a position in the medical field, they will still have learned valuable real-world skills about real-world jobs.

Because that is what career technical education (CTE) does: It prepares people for their futures.

“We’re teaching them job and life skills and preparing them for life after high school, regardless of what path they want to take,” LTA Principal Julie Jansen said. Whether the students want to go directly into careers after high school or go to college, CTE teaches valuable skills, she said. “We are preparing our students for both because, at one point or another, they are going to go to work, and they’re going to have a career.”

CTE programs are an integral part of education in schools throughout the county.

Lincoln Technical Academy is just one piece of a CTE program in one district.

LTA is at the center of Lodi Unified School District’s broad and deep network of CTE pathways spread across its campuses. LTA drives the district CTE program forward and makes it possible to provide more CTE opportunities to more students.

As a CTE center, it increases what CTE pathways and classes the district can offer, Jansen said, noting that individual high schools also have robust CTE programs and facilities at their own campuses, too. Some classes -- like the medical- and dental-assistant classes and others -- are only offered at LTA. For these classes, students come from across the district to take the specialized classes while also attending school at their high school. The district’s CTE program also offers articulated classes where students can earn college credit.

And since LTA is also an adult school, classes taught there include a blend of others receiving workforce training who would not be able to take classes at the high schools.

Currently, about 700 adults are among the 1,500 students taught by the Academy.

In addition to housing classes, LTA is also where CTE grants start and are maintained.

Educators, too, find support at the center through a teacher-mentorship program.

Hadlee, a senior from Lodi High, was one of the students in the class for medical assistants playing the roles of both patient and medical assistant. She said she liked the activity because she loves meeting new people and working with her classmates. “The class always has hands-on activities. So, it’s really fun.”

Hadlee is taking the class because she wants to one day become a nurse. She said it is helping her get ready for when that time comes. “I’m learning everything. I’m learning medical language and different types of diagnoses. So, that’s preparing me.”

She also said she feels confident for the next step of her LTA class -- working in an externship in an actual medical office.

Students must show at least a “B” average in two semesters to meet the requirements for the 5-week externship. There’s a high demand for medical workers, and LTA students have a good reputation with local employers, said Shinn, the instructor. “They actually call us and say: We want your students; do you have anybody we can hire?”

The education and experience can lead to full-time jobs, too.

Former Lincoln Technical Academy students are also landing careers serving their

22 | SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

communities in law enforcement. Instructors know the ropes from their own experiences.

Two current instructors of the Administration of Justice class are retired officers, and the third is still working in law enforcement.

When Melisa -- a Lodi High School senior -- first started taking the Administration of Justice class, she didn’t know what to expect. It was all so new at first, and it felt intimidating, she said. “But over time, I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable.”

She said the transformation came from both the confidence she built from the knowledge and skills she learned in the class and from the support of the faculty. She decided she would apply for the cadet program at the Lodi Police Department. “I know my teachers can help me out. They can help me with the application and to prepare for the interview,” she said.

In fact, Melisa and her classmates will be conducting mock interviews focused on applying to cadet programs. “It’s not only for pursuing a life in law enforcement. It can help you with other jobs,” she said.

Lincoln Technical Academy means a lot to her, she said. “I learned a lot, and it opened my mind up to new things.”

Lincoln Technical Academy (LTA) is the career technical education center for the Lodi Unified School District. Courses offered are rigorous, industry-specific courses in which students can learn job skills, earn college credit, and advance their knowledge in a particular field of study. Students from all school district sites can take courses at LTA beginning in their junior year.

lincolntech.lodiusd.net

FAQ

OUTLOOK | IN THE CLASSROOM FAQ

In this In the Classroom FAQ, San Joaquin County Office of Education College and Career Readiness Director Pam Knapp answers the question:

How can I make my CTE capstone class a pre-apprenticeship program and count as work-based learning in CALPADS? There is a lot of buzz in the career technical education (CTE) community around workbased learning (WBL) opportunities in high schools. School districts that serve students in grades 9-12 are now required to submit WBL data through the College/Career Indicator (CCI) on the California School Dashboard.

The California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) supports a total of 12 WBL programs and activities that request the Local Educational Agency (LEAs) to track and report to CALPADS. Two newer additions now collected in CALPADS are Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Program (Code 25) and Non-Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Program (Code 30.)

There seems to be some confusion about the actual definition of these newer additions. Below is information gathered from the California Department of Education (CDE) definitions and speaking with consultants at the state Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS).

Registered Pre-Apprenticeship (Code 25) – A registered pre-apprentice program must be formally registered with DAS through an online application process and associated with at least one DAS Registered Apprenticeship program. Together, preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs expand the participant’s career pathway opportunities with industry-based training coupled with classroom instruction.

Essentially, the school district must have a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a state-registered apprenticeship training program that aligns with a CTE pathway taught at the school. This agreement does not guarantee that the student would automatically be accepted

into the apprenticeship program, but rather it does provide a cooperative agreement between the CTE pathway and the registered apprenticeship program. Students who complete a registered pre-apprenticeship are awarded a certificate of completion from the apprenticeship program. This program is tailored to provide students with entry-level skills needed to seamlessly enter a registered apprenticeship program upon high school graduation.

Simply put, if there is a state-registered apprenticeship program within the service region of an LEA, which aligns with a CTE pathway taught at that high school, then an agreement may be drawn up between the school or district and the registered apprenticeship program. Those students who complete this CTE pathway may be counted in CALPADS under code 25 as a completer.

and initiate networking, enticing support and guidance to the CTE pathway program.

Both registered and non-registered preapprenticeship programs are clearly a win-win for schools and CTE programs. They are both designed to provide students with the entry-level skills necessary to be eligible to enter a registered apprenticeship program.

Establishing industry partnerships and buy-in for CTE pathways within all schools is the key to a successful outcome for students.

The first step to develop a registered preapprenticeship program is to send an e-mail inquiry expressing your interest in developing a new pre-apprenticeship program to DAS at preapprenticeship@dir.ca.gov.

Non-Registered Pre-Apprenticeship (Code 30) – According to CALPADS, Code 30 is counted when a student completes a preapprenticeship program that is recognized by business and/or industry but not registered at the local, state, or national level. A school district may count students who complete a CTE pathway in CALPADS Code 30 if the pathway aligns with a state or nationally approved apprenticeship program. The CTE pathway can be tied to a recognized and approved apprenticeship training program, but a formal agreement between the apprenticeship program and school district is not in place. The key here is to identify the local registered apprenticeship program(s)

Is there an educational topic you would like to know more about? Is there a question you have that can help us all grow as educators? Send them to sjcoepio@sjcoe.net.

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 23

What’s your New Year’s resolution?

STEPHEN RODRIGUEZ

MONICA BERMUDEZ

BrainworX High School Senior “I have not decided yet. But I know I want to improve myself.”

JAMIE DEARMAN

Venture Academy Family of Schools “I don’t believe in resolutions, so I guess my resolution is not to have a resolution.”

MATT BRENNER

KATY DOWNS STROH

Venture Academy Family of Schools “To re-learn how to play the piano.”

Venture Academy Family of Schools “More hustle, less bustle.”

ALLEN LEE

HECTOR CALDERON

Venture Academy Family of Schools “Every new year, the goal is always to do bigger and better -- set the bar higher.”

HEATHER FOGG

Alternative Education “Getting back on my fitness goals. And being more open to help out in the community.

Early Childhood Education “To connect with friends..”

Alternative Education “To pick up a new hobby. Maybe explore music a bit more. I also want to be more visible in the community.”

WWW.SJCOE.ORG | 24 | SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

KELLY HAZEN

Venture Academy Family of Schools “I’m putting 10% more in my 401(k) starting this year.”

| #WEARESJCOE