SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
SANJOAQUINCOUNTYOFFICEOFEDUCATION
TroyA.Brown,Ed.D.,CountySuperintendentofSchools
WINTER ART CARDS
ABOUT THE COVER:
The annual Winter Art Card Contest is a favorite tradition at the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE). Each year, students throughout the county submit their artwork for the contest. The winning artwork is used on the SJCOE’s official annual winter card and highlighted in the winter issue of the Outlook magazine. The winner and the runners-up also receive their artwork framed to display and share.
Congratulations to the 2024 Winter Art Card Contest winner, Trichelle Harris! Trichelle is in grade 7 at McAuliffe Middle School (Lodi Unified School District). Artwork submissions from runners-up can be found on the last page and back cover.
TROY A. BROWN, Ed.D. San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools
TERRELL MARTINEZ
Deputy Superintendent Business Services
JANINE KAESLIN
Deputy Superintendent Student Programs and Services
JANE CHAMBERLAIN
Deputy Superintendent Professional Learning and Support
ANNIE CUNIAL
Assistant Superintendent Educational Services
MELANIE GREENE
Assistant Superintendent County Operated Schools and Programs
PETER FOGGIATO
Assistant Superintendent Business Services
CHRISTINA TORRES-PETERS Chief Human Resources Officer
The San Joaquin County Office of Education 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.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SHINE AT KIMBALL HIGH SCHOOL
Honorary homecoming king and queen crowned during homecoming celebrations
Congratulations to Sin-Ai Alexander and Destiny O'Neil, honorary homecoming king and queen for John C. Kimball High School (Tracy Unified School District).
They were recognized with the entire Kimball High homecoming court at a nighttime rally on Wednesday of homecoming week and at the homecoming football game on Friday, Oct. 18.
Sin-Ai (12th grade) and Destiny (11th grade) are both students in San Joaquin County Office of Education Special Education Programs at the high school.
Kimball High leadership students in teacher Stephanie Mason's class help create inclusion opportunities at their school where all students celebrate together, including homecoming activities and the San Joaquin County Special Education Prom, where students from across the county come to dance.
"We are so lucky to have the opportunities to work alongside our special education students," said Kyle, Kimball High ASB president. "It helps our school become a more positive and inclusive space, which is always our goal as a leadership class."
Makayla, ASB vice president, said the leadership students enjoy coordinating events with students in special education. "We always love seeing the look on their faces and the joy that they bring," she said.
Andrew, ASB board representative, agrees. "Working with our special education students is incredibly rewarding," he said. "They bring positivity and unique energy to every event. Including them in more events allows everyone to be a part of a more-connected community."
BATTLING BOTS
Schools from across the county clash in VEX Robotics League
The four robots zigged and zagged through the competition zone inside the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) FabLab, pushing colored rings in an attempt to hoist them up onto stakes placed around the robot battleground.
It was just one match of many during a September scrimmage of the San Joaquin Delta Vex Robotics League, hosted by SJCOE STEM Programs.
After the clash of robots, Christian and Christinarose, two eighth grade students from the Valley Robotics Academy (Lodi Unified School District), knew that they wanted to build a longer arm on the next robot to make it better at grabbing the rings from off the ground.
This kind of problem-solving is what makes the VEX program great, Christian said. "I like how it challenges you."
Similar discussions about how to solve engineering problems to improve robots filled the FabLab throughout the day.
Wins and losses at the scrimmage don't count as the teams work to rise in the rankings of the national VEX Robotics competition. It's a competition embraced by local educators because it helps teach engineering and computer coding while also allowing students a fun way to develop collaboration and problem-solving skills.
The September competition drew teams of high school and middle school students from San Joaquin County and beyond, including Lodi, Manteca, Stockton, and Tracy unified school districts and River Islands High School charter.
Stockton Unified alone, has more than 20 teams competing from its high school and elementary schools, said Rachael Navarrete, STEM coordinator for the district. Preparing for and taking part in VEX competitions is valuable in teaching students more than STEM, it is preparing them to become college-career ready and helping them build life skills, she said.
"Programs like robotics bring out the spark within the student," she said. "It's important to start the exposure at K-8 schools as they are exploring who they are, their passions, and their interests and to provide the overall career and technical education experience for them."
Emily, now a junior on Chavez High School's VEX team, began learning how to code as a sixth grader at Harrison Elementary before joining the school's VEX team. By the time she was in eighth grade, she was on an all-girl team that competed nationally. On the flight back from Texas, she knew she wanted to be a mechanical engineer.
"I wouldn't mind doing this for the rest of my life."
HOPE, HUGS, AND HIGH FIVES
DCA cadets reunite with their families during Family Day
After 10 weeks of being at Discovery ChalleNGe Academy (DCA), Class 16 cadets were reunited with their families during Family Day.
DCA is a free 22-week residential, quasi-military program that gives teens ages 16-18 who are credit deficient or at risk of dropping out the chance to earn up to 65 high school credits that will enable them to return to school and earn their high school diploma or obtain their GED. Located in Lathrop, this unique alternative education program is offered through a partnership between the California National Guard and the San Joaquin County Office of Education. Students, referred to as cadets while on campus, not only take classes to complete credits for high school graduation, but they also participate in workshops and skills training in areas like coping strategies, job searching, health and hygiene, responsible citizenship, and leadership.
Family Day is one of the most anticipated events in each class cycle. For the cadets, it marks the first reunion with their families since they made the life-changing decision to join the academy. For their families, it’s a first look at the progress their cadets have made.
The morning starts off with performances by each of the three platoons – Warriors, Titans, and Vikings. The platoons spend weeks leading up to Family Day practicing and perfecting their routines. After all of the performances are done, cadets are released to their families.
With tear-filled eyes, the cadets and family members are reunited. The rest of the afternoon is spent catching up with their families, enjoying their favorite meals from home, and playing games. For many cadets, this time with family reaffirms their commitment to the path they’ve chosen at DCA. They are working to better their lives for themselves and those around them.
FABLAB ON THE MOVE
SJCOE STEM Programs’ makerspace goes on the road to schools across San Joaquin County
On a recent day at EPIC Academy, students designed video games in their classroom — a fun activity that helps teach knowledge of computer coding and circuitry while working together as a team.
The tech and the technique of the educational activity was served up by San Joaquin County Office of Education STEM Programs as part of the new FabLab in Your Classroom program. The mobile program takes some of the knowledge and equipment from the FabLab — the SJCOE's cutting-edge engineering lab and makerspace — and makes it available to students in their own schools across the county
"We wanted to make sure we were reaching more students in our communities”, said Steffany Zanini, FabLab coordinator. "We're trying to reach out more by going out to sites and taking pieces of the FabLab to students in their classrooms."
When the “FabMobile” stopped at EPIC Academy, it was one of many scheduled at the Lathrop school, which is part of River Islands Academies charter school.
"Having the FabLab is a really exciting experience, a hands-on approach, for our students at EPIC Academy,” Principal Christine Usis said. “We are a technology-driven school, so we want to provide students the opportunity to learn how to use electronics and how to code and interact with robotics."
When sixth grader Aya and her team were designing the videogame character — called a sprite — they excitedly ran through options, picking out the sprite’s hair color and setting. They chose a forest.
She enjoyed the visit from the FabMobile. "We get to learn to use technology a bit more,” she said. "I think it's nice."
Book the FabMobile
Schools can learn more about scheduling a visit from FabLab in Your Classroom by contacting Stephen Callahan at scallahan@sjcoe.net.
A ROARING GOOD TIME
California Lions Camp donation buys new playground equipment for McFall students
Playtime at McFall School just got a lot more fun, thanks to a donation from the California Lions Camp.
The $3,200 gift paid for tricycles, sandboxes, basketball hoops, and more for the students at McFall, a school operated by San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) Special Education Programs for students with special needs, ages 3 to 5.
Besides being fun, many of the items McFall purchased provide sensory activities for the students. These can be a wide range of activities, including the tactile experience of digging in a sandbox. They are fun, but they have other benefits, too.
"Sensory equipment helps students regulate and calm, so they can organize and be available for learning," said Kelly Inderbitzin, occupational therapist.
Playing with the new equipment also helps students progress toward their educational goals, like developing fine motor, gross motor, and social skills. "Learning opportunities are not just available in the classroom, but also on the playground," said Shelly Garrett, McFall School principal.
The California Lions Camp gives to support activities and experiences for children with disabilities in the eight-county region of the California Lions Club 4-A1 district. Lions Camp board members visited McFall
in August to deliver the check and meet with school staff and some of the students who would soon be using the new equipment during playtime.
McFall teacher Mavis Thomas took the lead on the grant application. She worked with other staff at the school to develop a shopping list of the items that would best supplement the play equipment already at the school.
She held back tears as she told the visitors what it would be like when students had their first experience on the new play equipment.
"They are going to be so excited," she said.
CONFIDENCE AND A SECOND CHANCE
SJCOE provides workforce training inside San Joaquin County Jail
Razor wire cast shadows in the courtyard where students took turns maneuvering a forklift around cones to get in position to raise and lower training pallets.
The students — all inmates at the San Joaquin County Jail's Honor Farm — were in a six-week Career Technical Education (CTE) program. At the end of the warehouse and logistics class, they would have a certification showing they could inspect and safely operate a counterbalance forklift as well as a variety of certifications related to logistics, transportation, and warehousing they earned through the Prologis interactive training software application.
"This is my shot. This is a great opportunity," said Lakai, who in September was ready to complete the program in a few days, well ahead of his anticipated release date in October. He said he would be leaving the program with a lot more than just the knowledge to operate a forklift. "It gives me the confidence and courage to learn other equipment, too."
Lakai and his classmates spent their final days in the program polishing their resumes, too. Before celebrating at a completion ceremony, they went through mock interviews to help them bring their new skills to new jobs.
"My ultimate goal is to show them what different job opportunities are available when they get released and get these guys integrated back into the community," said class instructor Andrew Haase-MacMillan. Students also meet with representatives from the Teamsters union and MacMillan is working to make connections with local employers looking for skilled workers.
This program at the jail started in January and is the newest addition to the educational programs offered by the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE), in partnership with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, at the San Joaquin County Jail and the Honor Farm, a lower-security part of the jail.
The SJCOE's classes are one piece of broader offerings at the jail to provide education and skills as well as courses to build social skills, control anger, and provide cognitive behavior intervention, jail officials said. The goal is "to completely change their lives and, ultimately, reduce recidivism," said Captain Kimberly de la Cruz with the Sheriff's Office.
Doug Silva, the SJCOE County Operated Schools and Programs director overseeing the SJCOE programs at the jail said the hope is to continue to grow and add college-level classes, too.
IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH
Students learn improv exercises to improve mental health at Peer to Peer Summit
The room was silent as groups of leadership students from across the county awaited the next shape or object to be announced.
“Create the letter ‘C’.” “Make a square.” “Now make a bike.”
Using only their bodies, students formed each shape, with the requests becoming progressively more challenging. The activity seemed simple enough – until the requested prompts turned into gibberish.
“Make a zim zam.” “A tok.” “Make a shim sham.”
Despite the confusion, students came together to use their imaginations, laughing as they created abstract shapes and scenes. The exercise was one of many facilitated by keynote speakers Don Fanelli and Kaitlyn Cornell during the 2024 Peer to Peer Summit
As improv actors with nonprofit Laughing Together, Fanelli and Cornell introduced exercises designed to help students build critical social skills, practice collaboration and problem-solving, strengthen nonverbal communication and listening skills, and ultimately, have fun.
Mental health is no joking matter, so how are improv and mental health related?
“There is research to show that doing 20 minutes of improv a day can build confidence and increase our ability to handle uncertainty,” said Cornell. “Students can do these activities with their peers on campus to open them up to vulnerable conversations and also build trust.”
The summit included additional breakout sessions to empower students with tools to support their peers’ mental health. Sessions covered creating safe spaces, the Mattering Mindset, mental health resources, and the mechanics of using comedy as a communication tool. Between sessions, students visited the zen room, where they explored art therapy, bracelet making, postcard creation, and succulent planting.
Students in the San Joaquin County Youth Mental Health Development Academy (YMHDA) also presented on self-care, peer support, recognizing suicide warning signs, and steps to take if a friend is in crisis.
“Events like this help students become more informed about mental health to help break the stigma. It also empowers them to be that person that their peers can go to when they need help,” said Edward, a senior at Edison High School (Stockton Unified School District) and YMHDA member.
During the event, Edward and his YMHDA peers were surprised by an announcement from the Family Resource Center that their student group was selected as the 2024 Because Kids Awards honoree in the Children's Health category. The group was recognized during the 35th annual Because Kids Awards ceremony on November 7, 2024.
More than 200 students attended the Peer to Peer Summit organized by the San Joaquin County Office of Education Comprehensive Health department. The event was made possible through Mental Health Student Services Act funds from the Mental Health Oversight and Accountability Commission of California, in partnership with the San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Department.
A NEW HOPE
Star Wars-themed Cybersecurity Symposium helps schools protect electronically stored information
At the third-annual San Joaquin County Schools Cybersecurity Symposium in September, Rames Creel's opening presentation contained a seemingly endless list of significant cybersecurity breaches occurring globally over the last three months. They included the massive National Public Data breach in which 2.9 billion records of personal information had been stolen.
The list of people whose data was stolen included Creel, enterprise services director for the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) Information Technology (IT) department, and likely many other IT professionals and other representatives from schools, school districts, county offices of education, and other agencies from the region.
But their main concern in attending the symposium wasn't their own data security — it was to hone their skills, learn new tips, and build their knowledge base when doing their jobs to protect the student information and other sensitive information stored in information systems used by schools and districts.
Cybercriminals target schools, so schools need to be ready. Event organizers
emphasized the theme that cybersecurity is a "journey, not a destination."
"It’s the symposium’s goal to provide valuable insights and practical guidance to help attendees strengthen their cybersecurity defenses and stay ahead of emerging threats," said Ed Babakhan, SJCOE IT division director. "This is a shared responsibility that demands ongoing vigilance and adaptation."
"It's paramount that we are prepared," said Douglas Stacey, who came with a team of tech-support analysts from Manteca Unified School District. It's not just about staying up with what is happening globally. The event helps districts learn from each other in their efforts to keep students safe and information secure, he said. It is especially useful to exchange tips and information about the efforts all districts engage in, like using multi-factor authentication to keep systems secure, he said.
The Cybersecurity Symposium continues to grow, with nearly 200 registering, about triple the number of the prior year. Part of the draw is topics and experts on the agenda. This year's agenda included a presentation from security analysts from the Central California Intelligence Center about how evidence
is gathered to prosecute cybercriminals. Symposium attendees also heard in detail about the response to a cyberattack and the recovery that follows. Another expert pulled the curtain back on the "dark web," where criminals sell the information they steal.
SJCOE IT tied the day's agenda together with a Star Wars theme, which highlighted the struggle between IT professionals and the bad actors using the Dark Side of the Force.
EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY COME TOGETHER
CodeStack’s annual conference spurs innovation and collaboration
Educators from across the state came together at the CSC Live 2024 conference in Anaheim. The annual conference, hosted by CodeStack, a technology department of the San Joaquin County Office of Education, brings together educators for three days of learning from speakers, vendors, and each other.
CodeStack is the developer of nationwide educational management systems including SEIS, EDJOIN, and BeyondSST, all of which were talked about in-depth at the conference.
The conference kicked off on Wednesday, Oct. 9, with breakout sessions ranging from how to create mobile videos, learning Microsoft Excel, new EDJOIN features, an introduction to DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and so much more.
Thursday morning brought new learning and carried on the excitement from the day before.
“Let this conference be another platform for all of us to work together so that we can continuously improve upon our systems and CodeStack’s technology to provide the best service possible for our students,” said Dr. Troy Brown, San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools, during a welcome address to start the day. He was joined by CodeStack Division Director Johnny Arguelles, and SJCOE Deputy Superintendent of Professional Learning and Support Jane Chamberlain, in welcoming attendees.
The morning keynote address was given by Roni Habib, founder of EQ Schools and author of the book “Happy and Resilient.”He took everyone through an exercise where they were encouraged to close their eyes and think about someone they love. “What is the one word that comes to mind when you imagine what you want for their life,” he asked. For many people, the answer was happiness. He then talked
about how we can help the students we serve live happy lives by truly listening to them.
Habib met with attendees later at the Innovation Hub. Set up throughout the conference, the Innovation Hub was a place where attendees could talk to the CodeStack Help Desk Clinic to get guidance on any questions they had regarding certain systems and visit with presenters from PRISM and Merced County Office of Education.
And, since this year’s conference was held in Disneyland’s backyard, people were encouraged to wear their Mickey Mouse ears around the Innovation Hub and Vendor Spotlight on Thursday afternoon while they enjoyed treats often found at the theme park, such as churros, pretzels, and corndogs.
Fun activities spanned the conference, including an ongoing hunt for rubber ducks that was added to the conference this year. As attendees found rubber ducks, they could redeem them at the Merch Store that was filled with apparel ranging from exclusive Live sweatshirts to socks to laptop cases and more. During sess attendees could also earn tokens from the speakers that were able to be redeemed in the store.
The conference concluded on Friday morning with more innovative breakout sessions, raffle prizes, and the much anticipated announcement of where the 2025 conference will take place. In 2025, CSC Live will be held in CodeStack’s hometown — Stockton. We hope to see you there!
SUPPORT FOR COUNSELORS AND CLINICIANS
Summit helps professionals build stronger support networks
More than 150 school counselors and mental health clinicians from across the region gathered in Stockton for the fourth annual Counselors’ and Clinicians’ Summit this fall. Offered in partnership between the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) and Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE), the event provided professionals with new insights, tools, and connections to better support their students.
Rachelle Moreno, an elementary counselor at Curtis Creek Elementary District, traveled from Sonora to attend the event seeking connection and support. As the sole counselor for a diverse community of 420 TK-8 grade students, she was excited for the opportunity to expand her network. “I’m here to find community and resources that can help me better serve my students,” Moreno said.
The day began with a warm welcome from SJCOE Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Annie Cunial. After acknowledging the essential role attendees play in fostering resilience and well-being in students, she urged attendees to also prioritize their own well-being, recognizing the high-stress nature of their work and the risk of burnout. “You need to look after yourself the same way you look out for everyone else,” Cunial emphasized.
Summit keynote speaker Dr. Laurie Desautels, assistant professor at Butler University, provided valuable insights into understanding student behavior through the lens of the nervous system. Attendees were encouraged to rewire their perceptions of discipline by acknowledging the biological changes one goes through following trauma. “A behavior is an indicator that the nervous system is struggling,” shared Desautels. “When we understand that negative behaviors are only signals addressing the dysregulation of the nervous system, we begin to feel empowered.”
After reviewing the anatomy of the brain, Desauntels shared how educators can regulate their nervous systems to effectively manage student behavior. By providing an emotionally safe and trusting presence, students can “borrow” from the calm in moments of dysregulation. These types of environments are created when we are mindful of the nonverbal signals we send, like facial expressions, posture, and tone. Desauntels prompted counselors to also reflect on their emotional states as they engage with students. “We must ask ourselves, ‘Is my nervous system and my inner place in a place to carry both of us?” she said.
During breakout sessions, Lucia Alfaro, a Multi-Tiered System of Supports coordinator at the SCOE, presented on enhancing suicide prevention practices in schools, sharing resources and strategies for identifying atrisk students and implementing intervention techniques. Staff from the SJCOE one.Program also presented a session on restorative practices, providing an overview of the framework and sharing practical strategies that can be used for immediate implementation.
Other sessions focused on supporting LGBTQ+ student rights, addressing ADHD and trauma in education, sharing apprenticeship opportunities with students, and implementing wellness rooms on campuses.
SCIENCE OF READING MEETS THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING
Guest speaker brings research and fun to first Early Literacy Institute at TCSJ
Teachers from across California started their Saturday morning off dancing and clapping to the music to kick off the Early Literacy Institute held at Teachers College of San Joaquin (TCSJ) on Sept. 21 in collaboration with the California Kindergarten Association.
Tailored for TK-3 educators, the event offered an overview of the science of reading and integrated instruction to a full range of learners.
Using music and movement in the classroom to help make lessons engaging and memorable is something many of the educators at the daylong event use in their classrooms. A TCSJ instructor, Ron Boren, had written the music for the entertaining introduction.
The introduction set up the topics discussed by the day's guest speaker, Katie Garner, a veteran teacher and author of "Secret Stories, Cracking the Reading Code with the Brain in Mind."
She focused on infusing neuroscience into literacy and learning, taking the evidence-based research and knowledge that make up the science of how the brain learns how to read, then expanding it and tying it to the science of how the brain learns in general. And, in the process, she gave the teachers tools that the teachers at the Early Literacy Institute could bring back to their classrooms.
"So we're just taking their science of reading training that they're starting to accumulate and we're powering it up with tools to deliver phonics faster," she said.
MORE ONLINE
The Early Literacy Institute is a first at TCSJ, and it was developed to tie into two initiatives from San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Troy Brown. They are an initiative to improve early literacy rates for students in grades TK-3 in the county and the SJCOE's own Building to Serve strategic plan. "Today is fulfilling a vision of instructional leadership," said Michelle Jones, TCSJ coordinator and event organizer, with a focus on supporting early literacy and evidence-based practices tied to the science of reading.
Jessica Lovett came with a team from Escalon Unified School District that included five kindergarten teachers. She employs strategies using the science of reading in her classroom and also uses Garner's Secret Stories. "It's already making a huge impact," Lovett said. "I'm hoping to dive a little bit deeper and bring back some new skills to bring back to the classroom."
Texas Keo, a literacy coach from Ripon Unified School District, came to the day's event looking for strategies, best practices, and materials to share across her district. "I wanted to take that back to our district and have fun with the kids," she said. "These are fun activities and stories and songs and movements we can do with the kids."
Events like this, which bring educators together, help a wide range of students, said Tracy Wildemann, a kindergarten teacher from Elk Grove Unified School District.
"It's finding different ways and different approaches, because not all students learn the same way. So, we need an arsenal to reach all those learners," she said.
Katie Garner's Facebook group, Science of Reading Meets Science of Learning, brings together a worldwide network of educators and provides access to free instructional resources.
KEEPING SCHOOLS SAFE
SJCOE’s third annual Safe Schools Summit brings together educators and law enforcement partners
The San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) hosted its third annual Safe Schools Summit on Friday, Oct. 25, connecting educators, administrators, and staff across San Joaquin County’s 14 school districts and charter schools with law enforcement officials and vendors who work at ensuring campus safety.
Sessions from the day-long learning included the youth mental health crisis and its impact on schools; social media threats, cyberbullying, and solutions; and prevention techniques for targeted violence in schools.
Keynote speaker Clay Cranford, a 20-year law enforcement veteran, addressed the crowd about social media apps and trends that pose risks to children’s safety. He shared vital information on how administrators can work with families to feel empowered about discussing distressing topics like cyberbullying, human trafficking, and digital reputation management. He also shared resources — like the OurPact app — to help parents monitor and review past posts, comments, and screen time management.
“I encourage parents — have conversations with your kids so that they feel safe coming to you,” said Cranford. “We need our children, our students to know ‘if I make a mistake, my mom and dad won’t abandon me.’”
To encapsulate the day, attendees heard from a student panel composed of high school students from Linden, Ripon, Tracy, and Manteca unified school districts.
Moderated by Knowledge Saves Lives, Inc. CEO Paul Llanez, the panel gave open and honest responses to questions regarding how school safety measures are implemented in their respective schools, as well as how they feel while on campus. Students shared their experiences in front of school administrators, teachers, and Stockton Police Department Chief Stanley McFadden.
“The Stockton Police Department is committed to fostering safer schools and communities through collaboration with students and school administrators,” McFadden said. “I appreciated hearing from our youth and hope to continue building a supportive environment for them to share their experiences.”
One resounding theme from the panel — students need to understand the “why” behind the drills. Collins, a Sierra High School (Manteca Unified School District) student, said, “When teachers, who we are supposed to trust and respect, are about to speak to us in a way we understand and like they care about us, I feel like my perspective (of drills and safety) would change.”
“Creating safe and secure schools while also maintaining a welcoming and supportive environment requires balance,” said Virginia “Jenny” Rich, organizer of the event. “Working together is the best way to meet the safety challenges our school communities face.”
The Safe Schools Summit will return in October 2025 for its fourth annual event.
From website filters to blocking certain apps, OurPact provides families with device management tools to keep kids safe in this digital world.
To learn more, visit OurPact.com or scan the QR code below.
SHERRY BURNS
Payroll Services
Sherry Burns wholeheartedly believes in the “service first” mindset.
Over the course of her career, Burns has worked in numerous servicerelated fields, from administrative assistant to the executive director of O’Connor Woods Senior Living Facility to her myriad of roles at the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE). Each of these roles — whether interfacing with the public or working amongst colleagues — had something in common: her drive to brighten someone’s day with kindness.
Burns knows firsthand what power a single act of kindness can have on a person, noting that she has been the recipient of these acts and frequently recalls how they made her feel, especially when she faced adversity. “Being kind is a gift,” she said. “And the nice thing you say to someone or do for someone might be the one thing they need.”
Burns grew up in San Diego and moved to Livermore when her job opened a new branch in Central California. Seeing this as an opportunity to start fresh, she accepted the transfer. After a few years, Burns then moved to Stockton with her husband and their four children. She’s been a local ever since. Tragically, her husband passed away, leaving her as a single mother of four kids. It was an understandably difficult time, but Burns persevered to ensure the wellbeing of her family, which led to a brief break from her career to be home with her children.
“I had only worked before. Staying home gave me a chance to be present and focus on what they needed,” she said. “But I felt lost for a time as I adjusted to the absence of work responsibilities. When the time was right for myself and the kids, I looked forward to re-entering the workforce.”
In 2015, Burns applied to work at the SJCOE on the recommendation of a friend. “She really advocated for me,” Burns said. “I applied to whatever she sent my way, and one day, Shawn Chavez from HR called me and told me I got the job!” While discussing her experience, Burns recalled how that phone call, late on a Friday heading into the Fourth of July weekend, changed the trajectory of her life. “I recently reminded Shawn that her call nearly 10 years ago gave me such peace of mind!”
At the SJCOE, Burns has served as a clerk typist for Operations, senior administrative assistant in Early Childhood Education, and now as an attendance and workers compensation technician in Payroll Services.
When asked about her time at the SJCOE, Burns visibly lit up as she described the friendships she has made across the organization. She especially spoke very highly of her team. “I am just one person,” she said. “But our team of three — me, Lucy, and Teresa —, led by Sherry Robinson, serves all the SJCOE in their attendance needs from protected leaves to workers compensation to attendance tracking. “That’s a big responsibility!” She credits her colleagues for making her job more enjoyable and truly looks forward to coming to work each day.
One constant has remained in all the seasons of change in Burns life
— her resilience and positivity. She is proud to work for an organization that values and makes service such a priority. “The SJCOE makes a point of not minimizing anyone’s role and support here in the organization. First impressions and service make a difference.”
DID YOU KNOW?
SJCOE Payroll Services supports both internal payroll needs of the 2,400+ SJCOE employees and the needs of our local 14 school districts to ensure educators and school faculty are paid on time.
WE ARE SJCOE
We Are SJCOE is a regular feature in the Outlook to celebrate members of the San Joaquin County Office of Education community. If there is someone you would like featured, email sjcoepio@sjcoe.net.
Caleb Parker still remembers catching ashes in his hands that rained from the sky when he was in seventh grade.
The devastating Rim Fire became the third-largest fire in California history at the time, burning for over a year in Tuolumne County and destroying more than 257,000 acres.
The experience, Parker said, sparked his interest in working in forestry.
Now 24, Caleb works at the Greater Valley Conservation Corps (GVCC), a program that provides 18 to 26 year olds with education, training, and employment in the fields of recycling and natural resources. As a corps lead at GVCC’s location in Sonora, California, Caleb supervises fellow corpsmembers on assigned restoration and fuel reduction projects across the region to reduce the amount of flammable vegetation in areas prone to wildfires.
Caleb knew the work protected against wildfires, but he never imagined that the fuel reduction work he and his fellow GVCC members completed in the summer of 2024 would be credited by fire agencies as critical to saving two communities near Tuolumne City during the Canyon Fire.
ONE STICK AT A TIME
The project began in June 2024 after a representative from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) contacted GVCC project leader Shawn Estes for help with maintaining a portion of the 1.9-mile Ponderosa-Mira Monte shaded fuel break – a carefully thinned stretch of vegetation designed to slow wildfire spread and reduce its intensity. This was the second time GVCC had supported work for this particular shaded fuel break, having also contributed to its initial installation through a series of projects from 2019 to 2023.
“During these fuel reduction projects, we take the forest in the state that it’s in and turn it into a safer place,” Estes said.
The project entailed clearing a triangle-shaped area at the intersection of Mira Monte and Buchanan roads. “There was overgrown grass and surface fuels everywhere,” recalled GVCC member Clarisa Herrera. But Herrera and her peers got to work, clearing and reducing the excessive trees and vegetation using their hand tools, weed whackers, and machinery needed to process the material.
The difference before and after was like night and day.
So, GVCC was asked to continue working along the fuel break, which runs up a residential hill along Mira Monte Road, to support the Mira Monte Firewise Community with its annual cleanup.
As a firewise community, residents knew the importance of fuel reduction and had already taken steps to reduce materials around their properties. “You can cut brush, but it’s going to grow back,” said Phyllis Ashmead, one of the Firewise Community organizers. “So one of our [community] goals has been to maintain the fuel break.”
Due to the sharp switchback curves along the narrow Mira Monte Road and severe overgrowth, the overall steep terrain posed both driving and fire hazards. The GVCC crew got to work, manually removing one stick at a time after being unable to bring their large machinery up the sharp twists in the road.
The community was thrilled for the support, bringing drinks, snacks, and even root beer floats to the hardworking crew as thanks. Residents also allowed GVCC to reduce fuels and trim trees on their private properties. It was hard work, but the result was increased visibility along the road and a reduction of fire fuels in the forest and properties.
The crew completed the project two months before the Canyon Fire ignited.
Greater Valley Conservation Corps Helps Save Community in the 2024 Canyon Fire
THE CANYON FIRE
Just before midnight on Aug. 8, 2024, Tom and Ester Turner awoke to a neighbor beating on their door. “Get out, the canyon’s on fire!”
“I looked across the field and could see the ring of fire,” Tom recalled from the night. Tom and Esther have lived on the Mira Monte Road ridgeline for 22 years without a fire coming so near to their home. They were in shock but began to pack their items, bringing only the essentials with them. “I didn’t think to bring anything else to wear,” said Esther. “That’s how frightened I was. ”
When they evacuated their home before 1:30 a.m., they were unsure if they would ever see it again.
Emergency dispatchers received first reports of the Canyon Fire just north of Tuolumne City around 10:45 p.m. The fire grew at a rapid rate, prompting evacuation warnings and eventual evacuation orders for residents living in the nearby communities.
“It was a fire reported late at night on a steep canyon, with known heavy brush and fire activity, that is heavily populated,” said Emily Kilgore, fire prevention specialist and public information officer of CAL FIRE TuolumneCalaveras Unit. “My first thought was, ‘I gotta go, and I gotta go now,’ because I knew the impact it could have on the community around us.”
Fire teams quickly responded. Key to any response is establishing an incident command post as a center for tactical operations, planning, and communications. Responders set up the initial incident command center at Mira Monte and Buchanan roads – the very same space the GVCC had cleared just months before.
Firefighters worked their way up Mira Monte Road. When they reached the home of Tom and Esther Turner, they saw the results of the recent cleanup work.
They had expected to see more of the dense underbrush that would add fuel to the growing fire. Instead, they found a clearing where they could fight the fire and hold the line against it spreading.
“The work that had been done at the top [Mira Monte Road] was crucial to catching the fire,” said Pat Laeng, a prescribed fire and fuel specialist with the Stanislaus National Forest. “The fuel break that had been
completed gave responders a chance to take action, rather than need to remove fuel before getting to work.”
The fire spread slowed when it collided with the fuel break, giving firefighters the opportunity to solidify their control lines and extinguish remaining burning material to ensure it didn’t reignite. The fire was held mere feet away from the Turner’s fenceline.
The Canyon Fire continued for more than six days. It burned 80 acres before it was fully contained. There were no injuries, fatalities, or structures lost.
‘NOT JUST A DAY-TO-DAY JOB’
When the evacuation order was lifted, residents of the Mira Monte neighborhood didn’t know what to expect when they returned.
They saw the path of the fire’s devastation in the canyon, but that it had been stopped before reaching their homes.
Ashmead said she got a lump in her throat when she saw how close the fire had come.
“I’m so appreciative of the work of the firefighters, and thank goodness for the GVCC who cleared the sides of the road.”
It wasn’t just the Mira Monte neighborhood that was saved.
If the fire had burned through and crossed the ridgeline, thousands
of community members and several hundred houses would have been threatened by the fire.
“It would have been catastrophic for a lot of people,” CAL FIRE’s Kilgore said. “The shaded fuel break work that GVCC did allowed firefighters to get directly on the ground to make a direct attack. This wouldn’t have been possible with the dense vegetation that was there prior to the maintenance of the shaded fuel break.”
One week after the fire was contained, Estes and the GVCC members visited the fire site to see the results for themselves. Residents were so thankful, and the impact of their work set in.
“The service that GVCC corpsmembers provide is critical to the safety of the community and to CAL FIRE’s success in protecting the community and our firefighters,” Kilgore said. “I hope the corpsmembers understand the significance of what they’re doing. It’s not just a dayto-day job. It really does matter, and they matter.”
Corpsmembers understood the impact, too. “We do a lot of fuel reduction. And while it may not seem like it’s a lot, our work makes a huge impact and it really makes a difference,” GVCC member Herrera said. “Whether we’re weed whacking, using our chainsaws, or even using our hand tools, it’s all making a big impact and helping to remove potential fire hazards.”
In Sonora, the GVCC supports several other fuel-reduction projects to make the community safer. One of which is a shaded fuel break around Summerville High School,, which will serve as a safe place for the surrounding community and their livestock to shelter during a wildfire.
As Caleb Parker’s time with the GVCC comes to an end, he intends to use the certifications and knowledge he’s learned in his future career. “GVCC helped me sharpen my skills and gave me experience with being an instructor and a leader,” he said. By March 2025, he hopes to be employed as a wildland firefighter, where he can apply both the leadership experience and technical skills he’s gained to protect communities.
In The Classroom : INCREASING ATTENDANCE
Working together to improve attendance in schools, local educators and community members came together at the Sixth Annual Chronic Absenteeism Summit In August to learn, share ideas, and strengthen the network focused on this important issue.
Attendees include educators and support staff from local school districts, representatives from nonprofits focused on children, officials from local government, and others. The day's theme was "Empowering Students Through Transformative Connections."
Organized by the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE), including the County Operated Schools and Program division and Continuous Improvement and Support department, and sponsored by the United Way of San Joaquin.
The summit’s theme stresses the importance of making connections with students and families, said Jacob Boyd, SJCOE director of truancy prevention and intervention. In recent years, there has been increased efforts from districts reaching out to families “in person and on the front porch” to make those connections and identify barriers to attendance for individual students, he said. And in that time, the network of educators focusing on reducing absenteeism has grown stronger, too.
“I think the summit sets the stage for that to happen. It has truly turned into a place where everyone's there to learn from each other,” he said. "There are a lot of ways to get a job done and everybody does it a little bit differently.”
Summit attendees from outside San Joaquin County expand the network facing this statewide issue even further.
Presenters in breakout sessions and the keynote speakers covered a wide range of topics, from mental health to attendance in special education to understanding data to real examples of systemic change.
Across it all was a focus on the importance of building relationships with families and students. During the break, one.Program culinary students served lunch and students from the Lincoln Unified Young Adult and Transition program handed out cookies for dessert.
Learning how other districts are working toward the same goal of improved attendance is useful, said Christina Topete, attendance clerk from Jefferson Elementary School District. "It's working together with different districts so we can empower our students to help them grow academically and socially."
Sixth Annual Chronic Absenteeism Summit Keeps Focus on Making Connections and Empowering Students
STUDENT VIEWPOINT
A group of seven students from the SJCOE's one.Program and the Discovery ChalleNGe Academy took the stage to talk to educators and other participants to close out the Chronic Absenteeism Summit.
They volunteered, and their direction to take part in the discussion was simple: Keep it real, keep it clean, and tell the people in charge what they need to know to keep students in the classroom.
The importance of building relationships with students loomed large all day at the summit — whether in breakout sessions or side conversations.
It's something that starts with getting to know individual students, said Boyd, who moderated the panel discussion. He shared that his first visit to a student's home was eye-opening for him as an educator.
OUTLOOK | IN THE CLASSROOM
abilities. Absences in kindergarten lead to lower proficiency in first grade. And even if a student's attendance improves by the time they reach third grade, the previous years of absenteeism can have an impact that can linger into the fifth grade.
"Until we understand what our students' reality actually is, it is really difficult to know how to serve them," he said.
The student panelists gave their take, as well.
Whether in breakout sessions or side conversations — the importance of building relationships with students to reduce chronic absenteeism loomed large at the summit.
"We just need teachers to understand that we are humans, that we have lives at home," said Addy, a student at one.Dream. "It's not just school."
Elleyah, a one.Program student who goes by “Ley,” noted that it was vital for students to feel safe with their teachers in order to open up. “It’s okay to tell someone what you’re going through,” she said. “You do not have to go through the hard times by yourself.”
EARLY EDUCATION AND LITERACY
Learning to read doesn't come easy.
"Our brains are designed for language and vision; reading however, is not innate. It has to be explicitly and systematically taught," said Teka Sims, early literacy coordinator at the SJCOE, who held a breakout session on improving early education attendance.
"We need to reverse the trend," she said. "We've got to be investigators. We need to figure out why they aren't in school, and we have to get them there."
Sims also showed attendees how to build stronger relationships with parents/ guardians and improve communication. She asked the room to pretend that they were parents of kindergarten students at a back-to-school event. During the simulation, she modeled an activity the summit-goers could take with them and try out with their schools' families.
Still part of the simulation, she asked the roleplaying parents to consider what is at stake.
"Take a few moments to think about your hopes and dreams for your kindergarten students."
SHARING WHAT WORKS
What works in one school or district to reduce chronic absenteeism can also work somewhere else.
To share the approach at Manteca Unified School District, Frank Gonzales, director of Student Services, and Hans Schmitz, coordinator of Student Services, held a breakout session laying out the details of the district's creation of an integrated continuum of supports.
When young students miss days of school in third grade and younger — they are missing out on instruction that will put them on track to learning how to read.
The research shows the impact on attaining literacy compounds, she said. Absenteeism in preschool correlates with diminished reading
Part of that continuum includes a wide range of existing multi-tiered systems of support, with elements like positive-behavior intervention systems (PBIS), social emotional learning, restorative practices, and more.
But the core belief behind the efforts around attendance was relatively simple: "This is a partnership between the home and the school," Schmitz said. "This drove our work."
The pair gave some examples of how that looked to students and families.
The district changed the letters sent to families when a student was truant. Through the partnership lens, the language of the letter still included legal information — but in a way that was more friendly and easier to understand. "We said we're going to make it focused on building that partnership with the schools and the family," Gonzales said. The district also increased monitoring of attendance data, created positive attendance banners, and launched a campaign for TK and kindergarten students using the Attendance Works "Punctual Pete" character.
Additionally, each school formed a team focused on reducing absenteeism using data and the knowledge they have through relationships with students and families. Called student attendance
OUTLOOK | IN THE CLASSROOM FAQ
review teams (SART), they identify barriers preventing a student from attending school. From there, the school's coordination of services team (COST) strategizes interventions to remove those barriers and monitors those interventions from two to eight weeks. If students continue to struggle, they are referred to more intensive interventions.
The Manteca Unified team created detailed handbooks to sustain the systems they built. These were shared to assist schools and districts in attendance and take their learning outside the summit.
MAXIMIZING ATTENDANCE INSIGHTS WORKSHOP
The week before the Chronic Absenteeism summit, the SJCOE held a presummit workshop to help educators from across the county take a deeper dive into their schools' numbers to improve student attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism.
The goal of the Maximizing Attendance Insights Workshop was to provide knowledge and introduce three free tools.
"We will be reviewing three attendance data tools that look at data from that satellite view, down to the map view, down to the street level view," said Kirstin Marble, coordinator for data, assessment and accountability in SJCOE’s Continuous Improvement and Support department.
Understanding the numbers and ensuring they are accurate is an important starting point in developing a data-driven needs assessment, she said. "In order to determine what strategies to use, you need to know what students and families need."
The workshop introduced tools designed to assist districts in building an internal system to self-audit and use data to inform prevention and intervention of chronic absenteeism, she said. It will also help districts ensure those numbers are accurate when reviewed by the state's accountability process.
The workshop was also designed to make it easier for districts to use data, because time saved crunching numbers is time gained focusing on students, she said.
“Much of the public student data that is available is at the satellite view and doesn’t give the whole picture about what is actually happening,” Continuous Improvement and Support Director Lauren Dietrich said. “These tools give educators the ability to dig deeper into their school data and determine what is happening at the student level, in order to put impactful strategies into place.“
Don Patzer, Educational Services director from New Jerusalem Elementary School District, attended the pre-summit workshop to learn more about those tools to get the school year started right. "My hope is that what we can do is build some momentum, kicking off with this workshop, to support our sites as they deal with chronic absenteeism," he said. "When children are in school, there are better outcomes for learning."
The SJCOE introduced three free tools to assist districts with their attendance data needs. They are: Target Setting Dashboard (Created by Riverside County Office of Education), Attendance Works Data Tools (Created by Attendance Works), and CALPADS reporting as it connects to the California Dashboard.
To find out more, contact Kirstin Marble at kmarble@sjcoe.net.
2024 WINTER ART CARD CONTEST RUNNERS-UP: From top (left to right)
Leila Bracamonte – Grade 7, Tom Hawkins Elementary School
Manraj Bhullar – Grade 6, Colony Oak Elementary School
Samaira Virk – Grade 2, George Kelly Elementary School
Linkin Bailey – Grade 10, Sierra High School
Silver Chiu – Grade 7, Christa McAuliffe Middle School
Yuvraj Gill – Grade 2, George Kelly Elementary School
Ethan Mette – Grade 6, Colony Oak Elementary School
Lamata Latu – Grade 12, Sierra High School*
*Artwork is pictured on the back cover
