OUTLOOK SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
VOLUME 74 • ISSUE 4
VACCINE FOR EDUCATORS 25,822 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered by the SJCOE in just 14 days
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
James A. Mousalimas, County Superintendent of Schools
OUTLOOK
VOLUME 74 | ISSUE 4 | MAY 2021 Outlook is published bimonthly, September through May, by the San Joaquin County Office of Education Public Information Office.
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION 2922 Transworld Drive, Stockton, CA 95206 (209) 468-4800 | www.sjcoe.org
JAMES A. MOUSALIMAS
San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools
SCOTT ANDERSON
Deputy Superintendent of Business Services
TROY BROWN
Associate Superintendent of Student Programs and Services
JANINE KAESLIN
Assistant Superintendent of County Operated Schools and Programs
JANE STEINKAMP
Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services
BRANDIE BRUNNI
Assistant Superintendent of Special Education and SELPA
MISSION STATEMENT 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 at-risk students, and strives to create an environment in which every student, regardless of circumstances, has an opportunity for a quality education.
EDITORS
Zachary Johnson and Carly Sexton
EDITORIAL INTERN Jada Hallman
CONTRIBUTORS
Lisa Bryant, Lucy Greaney, Brandie Moore, and Veronica Tova
CODESTACK
Louie Ambriz, Joanne Marie Rocafort, Ernestina Rodriguez, Saul Suazo Portillo, Miguel Vernis, and Shane Williamson
Let's Get Social COVER PHOTO: Lumbus, , Stockton Unified SchoolOFFICE District 2Marina | SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY
SUBSCRIBE |bit.ly/SJCOENews OF EDUCATION
SUBMIT A STORY |sjcoepio@sjcoe.net
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WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE? SPECIAL SECTION 4
A HEART FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION
Retiring Superintendent James A. Mousalimas Looks Back at His 36-Year Career in Education
DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS 10 The Millswood Connection 12 Hello Class! ¡Hola Clase! 14 No Matter What
NEWS
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Vaccine Clinics for Educators by Educators The H2O Hackathon Returns Powerful Stories A New Path to a Career in Education Uniting to End Human Trafficking Sky Mountain Outdoor Education Center Women Together
FEATURE 28 Crystal’s Angels
IN THE CLASSROOM
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Discovery ChalleNGe Academy Mindfulness Welcoming All Children SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 3
s e n o t s e l i M
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Head Start San Joaquin created to serve low-income families of young children through a collaboration of providers after the SJCOE was awarded the federal Head Start grant in 2015.
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Discovery ChalleNGe Academy (DCA) welcomes first class in 2017. Created through a partnership with the California National Guard, DCA is a residential, quasi-military program for youth at risk of not graduating. First and only National Guard ChalleNGe program in Northern California.
Durham Ferry Outdoor Education Center begins offering new programs in 2016 to expand learning opportunities for students in a unique setting along the San Joaquin River.
OUTLOOK Special Section
A HEART FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION Mousalimas, who retires in June, looks back at the start of his 36-year career in education and how it shaped his time as county superintendent of schools The journey that led James A. Mousalimas into a career as an educator spanned the globe and formed the foundation of his approach to education, which would guide him as a teacher, continue as he became an administrator, and stay with him as San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools. As a basketball coach and teacher in the Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa, he discovered a love for teaching that led him away from a master’s program in architecture and into the life of an educator. His first teaching assignment as a math teacher in Richmond, CA, reaffirmed that decision, even though the summer remedial Algebra program began in a classroom with twice as many students as there were desks to seat them. In that classroom, he experienced the challenge and the reward of using individualized instruction to reach students who hadn’t had much prior success. “It was seeing the satisfaction that the students had when they realized that they could do it,” he said. “And it came from trying to figure out what was right for each student.”
Come Back Kids launches in 2017, offering a flexible program for adults of all ages to receive their high school diploma.
And while he was a teacher, principal, and resident in a tight-knit expatriate community within Saudi Arabia, it drove an important lesson home: It is the job of educators to serve children and families, and that they should be accountable to those they serve. Mousalimas said he saw those same values he formed in the early years of his career when he came to the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) and what remain key elements of the organization. “As educators, we need to figure out how to meet the needs of our students, and I think that’s what sets the SJCOE apart,” he said. “But that’s really our philosophy of education and everything we do. The SJCOE is a service-oriented, customer-based organization that strives to meet the needs of all of our students, families, and community.” That starts with two of the SJCOE’s most basic missions: to serve the students with severe disabilities from birth through age 22 and to meet the needs of students born into situations causing them significant
CodeStack Academy launches in 2018. The software engineering school creates a path for students 18 years and older to pursue careers in technology while helping to build the growing demand -- locally and globally -- for skilled technology professionals.
The Greater Valley Conservation Corps expands opportunities for young adults to receive paid job training while providing valuable services to the community, opening its new Sonora facility in 2017 and moving into its new central Stockton headquarters in 2018.
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SJCOE Cabinet (left to right): Scott Anderson, James Mousalimas, Jane Steinkamp, Brandie Brunni, Janine Kaeslin, and Troy Brown.
challenges to succeeding in school, he said. “Our special education and alternative education programs really go to the core of who we are and who we serve. The work that our teachers, staff, and administrators do every day to serve those students has always inspired me.” Mousalimas first came to the SJCOE from Tracy Unified School District in 2008. He was assistant superintendent of County Operated Schools and Programs (COSP) and deputy superintendent of Student Programs and Services before being elected to county superintendent of schools in 2014 and, again, in 2018. In 2020 he announced his plans to retire in June 2021, after 36 years in education.
The SJCOE Tech Summit brings educators to the first annual summit in 2016 to expand the use of technology in the classroom.
During his tenure as superintendent, the SJCOE expanded existing services and added new services to meet more student needs. The result of many of the accomplishments of the past six and a half years will have an impact on children and the community for decades to come. The whole organization has been a part of these developments, he said. “Anything that we do at the SJCOE is a collective effort. It’s not any one person or small group of people. What we accomplish can only be done through collective work.” Growing up in the family restaurant business was another place Mousalimas learned the value of providing service and expectations of accountability. He said that service-oriented
The SJCOE FabLab opened its doors in 2018. Short for “fabrication laboratory,” the FabLab is an educational maker space filled with tools and stateof-the-art tech designed to get students excited about STEM and provide training for educators.
Students in middle school through college compete in the H2O Hackathon to learn computer coding while building apps designed to solve California water issues. A true public-private partnership in support of students learning high-tech skills. The SJCOE began hosting the event in 2017.
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OUTLOOK Special Section “Public education is absolutely essential to a healthy, thriving community, society, and nation. And it is the equalizer for children born into poverty.” The program is another way the SJCOE is finding the right way to give students what they need. “There is no one-sizefits-all,” he said. “Our Come Back Kids program is a perfect example of that, and it is tailored to the needs and the situation of each student.”
approach extends to the role the SJCOE has in supporting the county’s school districts, too, he said. “It is a priority of ours to help districts be as effective as they possibly can in providing a quality education to their students,” he said. And that support can come in many forms, from the training provided to educators through SJCOE Educational Services and opportunities for teachers to learn more about STEM education in the SJCOE’s high-tech FabLab.
Mousalimas served as Tracy Unified’s Director of ROP (vocational education) in the early 2000s and brought his focus on Career Technical Education (CTE) to SJCOE. While he was assistant superintendent of COSP, he oversaw the establishment of the Greater Valley Conservation Corps (GVCC), now one of 14 local conservation corps in California and the only one operated by a county office of education. GVCC trains 18-25-year-old young men and women for the workforce, providing hard and soft job skills that help them transition to full-time employment. In 2017, SJCOE purchased a 35,000 square foot warehouse on Fremont Street in Stockton to provide a permanent facility for the GVCC.
The SJCOE’s Teachers College of San Joaquin (TCSJ) also supports students by producing highly qualified educators. During his time as superintendent, TCSJ expanded, adding a new 21st-century facility that will help it grow to meet present as well as future needs. “We know, certainly, that the greatest impact on a student is the quality of the teacher in the classroom,” he said. “All the research supports that, and that’s why the work of TCSJ is so critical to providing quality education to all children of our county.” New programs started in the SJCOE’s alternative education programs over the past six years will also have lasting impacts. In partnership with the California National Guard, the SJCOE opened the Discovery ChalleNGe Academy in 2017. The quasi-military residential program for students at risk of dropping out of high school is the only one of its kind in Northern California. For adults of all ages, the SJCOE began the Come Back Kids program. Designed to be flexible to work around each student’s schedule, the program provides a chance for adults of all ages to complete their high school education, receive a diploma, and advance in their education or career at any time in their lives.
The SJCOE also started new programs to put outdoor education within reach of more students. New programs at the Durham Ferry Outdoor Education Center provided numerous field trip opportunities for students, and the recent acquisition of the Sky Mountain Outdoor Education Center offers year-round experiences in the High Sierra. These programs are part of SJCOE STEM Programs. Growth of STEM programs and other factors were key in Mousalimas being named the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Superintendent of the Year in 2020. With STEM careers in growing demand, the increased instruction of STEM and technology provides opportunities for students and a highly trained workforce for employers. Meeting both of these needs was part of the reason behind
Teachers College of San Joaquin (TCSJ) relocates to a newly refurbished facility in 2020, giving the accredited college room to grow and increase the number of students learning to be highly qualified educators.
From 2015-2021, SJCOE Special Education Programs continued to expand to meet the growing need in the county.
TCSJ’s Environmental Literacy M.Ed. program, established in 2019, is California’s first.
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OUTLOOK Special Section the opening of the SJCOE’s CodeStack Academy coding school, which is part of the SJCOE’s software engineering department. Mousalimas’ sixth year as superintendent began just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Closing schools was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do in my career. And reopening schools is absolutely critical and vital to the wellbeing of the children we serve,” he said. The goal of reopening schools was why the SJCOE took on the responsibility of vaccinating all public, charter, and private school staff in the county, he said. Over six weeks, the SJCOE administered more than 25,800 doses of the twodose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The pandemic has been challenging for students, families, and educators, he said. But it also showed the depth of the dedication teachers, classified staff, and administrators had to serve students. At the beginning of the pandemic, school staff continued to provide meals to students and families and quickly transitioned to online learning. The SJCOE and many schools and districts in our county provided some level of in-person instruction for students throughout most of the pandemic. As the day of Mousalimas’ retirement grows nearer, the grip of the pandemic has appeared to have loosened, with more students arriving on school campuses every week. Mousalimas said retiring does not mean he is done working for children. He intends to stay involved in education in some way. In reflecting on his career in education, he could not have realized these accomplishments without the support and partnership of his wife of 31 years, Diane.
He’s also proud that his three daughters all attended and graduated from Tracy Unified, benefitting from an outstanding public education that prepared them for college and the workforce. Looking back, he says that one thing is clear: Public education is vital and has the power to make a real difference. “Public education is absolutely essential to a healthy, thriving community, society, and nation. And it is the equalizer for children born into poverty,” he said. “We have to value it, invest in it, and we have to make sure we support our teachers, classified staff, and administrators who work tirelessly to provide a quality education for all of our children.”
Sky Mountain Outdoor Education Center acquired by the SJCOE in 2021, opening up 62-acres of High Sierra wilderness with lakeside facilities to students in the region.
Enrollment begins in 2021 at TEACH! Academy, the early-college academy at Venture Academy Family of Schools that begins preparing the next generation of educators as they begin high school.
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The SJCOE offers the COVID-19 vaccine to all public, charter, and private school employees in the county. More than 25,800 doses were administered.
OUTLOOK Special Section
PASSING THE TORCH
Brown to lead the San Joaquin County Office of Education
Dr. Troy Brown will become the 27th San Joaquin County superintendent of schools on July 1, 2021. Currently the associate superintendent of Student Program and Services, Brown was named as the replacement for retiring Superintendent James A. Mousalimas by the San Joaquin County Board of Education. “Troy Brown is a service-centered, forward-thinking leader who is thoughtful and deliberate in his decision-making,” Mousalimas said of the past teacher, coach, principal, and school district administrator. “Through his work, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our organization’s goals to support public education and ensure that all students have access to a highquality education while continually putting the best interests of staff, students, and educators first and foremost.”
Troy A. Brown 27th San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools
The new associate superintendent will be Janine Kaeslin, who has spent most of her educational career serving at the SJCOE, where she began as a teacher and has been the assistant superintendent of County Operated Schools and Programs (COSP) since 2013. Kaeslin’s position will be filled by Sean Morrill, who joined the SJCOE in 2017 as COSP division director.
A NEW VENTURE
Venture Academy Division Director Focacci retires
Kathy Focacci was one of 12 educators who 20 years ago laid the foundation of what would become one of the largest charter schools in San Joaquin County. Under her leadership, Venture Academy Family of Schools (VAFS) grew, offering students an ever-increasing variety of options of academies to educate students and help them grow into lifelong learners empowered to embrace challenge, think critically, live responsibly, and imagine the possibilities their lives have to offer. She retires from her role as the school’s division director at the end of the school year. Focacci isn’t the only original member of the Venture family retiring. She will be joined by VAFS administrator Janet Johnson and teacher Joni Gorton.
Kathy Focacci Retiring Venture Academy Family of Schools Division Director
Focacci will be succeeded by Joni Hellstrom, who is currently Mountain House High School’s associate principal. She has also been a counselor at Venture and the San Joaquin County Office of Education one.Program.
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OUTLOOK District Highlights
THE MILLSWOOD CONNECTION Teachers at Millswood Middle School stay connected with students through Check-in and Check-out program
On a cold winter morning, there were about 15 minutes before the first class of the day was going to log in to class. Olivia Gandy dialed up a student at Millswood Middle School (Lodi Unified School District) on his cellphone. The call woke him up, she said. He told her he was still in bed. “I told him: There are two things you are going to do. Let’s get up right now, and I want you to go and brush your teeth and wash your face,” she said. “You’ll be up and ready. I don’t even care if you still have your pajamas on; you’ll be up and ready.” It worked, and the student logged into class on time. Gandy described how she’s able to keep that student connected to the school by checking in through text messages or cartoon-like Bitmoji images sent back and
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forth. And she’ll always call again at the end of the day to talk about how the day went. The cellphone connection between student and school is part of the Check-in and Check-out program at the school. Gandy is one of a team of staff members at the school who volunteer to check in with a select group of students twice a day to help forge a connection to the school and reach students who might need a little extra motivation. It’s in the third year after the school put it into action following a positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) training, said Shaunte Shorter, viceprincipal. “We have kids who just need a smile in the morning and somebody to say we are glad you are here.”
OUTLOOK District Highlights The program continued when the pandemic closed campuses, with teachers taking the extra step of reaching out to students on cell phones. The school uses the term “Grizzly Pride” as a catchall term for PBIS and positive school culture, Principal Erin Lenzi said. The check-ins fit well with everything else under that Grizzly Pride umbrella, she said. Lenzi described the school as the kind of place where teachers will walk alongside a student on the way to class to engage in conversation. It also has a culture where teachers are responsive to new ideas and to be able to do something different if that is what an individual student needs. All of that is wrapped up in an overarching mission of getting students ready to succeed in high school, she said.
Administrators find support from each other The team from Millswood Middle School are just a few of the educators who have been meeting this school year virtually through the Site Administrators Network. Organized through the SJCOE’s Continuous Improvement and Support department, the network creates a place for administrators to exchange ideas and find solutions to problems by tapping into a countywide pool of expertise. The team from Parklane Elementary School (Lodi Unified School District) shared how they recognized the importance of helping students transferring into their school midschool year start building a connection, even though they arrived during distance learning. Principal Dara Chhun and Vice Principal Lori Corral said it fit in with their guiding philosophy to find the right way to connect to each, unique student. In the process of helping transfer students make a connection, they also made a strong connection to student families.
Learn more about the Site Administrators Network To learn more about the Site Administrators Network as well as other networks and learning opportunities for teachers and administrators, please go to www.sjcoe.org/cis/.
Pictured : Millswood Middle School administrators and staff (top) and Parklane Elementary School administrators and staff (bottom) with SJCOE Associate Superintendent Troy Brown during a school site visit.
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OUTLOOK District Highlights
! S S A L C O L L E H ! E S A L C HOLA !
l Collegeville Dua gram Immersion pro ts biliteracy teaches studen
Since joining the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Academy at Collegeville Elementary School three years ago, Cameron has studied language arts, math, and science subjects in English and Spanish simultaneously, strengthening his biliteracy skills in both languages. By the time he is in the fifth grade, Cameron will be able to speak both English and Spanish fluently.
The classroom environment encourages the students to help each other as they venture towards speaking, reading, writing, and understanding two languages. Classrooms are ideally composed of 50% native Spanish speakers and 50% native English speakers to maximize cross-cultural understanding and promote mastery of language through community building.
Collegeville Elementary in the Escalon Unified School District is one of over 400 dual immersion school programs in California that bring students together into one classroom and teach subjects in two languages. The Collegeville program is a Spanish/English immersion using a 90/10 model, giving students the opportunity to learn grade-level content in both languages and build their biliteracy. Within the 90/10 model, students begin kindergarten or first grade with 90% of the instructional day in Spanish and 10% in English. As students progress from one grade to the next, they are gradually introduced to more and more English until they reach a 50/50 ratio in the fifth grade.
Angelica Vargas teaches a second-grade dual immersion class. Her school day is divided into three blocks for the three subjects she focuses on with her students: math, Spanish, and English language arts, which brings together topics of science, social studies, and art as well.
“We recognize the value and importance of cultural and linguistic diversity. It plays a critical role in the San Joaquin Valley and our nation as a whole,” said Collegeville Principal Dr. George Megenney. “We are making an investment in the long-term success of our students who will enjoy the opportunities that fluency in two languages will bring.”
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To start the day, Vargas and her students speak exclusively Spanish. Then, when it’s time to practice speaking English for the final block of the day, Vargas tells her students to take off their “Spanish hats” and put on their “English hats.” The students improve their ability to switch between the two languages, even using one language to learn the other. Because Spanish is a very phonetic language, Vargas notes, it is easier to learn to read. Once students can read in Spanish, those skills can positively transfer to help them read in English. The most significant benefit, Vargas says, is positive exposure to another culture outside of one’s own.
OUTLOOK District Highlights “Learning both languages opens their minds to a different kind of cultural awareness,” Vargas said. “Job opportunities in the future are definitely a huge advantage to being bilingual, but beyond that, the ability to understand English and Spanish opens their world up to two different languages and two different cultures.” “All of his teachers seem to have this special trait. They have the ability to interact with the kids and really draw them in,” Cameron’s mother, Dr. Amanda Preston-Nelson said. She also acknowledges the relationships between the families and the teachers that make the Dual Immersion program successful. “Whether it’s answering our questions or helping parents to translate, the teachers are all right there to help us,” she said. “We aren’t in this program isolated. We have this incredible system of support.” Cameron’s mother remembers watching her son as he approaches the fence that separates them from their Spanish-speaking neighbors, asking, “¿Dónde está Aurora? Where is my friend, Aurora? Can she come out to play?” “It’s amazing to see him grow,” said his mother. “He just loves it.”
Did you know that seven San Joaquin County schools offer Spanish/English Dual Immersion programs? “These types of programs are win-win for all students involved,” said Karin Linn-Nieves, director of Language & Literacy programs at the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE). “The Spanish speakers see their home language elevated. It helps keep them connected to their family and identity. Their literacy skills transfer to English as they gain fluency. English speakers gain the cultural understanding they might not develop otherwise. And they learn to speak, read, and write in a second language. It is amazing to witness the progress both groups make.” If you are interested in enrolling your student in a dual-immersion program, contact any of the seven San Joaquin County school sites that offer dualimmersion programs: ESCALON UNIFIED Collegeville Elementary LINCOLN UNIFIED John R. Williams Elementary LODI UNIFIED Joe Serna Jr. Charter RIPON UNIFIED (Coming Fall 2021) Ripona Elementary STOCKTON UNIFIED Valenzuela-Hong Kingston Elementary McKinley Elementary Pittman Charter
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OUTLOOK District Highlights
Pictured from left to right: Taylor Millin, Derrick Burnett, and Ernie Williams.
NO MATTER WHAT Manteca Unified’s Adapted Physical Education commits to supporting students
Sarah Edwards did not know if her 16-year-old daughter, Madison, would ever be able to hold an exercise position like the plank, an abdominal exercise that involves the core muscles, upper body strength, balance, and endurance. Along with her primary diagnosis, autism, Madison experiences global development delays, cognitive impairments, and sensory and auditory processing issues, which weaken her abdominal core and reduce her motor skills development.
But after working for more than six years with Derrick Burnett and Ernie Williams, two adapted physical education teachers in the Manteca Unified School District (MUSD), Madison has been able to build up her core strength. Now she can sustain a plank position longer than ever before. When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit and closed school campuses, adapted physical education (P.E.) teachers and families feared the challenges of
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distance learning would hinder the progress their students had worked so long to make. However, the educators quickly pivoted to adapt their instruction for the online classroom and continued to support their students’ development. Adapted physical education provides safe and supportive physical education to students with special needs. Working with students ages 3 through 22 throughout MUSD’s 33 school sites, varying from 30-minute one-on-one
OUTLOOK District Highlights sessions to whole group meetings, students develop and strengthen their locomotor and gross motor skills. The special education class caters to students ‘ individual needs in a fun, interactive environment, from teaching students how to jump to throwing a ball to following a multiple-step dance sequence. Madison Edwards began working with teachers Burnett and Williams in the sixth grade. Burnett uses playful activities to engage Madison and build strength in her core, while Williams reinforces her coordination and motor planning skills. Adapted P.E. development requires continuity and persistence, so educators began talking about transitioning to online instruction well before campuses closed in March 2020. “We had a good plan in place: keep in contact with our students and with our parents, let them see our faces and let them have some activities to do to keep them active, but at the same time, not overwhelm them,” Williams said. The school district’s IT department set up Microsoft Teams accounts for adapted P.E. students to offer a blend of synchronous and asynchronous activities that provided support to students and their families early on. “Watching Ernie work with her is something we parents don’t get to do often. Now, we get to see what they do and work on it outside of class,” said Sarah Edwards. She also notices how well Williams and Madison get along. Despite being separated by a screen, Williams recognizes Madison’s strengths and plays to them. “He is so encouraging and motivating to her. She stays laughing and smiling the whole time,”
Edwards said. “They are really investing in her and in us as a family.” But the educators had more than just a leg up with their communication with their students. They also had access to seven years of YouTube videos they had created specifically for students in special education classes. Equipped with a camera and microphone, the adapted P.E. team of three has filmed over 60 videos of various skills, fitness activities, and games for special education students on their Adapted Physical Education Channel.
“When you work with a kid on something for so long, and they finally get it-- when you see it click and they start succeeding and building their skills-- it’s so incredibly exciting.” Taylor Millin Adapted Physical Education Teacher, Manteca Unified School District
“We knew adapted P.E. was one of those things where more kids beyond just our students could benefit,” said Burnett. “All good P.E., in my mind, is adapted P.E.” For Sita Kumar, the Adapted Physical Education Channel was a welcomed resource for her 17-year-old daughter, Isha. Isha’s caudal regression syndrome
restricts much of her movement from the waist down. Though she uses a wheelchair to move around, it has never stopped her from going where she wants to go. Isha and her mother turned to the YouTube videos at the start of distance learning and have used them ever since. “As her parent, I took the lessons from the videos and adapted them for her. There are so many videos; it keeps it really fun,” said Kumar. Today, Isha is learning how to dance. To adapt to Isha’s leg movement abilities, Isha’s teachers and her mother encourage her to dance with her arms and hands. Sometimes, they even spin her around in her wheelchair for their most impressive dance moves. Kumar notes that it’s clear to see how much Isha loves her adapted P.E. teachers. “They are such a good support team for her,” she said. “And that’s exactly what she needs: someone to believe in her.” Beyond refining students’ motor skills, Lincoln Elementary School Principal Randi Fowzer says adapted P.E. teachers support special education students at her school site with becoming successful, independent citizens. “With the hard work, encouragement, and support of our (adapted P.E.) teachers, these students grow by leaps and bounds in meeting their goals,” she said. “When you work with a kid on something for so long, and they finally get it-- when you see it click and they start succeeding and building their skills-- it’s so incredibly exciting,” thirdyear teacher Taylor Millin said. “The job is just so fulfilling.”
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VACCINE CLINICS FOR EDUCATORS BY EDUCATORS The San Joaquin County Office of Education vaccinates thousands of San Joaquin County educators and school personnel at vaccine clinics The San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) administered 25,822 doses of COVID-19 vaccine at a series of clinics hosted by the SJCOE to vaccinate teachers and other K-12 school employees from all public, charter, and private schools in San Joaquin County. The vaccination of school employees removes a significant barrier to schools as they seek to re-introduce or expand in-person instruction. “This is a game-changer. We want all students and teachers back in the classroom, and this is a path toward that goal,” San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools James Mousalimas said. “Vaccinating school employees doesn’t just help protect students, teachers, custodians, office workers, and all other educational staff. It also protects the loved ones and families of our students and staff and benefits the wider community.” The vaccine clinics were possible through authorization from San Joaquin County Public Health Services (SJCPHS) for the SJCOE to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which requires two doses. The SJCOE, school leaders from across the county, and SJCPHS coordinated to administer the vaccines to school staff. Child care workers were also vaccinated at the clinics.
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School nurses, health aides, and other health care professionals from schools across the county administered the vaccine and performed other medical functions at the clinics. First responders from local organizations were present as a precaution during post-vaccination observation. Along each step of the way through the vaccination process, dozens of SJCOE employees provided direction, information, and assistance. “This is a vaccine clinic for educators that was operated by educators. We are all driven by a shared passion to do what is best for our students,” said Jane Steinkamp, SJCOE Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services and chairperson of the SJCOE Vaccination Distribution Task Force. “It has been inspiring to hear from so many educators eager to return safely to classrooms and get back to in-person learning.” Educators leaving the clinic shared they felt both relieved and excited about getting vaccinated. “I felt really relaxed. Seeing how helpful everyone is and how happy they are about the vaccination process certainly relieved my nerves about it,” said Anamarie Mendez, a sixth-grade teacher from Monte Vista Middle School (Tracy Unified School District). “I’m happy that we’re going back to school, and I’m happy to be vaccinated before we start.”
OUTLOOK News
THE TECH BEHIND THE CLINICS In the fight against COVID-19, the San Joaquin County Office of Education had a secret weapon. The SJCOE CodeStack department had the technological know-how to build, manage, and measure a vaccination event capable of administering 25,822 doses of vaccine over 14 days. On its busiest days, the SJCOE vaccine clinics could administer vaccines to more than 3,000 people. At its most active times, about 500 people an hour received shots from the 24 nurses administering doses at any given time. Even with hours of planning behind the logistics, coordination, and teamwork necessary to pull this off, it would have been impossible without the technology built and managed by CodeStack that was driving the clinics. CodeStack is a software engineering department housed within the SJCOE. It handles complicated student information systems and contracts to build websites and apps for the
California Department of Education and other organizations with complex technology needs. There’s a good chance that any education employee hired in California in recent years found the job listed on EDJOIN.org, which CodeStack manages. “CodeStack has broad and deep expertise finding technological solutions to difficult challenges,” CodeStack Division Director Johnny Arguelles said. “We embraced this new challenge to streamline a massvaccination clinic, and we were able to create a system to efficiently vaccinate thousands in a short amount of time.” CodeStack used this expertise to build software capable of managing a database of more than 22,000 education employees at all the public, private, and charter schools in San Joaquin County. The system managed all scheduling, organized the age-based prioritization for appointments, and provided realtime analytics on attendance, time duration, clinic flow, and potential
bottlenecks. The system also provided text and email reminders and a unique QR code. This QR code would serve as everyone’s “boarding pass” through the paperless vaccination process. Held up on cellphones or printouts, the QR code was scanned at several steps along the way, from arrival through the final check out. It also allowed CodeStack to make sure everything was running as efficiently as possible. Not counting the mandatory 15-minute observation period, the whole process after check-in took 6.2 minutes, on average, across all 25,822 doses administered. The software kept appointment slots filled when the inevitable cancellations and no-shows occurred. It notified those on the stand-by list who were able to snatch up an earlier appointment time. It managed the waitlist used to fill appointment slots as they became available. It kept the pace fast and unrelenting.
WATCH NOW! SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 17
OUTLOOK News
THE H2O HACKATHON RETURNS Students learn computer coding, compete for prize money in the Fifth Annual H2O Hackathon At the Fifth Annual H2O Hackathon on April 17, there were 35 teams of competitors in middle school, high school, and college divisions who had six hours to build an application that could help protect waterways from harmful algal blooms known as HABs. These HABs can be toxic to humans and other animals, and they are a problem globally and close to home in the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary. Competitors were given the challenge at 8:30 a.m. and had six hours to build the app and submit it to an expert panel of judges. At the start of the competition, team DCA Alpha -- one of three teams at the Discovery ChalleNGe Academy (DCA) teams competing in the Hackathon’s high school division -- had a plan to build an app that would provide access to information and other resources to anyone who had come in contact with a harmful algal bloom and was feeling ill. While his three teammates researched information about symptoms, treatment, and other information, a cadet named Alex started putting together the code to bring it all together into a working app. Before taking a coding class at DCA, his only experience coding was doing pretty simple tasks in elementary school. Coding didn’t interest him until he took the course at DCA. Now he’s all in. Because of the block-based coding platform, competitors didn’t need to have coding experience to compete. “This is forcing me to learn pretty quickly,” said Samihay, a junior at Cesar Chavez High School (Stockton Unified School District) on the second-place winning TitanHackz team. “I thought it might be fun to try it out.” She doesn’t know if coding will be part of her future career. She wants to keep her options open, but she figures knowing how to code will give her wider options. The 2021 H2O Hackathon was the first time middle schoolers could compete in their division. Samarth, an eighth-grader on the grand-prize winning Dream Team from STEAM Academy at River Islands (River Islands Academies), said he fell in love with coding after taking a class in school. He signed up for the Hackathon because of the coding and because there haven’t been a lot of opportunities to take part in competitions of any kind during the pandemic. “I’m really excited to be back competing with other people and having fun,” he said. “I was getting kind of bored.”
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OUTLOOK News
THE RESULTS:
The H2O Hackathon is a community-supported event that taps into San Joaquin County students’ technological and problem-solving skills to help find solutions to the state’s water issues. The winning team of each division receives the Cal Water Golden Spigot Award, which provides a $5,000 cash prize for the team through a donation from California Water Service. Watch teams present their winning apps at the Fifth Annual H2O Hackathon Awards Ceremony, available online at h2ohackathon.org.
MIDDLE SCHOOL: Cal Water Golden Spigot Award ($5,000): Dream Team, STEAM Academy at River Islands Second Place ($1,000): Hack Overflow, Sebastian Questa Elementary School Third Place ($500): Lodi Middle 5th, Lodi Middle School
HIGH SCHOOL:
Cal Water Golden Spigot Award ($5,000): Wolfhack Tau, Merrill F. West High School Second Place ($1,000): TitanHackz, Cesar Chavez High School Third Place ($500): Wolfhack Alpha, Merrill F. West High School
COLLEGE:
Cal Water Golden Spigot Award ($5,000): Random Access Memories, San Joaquin Delta College Second Place ($1,000): HackitWithBrackets, San Joaquin Delta College Third Place ($500): We Don’t Byte, San Joaquin Delta College
THANK YOU, PARTNERS!
The H2O Hackathon is supported financially by partners from educational agencies, municipalities, community organizations, and the business community. These are California Water Service (CalWater), San Joaquin County, the Port of Stockton, Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, Collins Electric, Stockton East Water District, Grassland Fund, SJC WorkNet, Nautilus Data Technologies, and the cities of Stockton, Tracy, and Lathrop. The event is organized by the SJCOE’s CodeStack department in partnership with iHub San Joaquin, A.G. Spanos Companies, the City of Manteca, the San Francisco Estuary Institute, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, Restore the Delta, the San Joaquin Partnership, BOSS Business Systems, Café Coop, University of the Pacific, San Joaquin Delta College, and the Stockton Unified School District.
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OUTLOOK News
POWERFUL STORIES
Greater Valley Conservation Corps member voices heard during conversations with California State Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman Anthony Williams, 21, a member of the Greater Valley Conservation Corps (GVCC), took out a pen and marked up his notes as he prepared questions to ask California State Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, who was about a half-hour away from appearing on the laptop Williams was using at the GVCC headquarters in Stockton. In a different room at the GVCC, Tecailana Cardenas, 20, went through her notes and checked her audio setup on her laptop before giving the introduction to the Corps Conversations, a series of live-streamed interviews where members of local conservation corps talk to elected representatives. The April 6 session included corps members from the GVCC and the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps. “I really appreciated that I get to get my voice heard while talking to a senator, face-to-face,” she said. Cardenas was interested in talking about homelessness, something that had impacted both her and those close to her. When she was a child, she and her father were homeless and spent time going from hotel to hotel. The memory stuck with her, and she wanted to talk about how to decrease homelessness and reduce the stigma of being homeless. “It was a weird experience being 13 years old and not having stable housing. I don’t think anyone should have to go through that,” she said. Talamantes Eggman talked about pending legislation that could address some of the core issues, including the need for more housing and the availability of wraparound services to keep people in housing once they can obtain it. “Like you
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said, there are so many families living on the edge. We need to provide more homes and more stability for families,” she said to Cardenas. “Your stories are powerful. Keep telling them. That changes people’s perspective.” Part of the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE), the GVCC operates in five counties, specializing in natural resources and recycling services while assisting youth 18 to 25 years old with academic instruction, employment opportunities, green job training, and more. The GVCC also provides other skills that help its members throughout their lives, like public speaking and how to be a leader, GVCC Director Nick Mueller said. “It can be empowering for corps members to see how government works and how they can be advocates for change.” Williams asked questions about gun violence and other issues and shared that he recently took part in a tree-cutting training that was part of the Forestry Corps, something GVCC is able to offer through legislation co-authored by Talamantes Eggman when she was in the Assembly. He appreciated the experience of the live-streamed event. “I’ve never had my voice heard like this before,” he said. “If you have an opportunity like this, you’ve got to chase it.” The Corps Conversation was organized by the California Association of Local Conservation Corps. The April 6 video and other conversations in the series can be viewed on the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ LocalCertifiedConservationCorps.
OUTLOOK News
Math
r now open fo t n e m ll o r n E an class first freshm
A NEW PATH TO A CAREER IN EDUCATION
The path to a rewarding career in teaching has just opened wide in San Joaquin County for students starting high school next year.
Enrollment is open now at the TEACH! Academy, the new early college high school program at Venture Academy Family of Schools, a Stockton charter school operated by the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE). TEACH! Academy is an industry-focused teacher education pathway program that supports students as they explore their interests in educationrelated careers. The TEACH! Academy will soon provide a home-grown influx of highly qualified and motivated teachers into schools in San Joaquin County.
area of great need in our county,” said Dr. Troy Brown, SJCOE associate superintendent of Student Programs and Services. The new TEACH! Academy was kickstarted through a grant from San Joaquin A+, which awarded $650,000 in three planning grants to start early college high school programs. The SJCOE, with partner San Joaquin Delta College, was one of three grant awardees. “It is critical that we align Stockton’s education programming with the good jobs that not only can serve as an anchor for our economy going forward but also will provide meaningful work and a family-sustaining income for young people growing up across our region,” said Don Shalvey, CEO of San Joaquin A+.
“We want students to see themselves, their neighborhoods, their languages, and their communities in their teachers. This program is an opportunity to develop a workforce of teachers that is reflective of the diversity of San Joaquin County,” said Venture Academy Coordinator Megan Boyd Filice. TEACH! students have the opportunity to graduate high school with both a Venture Academy diploma and an associate in arts (A.A.) degree in Elementary Teacher Education. Upon earning a bachelor’s degree at a local university following their high school graduation, TEACH! graduates also have the opportunity to return to their communities and earn a complete teaching credential through Teachers College of San Joaquin (TCSJ).
For more information on the TEACH! Academy, go to http://bit.ly/TEACH_Academy. SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
“Teacher preparation is not just something we are passionate about as educators ourselves, but it is also an employment
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OUTLOOK News
SURVIVORS, LEADERS COME TOGETHER TO END HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Former victims hold center stage at annual End It Summit in San Joaquin County
Victims had their voices heard at the Fourth Annual San Joaquin County Human Trafficking End It Summit.
celebrate accomplishments, and gather information to help them in their mission.
Held virtually on Jan. 11, the summit brought together approximately 170 participants from law enforcement officers, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and an array of leaders from high school students to local and state elected officials. The coalition to eradicate human trafficking and support victims meets every year to learn from each other,
At the January summit, leaders and the workers on the frontlines of the fight against human trafficking talked about the importance of working together to be more effective. A significant step has been bringing more survivors into the effort, said Carissa Phelps, an author, attorney, and advocate who is the founder and CEO of Runaway Girl, Inc.
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OUTLOOK News “When you all -- all of you who are on this call today -- began empowering survivors two decades ago ... by bringing us to the table, by giving us positions ... that proved you really wanted to hear our voice, our opinions, and our criticisms, sometimes, to really change and make an impact on the system,” said Phelps, who had been trafficked as a 12-year-old, as she introduced a panel discussion of survivors. “The presentation today is all about continuing to pass the torch.” The panelists talked about what they learned as former victims and current leaders and advocates. They answered questions about what helped them escape “the life,” then grow to become leaders themselves in the fight against human trafficking.
Attendees also heard a presentation from Jayden Taylor, a human trafficking survivor and community outreach advocate, about the increased risk to trafficking faced by LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning) youth. Homeless youth are more vulnerable to traffickers, and many homeless youth are LGBTQ, he said, saying this is one way the negative stigma of this group increases their vulnerability. One way to help this community is to have events and outreach showing an effort to connect, he said. “Reaching out to the community is saying: I’m here for you,” he said, adding that it builds trust in the services.
“We are in the beginning stages of the anti-trafficking movement,” panelist Annika Huff said. “We have a need for survivors to be a part of that process and helping with policies and helping with implementation and really getting our voices in, so the next generations of survivors get an opportunity that we weren’t able to get,” said Huff, who is now a training specialist with Truckers Against Trafficking, a national nonprofit organization. The End It Summit was organized by the multi-organizational San Joaquin County Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE), which is a Task Force member and provided technical support for the virtual summit. The collaborative approach to combating human trafficking in San Joaquin County has made a difference, said Joelle Gomez, CEO of Children’s Home of Stockton and the Task Force chairperson. She also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors of the past year have made some more vulnerable to traffickers.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline connects victims and survivors of sex and labor trafficking with services and supports to get help and stay safe. The Trafficking Hotline also receives tips about potential situations of sex and labor trafficking and facilitates reporting that information to the appropriate authorities in certain cases. The toll-free phone and SMS text lines and live online chat function are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Help is available in English or Spanish,
“Human trafficking exists before, during, and after such crises,” she said. “However, during a crisis, there are more factors that increase vulnerabilities of some groups of people to potential traffickers, such as limited access to services, loss of employment, and reduction of working hours.” In addition to the panel discussion, the summit also included a group of current and former students from Tracy Unified School District high schools about social media, including information to help parents know how their children can be safer when using social media.
or in more than 200 additional languages through an on-call interpreter. Hearing and speech-impaired individuals can contact the Trafficking Hotline by dialing 711, the free national access number that connects to Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS).
• Call 1-888-373-7888 • Text “BeFree” (233733) • Live Chat at: HumanTraffickingHotline.org SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 23
OUTLOOK News
SKY MOUNTAIN OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER
The San Joaquin County Office of Education acquires 62-Acres in the High Sierra for new outdoor education center Situated at the top of the North Fork of the American River in the Sierra Nevada in Tahoe National Forest in Placer County, the Sky Mountain Education Center will provide a new opportunity for year-round learning and activities and be the new home of Science Camp for San Joaquin Valley students. Sky Mountain includes cabins, a gymnasium, lodge, and other facilities surrounded by acres of forest alongside a pristine mountain lake. The 62.68-acre parcel was donated by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE). Preexisting infrastructure, capital assets, and $2.5 million to support code compliance and infrastructure reinforcement were donated by the Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council. In 2016, the SJCOE applied to become a grantee of the property through the Stewardship Council, which oversees more than 140,000 acres of watershed lands owned by PG&E to ensure they are used to benefit the residents of California. As part of the transaction, the SJCOE will work closely with the Wildlife Heritage Foundation (WHF), a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat and connecting Californians to the outdoors. As the holder of the conservation easement, the WHF will oversee the protection of the ecological habitat and ensure the appropriate use of this natural open space.
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OUTLOOK News Sky Mountain will be the new location of Science Camp, as the SJCOE outdoor education program has been known to students for over 60 years who have come to the Santa Cruz Mountains through a contract with the YMCA at Camp Jones Gulch. “We are grateful for the long-standing partnership we have had with the YMCA and Camp Jones Gulch. The memories and traditions created there are shared by generations of our county’s residents. It is difficult to close this chapter in our history, but Sky Mountain allows us more opportunities to provide outdoor education experiences to students year-round,” San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools James Mousalimas said. “We are excited to offer Science Camp at Sky Mountain beginning in the 2021-2022 school year as we develop the next generation of innovative, ecologically literate community stewards and leaders. The possibilities are endless.” By owning Sky Mountain, the SJCOE will have the flexibility to offer year-round programs to students of all ages and provide other opportunities for educators and community partners. Since 1976, the Sky Mountain property has been leased from PG&E for a camp and conference center. During the planning phase of this new project, the SJCOE is working on renovating the preexisting facilities and designing a new curriculum specific to the unique ecosystem that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards and makes connections with California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts. “Students will learn about different ecosystems and how watersheds are connected. Snow is connected to rivers, rivers are connected to the Delta in San Joaquin County, and the Delta is connected to the ocean,” SJCOE STEM Director Annie Cunial said. “Year-round activities will range from canoeing and archery in the summer to snowshoeing in the winter,” she said. “These activities will enhance students’ experiences as they learn about the history of the land from the Native American tribes to early California explorers, as well as flora, hydroelectric dams, conifer forests, wildlife, industries, careers, and more.”
GEARING UP FOR WINTER Donations needed to fill the Sky Mountain Snow Gear Library with new and gently used items for winter It’s almost summer, but the SJCOE STEM Programs department is already gearing up for winter at the Sky Mountain Outdoor Education Center by collecting new and gently used snow gear for youth, teens, and educators who will be attending the camp during the cold, winter months. If you have items you would like to donate, please contact the SJCOE STEM Department at (209) 468-4880 or Amy Daniels at adaniels@sjcoe.net to schedule a time to drop off items or have them picked up!
Snow Boots · Snow Coats · Snow Gloves · Snow Pants · Snow Shoes · Beanies SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 25
OUTLOOK News
WOMEN together The SJCOE and Lodi Unified partner with Old Sow Consulting to bring women’s leadership group to San Joaquin County
For the more than 260 participants who logged on to the virtual Women Together: Today and Tomorrow conference on Feb. 3, the event was more than just a day of listening to inspirational and informative speakers. And it was more than just the beginning of a developing network dedicated to supporting leadership development and career advancement for women in all manner of industries and organizations in San Joaquin County and the surrounding region. The Women Together conference offered the hope that real change is in reach when people do the work to tackle tough issues of the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions and the disparity in pay between women and men in the workplace. “Our hope is that this effort can serve as a launch for change,” said Cathy Nichols-Washer, superintendent of Lodi Unified School District. “We need to be a society where the conversation is not about ceilings and walls, but about the skills and talents each individual brings to their organization.”
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The conference was organized by Lodi Unified and the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) in partnership with Old Sow Coaching and Consulting. Though the topic was the advancement of women, the day’s lineup of speakers and participants included men in support of the cause, too. The conference evolved from a conversation among a few women concerned about the limited support and network opportunities for women, Nichols-Washer said as she kicked off the conference. And the conversation continued throughout the day as participants interacted with each other in the conference chat or took a turn talking on screen. Nichols-Washer was followed by Tina Opie, a researcher, consultant, and associate professor of management at Babson College. She talked about a framework of “shared sisterhood,” that she described as a means to create more inclusive organizations. “This is about interrelation based on trust, vulnerability, empathy, and risk-taking,” she said, adding that the framework builds trust, but its purpose is something bigger. “The goal of it
though ... it is for us to use that trust to now link arms, link organizations and institutions, and actually pursue collective advancement to eliminate workplace inequity.”
Guest Speakers
The conference stayed interactive throughout. Opie asked everyone to be self-reflective for a moment. Then, participants shared the experiences that shaped their initial perspectives about how they see the world, how the world sees them, and how they see themselves. It was personal and, at times, raw. The interaction was an example of vulnerability, empathy, and trust, said SJCOE Assistant Superintendent Jane Steinkamp, during the discussion. One of the event organizers, she leads the SJCOE’s Educational Services Division. “It shows the world what female leadership can look like and what all leadership can be.”
KIRSTEN OLSON
DR. TINA OPIE
Doctor of Education, Professional Certified Coach, and Chief Listening Officer at Old Sow Coaching and Consulting
Founder of Opie Consulting Group, Award-Winning Researcher, and Associate Professor of Management at Babson College
As the discussion continued, the network of support began to take shape on its own in the chat. In addition to adding comments and affirmations, participants sent out offers to connect or help somebody face a particular dilemma. In addition to nationally known presenters, the Women Together conference also included a conversation with California State Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, whose Fifth District consists of all of San Joaquin County and parts of Sacramento and Stanislaus counties. She shared experiences from her history in the military, social work, academia, and elected office.
DR. JENNIFER MARTIN
MARGARITA MAYO
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services at Hemet Unified School District
Award-Winning Researcher and Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at IE Business School in Madrid
DAVID G. SMITH
W. BRAD JOHNSON
Associate Professor of Sociology, National Security Affairs Department at the United States Naval War College
Professor of Psychology at the United States Naval Academy and Faculty Associate at Johns Hopkins University
She encouraged women to consider running for office and described how the idea of service has been important to her. “We can never achieve great things or go far if we are doing it for ourselves.” At the end of the conference SJCOE Assistant Superintendent Janine Kaeslin, who heads the County Operated Schools and Programs Division, invited the attendees to build on the conference’s momentum by filling out a survey that gauged interest in what should come next, from holding monthly chats to maintaining an annual conference to building a statewide network. “It’s our vision to build a community of connection,” she said. Kaeslin looked back on the origins of the conference, which was a conversation that included her, Steinkamp, and Nichols-Washer. “It is our job to make others successful, and to provide mentorship opportunities,” she said, before tying the conversation to one of the themes of the day. “I want to call out what that sisterhood is,” she said. “It doesn’t have a gender. It’s all of us. We’re all in this together because we all have the same goals.”
With Special Guest SENATOR SUSAN TALAMANTES EGGMAN California State Senator, District 5
Get involved with the new network and receive updates about Women Together events and free speaker series by visiting http://bit.ly/SJCWomensLeadership. SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 27
OUTLOOK Feature
CRYSTAL’S ANGELS one.Program graduate inspired by those who believed in her as a student returns to program to be that inspiration for next generation of students Students at one.Dream Academy say that Crystal Figeroa, a campus security technician, is one of them. She graduated from the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) one.Program in 2013, and eight years later, she’s back on campus as a staff member, where her inspiring journey allows her to understand and relate to students. Many of the students in the SJCOE’s alternative education program have faced barriers similar to Figeroa. She says that the struggles from her past equip her with grace today. Her journey to get where she is now was not an easy one. But she overcame every obstacle that stood in the way of her accessing her true potential. However, she does not take all the credit. She attributes her success to the educators in her life who never stopped believing in her. Figeroa calls them her “angels,” and they proved to be a lifeline for her. They showed her the potential she had inside, even when she didn’t know it. Today, her role in the one.Program allows her to support students with stories just like her own and be an angel for them too. From a very young age, she struggled to find safe spaces to express her emotions. She remembers a childhood filled with frustration, anger, and rejection. She grew up fast. “At 12 years old, I was left to take care of my little brother all alone sometimes. For me, it was fight or flight. There was no peace. I had to live by the moment,” she said. She said she became very angry at the world. And this anger followed her to school, where she would get in trouble for fighting. Still, she loved learning. “I always felt like school was my safe place,” she said. “It was a safe haven for me because it helped me to forget about what was going on at home.” Figeroa enrolled in the SJCOE’s one.Program in the seventh grade. The one.Program is an alternative education program that equips at-risk students with the tools they need to become productive members of the community. The educators,
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counselors, advisors, and staff of the one.Program connect atrisk students with the opportunities and structure to complete their education. Operated by SJCOE County Operated Schools and Programs (COSP), the program supports students as they earn a high school diploma, certificate of completion, or GED. There, she met Gabriel Perez, a former director in the one. Program and one of her angels. Perez recalls meeting with her multiple times because she struggled with behavioral issues. Perez saw their interactions as an opportunity to use empathy to connect with her. He noticed her determination, and he knew that if she had the proper support, she could use it to excel in multiple areas of her life. “Her values of peace, family, and success in one environment could be carried over to the school environment if she was in a place where the opportunities, time, and space were made available to her,” he said. The one.Program is dedicated to creating a school environment just like the one Perez describes, a place that acknowledges students’ skills and refines them for academic, social, and emotional success. One one.Program educator that stood in the gap for Figeroa was Vicki Lock, another one of her angels. But it didn’t feel that way at first. She frequently pushed back against Lock, her teacher at one.Expressions. Lock would still tell her that she believed in her, that she was smart, and that she was filled with potential. Figeroa would dismiss the encouragement, but Lock didn’t give up. Lock recommended Figeroa in the 11th grade to attend the Summer Success and Leadership Academy (SSLA) at the University of the Pacific, where she would have the opportunity to develop leadership skills and connect with local leaders. Only a few students could attend, and Lock pushed to make sure she was one of them. The experience sparked something inside Figeroa, who returned to the classroom from the SSLA on fire for reading. And she recognized how her teacher stood up for her to give her that opportunity. Someone believed in her, and that had a massive impact.
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OUTLOOK Feature
Fr o
“I really want to inspire and impact the youth,” she said. “I want to show them that I did it, and they can do it too. In fact, they can do even better.” Her passion for helping at-risk kids pointed her back to the one.Program, where she became a campus security technician (CST) at one.Dream and one.Frontier.
To C oll eg
Interviewed for the job position by SJCOE coordinator of alternative education Jacob Boyd, she didn’t know what to expect: “Going into the interview, I was very nervous. I worried that I was not professional enough. But meeting Jake--and hearing his friendly voice and learning about his experience-- it impacted me and built my confidence. He was an angel too.”
m
herself available to students at her school sites if they need someone to talk to. “I’m here for the kids,” she said.
e at
Figeroa still faced challenges, but she persisted through them with a new goal in mind: pursuing her education. With the help of Lock and other teachers in the one.Program, she graduated and went on to attend San Joaquin Delta College and California State University, Stanislaus, where she studied criminal justice with a concentration in at-risk youth.
gram G e.Pro rad n o u
“Knowing she has gone all the way and chose to come back means a lot. She’s made me believe in the dream at one.Dream Academy,” Lock said. Looking to the future, Figeroa has goals of staying in the one.Program and reaching her full potential working with the students there. The one.Program helped launch her on the right track. The program provided her with the resources, the opportunities, and the connections that helped her overcome her challenges and achieve her goals, she said.
ent d u t eS
“She has taken complete ownership of her role at the school site and has established herself as a highcontributing member of the one. Program team,” Boyd said. As a CST, Figeroa wears many hats: she assists teachers with taking attendance, helps with student mealtimes, reaches out to truant students, monitors the campus, and enforces the school rules. In addition to these responsibilities, she makes
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Perez says that he is proud of what she has been able to accomplish. “Crystal was able to demonstrate the courage and perseverance to navigate through a sea of doubt and opposition by exploring additional ways to grow, move forward, and expand her map of experience,” he said.
To SJCO EE m
When talking to students, she says that she looks at herself as a butterfly. “There’s the cocoon stage, which is the waiting stage. You go through so much change and transformation. And while you’re waiting, know that you’re going to become a beautiful butterfly with beautiful colors that represents all sorts of things that make you, you.”
ee oy pl
Boyd said she brings spirit and a sense of community to campus. “CSTs are a major component of keeping our school sites safe and clean. But beyond those two responsibilities, they also have a role in building relationships with students, staff, and families,” Boyd said. “Crystal has the ability to relate to our students, and the more they get to know each other, the more they look up to her as a role model.”
Her story resonates with students and teachers alike, said Lock. “This has not just been me pouring into her. Crystal has poured into me so much. Steel sharpens steel.”
She knows her story might be something that will help students push through their own obstacles. “Remember, you have a choice,” she said. “Stay where you are... or grow.”
GOT A STUDENT WHO IS BEHIND IN CREDITS? Our free life-changing 22-week residential program helps California teens 16-18 years of age get back on track for graduation. The Discovery ChalleNGe Academy (DCA) helps young men and women transform their lives. Run by the California National Guard in partnership with the San Joaquin County Office of Education, the no-cost 22week residential military-style program in Lathrop, California, challenges youth ages 16-18 years old to reach their maximum potential through eight core components: academic excellence, life coping skills, job skills, health and hygiene, responsible citizenship, service to the community, leadership, and physical fitness. At DCA, students participate in a six-period day, filtering through core classes and elective opportunities with highly skilled teachers. This provides students the opportunity to earn 65 high school credits during their enrollment at DCA. After completing the academy, most students return to their home high schools, back on track with credit requirements, while some may graduate with their high school diploma from DCA.
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OUTLOOK In the Classroom
The San Joaquin County Office of Education offers mental wellness sessions for staff and district employees To help educators in special education take a moment to step back, take stock, and look within during what has been a difficult year, the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) started offering virtual, mental wellness sessions dubbed “Mindful Mondays.” Provided to teachers and support staff for free, Mindful Mondays was started this year for staff in the San Joaquin County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) and Special Education Department to help reduce feelings of stress through guided mindfulness. “Mindfulness is looking for something that everyone can do that can help them right now, in the moment,” said Cara
Rodoni, SELPA, and Special Education lead school psychologist. “And we want to make it accessible for everyone.” The SELPA also created the SJCOE SELPA Mindfulness Initiative to provide districts with opportunities to learn about mindfulness during the 2020-21 school year. Working with the CSU Stanislaus Great Valley Writing Project, the SJCOE also offered free book study courses focused on mindfulness in education for participating districts in the SJCOE SELPA. The courses were intended to increase knowledge of mindfulness techniques while also showing ways to apply them in the classroom.
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“Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of the present moment in various ways,” said Christopher Condon, school psychologist and mindfulness initiative consultant for SJCOE. “It helps to strengthen the core skills: concentration power, sensory clarity, and equanimity, or mental calmness,” he said. Practicing mindfulness offers a wide range of benefits, from alleviating stress and helping individuals to learn self-regulation in stressful situations to physiological support like lowering blood pressure and enhancing one’s immune system, Condon said. “These techniques and strategies really help to settle the body and the mind,”
OUTLOOK In the Classroom he said. “They give you the ability to unhook just a little bit from the stressful emotions and feelings of challenging situations.” Condon not only wants to share mindfulness with the SJCOE, but he also hopes to create spaces for students to learn these techniques.
In the SJCOE BELIEVE! program, which serves students with behavioral and emotional needs, educators and administrators have been invited to use Mindful Schools, an online training program that educates staff on classroom mindfulness practices.
“As educators practice mindfulness in the program, their students can learn how to proactively navigate their emotions and communicate effectively with pro-social skills,” the SJCOE’s Rodoni said.
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Mindfulness practices for you to try! Acknowledge your posture: Straighten your spine, but make sure your muscles are relaxed. Take three long, deep breaths: In through your nose, pause, and out through your mouth. Let your breaths stabilize and nourish your body. Set your intention for the day: What do you hope to accomplish today? Know that any progress you make is still good, positive progress. Listen to your body: Being aware of your physical sensations can be a very healthy way to ground yourself when experiencing stress. Stretch: Every hour, stand up and stretch to reset your muscles and feel your best while working. SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION | 33
OUTLOOK In the Classroom
The San Joaquin County Office of Education invites educators and community leaders to discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion The fourth annual San Joaquin County Early Childhood Education (ECE) Conference celebrated the diversity of students and families on Jan. 22 and 23, encouraging important conversations on social justice and inclusivity in early childhood education. The conference built on the premise that equitable education and child care start with celebrating community diversity. For the first time in a virtual setting, the annual conference welcomed nearly 200 early care and education professionals, business leaders, law enforcement officers, medical professionals, and other community leaders to the discussion -- opening doors for professional development for all careers and emphasizing the significance of inclusivity in all environments. The conference was hosted by the San Joaquin County Office of Education
(SJCOE) Early Childhood Education department in partnership with First 5 San Joaquin, Head Start San Joaquin, and the Family Resource and Referral Center.
into breakout rooms throughout the evening, sharing their own stories and creating a community of understanding and growth in the virtual space.
The event started with an introduction from SJCOE Associate Superintendent of Student Programs and Services Troy Brown. “Students’ experiences in early childhood will stay with them for a lifetime. The interactions they have with each other, their teachers, and caregivers will influence how they see the world,” he said.
Kimberly Vakoc is the site supervisor of Valle Del Sol, an early childhood development center in Stockton operated by El Concilio, a communitybased nonprofit that provides social services to local families. She said the conference’s focus on inclusivity interested her and prompted her to log on and apply what she learned from the event to her career. “There is always room to learn more. I try to take advantage of as many opportunities as I can to increase my knowledge in different areas around child development,” she said. “Attending this conference was one of those opportunities.”
Allen’s message explored how social justice issues can be barriers to achieving racial equality in early childhood spaces. Participants hopped
The discussion on bias inspired Vakoc to look deeply at how she approaches situations in her own life. “Working with children, their families, and staff,
The event kicked off with a free online forum that was open to the community that featured social justice educator Rosemarie Allen, the president, CEO, and founder of the Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence.
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OUTLOOK In the Classroom I am constantly faced with people from so many different walks of life,” she said. “It is so important that everyone feels included and respected. Creating environments that show true inclusivity and diversity is important to make everyone who walks through our doors feel welcomed.” The following morning, early learning and care providers could participate in two breakout sessions led by early childhood education experts Sandy Avzaradel and Kathy Wahl. Registrants discussed inclusion strategies to build a welcoming culture in classrooms and support mental well-being in young children. Throughout the two-day conference, promoting diversity was a running theme in conversation, not only for young children but for everyone. Sharing strategies to reduce bias and encouraging dialogue about equity highlighted the importance of ensuring all children are honored, celebrated, and connected. “This work is about embracing students’ spirits, being aware of implicit biases, and having those uncomfortable and necessary conversations,” Allen said. “This work is so hard, but it is so essential.”
State Master Plan creates a California for All Kids through Equitable Early Learning and Care On Dec. 1, California Governor Gavin Newsom released a new master plan that outlines the state’s research-based approaches to creating equitable learning spaces for early childhood education and care. The plan, titled Master Plan for Early Learning and Care: California for All Kids, includes a number of goals to support the child care workforce and to improve early childhood education for California families. According to the U.S. Department of Social Services, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the permanent closure of 2,030 family child care homes and 390 child care centers between March and October of 2020. The roadmap discusses the steps to be taken towards creating equitable early learning and care environments to fill the gap created by the pandemic. By promoting practices that ensure early learning for all young children, supporting families, providing appropriate services for students with special needs, and sustaining an equitable workforce of care providers, the master plan will create systems of support for families and caregivers across the state. “It unifies us, across all programs and services,” SJCOE Early Childhood Education and Support Director Jamie Baiocchi said. “For the state of California to take the time and opportunity to develop this public master plan emphasizes the importance of children’s early years, the goals we need to have as providers, and what we need to do to move towards them.” “It’s a big picture, long-term plan, but we can utilize the objectives outlined in it to collaborate with other providers and improve our programs to better serve our local families.” For more information on the new master plan, visit californiaforallkids.chhs.ca.gov.
Goals described in the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care: California for All Kids • • • • • • •
Offering universal preschool for all 4-year-olds, income eligible 3-year-olds, and those with disabilities Enhancing workforce development Creating equitable career pathways for educators and caregivers Developing funding reforms that promote access to equitable care, address regional cost of care differences, and sustain a high-quality workforce Improving access to paid family leave Supporting the development of dual language learners Providing relief to parents, quality care for children, and stability to child care providers
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TOGETHER WE CAN END THE PANDEMIC. #EndthePandemicSJ
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