Welcome to CDE Today, a weekly publication from CDE Communications designed to provide you with clear, consistent updates on what is important to California schools.
Updates
SPI Thurmond Celebrates Gender Equity and Anniversary of Title IX at Santee Education Complex in Los Angeles
On March 3, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond joined four-time champion and America’s most decorated water polo player, Brenda Villa to visit student-athletes at the Santee Education Complex in Los Angeles Unified to highlight the high school’s success and commitment to gender equity and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Title IX, passed on June 23, 1972, which provided that no person, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participating in, be discriminated against, or denied the benefits of any education program or activity. Watch Thurmond’s KTLA interview on the CDE Facebook page
.
SPI Thurmond Highlights Mental Health Needs in Schools
Earlier this week, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond provided testimony to the joint hearing of State Assembly Budget Committees on Early Childhood Development regarding Children and Youth Behavioral Health Issues and Programs, at which he declared an urgent need to recruit mental health clinicians and unveiled to legislators a bill that, if passed, could help to secure 10,000 mental health clinicians in the state. Pointing to California’s historic challenge in filling counseling roles to keep up with community needs, Thurmond unveiled Senate Bill 1229, a bill that could help generate 10,000 new mental health clinicians. The bill would provide grants of $25,000 to aspiring clinicians who commit to serving two years in communities of high need. Read more in the CDE news release and watch Superintendent Thurmond’s full remarks from the hearing on the CDE Facebook page
.
SPI Thurmond Discusses Career Technical Education at Educating for Careers Conference
On February 28, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond spoke at the Educating for Careers Conference in Sacramento where he shared his vision of Career Technical Education and his initiatives on career pathway programs for students. Thurmond shared legislation that he is sponsoring to improve youth apprenticeship programs and the paid student internships program. He also recognized the work of the CDE California Partnership Academy team in the Career and College Transition Division for their continued support of the 400+ academies across the state. Read more about the California Partnership Academies.
Welcome to Three New State Board of Education Members
Governor Gavin Newsom this week appointed three new members
to the California State Board of Education: Brenda Lewis of Bakersfield, Sharon Olken of San Francisco and Gabriela Gonzalez of Los Angeles. Lewis was most recently Associate Superintendent of Instruction from the Kern High School District, where she served in several capacities (Director of Program Improvement, principal, dean, assistant principal and teacher) before retirement last year. Olken is Executive Director of Gateway Public Schools in San Francisco and a former principal, dean, and teacher. Gonzalez teaches second grade at Montebello Gardens Elementary School in Montebello and is a member of Instructional Leadership Corps, a collaboration among the California Teachers Association, the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education, and the National Board Resource Center at Stanford University. All three will be sworn into office during the Board’s meeting next Wednesday and Thursday.
School Health, Safety & Support
Masking In K-12 Schools
On Monday, Governor Newsom announced
that after March 11, wearing a mask indoors in K-12 settings will be strongly recommended, but will no longer be required statewide. California Health & Human Services Secretary Dr. Ghaly provided a related update with details on this change that can be viewed on the Safe Schools For All Hub
.
In addition, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-5-22
(PDF) that updates the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) in keeping with the current California Department of Public Health guidance
. View the Governor’s press release
.
What this Means
The net effect of the Governor’s executive order and the announced changes to the statewide requirement for indoor masking in K-12 school settings is that after March 11, 2022, the statewide masking guidance for K-12 students and staff will remain aligned. Specifically, the statewide requirement to mask indoors in K-12 settings will no longer apply to staff or students, but there will remain a strong recommendation to wear masks indoors. Additionally, there will be no distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
As is always the case: (1) state requirements and recommendations are subject to change; and (2) local health agencies and/or educational authorities may have additional requirements beyond state requirements.
Program Highlights
Resources Posted for Universal Prekindergarten Implementation
Last week CDE held the second webinar in a series on Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Implementation titled “Community Engagement and Partnerships.” This webinar provided the latest information on the importance of early learning and creating partnerships, the goals and sample models of a mixed delivery system, and details for more funding opportunities. Please access the slides, recording, and other UPK resources on the CDE Universal Prekindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten web page.
CDE and National Equity Project Launch Website with Project Resources
The S.D. Bechtel Foundation gifted a generous grant to CDE to enter into a year-long partnership with the National Equity Project
(NEP) for the purpose of supporting leaders of local educational agencies, who, along with their communities, are leading and designing environments for equity at the county, district, and/or school site level. The impact from this partnership reached approximately 600 educational leaders from 43 counties in the northern, southern, central and coastal regions of California. The NEP has posted content and resources from the project
which can be accessed on their website.
Events and Opportunities
OPPORTUNITIES
Community Schools Partnership Program—Request for Applications
The CDE is pleased to announce the release of the 2021–22 California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) Request for Applications for the Planning Grant. Visit the CCSPP web page for more information on the opportunity and how to apply. The release of the Implementation Grant is expected early next week. To stay informed on CCSPP activities, please subscribe to the CCSPP-Info listserv by sending a “blank” email message to [email protected].
California High School Counselor Award Deadline Extended—March 18
The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) has extended the deadline for the 2021–22 Arthur S. Marmaduke High School Counselor Award nominations. Applications must be completed and submitted by the new deadline, Friday, March 18, 2022. Each year, CSAC solicits nominations recommending a California high school counselor who demonstrates effectiveness for serving students in preparing for and pursuing their higher education. The candidate may be nominated by his or her district and county leadership, fellow school counselor/teacher, school principal, or another site administrator. The application process and criteria are available on the California Student Aid Commission website
.
California STEAM Symposium Call for Proposals
The California STEAM Symposium is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and those interested in presenting can apply today to submit a proposal for the STEAM Symposium
. This year’s symposium theme is Advance Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion in STEAM: Access, Awareness, Opportunities, & Outcomes. Throughout the event, we will come together to explore high-quality strategies to cultivate systems that promote life-long learning for everyone through inclusive and targeted practices, high-impact techniques, and policies, whether from a classroom or organizational point of view. These approaches promote a sense of belonging and ignite student passion for learning as well as support the social-emotional development of our education community. The deadline for submissions is March 25, 2022, and primary presenters will be notified by mid-May whether their presentations have been accepted. Multiple submissions and co-presenters are encouraged.
Schools as Voting Locations and Student Poll Workers
The shortage of voting locations and poll workers is a challenge in California every election cycle. We encourage local educational agencies (LEAs) to determine whether campuses can be made available as polling locations and also support student civic engagement in assisting with the elections process and serving as poll workers. Read more in this letter.
2022 National Youth Science Camp Applications Now Open
The CDE and the National Youth Science Foundation are excited to announce that applications for the 59th annual National Youth Science Camp (NYSC) are now open. The NYSC will be held virtually from June 27 to July 20, 2022. As part of the program, scientists from across the nation present lectures and science seminars and linger to interact informally with student delegates. Delegates are challenged to explore new areas in the biological and physical sciences, art, and music with resident staff members. The submission deadline for applications is March 31.
For more information and to apply, read this CDE news release and visit the National Youth Science Camp web page
.
2022 Classified School Employees of the Year Applications Open
Applications for the 2022 Classified School Employees of the Year (CSEY) Program are now open. Presented by the CDE, the Classified School Employees Association, and California Casualty, the CSEY Program highlights contributions of classified school employees who support the education of California’s more than six million public school students. The program identifies and honors exemplary classified school employees throughout California in the following nine occupational specialties: paraprofessional, clerical and administrative services, transportation services, food and nutrition services, custodial and maintenance services, security services, health and student services, technical services, and skilled trades. Deadline for applications is Friday, April 8, 2022. The 2022 CSEY application and more information is available on the CDE CSEY web page.
WEBINARS
Advancing School-Based Mental Health in California Schools—March 8
Come join the California Center for School Climate
, a CDE initiative operated by WestEd, during the upcoming Peer Learning Exchange on March 8, 2022, from 1 to 2 p.m. to engage in discussions with other educator leaders and student support providers on advancing school-based mental health in schools. The Children’s Partnership will provide an overview of key components of school-based mental health models, and present data to demonstrate that whole-child approaches to student success are integral to the achievement of students in California, especially students from marginalized communities. Register for the California Center for School Climate Peer Learning Exchange via Zoom
. For more information, contact Hilva Chan, Education Programs Consultant at [email protected].
Mind Out Loud Virtual Event for Middle and High School Students—March 12
The CDE is pleased to partner with Wellness Together School Mental Health and the San Diego County Office of Education to co-sponsor the 2nd Annual Mind Out Loud (MOL) Virtual Student Mental Health Event. We invite you and your middle and high school students to participate in this free event on Saturday, March 12, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event will encourage middle and high school students from across California, the U.S., and around the world to hear from each other about mental health and wellness, gain practical tools and resources to advocate for their peers on campus, and to expose them to MOL’s Four Pillars of Mental Health: Personal Wellness, Suicide Prevention, Support for Marginalized Communities, Awareness and Advocacy. For more information on involving your middle and high school students in the MOL 2022 event and the ongoing MOL Student Rep Program, please visit the MOL website
. For more information, contact Monica Nepomuceno, Interim Education Administrator, at [email protected].
Spring Early Literacy Virtual Professional Learning Network (PLN)—March 30
The PLN is sponsored by the CDE in collaboration with the California Collaborative for Excellence in Education through the Expert Lead in Literacy grant. Join Sacramento County Office of Education, district, and site colleagues, as well as collaborators interested in literacy, on March 30, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. as we learn about evidence-based practices in early literacy, grades TK-3.
Dr. Carol Tolman will kick off our event with a keynote address on the topic of Scarborough’s Rope: Language Comprehension. In breakout sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field of reading instruction for English learners, whole-child design, and inclusive practices in literacy. There will be an optional opportunity from 12:40 p.m. to 1 p.m. to connect with colleagues from your region to discuss implications for your work. This event is free of charge. Register for the Early Literacy Virtual Professional Learning Network
.
Celebrations
Sarah Neville-Morgan Awarded National Fellowship
Congratulations to CDE’s Deputy Superintendent Sarah Neville-Morgan, who was selected by the Annie E. Casey Foundation as one of 15 leaders for the 12th class of its Children and Family Fellowship. These accomplished leaders from the public, non-profit and for-profit sectors will use the 21-month Fellowship to work within their agencies, organizations and communities toward specific, measurable improvements for large numbers of young people and families. The new Fellows are based in 12 states. The Fellowship is an intensive executive leadership program designed to give more child- and family-serving professionals the confidence and competence to lead major system reforms and community change initiatives. State Superintendent Thurmond is also a notable alumnus of the program. Read more on the Annie E. Casey Foundation website
.
SPI Thurmond Expresses Thanks to 2022 California Teachers of the Year
On March 2, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond congratulated and expressed thanks to the five 2022 California Teachers of the Year (TOY) honorees during a virtual meeting. In his remarks, Thurmond recognized each educator’s resilience for not ever letting up in their commitment to their students, even throughout the pandemic. The Teacher of the Year program is to honor the teaching professional and heighten interest in teaching as a career. These exceptional teachers are ambassadors for the profession. Alondra Diaz, a third-grade general education and dual immersion teacher at Ralph A. Gates Elementary School in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, was named as California’s representative to the National Teacher of the Year program. Learn more about Diaz and the honorees in this CDE news release announcing the 2022 TOYs.
Lead the Way—Documentary Film
CDE’s American Indian Education Centers developed a video that was just accepted to the Sacramento Film Festival. View the preview on The RISE Channel
.
SPI Thurmond Celebrates Read Across America Day
On March 2, as part of a celebration of Read Across America Day, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond visited Jordan Academy of Language and Computer Science in the Orange Unified School District to read to students. Superintendent Thurmond read “Say Something!” by author Peter H. Reynolds, and donated the book to the school after he discussed the importance of literacy with students. He also partnered with Assemblymember Mia Bonta to introduce Assembly Bill 2465, a bill that would establish a grant program for community literacy and education enrichment through partnerships between schools and community-based organizations. Read more on this CDE news release.
Important Dates and Deadlines
National School Breakfast Week
The CDE encourages all California schools to participate in National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) taking place March 7–11, 2022. This year’s theme is Take Off with School Breakfast. NSBW is an excellent time to celebrate how your school’s breakfast program supports a successful launch into learning.
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Last Reviewed: Friday, March 4, 2022
