Educational Services Newsletter
January 13, 2023
Message from CAO/Educational Services
Hello Wonderful WCCUSD Staff & Partners,
Hope everyone had a great week back! I know it can be challenging after some time off but I believe that we are off to a great start to our Spring Semester.
Please make sure you read through our entire newsletter for the highlights from our different departments and for upcoming events.
- 1/16- MLK Jr Holiday NO SCHOOL
- 1/24- Principal Learning Walk & Ops Meeting, 8:30am-4:00pm
- 1/25- Board Meeting @ DeJean MS, 6:30pm-10:30pm
- 1/31- 100th Day of School
I also want to shout out Madera Elementary & Kensington Elementary for their recent recognition as 2023 California Distinguished Schools Award. We are truly excited and happy about this and their exemplary work! Thank you Madera & Kensington Staff for your hard work! This award would not have been possible without you!
We are also looking forward to next month as we Celebrate Black History. There are a few resources below that you could use at your sites.
Please remember that we are a phone call or email away if you need support or have any questions. I am looking forward to visiting some schools this week. Again thank you for all your hard work, we could not do this without you!
LaResha Huffman
CAO/Associate Superintendent
Important Dates
1/16
MLK Jr Holiday
NO SCHOOL
1/24
Principal Learning Walk & Ops Meeting
8:30am-4:00pm
1/25
Board Meeting @ DeJean MS
6:30pm-10:30pm
1/31
100th Day of School
FYI free opportunities below from CDE:
To Our School District Leaders and Partners:
I would like to extend this invitation to schools in your district to participate in Project Cal-STOP, a no-cost violence prevention and mental health training program available through a unique partnership between the California Department of Education, Sandy Hook Promise, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
As school leaders on the frontline throughout the pandemic, you know all too well that we face an unprecedented crisis in student, family and community mental health across our state and our nation. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has declared the mental health crisis facing our youth a “national emergency.” Here in California, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has identified student mental health and wellbeing as a key priority of his administration. As part of this focus, Superintendent Thurmond has secured federal funding to ensure the services of Project Cal-STOP are available to schools across the state at no cost.
Project Cal-STOP provides students and staff at schools in your district with the following trainings and supports:
• Youth Mental Health First Aid – this is a nationally recognized online, asynchronous training for school staff in all grade levels
• Sandy Hook Promise’s Start with Hello, Say Something, and Students Against Violence Everywhere Promise Club – for secondary students (grades six and up)
• National Alliance on Mental Illness on Campus High School Clubs – for high school students
I have seen the power of these programs in action, and I know they will make a difference for students and families in your district. These programs support student mental health, promote student connectedness, equip staff to better support students, and empower students to promote a culture of wellness on school campus. All we need you to do is sign up. Please complete the linked Project CAL-STOP Interest Form by Tuesday, January 31, 2023. The attached flyer provides additional information or check out the Project Cal-STOP web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/mh/projectcalstop.asp.
If you have any questions please email me at SZimmer@cde.ca.gov or reach out to Hilva Chan, Education Programs Consultant, at hchan@cde.ca.gov. Thank you for all you do to support California’s students and their families.
Pinole Valley High School's Black History Month Celebration 2023
Please find the flier attached for our annual Black History Month Celebration that will be in person on Saturday, February 18, 2023 from 1pm-2:30pm. It will take place in the Theater.
Tickets are $25 and include a full course dinner (vegetarian options will be provided. Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday 1/3/2023. If you are not able to attend but wish to sponsor a student, please contact Michele Lamons-Raiford at Pinole Valley High School. There will be no admittance to the event without a ticket purchased, even if you do not plan to eat dinner.
The event will be hosted by PV's African American Student Union (AASU).
Performances and Contributions by: AASU, Indian/Pakistani (IndoPak), Latinos Unidos, Pinoy Club, Forensic, Speech and Debate Members, American Sign Language (ASL) Program Members, Concert Choir, Jazz Band, Drumline, Dance, Art, Ceramics, Photography, Videography and more!
Thanks in advance for saving the date! :)
Take care everyone! :)
Michele Lamons-Raiford
Eugena Stewart
Troy McConico
Shannon Jones
Pinole Valley AASU
Standards Institute in February 2023
Registration is now open for Standards Institute in Anaheim (Feb 6-10, 2023).
Chamberlin Education Foundation can sponsor up to 50 attendees if you as the site leader can cover all travel costs, including transportation and hotel. If you plan to attend you will need to inform your Executive Director and ensure you have coverage and that your teachers also have coverage. Please let your ED know if you are interested in attending.
I am also sharing their recent story that provides some details about the benefits educators have found in past visits.
Thank you,
LaResha
Education Fair
Hello WCCUSD School Leaders,
I am bringing this to the top of your inbox. Thank you to all the schools who have already responded. We are excited to see the list growing.
As a reminder, the in-person fair will take place Saturday, January 28th 10am-12pm. This is an opportunity to connect one-on-one with families throughout West Contra Costa and showcase all the tremendous work you are doing. You will be joined by K-12 schools, community organizations, and local colleges.
At the event, there will be a community book swap where families can bring gently used books their children have outgrown and take home new titles to refresh their home libraries. We invite participants to bring some, take some OR bring some, take none OR bring none and take some. Our goal is for students to have new books to support the love of reading.
The WCC Education Fair will also continue the West Contra Costa School Champion Awards to honor all of the hard work of West Contra Costa’s school support staff. We are excited to recognize these incredible individuals with an awards ceremony starting at 10:30am. Have a support staff member you want to celebrate? Nominate them here.
We hope you and/or members of your community will be able to join the event and host a table.
Event Details
When: January 28, 2023
Time: 10am-12pm (Set-up at 9:30am)
Location: DeJean Middle School
If you are interested in participating, please review our Tabling Guidelines and complete this form to confirm your participation no later than Dec 16. Please complete one form per school/organization.
In partnership,
Natalie Tovani-Walchuk
Executive Director
GO Public Schools West Contra Costa
GO Public Schools Advocates West Contra Costa
Cell: 510-219-6708
Richmond, CA 94801
Department Updates
Family & Community Engagement, Positive School Climate & TK-12 Schools
Family & Community Engagement (Martine Blake)
Community Schools - Shakira Reynolds
On December 15, FACE, in partnership with Public Advocates and Bay Area Coalition for Education Justice, hosted our second Impact Education workshop. We discussed the Transformative Family Engagement Standards, and in breakouts, reviewed the Six Root Causes of Ineffective Family and Student Engagement. The youth breakout group was facilitated by the Student Board Trustees. We will be planning a third workshop, which we expect to hold in late March/Early April to solicit further ideas on strengthening WCCUSD’s areas of need and further connect this to our Community Schools initiative.
Expanded Learning - Kasey Blackburn-Jiron
The Expanded Learning Office is currently reviewing data from summer 2022 as part of its planning process for summer 2023. Last summer, using both ELO-P and 21CCLC funding, the Expanded Learning Office served 1,967 students through a combination of 8 full-day summer camps operated by youth-serving community partners; 8 half day summer programming at district summer school sites; and 7 community based summer programs. Participation was highest amongst rising Kinder through rising 7th graders (ELO-P funding is for TK-6th grade). Demographic data shows 55% of participants were Hispanic/Latinx; 19% Black; 13.6% API; 4.7% White; 2% Native American/Alaskan Native. This summer, the Expanded Learning Office will be partnering once again with community partners and WCCUSD’s Curriculum INstruction and Assessment Departments to offer a combination of summer programming options with the goal of serving 3,000 students district wide.
Positive School Climate & OAASA - LaShante Smith
Attendance and Enrollment
The Attendance and Enrollment team partnered with the Communications Department to begin an enrollment campaign. We know that our schools offer valuable programs and services, and we want to highlight our schools to all of the families in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, including the families we may have lost to surrounding schools and districts. In addition to working with site admin on promotion materials, we are exploring the following recruitment strategies:
Strategic mailings and outreach to families
Direct mail campaign
Ad placement in local publications
Press Release to media outlets
Ad at Department Motor Vehicles El Cerrito
Attendance at the WCCUSD Enrollment Fair
Radio Ads
Billboards
Social Media Advertising
In addition, we have moved the IntraDistrict transfer application round to coincide with the Open Enrollment period which begins on January 17th, 2023. This means that families will be able to enroll in our district AND apply to another school within our District at the same time. We are hoping this streamlined process makes it easier for families. All families will receive notification of school placement or waitlist status
Ultimately, we want to continue to showcase all of the wonderful opportunities for students in the West Contra Costa Unified School District.
Chronic Absenteeism
"80% of success is showing up!"- Attendance Works
We know that student achievement is limited when students do not attend school on a regular basis. We also know that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to impact student attendance.
As part of our campaign to increase attendance, we are working with school sites to complete attendance conferences. Attendance conferences allow school staff to connect directly with students and families to understand the root cause of their excessive absences. This information helps the school site to provide interventions, supports, and resources to the student and family. In addition, attendance conferences are an excellent way to build relationships and connect directly with families. Further, we are finalizing a contract with Counseling Options and Parent Education (C.O.P.E.). The partnership with C.O.P.E. will allow us to provide intensive support to students who have not responded to site level interventions.
TK-12 Schools - (Keisha Joyner, Koy Hill & Summer Sigler)
School Highlight
Montalvin Manor K-8 held its 6th Annual Toy Drive giveaway. The event was hosted by Coach Pete and Nelda Welten, Office Clerk; the volunteers are former WCCUSD Graduates. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen for the students, Coach Pete and Ms. Welten for hosting, and the alums for your generosity in giving back to your community.
2023 California Distinguished Schools
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that more than 350 elementary schools have been selected for the prestigious 2023 California Distinguished Schools Program. California Distinguished Schools represent examples of not just excellent teaching, learning, and collaboration, but also highly successful, data-driven school efforts ranging from professional development for educators to mental health and social-emotional wellness strategies to address the needs of students and families
Congratulations to Kensington Elementary and Madera Elementary for receiving the California Distinguished School Award!
Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment (STEM)
Library Services - (Gabriel Chilcott, Francie Kunaniec & Team)
In 2021 the city of Richmond celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Sister City relationship with Shimada, Japan. The Shimada Foundation published a children’s picture book to commemorate this partnership. Copies of A Bridge of Friendship: The Beginning of the Shimada-Richmond Sister Cities Relationship are being sent to WCCUSD’s 18 Richmond elementary school libraries this month. The English / Japanese bilingual book honors decades of international friendship, in addition to providing an historical perspective of local government activities.
Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment (Literacy) & OAASA
Literacy (Elizabeth Henry, Sonja Bell & Team)
On January 10, 2023, the WCCUSD Literacy Department hosted an afterschool PD session for TK/Kindergarten teachers on the engaging use of decodable texts, leveled texts, browsable nonfiction & wordless picture books to support foundational skills instruction. 20+ teachers left the session energized and with a number of supportive instructional strategies to use with students.
WCCUSD Literacy Department met with site leaders to recommend the use of Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs) as an instructional tool for grades 3-11 to ensure students are building confidence, stamina and familiarity with the online test taking platform and teachers are provided valuable information about students’ strengths or needs in relation to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Resources and tools were provided to leaders to engage teachers around which IABs will be administered and how students will interface with the platform. Communication will also be sent directly to teachers and office hours/ trainings will be held.
Upcoming Professional Learning:
SIPPS 101/Launching SIPPS Professional Development 1/18/23, 3:15-4:45
This session is designed for teachers and administrators just getting started with SIPPS.
Literacy PD for 1st/2nd Grade Teachers, 1/24/23, 3:00-5:00
This session is specifically designed for 1st/2nd teachers, and is facilitated by Teachers College Staff Developer Sarah Mann.
College & Career
(Allison Huie & Team)
RHS Health Academy Students get real world training from San Pablo PD
Before the Winter Break, the San Pablo Police Department trained RHS Health Academy students how to administer the life-saving overdose medicine, Narcan.
As part of their in-class unit on the brain, addiction, and overdoses, students got to hear from Officer Banayat (8 years), Sgt. Blaisdell (12 years), and Officer Martinez (5 years) about their experience in the field with drugs in our community, overdoses, patrolling, helping juveniles, and their careers in law enforcement.
As part of the presentation, students learned about the very real danger that opioid like fentanyl present nationwide and in our very own communities. They learned that these controlled substances can be very difficult to distinguish from others and often contaminate other substances so that individuals aren’t even aware of ingesting them until they overdose. As part of their certification, students got to practice administering Narcan to the class mannequin, Ms. Keisha!
The importance of addressing the opioid epidemic, and the dangers of fentanyl specifically, with students was addressed by our state Superintendent, Tony Thurmond, in a CDE press release earlier this year. The training that students in the RHS Health Pathway received is one positive step in addressing this real problem facing our communities and youth.
English Learner Achievement
The EL Achievement Team visited Newcomer Academies at Helms and RHS with the new Internationals Network director and coach. Students were completing their end of semester projects and getting ready for their academic goals reflection presentations. Our team observed strong academic students' conversations and engagement.
The EL Teacher Leader CoP meeting this week was a success! Thirty participating teacher leaders are nearing specialist status with Ellevation data and EL focus strategies.
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Email: LaResha.Huffman@wccusd.net
Website: www.wccusd.net
Location: 1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA, USA
Phone: (510) 231-1130