MCOE News The newsletter of the Monterey County Office of Education

J u n e 2 0 1 5 V o l u m e 4 , I s s u e 5

Mission

The Monterey County

Office of Education

provides the leadership,

support and service

excellence needed to

prepare the diverse

students of Monterey

County for success in

each step of their

educational journey.

Vision

Every student’s

educational experience

will prepare them for

success as productive

and contributing

members of our global

society.

Pencils, pens, notebooks, and a calculator are all basic necessities for success in the classroom, but for many of the 7,170 students across Monterey County who are living in homeless or near homeless conditions, these essentials are out of reach.

To address that need, United Way Monterey County and the Monterey County Office of Education are once again spearheading the “Stuff the Bus” campaign to provide essential school supplies to Monterey County students who are living unsheltered, in a hotel/motel, temporary shelter, or doubled up in homes.

Community sponsors will display school bus-themed collection boxes and accept donations during the month of July. To find the nearest donation site, visit the United Way Monterey County website.

This year, for the first time, you can also make donations from your cell phone: text STB15 to 71777 to donate.

On August 1, over 100 volunteers will meet at MCOE to stuff the donated supplies into backpacks, and deliver them to homeless student liaisons for distribution to students most in need.

The campaign is supported by the following sponsors: Bianchi, Kasavan & Pope, Blach Construction, Central Coast Federal Credit Union, Fidelity Investments, First 5 Monterey County, Golden 1 Credit Union, K to College, Pierson & Associates, Rabobank, and Wells Fargo Bank.

Providing School Supplies to Students in Need

It’s Time to Stuff the Bus

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M C O E N e w s

June is the month when we wrap up the school year, recognize the accomplishments of our students and teachers, and turn our attention to summer activities.

In June, MCOE celebrated the graduation of 67 high school students from our Alternative Education Program. We are all very proud of these students who showed so much determination and dedication in earning their degrees or GED certificates.

June also offers exciting learning opportunities. In this edition of MCOE News, you will read about an innovative “readers theater” project from MCOE’s Visually Impaired Program. We will also pay a visit to San Ardo Elementary School, where students learn science while launching rockets and racing boats at STEM Camp.

Our cover story highlights the fifth annual Stuff the Bus donation campaign, which provides essential school supplies to students living in homeless or near-homeless situations.

Looking ahead, MCOE will once again host a summer Teacher Recruitment Fair, where teachers and those interested in a career in education will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with recruiters from school districts in Monterey County.

I hope you have a wonderful summer and will enjoy reading these stories, and more, in this edition of MCOE News.

Message From the Superintendent:

“We are all very proud

of these (Alternative

Education) students who

showed so much

determination and

dedication in earning their

degrees or GED

certificates.”

- Dr. Nancy Kotowski

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Students Learn About Science and Practice Trial and Error

During STEM Camp, June 17-19 at San Ardo Elementary School, South Monterey County K-12 students got to assume the roles of Avengers, Survivor castaways, and a CSI team. What better way to learn about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) than by launching rockets, tying knots, and doing forensic research?

The summer learning program was funded by Chevron, coordinated by the Monterey County Office of Education, and offered free of charge to K-12 students in South Monterey County.

“We see this as an investment in a community where we operate,” said Adam Alvidrez, Community Engagement Specialist with Chevron. “Students get excited about STEM in general, and maybe that sparks a passion for STEM-based careers in such industries as aerospace or agriculture.”

M C O E N e w s T h e n e w s l e t t e r o f t h e M o n t e r e y C o u n t y O f f i c e o f E d u c a t i o n

“Up, Up and Away” on STEM Camp Avengers Day

South Monterey County STEM Camp

On Avengers Day, students learned about propulsion using a bicycle pump and water to launch plastic bottles into the air. Successful rocket launches earned cheers and high fives, while unsuccessful efforts meant a trip back to the drawing board.

“That is the scientific method. We design, test, and redesign until it’s right,” said Brandon Swift, MCOE STEM coordinator.

On Survivor Day, students learned the basics of tying Alpine Butterfly and Bowline knots – useful skills when camping, climbing or even moving furniture.

“The students really enjoy the hands on experience,” said Dr. Catherine Reimer, San Ardo Union School District Superintendent. “We are extremely grateful for what Chevron has provided in this community. For students in rural areas, this is an exceptional opportunity to be exposed to STEM instruction.” Knot-tying on Survivor Day

Students from schools in the San Ardo, San Lucas, San Antonio, and King City Union school districts attended the camp.

Other activities included Untying the Human Knot, Styrofoam Balloon Boat Races, Zero Gravity Eggs, and building a 3-D topographic model from a flat map. That would be a busy schedule for most of us, but then again, most of us aren’t members of the Avenger/Survivor/CSI team .

Campers practice teamwork and physics at STEM Camp

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How Many Years?

“Farewell to Friends” Retirement Ceremony

One is working on her ranch, some are volunteering their time, while others have simply turned off the alarm clock and are enjoying the extra sleep. In all, 32 members of the MCOE family are headed into retire-ment, after giving years of service to the Monterey County Office of Education.

They were recognized May 14th with speeches, cheers and more than a few tears, at the annual “Farewell to Friends” retirement ceremony.

Here are the retirees, listed by department:

Alternative Education – Lori Sanchez, Michael Uppman. Business Services – Michael Cavanaugh, Joan Madden, Mary Murguia, Joyce Reese, Sharon Valenzuela. Head Start – Sylvia Campos, Lila Cann, Carol Galginaitis, Rosalva Torres, Vijaya Varadarajan. Migrant Education – Vicky Mora Escobar. SELPA – Barbara Achen Hughes. Special Education – Juanita Abella, Sonia Chapa, Mary Helen Crozier, Jane Cummings, Robert Gadbois, Janet Lewis, Jean Manning, William “Gui” Milgate, Estrella Oliver, Lynne Thayer, Holly Thompson, Erlinda Villasenor, Linda Westoby, Linda Yellich, Sarah Young. Transportation – Azora Bonilla, Ron Horn, Barbara Southworth.

Recognition for Careers in Education

The Monterey County Office of Education celebrated several milestone anniversary dates in June. Pictured above left: Dr. Nancy Kotowski leads the applause for Garry Bousum, Associate Superintendent for Finance & Business Services, who marked 35 years with MCOE. Other honorees included Sherry Zamora (15 years), Bei Kong (15 years), and Loreto Albento (25 years). Pictured above right: Juanita Martinez, Executive Assistant in Student Services, is front and center as MCOE administrators and staff gather to recognize her 30-year career with MCOE.

(Left to Right) Mariphil Romanow-Cole, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education, Linda Yellich, retiring AB Ingham School principal, and Barry Browns, MCOE Communications Officer

MCOE Employees Celebrate Anniversary Dates

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Fast Takes: Students, Teachers and Staff on the Move

Ninety-two Monterey County Home Charter School students graduated from high school at MCHCS commencement ceremonies June 4. Student speakers were Mary Chavez, Hailey Harrington, and Vincent Tiscornia.

Yefry Samael Diaz Mata delivers the Valedictory Address during the commencement ceremony for MCOE’s Alternative Education Program, held June 4 at Sherwood Hall in Salinas. Sixty-seven graduating high school students and 10 advancing 8th graders were recognized during the ceremony. Mata was the winner of the Hispanic Heritage Poetry Contest

Representatives from CalRTA, the California Retired Teachers Association, visited the Monterey County Board of Education on May 20th to present a check facsimile, signifying the value of volunteer hours provided by CalRTA members in 2014-2015. The value of their volunteer service was $665,086.25

Students pose with their Love mural, which will be displayed this summer at the World Music Festival of the Sierras. The work is the creation of Charlie Clingman and Chris Pederson, two Big Sur artists who collaborated with teacher Dave Allan and a group of (mostly 1st-4th grade) students from Pacific Valley School in the Big Sur Unified School District.

Submit your picture today. If you have pictures from a student or staff event that you’d like to see published, please send them to

barrybrown@monterey.k12.ca.us with a brief description of the event or activity, along with the names and departments represented.

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Building a Safer World

Tech Challenge Addresses Seismic Safety

Californians are no strangers to earthquakes. Major fault lines run jaggedly across the state, and the ground beneath us is constantly shifting. The chance that a large, powerful earthquake will someday rock the state poses a great challenge for urban planners and engineers as they work to construct homes and buildings that can withstand large seismic events.

In late April, students (grades 4-8) from across Northern California undertook the challenge of building an earthquake-safe structure at the 28th annual Tech Challenge at the Tech Museum of Innovation in downtown San Jose.

In all, 63 teams from Monterey County participated in the Tech Challenge Program, and 41 teams came to the event in San Jose, including a busload of 4th and 5th grade students from Greenfield, who rode over 2-1/2 hours to participate. Wearing bright yellow hardhats, they presented their structures to the judges who interviewed the teams, and tested their structures.

Karen Hansen, a 5th and 6th grade teacher with the International School of Monterey, was honored as the first winner of the Bob Grimm Award for an Extraordinary Educator. The award is named in memory of Bob Grimm, who helped found The Tech, and the Tech Challenge.

“I love that Karen never drives her students to pursue certain designs,” said Abby Longcor, Director of the Tech Challenge. “Instead, she encourages them to experiment, allowing them to develop critical thinking skills and determine what their next steps should be.”

Hansen was recognized for encouraging and supporting her students to engage in hands-on engineering design, for providing guidance to other educators, and hosting Test Trials in her classroom, where students can test their designs and get feedback from judges.

Next year’s Tech Challenge theme is Flight. The event is sponsored by Cisco, Aruba Networks, SAP, EMC, Intel, Motorola Solutions Foundation and Samsung.

Over 2,000 students attended the Tech Challenge (above), April 23-24 in San Jose,

including a team from Greenfield (right) who proudly displayed their Seismic

Safety project.

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Readers Theater Teaches Multiple Skills

Summer Program for Vision-impaired Students

They are far too young to remember old-time radio dramas like The Shadow or The Lone Ranger, but students enrolled in MCOE’s Vision Impaired extended school year program are doing much the same thing: bringing written stories to life through Readers Theater.

Reading from large type or braille texts, students use their voices to depict characters in stories like “The Fourth Little Pig.” They even provide sound effects, just like those old radio shows. Readers Theater helps to strengthen a student’s reading and public speaking skills while building teamwork.

A student reviews his script before reading

his lines aloud during Readers Theater.

The sound effects team is ready with kazoos, wood blocks and

rattles.

All the pieces come together during a performance of Readers Theater. Teachers will

record the stories so students can share their work with their families and friends.

Please send items for publication, comments and suggestions to Barry

Brown at barrybrown@monterey.k12.ca.us. or Teri James at

tjames@monterey.k12.ca.us.

Welcome to the Monterey County Office of Education. Please

join us in working together to prepare our students for the

future. Preparing students for success requires a unified and

coordinated effort between home, school and the community.

The Monterey County Office of Education provides leadership

to galvanize our community around support for the public's

educational system.

Our goal is to equip every student to thrive in the global econo-

my, to enrich the cultural and intellectual resources of their

community and state, and to contribute to a strong and demo-

cratic American society.

Monterey County has many world-renowned resources. And, of

them all, our children are our most precious resource and hope

for the future.

MCOE News

Monterey County Superintendent of Schools

Nancy Kotowski, Ph.D.

Monterey County Board of Education Members

Mary Claypool, President

Ronald Panziera, Vice President

John McPherson

Sergio Alejo

Francisco Javier Estrada

Harvey Kuffner

Ronald Panziera

Judy Pennycook

Editor: Barry Brown

Tel: 831.755.0301 Fax: 831.755.6473

901 Blanco Circle | Salinas | CA | 93912

Carmel Schools Win State & Federal Honors

Carmel High School was named a Gold Ribbon School by the California Department of Education. (L-R) Brandon Swift, MCOE Stem Coordinator, Dr. Deneen Guss, Monterey County Deputy Superintendent, Juan Gomez, Carmel High School math coach, State Superintendent Tom Torlakson, Barbara Steinberg, Carmel High School ELA coach, Rick Lopez, Carmel High School principal, and Marvin Biasotti, Superintendent of the Carmel Unified School District. The school was also ranked as one of the best high schools in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

The U.S. Department of Education designated Carmel Middle School as a Green Ribbon School for its efforts to reduce environ-mental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education. Carmel Middle School is one of only 58 schools across the nation to receive the honor. Pictured above are Marvin Biasotti, Superintendent of the Carmel Unified School District, Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Ken Griest, Carmel Middle school principal.