April turned out to be very eventful for public education in California.
About two weeks ago, the Obama Administration and U.S. Department of Education approved California's application for State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF), making California the first state in the nation to be approved. These funds will bring much relief to education; providing a total of $4.9 billion for kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) schools and institutions of higher education in California over the next two years.
Following the federal approval of California's application, my staff worked closely with the Schwarzenegger Administration to create an easy-to-use web application for local districts to apply for their share of the SFSF funds. I urge all county offices of education, school districts, and direct-funded charter schools who have not yet applied to act quickly so they will be eligible to receive their share of the first installment of the SFSF payments. Already, more than 1,500 applications have been completed and submitted.
President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are key partners in our efforts to ensure that California's 6.3 million students continue to receive a high-quality education during these challenging times for our nation. Without question, the SFSF will have an immediate and noticeable impact on California's public schools, colleges, and universities. These funds will help schools keep teachers and other education staff employed, continue our efforts to improve student achievement, and help our work to close the achievement gap.
In other news, for the last few days, I have been traveling the state to encourage the education community to redouble their efforts to guard against the spread of H1N1 influenza, commonly known as the swine flu. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the outbreak began in Mexico where it has forced the closure of schools and other public facilities. At this point, the CDC and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) have recommended that in California, a local health officer should direct the dismissal of students from schools in which there has been at least one confirmed or highly probable case of the H1N1 influenza. To date, county health officers have ordered students dismissed at more than two dozen public schools in California to help mitigate the spread of the flu outbreak.
A frequently updated list of schools ordered by public health officers to dismiss students due to H1N1 virus can be found on the H1N1 Flu Update - Hot Topics [Note: the preceding Web address is no longer valid]. The most recent recommendations from the CDC and the CDPH are for students to stay home from school for 14 days following the last known confirmed case of the H1N1 flu.
This flu outbreak provides a sobering reminder that all schools, preschools, and child care agencies should have up-to-date safety plans that include a response to the threat of pandemic flu. There are resources on the CDE Web site that can help districts develop such plans. I also encourage schools and districts take advantage of other resources, like the "Keep Our Schools Healthy" information toolkit, and sample letters in multiple languages that can be used to keep parents updated on the flu situation and on how to avoid the spread of germs and viruses. The posters may be downloaded from the CDE Flu Prevention Web page.
This situation remains fluid, and I will continue to work with leaders in our health community to get the latest information and keep our education community fully apprised of any developments in this matter.
Honoring Teachers
This month we honor the fifth of our five 2009 California Teachers of the Year — last but not least — Mark Teeters, who teaches choral music and is chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Vintage High School in the Napa Valley Unified School District.
"Music can be a powerful tool in our quest for a quality education for all children. Music transcends race and culture, socioeconomic status, special needs, and English proficiency. All children have an equal chance in a music classroom. Please embrace music as part of the core curriculum," Mr. Teeters wrote in his California Teacher of the Year application.
"I guarantee that your students, no matter what subjects you teach, will be better for it. They will be stronger, smarter, more motivated, calmer, happier, and more likely to stay in school. Music can help math and social studies and reading teachers be the best they can be by helping bring out the best in students."
It is no secret to anyone that Mr. Teeters is passionate that the arts remain or, in many cases, become an integral part of every child's education. As his students often exclaim, "Keep the Art in SMART!"
"There is overwhelming evidence that music improves academic performance and provides a creative outlet for teenagers," he says. "Furthermore, music has always had the power to make languages, culture, and history come alive in ways unrivaled by any textbook. In a time when many teenagers are disaffected at home, alienated or separated from adults and sometimes even from their peers, music connects them in real ways."
Principal Eric Schneider gives him a standing ovation: "Over the past four years, Mark Teeters has done something that no other person in the entire Napa Valley could have possibly done: Mark has brought jaw-dropping, fully staged, thematically challenging Broadway musicals to the sleepy town of Napa."
Napa Valley Unified School District Superintendent John P. Glaser is also often in the audience: "I personally love attending their performances because I so enjoy the results and I enjoy watching the alchemy of his teaching."
Mr. Teeters earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education at Northern Arizona University in 1993 and a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Oklahoma in 1999.
State Nurse Consultant Linda Davis-Alldritt Elected to head National Association
California Department of Education School Nurse and Health Services Consultant, Linda Davis-Alldritt, RN, MA, PHN, FNASN, FASHA, has been elected President-elect of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN).
Ms. Davis-Alldritt will be installed at the annual NASN meeting in Boston in late June. In her role as NASN President-elect, she will provide leadership to the approximately 15,000 NASN members throughout the United States and in the U.S. Defense Department Schools around the world.
Ms. Davis-Alldritt has a master's degree in sociology from California State University, Long Beach, a baccalaureate degree in nursing from California State University, Sacramento, and a baccalaureate degree in sociology from the University of California, Davis. Ms. Davis-Alldritt holds credentials from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing in school nursing, administrative services, and community college teaching. Previous experiences include kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) school nursing, school health services administration, and teaching at California State University, Chico and University of California, Davis Extension. She is a past president of the California School Nurses Organization (CSNO).
You can read more about Ms. Davis-Alldritt's accomplishments on the NASN Elections 2009 Web page [http://www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=575] (Outside Source).
2009 School Nutrition Equipment Assistance Grants to be Awarded
As part of the Obama Administration's Federal Economic Stimulus package, the California Department of Education (CDE) was recently awarded $12.8 million in equipment grant funding for school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis with priority given to sites with at least 50 percent of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
On April 22, 2009, the CDE issued a Request for Applications (RFA) to participating SFAs, which was made available on the following CDE Web pages:
- CDE Funding Profile 2009 Equipment Assistance Grants Web page.
- CDE School Nutrition ARRA Equipment Assistance Grant Web page.
- CDE School Nutrition Information Alert: Equipment Assistance Grant Web page.
The grant applications must be returned to the Nutrition Services Division by close of business (5:00 p.m.) May 27, 2009. Our goal is to award these grants by the end of June 2009. While SFAs must encumber their funding within three months of the grant award (September 2009), the CDE strongly encourages SFAs to expend the funding during that same three month period.
Due to the short time frame allocated for awarding, encumbering, and spending these grants funds, interested SFAs should immediately begin compiling their equipment needs, obtaining price quotes, and completing their grant applications.
In order to make the most effective use of the NSLP equipment assistance grant funds, the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that SFAs must consider the following four focus areas:
- Equipment that lends itself to improving the quality of school food service meals that meet the dietary guidelines (e.g., an equipment alternative to a deep fryer)
- Equipment that improves the safety of food served in the school meal programs (e.g., cold/hot holding equipment, dish washing equipment, refrigeration, freezers, blast chillers, etc.)
- Equipment that improves the overall energy efficiency of the school food service operations (e.g., an energy-efficient walk in freezer to replace an outdated, energy-demanding freezer)
- Equipment that allows SFAs to support expanded participation in a school meal program (e.g., equipment for serving meals in a non-traditional setting or to better utilize cafeteria space)
If you have questions regarding the Equipment Assistance Grants, please contact Rae Vant, School Nutrition Programs Specialist, School Nutrition Programs Unit, by phone at 916-445-6775 or 800-952-5609 (select options 2-2-4) or by e-mail at equipmentgrant@cde.ca.gov.
If you have questions regarding procuring equipment (price quotes, bids, contracts), please contact Stacey Epstein, School Nutrition Programs Specialist, School Nutrition Programs Unit, by phone at 916-322-3934 or 800-952-5609 (select options 2-2-5) or by e-mail at equipmentgrant@cde.ca.gov.
State Allocation Board Announcement of Nearly $7 Billion in Bonds Sold
At the April 22, 2009, State Allocation Board meeting, it was announced that $6.85 billion in bonds have been sold to fund schools, roads, and other vital infrastructure projects.
Included in the sale were the Build America Bonds that are part of the Obama Administration's economic recovery package. The release of these funds will allow districts to start critically needed school repair and construction projects, and restart project stalled when the Pooled Money Investment Board froze state funds in December 2008.
A list of the projects for which funding was released is available on the California Department of Finance Bond Information Regarding Bond Funded Infrastructure Projects Web page [http://www.dof.ca.gov/infrastructure/bond_funded_projects/] (Outside Source).
Accountability Leadership Institute for English Learner, Immigrant, and Migrant Students on Tap
The Language Policy and Leadership Office and the Migrant Education Office are combining efforts this year as they prepare to hold the Tenth Annual Accountability Leadership Institute for English Learner, Immigrant, and Migrant Students on December 7-8, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in Burlingame.
This institute is part of the California Department of Education's effort to provide technical assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) in implementing No Child Left Behind (NCLB), Title I and Title III. The information presented will assist LEAs in implementing effective programs and accountability systems to improve the achievement of English learners, immigrant, and migrant students. The event is designed for superintendents, administrators, evaluators, and instructional leaders involved in the implementation of state and federal programs for English learners, immigrant, and migrant students.
The 2009 focus is "Coordinating Improvement Efforts, Building Synergies" and reflects the belief that educators at all levels must align improvement efforts across programs to best leverage scarce resources and to maximize benefits for educators and students. The potential benefit is highly promising with English learners (EL), immigrant, and migrant students who are served by Title I, Title III, and Migrant programs.
Focus areas include: Policy and Legislation; Promising Practices, Connections, and Opportunities; Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability; and Curriculum and Instruction.
Distinguished keynote speakers include Dr. Sharroky Hollie, Executive Director of the Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning, Simón Silva, renowned and inspirational artist, and Dr. Emir Jose Macari, Dean of Engineering and Science at California State University, Sacramento. A variety of workshops will be led by field and education agency experts.
The registration brochure will be posted on the CDE Title III Web page and the CDE Migrant Web page.
If you have questions regarding the Accountability Leadership Institute, please contact Nancy Zarenda, Education Programs Consultant, Language Policy and Leadership Office, by phone at 916-319-0263 or by e-mail at nzarenda@cde.ca.gov.
Countdown to the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System
There are fewer than 100 days until the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) is launched statewide. Currently, 87 school districts, county offices, and charter schools are busily participating in User Acceptance Testing (UAT). The UAT is a process to test the system to ensure that it works properly from the viewpoint of those who will use the system on a daily basis.
These volunteer local educational agencies (LEAs) represent large and small enrollments, urban and rural settings, and are spread geographically throughout our state. We appreciate their help in our implementation of our first statewide longitudinal data system.
Currently, the statewide student identifiers (SSIDs) are issued and stored through the offices of the California School Information Services (CSIS). On July 10, 2009, LEAs will not be able to obtain or maintain their SSIDs through CSIS. That system will be suspended on July 10 in order to provide time to transfer the current data from CSIS into CALPADS. On August 3, 2009 CALPADS will become operational. SSIDs will then be obtained and maintained through CALPADS.
If you have any questions regarding CALPADS, please contact the CALPADS Operations Office by phone at 916-324-6738 or by e-mail at cdecsis@cde.ca.gov. You can also contact Keric Ashley, Director, Data Management Division, by phone at 916-323-5007 or by e-mail at kashley@cde.ca.gov.
California School for the Deaf, Fremont Adopts American Sign Language/English Bilingual Professional Development Training Program
The California School for the Deaf, Fremont (CSDF) is one of two State Special Schools providing a kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) comprehensive educational program for deaf and hard of hearing students. Because English is a second language for Deaf students, CSDF operates as a bilingual and multicultural program. To this end, the CSDF has adopted the American Sign Language (ASL)/English Bilingual Professional Development (AEBPD) training program.
CSDF faculty and staff have studied current trends in the ongoing research of bilingual education. The AEBPD training provides teachers and staff the tools they need to promote language development: literacy, oracy, and signing within an environment that meets the needs of Deaf learners. Visual support, along with an emphasis on technology, is a key element of this training.
The elementary school at CSDF has completed the two-year AEBPD training program. The middle school department will complete its training in June 2009.The CSDF high school currently is in its first year of training. In the fall of 2009, the Early Childhood Education, Special Needs, and Communication departments will begin their training. Within the next few years, all departments at CSDF including the Physical Education, Pupil Personnel Service, and Student Life, will have completed the training.
CSDF has permanent AEBPD mentors who are now able to provide workshops to local educational agency (LEA) representatives wishing to learn more about the current trends in the ongoing research of bilingual education for Deaf children. LEA representatives will have an opportunity to learn about successful bilingual strategies and how to support their schools with deaf students.
LEAs can make request for presenters at staff development training for teachers of the Deaf by contacting Dr. Henry Klopping, Site Superintendent, CSDF, by phone at 510-794-3666. Trainings are limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
State Board of Education Recruiting for a School Administrator
The State Board of Education (SBE) is recruiting to fill a School Administrator vacancy on its Child Nutrition Advisory Council (CNAC). The mission of CNAC is to provide proactive leadership for the enhancement of health and nutrition education for California's youth. The CNAC is composed of 13 individuals representing different segments of the child nutrition community and makes recommendations to the SBE. The council meets once every two to three months, and travel costs are reimbursed by the California Department of Education (CDE).
You can find the CNAC Flyer on the SBE Child Nutrition Advisory Council Web page. You can find the Application for Appointment to Advisory Body form on the SBE Commissions and Committees Application Information Web page.
Please share this recruitment information with principals and/or district administrators who are interested in State School Nutrition Policy.
All applications must be received by the California State Board of Education, 1430 N Street, Suite 5111, Sacramento, CA 95814 by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2009.
Pistachio Fundraising Products Recalled Due to Possible Salmonella Risk
As you have been previously notified, the California Department of Education has been notified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) of a recall of certain pistachios that were distributed nationwide to various schools and other organizations as part of fundraising programs. (They were not distributed through the federal commodity program.) The list of schools that received recalled pistachio notification can be found in the CDPH Web document(Outside Source) [Note: the preceding Web address is no longer valid.].
Specifically, Setton Farms Pistachios and Pleasantville Farms Pistachios may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recall product is Pleasantville Farms 7.5 ounce - In Shell Pistachios packed in pop-top cans. The manufacturer is voluntarily recalling one code, UPC number 79113-41802, with a best-buy date of 10/15/09. This recall is in response to the voluntarily recall of pistachios announced by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc. on April 6, 2009.
Consumers that still have the product in their possession should dispose of the product. No illnesses have been reported to date in relation to this product.
If you would like to receive notices on food recalls directly from the CDPH, please register for their Rapid Alert System on the CDPH Rapid Alert System Web page [http://www.envoyprofiles.com/CDOHS/] (Outside Source). The Rapid Alert System is available free-of-charge to all interested parties and allows subscribers to receive urgent food safety messages, such as recalls of contaminated food through e-mail, fax, voice mail, and pager.
2009 Childhood Obesity Conference Expected to Draw Record Attendance
The 2009 Childhood Obesity Conference will be held on June 9-12, 2009, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The conference is being hosted by the California Department of Education, California Department of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California Endowment, and Kaiser Permanente.
This fifth biennial Childhood Obesity Conference is the expected to be the largest gathering of professionals focused on the prevention of childhood overweight, with an anticipated attendance of 1,800. Please join your peers at the premiere childhood obesity conference in the nation.
The theme of the obesity conference is "Creating Healthy Places for All Children." The conference is devoted to providing the most pressing and innovative issues related to childhood obesity. Six tracks have been developed to address obesity issues from all angles: from research to community, schools/after school, early childhood, healthcare and marketing.
Register now to take advantage of the early-bird discount $350, which is a discount of $50 from the full registration fee of $400. To register, please call 800-858-7743 or visit the 2009 Childhood Obesity Conference Web page [http://www.cce.csus.edu/conferences/childobesity/09/] (Outside Source). Several pre-conference sessions are being offered at additional cost.
To make hotel arrangements, please contact the Westin Bonaventure Hotel by phone at 213-624-1000 or 800-WESTIN-1. Mention the Childhood Obesity Conference at $110 single or double occupancy. After May 8, 2009, the overnight accommodations are based on availability at the prevailing rate.
If you have any questions regarding the obesity conference, please contact Jan Lewis, Nutrition Education Consultant, Nutrition Services Division, by phone at 916-323-7185 or 800-952-5609 or by e-mail at jlewis@cde.ca.gov.
Private School Directory Posted Online at California Department of Education
The California Department of Education (CDE) has posted the 2008 Private School Directory on the CDE Private Schools Web page.
Private schools, kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) are required to annually file a Private School Affidavit (PSA) per California Education Code Section 33190. The 2008 Directory includes all private K-12 schools with six or more students that filed a 2008 Private School Affidavit. The Directory contains the physical address, administrator and custodian of records contact information, current year enrollment by grade level, total enrollment, tax-exempt status, and other miscellaneous school descriptors.
If you have any questions regarding the Private School Directory, please contact the Elementary Education Office by phone at 916-319-0839 or by e-mail at privateschools@cde.ca.gov.
Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan is now Available
In an effort to assist schools to better prevent suicides and suicidal behaviors, the California Department of Mental Health (DMH) developed a statewide strategic plan on suicide prevention. The California Strategic Plan on Suicide Prevention: Every Californian is Part of the Solution and an Executive Summary of the Plan is available on the DMH Web page [http://www.dmh.ca.gov/PEIStatewideProjects/SuicidePrevention.asp] (Outside Source).
The suggestions in this Plan are the result of collaborative work by the Suicide Prevention Plan Advisory Committee and other community leaders. The Plan offers recommendations in four strategic directions that will serve as a road map to help communities throughout California to develop suicide prevention programs and services.
California legislation, specifically the Jason Flatt Act (California Education Code Section 41533), encourages professional development in suicide prevention for both teachers and school counselors. You can find links to additional resources to assist school districts with the concerns about youth suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention on the CDE Youth Suicide Prevention Web page.
The statistics about suicide are alarming, particularly for students. Despite the fact that suicide deaths are preventable, suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers. Given the many challenges facing our state and our students, it is imperative to collaborate to address suicide prevention in our schools.
The CDE and the DMH look forward to collaborating with you to reduce the number of youth suicide attempts and deaths in California.
If you have questions regarding suicide prevention, please contact David Kopperud, Education Programs Consultant, CDE Counseling, Student Support and Service-Learning Office, by phone at 916-323-1028 or by e-mail at dkopperud@cde.ca.gov or Cielo Avalos, Health Education Consultant, DMH Office of Suicide Prevention, by phone at 916-651-5769 or by e-mail at cielo.avalos@dmh.ca.gov.
Education and the Environment Initiative Training
On April 20–21, 2009, the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources division successfully conducted a two-day training of reviewers who will be evaluating the California Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum that includes 45 History/Social Science (H.S.S.) units and 40 Science units. The training was held at the Sacramento Doubletree Hotel and was hosted by the Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission (Curriculum Commission), the California Environmental Protection Agency (CALEPA), the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB), and the California Department of Education. The EEI curriculum is based on the Environmental Principles and Concepts, and the H.S.S. and Science standards. This curriculum will be one of the first that connects education about the environment with California's standards-based instructional system.
Divided into the two subject areas and working in panels of eight members, the reviewers were trained in the process of evaluating the units against a set of standards maps and evaluation criteria. The reviewers will now spend the summer reviewing the units that have been assigned to their panel and return in August to deliberate their findings and produce Reports of Finding.
The recommendations will be submitted to the Curriculum Commission, the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Secretary of the California Resources Agency, and the State Board of Education for approval. The training was presided over by John Brooks, Chair of the Curriculum Commission, and Connie Tate, Chair of the EEI Ad Hoc Committee.
If you have any questions regarding EEI Training, please contact Veronica Aguila, Administrator, Instructional Resources Unit, by phone at 916-323-4867or e-mail vaguila@cde.ca.gov.
Safe Jobs for Youth Month
Every May is Safe Jobs for Youth Month in California. Find out what teens, parents, teachers, employers, and others can do to promote teen job health and safety throughout the month of May, including downloading the Safe Jobs for Youth Month Resource Kit, on the California Resource Network for Young Workers' Health and Safety Web site [http://www.youngworkers.org/] (Outside Source). The goal of the network is to help prevent California's young workers from being injured or killed on the job.
If you have any questions regarding Safe Jobs for Youth Month, please contact Carol Smith, Policy Advisor, Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, by phone at 916-319-0577or by e-mail at csmith@cde.ca.gov.