Bristow Jr. High Special Education Students Learn A Lesson
On Helping Others During The Holidays
Published December 18, 2006
Class members of Patti Zanotelli’s junior high special education
class at Bristow Middle School, in Brentwood came together to make the
holidays a little bit more cheery for those who would not receive any
gifts this Christmas morning. Today, the class came by to add their
contributions to a special gift drive directed by Contra Costa County
Office of Education (CCCOE). (Zanotelli’s class is directed
by CCCOE’s Student Programs & Services.)
Each year, the staff of the Contra Costa County Office of Education
(COE) collects gifts and goodies (The Giving Tree Program), and then
delivers them to the children in COE education programs at Mt. McKinley
Juvenile Hall and the Orin Allen Youth Facility. The presents are
wrapped and distributed by the Juvenile Hall Auxiliary.
The Auxiliary Director Shannon Grosenheider said of the gift recipients, “These
children are often the most neglected members of our society. Many
come from broken homes, drug addicted mothers, or have been so abused
they become part of the foster care system in early childhood; others
are being raised by another family member. Their ages range from
8 to 18 years. The average child may only be able to read at a
third-grade level. There is enormous potential among these youngsters
that our society can’t afford to waste. We try to step into
their lives at a very vulnerable time with gifts to remind them that
they are cared for. Showing them kindness teaches them to be kind
in return.”
Zanotelli’s special education class learned a great lesson about
helping others less fortunate with this project. “The kids
have been working hard putting this together,” says Zanotelli. “We
received monetary donations from our kids’ parents [close to $100],
then we determined what kind of items would make great gifts for the
children, followed by all of us going out into the community and purchasing
the gifts.” The class bought Christmas stockings and
filled them up with cookies, crackers, Target gift cards, and other fun
items. The special stockings were added to the many other presents
donated by the COE staff.
“The generosity and thoughtfulness of the students in Patti’s
class is greatly appreciated,” says Contra Costa County Superintendent
of Schools Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D.
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County Office of Education Employee Honored by State
Association
Published December 12, 2006
Beverly Christie, benefits specialist with the Contra Costa County Office
of Education (CCCOE), recently earned The Magnificent Seven Outstanding
School Employee Award, presented by the California Association School
of Business Officials (CASBO).
CASBO, established in 1927, is the oldest and first statewide organization
representing public school administrators in California. They serve
school business professionals and local education agencies through leadership,
training, legislative and regulatory advocacy, communication, and research
and development.
Each December, CASBO’s Northern Section competitively selects
and awards, from nominations submitted by its members, up to seven outstanding
school support employees for this annual recognition program. The
award acknowledges support staff who have exhibited extraordinary support
to their school district. Christie was honored for the outstanding
contributions she has made to the CCCOE’s Human Resources and Business
departments.
“We are very proud of Beverly Christie, this is a well deserved
award, because she does an outstanding job supporting all of us here
at the County Office of Education,” says Contra Costa County Superintendent
of Schools Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D.
Christie has worked at the Office of Education (COE) for the past eight
years. Prior to becoming the benefits specialist in 2004, she served
the COE as a human resources assistant and a credentials technician. In
addition, she has worked in the county as a substitute teacher and an
instructional assistant.
Christie holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from CSU Sonoma.
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Can Robots Play Soccer?
Published November 30, 2006
WHAT: Robotics enthusiasts from the San Ramon Valley
Unified School District will compete in a tournament called “Savage Soccer” on
Friday, December 1, at California High School. Students from Monte Vista
High, San Ramon Valley High, and California High will pit their hand-made
robots against each other to see who scores the most points. Robotics
Competition combines the excitement of sport with science and technology
to create a unique sport for the mind.
Many of the participants who turn out for this competition are students in the ROP Robotics Engineering classes offered at local high schools by the Contra Costa County Office of Education. ROP courses are career-oriented and prepare students for jobs or further training and education in the field of their choice.
Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Joseph Ovick, Ed.D., says about the program, “When one considers the acceleration of change in science and technology and the American spirit for competition, Robotics Competition provides a challenging venue to apply the skills and knowledge acquired in the classroom that would hopefully lead to life-long learning and success in a high-skill wage career that will contribute to the greater good of our country.”
WHO: “To be honest, I love this class,” says student Alex Beckerman, speaking of instructor John Korzick’s ROP Robotics Engineering class at California High, while fine-tuning his team’s robot. “I even come in here at lunch sometimes. It’s problem solving and real life application. It’s fun, because you solve problems with creativity and team work.”
“We’re in a robot revolution,” says ROP Instructor John Korzick. “It’s where science, technology, engineering and math meet in the future.” He says there are approximately six billion humans and four million robots on earth now. “How many robots will there be in 2020?” he asks. The ROP Robotics Engineering class prepares students for the future. It is “hand-on, minds-on,” he says. The students work in teams, so they learn life skills and job skills along with academic content.
The hosts for this competition, the California Grizzlies, won first place at the Cal Games “Aim High” Robotics Competition held in San Jose on October 28, 2006. The Monte Vista High team won the “Gracious Professionalism Award” at those games.
WHEN: Friday, December 1, 2006, 1:30 – 6:00 p.m.
WHERE:
California High School (Commons Building), 9870 Broadmoor Drive, San Ramon, Calif.
ACTION: The Game:
Each game lasts two minutes. There are four robots on a playing field 8-feet by 12-feet. The robots, approximately one foot high, are programmed by the students to operate on their own for the first 15 seconds, and thereafter are remote-controlled. The object is for the robot to scoop up light tennis balls or heavy billiard balls and drop them onto a balance beam, the “Pendulum
of Doom.” At the end of the game, the pendulum drops in favor of the heaviest side, and that team wins. Each team plays several rounds. There will be about 25 teams (four members to each team). After the eliminating rounds, the top 8 teams compete in the finals.
MEDIA NOTES: More than 150 students, teachers, and parents will be on hand. Audio, video, and still-photography are welcomed to the event.
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Santa’s Elves Found at the Marsh Creek Detention Facility
Published November 6, 2006
WHAT: Thirty-four Contra Costa children-serving agencies will go shopping at the Marsh Creek Detention Facility in Clayton on Wednesday, November 8 from 9:30 –10:30 a.m. There, for the 16th year, the agency representatives will select from more than 1,200 toys designed and handcrafted by inmates, along with 150 refurbished bicycles, to give to children from their client families during the holidays. More than 200 inmates have participated in this project throughout the year, designing and crafting wooden rocking motorcycles, children’s furniture, doll cribs, pull toys, doll houses, fire houses, fire engines, and skill games. All of the toy makers are students in the Contra Costa Adult School, an accredited school directed by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), which is located within the jail facility.
WHO: The wood shop is co-sponsored by the Contra Costa County’s Sheriff’s Department and the CCCOE. Representatives from both the Sheriff's Office, Undersheriff George Lawrence, and County Office of Education, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Ovick, will be present at the event. Organizations participating in this shopping spree include the Salvation Army, Friends Outside, George Miller Center, Solomon Temple Mission, Contra Costa Crisis Center, Bay Area Rescue Mission, La Casa Ujima, and many others.
WHEN: Wednesday, November 8, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Marsh Creek Detention Facility is located at 12000 Marsh Creek Road., Clayton, Calif. (Located approximately six miles east of the town of Clayton, (Clayton Road narrows and becomes Marsh Creek Road).
MEDIA NOTES: All media must check in at the facility’s gate. Contact phone at Marsh Creek Detention Facility is (925) 646-5705. Audio equipment, video, and still-cameras are welcomed into the workshop. The vocational and academic classrooms will be open to the media, with opportunities to interview inmates, teachers, and administration. For a complete list of non-profit agencies participating, please contact Jonathan Lance
ADDITIONAL NOTES: During the 2005-2006 school year, approximately 3,345 inmates (throughout the three Contra Costa detention facilities) are enrolled in classes ranging from academic programs including basic literacy and GED preparation, to vocational programs including woodshop and state-of-the-art computer training. By the end of the school year, 132 students received their GED and 38 received a high school or adult school diploma. In addition, more than 3,007 certificates of completion were awarded to inmates who successfully finished substance abuse prevention, computers, and academic coursework.
Less than half of the inmates who enter the Marsh Creek Detention Facility have graduated from high school, and most are parents of school-age children. These classes help to interrupt the generational cycle of illiteracy and lack of education that can lead to repeated incarceration.
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16th annual Contra Costa County Model United Nations Conference
Published November 1, 2006
WHAT: This Friday opens the 16th annual session of the Contra Costa County Model United Nations Conference. This two-day competition enhances high school students’ understanding of the United Nations and its role in global issues. Teams of students (delegates) from each school represent a nation and negotiate on that country's behalf. During the conference, delegates will debate international issues in nine committees, including: Disarmament, Legal, UNICEF, Trade and Development, Human Rights, Environmental, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social, Commission for Asia and Pacific, and Security Council.
Individual delegate winners are recognized for their debate and leadership skills, knowledge of the issues, and presentation of key resolutions. The activity closes with a ceremony that recognizes the outstanding delegates.
This year marks the 61st Anniversary of the United Nations founding in San Francisco. To give the 280 delegates a flavor of the UN’s “real-world” accomplishments, Herb Berhstock is serving as the keynote speaker at the Opening Plenary ceremony. A 31-year veteran of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Berhrstock will share some of his experiences as the UNDP resident director in a number of foreign countries.
WHO:
The Contra Costa County Model United Nations Conference is coordinated by the Contra
Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), with committee chairs provided by the University
of California, Davis Model UN Club. Participating this year are students from: Acalanes High
(Lafayette), Antioch High, Athenian School (Danville), California High (San Ramon), Carondelet
High (Concord), Campolindo High (Moraga), Clayton Valley High (Concord), De La Salle High
(Concord), Las Lomas High (Walnut Creek), Liberty High (Brentwood), Marin High (San
Rafael), Miramonte High (Orinda), and San Ramon Valley High (Danville). More information
can be found on the CCCOE Web site, www.cocoschools.org/events or by calling Academic
Events, (925) 942-3400.
WHERE: AT&T Center, 2600 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, CA.
WHEN:
Friday, November 3, 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 4, 8:45 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
MEDIA NOTES: Audio, video, and photos are welcomed.
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Graduation Ceremony for Home Instruction Parents of Pre-school Youngsters
Published November 1, 2006
WHAT: A graduating class of 24 Contra Costa County families (children, ages 3-5, and their parents) will be presented certificates of their completion of pre-school education by the Contra Costa County Home Instruction Program for Pre-school Youngsters (HIPPY). “HIPPY is a unique educational approach in filling the gap for children who can not attend conventional pre-school programs, due to economic or location issues,” says Brenda J. Sharp, student programs supervisor with the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE). “The goal of HIPPY is to help provide universal pre-school for all." This CCCCOE program currently serves 134 families.
WHO:
The Home Instruction Program for Pre-school Youngsters is dedicated to helping parents become their child’s first advocate and teacher. HIPPY is a bilingual, early intervention, parent-focused program aimed at supporting parents in their efforts to provide educational enrichment for their preschool children. Funded by the State of California Department of Education, the goal is to empower parents as their children’s first and most influential teachers. The targeted population is parents of three- to five- year-old children who have had limited access to formal education.
Parents are trained to use the curriculum through weekly visits with paraprofessionals who are also parents in the program. Every other week, the paraprofessionals role-play the activities with parents in the home. On alternate weeks, all of the parents and paraprofessionals meet at the HIPPY site to role-play the activities as a large group. The HIPPY Program staff receives training and technical assistance from the HIPPY State Office and HIPPY USA, the national affiliation.
WHEN:
Friday, November 3, 2006, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Contra Costa County Office of Education (Board Room), 77 Santa Barbara Road, Pleasant Hill, Calif.
MEDIA NOTES:
Audio, video, and photos are welcomed. There will be 24 graduating families, who reside throughout Contra Costa County, on hand to receive their pre-school diplomas. More than 100 people will be in attendance.
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Teachers Awarded Grants For Technology Inspired Curriculum
Published October 13, 2006
PLEASANT HILL, Calif.—The recipients
of Round III, Cycles 1 and 2 of the County Technology Academy Grant (CTAG)
will be honored at a special celebration on Thursday, October 26, 5:00 – 7:00
p.m., at the Contra Costa County Office of Education, 77 Santa Barbara
Road, Pleasant Hill. The award-winning educational projects, incorporating
technology to meet the needs of students along with Web sites designed
to disseminate these projects for classroom use, will be unveiled for
guests and prospective grant applicants. The public is invited
to honor all of the wonderful teachers involved in this educational
grant.
CTAG is a grant for Contra Costa County public school teachers funded
by the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation in partnership with the Contra
Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE). These grants offer $8,000
in Lesher funding per school and CCCOE provides training and support
to teacher pairs who identify a student academic need and propose a technology-infused
curricular solution. Since the fall of 1996 almost $1.5 million
has been awarded and over 12,500 students have felt the impact of the
resulting curricula.
Award-winning projects include everything from elementary students using
heart monitors to collect data to make them healthier, to calorimeters
and other science probes used in a high school chemistry unit called
CSI: Chemical Science Investigations. Many CTAG winning sites bought
inexpensive portable keyboards to allow more students to write about
their field trips, books that they had read, and other topics from their
language arts curriculum. Some schools bought interactive whiteboards
with their CTAG money to allow students and teachers to project the computer
desktop on the whiteboard. Kindergarten students used this new
hardware for vocabulary development, middle school students used it to
present their PowerPoint projects, and high school students used it for “extreme
searching” on the internet.
Schools serving students with special needs in the county were especially
benefited by this grant. Special Education teachers at El Dorado
Middle School, in Concord, used PowerPoint to boost their students’ reading
vocabulary. Vicente-Briones High School, in Martinez, created a
career based curriculum that included digital resumes that were
presented to teachers as an exit portfolio. Gompers High School
students, in Richmond, produced videos that integrated ethics into their
Character-Based Literacy program needed for graduation. Shannon
and King Elementary schools, in Richmond, which serve autistic children,
used video to gather data to modify their Individual Educational Plans
(IEP). Marchus
School, in Concord, used special software to increase math scores
on the CASHEE test for graduation.
The newest cycle of CTAG emphasizes the professional development
of teachers, training them to use technology in their classrooms. Shauna
Hawes at Hidden Valley Elementary, in Martinez, stated, “I was
able to show others how to do it...wow! That's progress. It
was a great training and a wonderful use of the money. I look forward
to more trainings.” John Mills, at El Dorado Middle, in Concord,
said, “What you just taught me is a huge deal for me. Making
presentations you can send in one file. Thank you, thank you, thank
you. Karen
Noh, at Ayers Elementary, in Concord, said, “Thanks for all the
tech stuff! You really do make a difference, not just for us, the
teachers, but for the students and their families!”
For more information about the CTAG Program, and the upcoming award
celebration, visit http://intergate.cccoe.k12.ca.us/ctag/ or contact Gary
Hensley, CTAG grant specialist at 925-942-3441 or ghensley@cccoe.k12.ca.us.
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Third Annual Young Children’s Issues Forum 2006
Published September 29, 2006
PLEASANT HILL, Calif. —The public is invited
to an informative morning presentation and discussion regarding children’s
issues in Contra Costa County, on Saturday, October 7, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00
p.m., at Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill. The
third annual Young Children’s Issues Forum 2006 will feature an
outstanding panel of local and national government representatives discussing
some of the most import topics that face the county’s young children,
as well as their families.
Subjects planned for presentation and discussion include child nutrition
and obesity, before- and after-school programs, child care, preschool,
and educator and child-care wages. This year’s speakers include
Congressman George Miller; Assemblywoman Loni Hancock; Supervisor John
Gioia, Supervisor Gayle Uilkema, Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier; and Superintendent
of Schools Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D. In addition, staff representatives
from the offices of congresswoman Ellen Tauscher, State Senator Tom Torlakson,
and State Senator Don Perata, will also be participating.
During the session, there will also be a special award presentation
made by the Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development to
Congressman Miller, for his authored HR 2000 Bill, “The Focus on
Committed and Underpaid Staff for Children’s Sake Act.”
The forum is free to the public, and there will be a continental breakfast
offered to all attendees, beginning at 9:30 a.m. For more information,
contact Ruth Fernandez, at the Contra Costa County Office of Education,
at (925) 942-3413, or visit <www.plan4kids.org>.
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California Subject Exams for Teachers (CSET) preparation courses to be offered
Published August 29, 2006
Pleasant Hill, Calif. —The Contra Costa and Solano County Offices of Education are currently offering California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) preparation courses, beginning on September 26. The Multiple Subjects, Single Subject Math, and Single Subject English preparation courses will be held at two locations: the Contra Costa County Office of Education, 77 Santa Barbara Road, Pleasant Hill, and at the Solano County Office of Education, 5100 Business Center Drive, Fairfield.
Registration fees for these courses vary from $65 to $195 (includes materials and instruction, depending on the length of the course). Registration fee (payable to CCCOE) is required at least 10 days in advance of the first day of the course. A bachelor's degree is required for all participants.
Under the No Child Left Behind Act, all teachers who received their Preliminary Credential after July 2002 need to prove subject matter competency to be considered highly qualified by June of 2006. One option to demonstrate knowledge is to pass the CSET in a teacher's credential area.
“The CSET courses have been offered for the past three years—and participants have had a very high success rate on the exam after taking one of the preparation courses,” says Barbara Berman, special projects coordinator at the Contra Costa County Office of Education.
For specific course information, contact Barbara Berman at (925) 296-1461 or
e-mail her at bberman@cccoe.k12.ca.us. A complete list of courses, dates and times can be found on the CCCOE Web site: http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/supe/hr/hr_cset.htm.
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High school students spend a week honing their knowledge of biotechnology
Published July 14, 2006
CONCORD, Calif. —During
the week of July 10-14, local health-care and biotechnology businesses,
education offices, law enforcement departments, and a congressional
representative all came together to present an important education
opportunity for 25 Contra Costa County high school students, with
the 3rd annual Bio-Tech Summer Science Camp.
The weeklong interactive program—held on the campus of Cal State East Bay,
Concord—offered students with career aspirations in the sciences a chance
to explore a full range of scientific topics, including career options, while
working with scientists and high school science teachers. Taught by means
of lectures, interactive labs, and field trips, the Bio-Tech Camp focused on
the following topics: molecular biology, genetically modified organisms, cloning,
forensic science, and Mad Cow Disease.
Amanda Miller, a student at Concord High (who plans to work in
the health-care field), said, “This program is a great start for my upcoming advanced placement
biology class I will be taking this fall.” Like so many of the other
students attending camp, Miller enjoyed the advanced laboratory experiments she
was able to take part in, using sophisticated instruments.
“The camp certainly gave the students a sense of the broad range of job
opportunities in the biotechnology field,” said Colleen Corey, who directs
Bio-Rad Laboratories’ community outreach program. Representatives
from Bio-Rad were among the many lab and lecture presenters. Others representatives
were present to provide lecture and hands-on experiments were from The Plant
Gene Expression Center, Department of Justice, Concord Police CSI Unit, and Roche
Molecular. The students also visited the Joint Genome Institute and
the John Muir Hospital Clinical Lab—both located in Walnut Creek, Calif.—where
they were able view applications of modern molecular biology firsthand.
One day during the camp, students took part in a mock crime scene
investigation, where they learned how crime scene investigators
determine the action of a crime—after
the fact. They also studied the DNA of fingerprints left at the scene. “The CSI TV
shows are certainly a motivating factor for a number of the attendees,” said
Monte Vista High School teacher Julie Nevis. “The students are using
some of the same forensic equipment they see on TV.”
The Bio-Tech Summer Camp was developed because
of the continued growth of jobs in biotechnology, especially right
here in the Bay Area. This
year’s camp was presented by Cal State East Bay, Concord Campus; Bio-Rad
Laboratories; Contra Costa Economic Partnership; Contra Costa County Office of
Education; Contra Costa College, and The Office of Congressman George Miller.
For more information about this year’s (and next year’s) Bio-Tech
Science Summer Camp, contact Contra Costa County Office
of Education’s School-to Career Coordinator, Louise Barbee,
at 925-942-3385, or visit http://www.cceconptnr.org/Summer/index.htm.
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James Koch named CCCOE’s Teacher of the Year
Published June 16, 2006
Brentwood, Calif--“Each of my students has undiscovered potential and it is my job to find it and help them to see it in themselves, and realize it,” says this year’s Contra Costa County Office of Education’s (CCCOE) Teacher of the Year, James Koch, of Liberty Transition School, in Brentwood. Representing the CCCOE district, Koch was recently named, along with 18 other Contra Costa district representatives, to the Teacher of the Year, class of 2006-2007.
Koch, who holds an impressive 23-year teaching career, has been an educator at Liberty for the past eight years. He teaches a Community Based Instruction (CBI) class for individuals who have severe disabilities. “My students are 18 - 20 years of age, and have already completed high school,” says Koch. “The focus of our class is to teach both vocational skills and social skills on the job.”
A huge favorite with his students, Koch is known to bestow friendly, endearing nicknames to each one of them. But, he is additionally known for directing the schools’ very successful training programs, such as the Liberty Café and the recently added Lion Coffee Express, where students learn to be baristas. In using his vast horticultural experience and his University of Berkeley bachelor’s degree in conservation of natural resources, he also manages Liberty Transition’s Transition Garden and the Green House Project, where they have sold numerous plants to the public. “Students who have met certain competencies with these training programs will be able to work related job sites [e.g., restaurants, coffee shops, nurseries, landscaping] in the community,” says Koch.
“I am always amazed at these incredible young men and women who, despite so many obstacles and challenges in their lives, bloom into beautiful bouquets of human spirit when given opportunities, training, support, and encouragement,” says Koch. “I feel privileged and extremely lucky to work with such courageous and remarkable people. I dare say that the lessons that they have taught me far outweigh any lessons that I have taught them.”
Koch will be honored along with his fellow distinguished district representatives at the Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration on September 21, at the Concord Hilton.
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Engineering, Construction, and Manufacturing Camp Held for High School
Students
Published June 16, 2006
WHAT:
More than 50 incoming junior and senior students will experience
a rare hands-on education opportunity this summer, as they attend
the Engineering, Construction, and Manufacturing Summer Camp. Taught
by industry experts, the participating students will get an up-close
education through interactive labs and field exploration, focusing
on the following fields:
- Energy: Generation & Control
- Architecture Design & Engineering
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Careers & Pathways
WHY:
This camp was created because it is estimated that by
the year 2012, more than a million jobs will be created in the
engineering, construction, and manufacturing industries, the
fastest growing sectors of the nation’s
economy.
WHEN:
June 19-23, 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: The camp is headquartered at Diablo
Valley College, a with number of field trips: Monday, IBEW Training Center
(Electrical Engineering); Tuesday, Benicia Bridge (Bridge Design and
Concrete Pouring Problem Solving); Wednesday, USS POSCO (Manufacturing);
Thursday, Kaiser Antioch (Construction). For more information about the
summer camp and exact times and locations of the field trips, contact
Contra Costa County Office of Education’s School-to Career Coordinator
Louise Barbee, at 925-942-3385, or visit <http://www.cceconptnr.org/ConstructionCamp/index.htm>.
WHO: Presented by Diablo Valley
College and USS POSCO,
In cooperation with Contra Costa Economic Partnership, Contra
Costa County Office of Education, and the Contra Costa Community
College District
ACTION: More than 50 high school students will be learning from industry
experts, in the Diablo Valley College labs, at various field
sites. Audio,
still photography, and video recording are welcomed.
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Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year program comes down to the final
three
Published May 26, 2006
PLEASANT HILL, Calif--After
being named Teacher of the Year by their respected Contra Costa
County school districts, then passing a rigorous application screening,
followed by a panel classroom observation and interview, one of
these three finalists will be selected to represent Contra Costa
County as its 2006-2007 Teacher of the Year:
Patricia Carothers, San Ramon Valley Unified
School District (Monte Vista High School)
Gloria Payette, Liberty Union High School District (Freedom
High School)
Susan Yamashita, Lafayette School District (Happy Valley
Elementary)
The finalist announcement will take place in front of a crowd of more than
600 attendees at Contra Costa County’s Teacher of the Year Celebration
Dinner, held on Thursday, September 21, at the Concord Hilton Hotel. The
County Teacher of the Year will then compete in the State Teacher of the
Year Program.
In Contra Costa County, there are close to 8,500 teachers educating more
than 166,000 students. To recognize their efforts and bring much-deserved
honor to the teaching profession, the participating school districts in
the county each named a Teacher of the Year in early March of this year
(see entire list below).
With such a high caliber of teaching professionals to draw from, the county
uses a three-stage selection process:
1. Application Screening: On April 18, a committee
of educators and business partners carefully reviewed the applicants that
were submitted from the school districts. Members rated each application
separately. The top five teachers were selected then advance to the
next phase.
2. Classroom Observation: In early May, a committee
of education specialists observed the selected teachers interacting with
students in the classroom and then spent time interviewing them on their
teaching philosophy and technique. The results of the two screening
processes are then combined to determine the three finalists.
3. Speech Competition: This coming late August,
the three finalists will each give a three-minute speech at a district new-teacher
orientation, which is judged by a panel of educators and business representatives. All
scores are then combined to determine the County Teacher of the Year.
The three finalists will also give the same speeches at the September Celebration
Dinner, prior to the announcement of the county’s 2006 Teacher of
the Year.
The Contra Costa County Office of Education produces the Teacher of the
Year program, with vital volunteer assistance from local business and education
representatives, as well as generous community business sponsors.
2006-2007 Contra Costa County District
Teacher of the Year Representatives
- Bryan Brandow, West Contra Costa USD (Chavez Elementary School)
- *Patricia Carothers, San Ramon Valley USD (Monte
Vista High School)
- Janice Chrobak, Oakley USD (Gehringer Elementary School)
- Sandra M. Codington, Mt. Diablo USD (Mt. View Elementary School)
- Matt A. Colbert, Byron USD (Excelsior Middle School)
- Maureen Gala, Moraga SD (Donald Rheem Elementary School)
- Maggie Gough, Mt. Diablo USD (Riverview Middle School)
- Marilyn Griego, John Swett USD, (Rodeo Hills Elementary School)
- Laurie Huffman, Contra Costa County Community College District (Los
Medanos College)
- James Koch, CCCOE, (East County Secondary Special Education, Liberty
Transition)
- Terry Lawson, Walnut Creek SD (Murwood Elementary School)
- Phillip Lucido, Pittsburg USD (Pittsburg High School)
- Lisa Madigan, West Contra USD (Helms Middle School)
- Nicole Matthew, Knightsen School District (Knightsen Elementary
School)
- *Gloria Payette, Liberty Union HSD (Freedom High School)
- Marsha Sias, Acalanes Union HSD (Miramonte High School)
- Joni Smith, Brentwood USD (Garin Elementary School)
- Juanetta White, Antioch USD (Carmen Dragon Elementary School)
- *Susan Yamashita, Lafayette School District (Happy Valley Elementary
School)
* Finalist
15 school districts represented
1 community college (does not compete in the state Teacher of
the Year competition)
1 Contra Costa County Office of Education school
(Canyon SD, Martinez USD, and Orinda USD not participating at this
time)
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California Subject Exams for Teachers (CSET) preparation courses to be
offered
Published May 24, 2006
PLEASANT HILL, Calif., May 24, 2006--The Contra Costa
and Solano County Offices of Education are currently offering California
Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) preparation courses, beginning
on June 6. The Multiple Subjects, Single Subject Math, and Single
Subject English preparation courses will be held at two locations:
the Contra Costa County Office of Education, 77 Santa Barbara Road,
Pleasant Hill, and at the Solano County Office of Education, 5100
Business Center Drive, Fairfield.
Registration fees for these courses vary from $65 to $195 (includes materials
and instruction, depending on the length of the course). Registration
fee (payable to CCCOE) is required at least 10 days in advance of the first
day of the course. A Bachelor's degree is required for all participants.
Under the No Child Left Behind Act, all teachers who received their Preliminary
Credential after July 2002 need to prove subject matter competency to be
considered highly qualified by June 30, 2006. One option to demonstrate
knowledge is to pass the CSET in a teacher's credential area.
“The CSET courses have been offered for the past three years—and
participants have had a very high success rate on the exam after taking
one of the preparation courses,” says Barbara Berman, special projects
coordinator at the Contra Costa County Office of Education.
For specific course information, contact Barbara Berman at (925) 296-1461
or
e-mail her at bberman@cccoe.k12.ca.us. A
complete list of courses, dates and times can be found on the CCCOE
Web site: http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/supe/hr/hr_cset.htm.
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Contra Costa County Health & Bioscience Career Fair
draws impressive group of students and local businesses
Published April 5, 2006
SAN RAMON, Calif.--Close to 400 Contra
Costa County high school students with a shared enthusiastic interest
in the field of health care took advantage of the annual Contra Costa
County Health & Bioscience Career Fair, held on Monday April 3, at
the Marriott Hotel in San Ramon.
The students, who are currently involved with health-care ROP and School-to-Career
programs provided by the Contra Costa County Office of Education
(CCCOE) participated in a number of workshops that feature such topics
as Technology and Health, Laboratory Medicine, Imaging, and Pre-Hospital
Care. In
addition, the students were able to meet with 16 local health-care-related
exhibitors to talk to, interview, and learn more information about
the arena they are looking to enter after graduating high school.
“Looking to the future, we can all agree that health care will continue
to be one of the most crucial issues we’ll face,” said Contra
Costa County Superintendent of Schools Joseph Ovick, Ed.D. “We
are quite fortunate here in Contra Costa County to have so many health-care
business partners who have the foresight to aggressively tackling this
issue. One way is their generosity in assisting to make such an event
possible. With this program, we are also privileged to serve so many
young students who have already decided to help others with their
future career in health care.”
The presenting sponsors of this event were John Muir Health and Sutter
Health, and the major sponsors were Diablo Valley College and Kaiser
Permanente. The
event was produced in cooperation with the Contra Costa Economic
Partnership, Hospital Council, Contra Costa County Office of Education,
Contra Costa Community College District, and the Contra Costa Health /
Bioscience Careers Collaborative.
“The Health and Bioscience Career Fair is a wonderful opportunity
for teachers and students to learn about a wide range of careers,” said
Louise Barbee, coordinator with the CCCOE. “This year's theme
was Health
Care is a Team Effort. Students learned about how many different
people it takes to provide quality health care. We received great
feedback from everyone involved!”
"I just wanted to personally thank all those involved and worked
so hard, so my students and I could participate with the Career Fair,” said
California High School (San Ramon) teacher Juli Winter. “I
heard nothing but good comments from the students; they all enjoyed
themselves and learned many new things about medial careers. Thank
you for putting this event on, it was very enriching to our curriculum.”
Event Exhibitors:
Sutter Delta Medical Center (Cardio-Respiratory and Emergency
Room)
The Community Clinic Consortium of Contra Costa (Community
Health)
Mt. Diablo Adult Education (Dental Technician and Veterinary
Technician)
Concord Police Department (Forensics)
John Muir Health (Hot
Jobs and Respiratory Therapy)
Clayton Mind and Body Connections
(Massage Therapy)
Coalition for Nursing Careers in California
(Nursing)
Regional Occupation
Program (ROP) (Pre-Hospital
Care Program)
Brian Hill, Physical Therapist (Physical Therapy)
Alta Bates Summit
Medical Foundation (Speech Therapy)
Cal State Health Web site (Summer
Jobs)
Diablo Valley College (Workforce Development)
Samuel Merritt College
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Contra Costa County Health & Bioscience Career Fair
Published March 30, 2006
WHAT: More than 400 county high school students with
a shared future career interest in health care and bioscience will participate
at the upcoming Contra Costa County Health & Bioscience Career Fair, on Monday April
3, in San Ramon. The students will participate in a number of workshops
that feature such topics as Technology and Health, Laboratory Medicine,
Imaging, and Pre-Hospital Care. There will also be 16 exhibitors
on hand for the students to talk to, interview, and learn more information
about the arena they are looking to enter after graduating high school.
WHEN: Monday, April 3, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Marriott Hotel, 2600
Bishop Drive, San Ramon, Calif.
WHO: Presented by: John
Muir Health and Sutter Health
In cooperation with: Contra
Costa Economic Partnership, Hospital Council, Contra Costa County
Office of Education, Contra Costa Community College District, and
the Contra Costa Health / Bioscience collaborative
For more information about this special event, contact Contra Costa County
Office of Education’s School-to Career Coordinator Louise
Barbee,
at 925-942-3385.
ACTION: More than 400 students will be seeking career information from numerous
health-care and bioscience business and education representatives.
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Students learn life skills to be on their own
Published March 30, 2006
WHAT: The Contra Costa County Office of Education’s
Transition Program/Workability Program will hold its annual On Your Own event,
Tuesday, April 4. Each year, numerous high school and community college
students from across Contra Costa County, who are also enrolled in independent-living-skills
programs, will participate in this useful learning event.
Approximately 120 special-needs students (students with
learning disabilities, social/emotional disabilities, and cognitive disabilities)
are expected to participate. The age range of the students
is 14 - 22. For the past six weeks, students
participated in a classroom curriculum that focused on the various aspects
of living independently and the decision-making that is required to successfully
do so, especially living on a designated budget.
The goal of the program is to prepare students for the financial realities
of living independently. They learn about housing, banking,
transportation, leisure activities, health care, food costs, clothing costs,
even owning a pet. There will be about 15 stations in the simulated
city, “Marchus City,” where the students will buy daily goods
and services, including housing, utilities, communications, transportation,
food, clothing, laundry, health, recreation, bank, post office, and pet
care. Each student is provided with an $1100.00 budget per month. (This
is about what someone makes from a minimum wage job.) Students
have roommates and they must negotiate all 15 stations and stay within
their monthly budget.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 4, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.
WHERE: Marchus
School (“Marchus City” will be set up in the
school’s gym), 2900 Avon Ave., Concord, Calif.
ACTION: More than 150 students
will be negotiating with “businesses” in
the simulated town of “Marchus City.” It's always interesting
to watch as some students first load up on cable, call waiting, and high
cost recreation activities, only to find that they don't have rent money. They
soon make the appropriate adjustments and balance their budget.
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County High Schools Well Represented
at State Mock Trial Competition
Published:
March 7, 2006
RIVERSIDE, Calif., March 21, 2006—Contra
Costa County was well represented at the 25th annual California
Mock Trial Competition—held March 18-20, in Riverside, Calif. Representative
Contra Costa County high school, Miramonte, of Orinda, took fifth
place in the team competition. In addition to Miramonte’s
performance, there were some notable individual awards that were
earned by Contra Costa County high school participants.
The Miramonte High School team was eligible for
this year’s state contest when they won the county’s
Mock Trial competition final, held on March 2, at the Superior
Courts of Martinez. This was Miramonte’s fifth consecutive
county competition triumph.
The individual 2006 California Mock Trial Competition
Awards were won by Ryan Guptill (Miramonte High School), Outstanding
Defense Attorney; Lynn Xia (Northgate High School), Courtroom
Journalist, 1st place; and Frances Yun (Northgate High School), Courtroom
Artist, 3rd place.
Mock Trial is an academic activity for high school
students to teach them about the law and workings of the legal
system. There were 12 Contra Costa County high schools that
competed in this year’s county competition—held at
the courts from February 7 through March 2, 2006. Each participant
portrayed the part of a courtroom character such as attorney, witness,
court clerk or bailiff. Each team worked with a teacher and
attorney coaches to prepare their version of the criminal case,
both from the prosecution and defense perspectives. There
was also a Courtroom Art and Journalism competition.
For more information about Mock Trial, contact Joan
Sieczkowski, academic events coordinator, Contra Costa County
Office of Education, 925-942-3400.
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County
Office of Education Hosts Mock Trial Awards Ceremony
Published:
March 7, 2006
What: 2006 Mock Trial
Awards Ceremony
Who: Contra Costa County Office
of Education (CCCOE) and High School students from Acalanes, Alhambra,
Antioch, California, Campolindo, College Park, Hercules, Miramonte,
Monte Vista, Northgate, Richmond and San Ramon Valley
Where: Mt. Diablo Medical Center
2540 East Street, Concord (Main entrance - to conference room)
When: Tuesday, March 7, 6:30 –
7:45 p.m.
Months of preparation, research and practice will
culminate in an awards ceremony for the high school students and
their coaches who participated in the CCCOE Mock Trials in the
Superior Courts of Martinez from February 7 through March 2, 2006.
Dr. Joseph Ovick, Superintendent of Schools, will
welcome students, coaches and their families. Judge Thomas Maddock
will give his
“Perspectives from the Bench” followed by the awards
presentations:
Judges’ Choice Awards
Coaches’ Awards
Outstanding Individual Awards
Team Awards
Mock Trial is an academic activity for high school
students to teach them about the law and workings of the legal
system. Each participant portrayed the part of a courtroom character
such as attorney, witness, court clerk or bailiff. Each team worked
with a teacher and attorney coaches to prepare their version of
the criminal case, both from the prosecution and defense perspectives.
There was also a Courtroom Art and Journalism competition.
On March 2, for the fifth consecutive year, Miramonte
High School, in Orinda, won the final match-up as the defense team
against prosecuting team Campolindo High School, in Moraga. Miramonte
will represent Contra Costa County at the State Mock Trial competition
in Riverside on March 17 – 29. (Northgate High School, in
Walnut Creek, defeated Alhambra High School, in Martinez, in the
consolation round.)
For more information about Mock Trial, contact Joan
Sieczkowski, Academic Events Coordinator, CCCOE, 925-942-3400.
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Final
Hearings for the Mock Trial Competition
Published:
March 3, 2006
What: The remaining four high-school teams will
compete in the final phase of the 2006 Mock Trial competition on
Thursday, March 2 at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, in Martinez.
Contra Costa County Justice Mark Simons will
preside over the Championship Trial: Campolindo vs. Miramonte,
in room 200. Hearing the Mock Trial Consolation Round:
Northgate vs. Alhambra, will be Contra Costa County Judge
George Spanos, in room 209.
When: Thursday, March 2, 5:15-7:45
p.m. (Both trials will be held at the same time.)
Where: Wakefield Taylor Courthouse,
725 Court St., Rooms 200 and 209, Martinez, Calif.
Who: Mock Trial is an academic
activity for high school students coordinated by the Contra Costa
County Office of Education, and sponsored by the Constitutional
Rights Foundation. The purpose of this program is to teach students
about the law and the workings of the legal system. Each participant
portrays the part of a courtroom character such as an attorney,
witness, court clerk, or bailiff. To prepare, the students conduct
legal research, receive guidance on courtroom procedures from volunteer
attorneys, and acquire a working knowledge of the judicial system.
Teams from the following high schools began debating
the hypothetical murder trial of People vs. Markson three weeks
ago: Acalanes (Lafayette), Alhambra (Martinez), Antioch, California
(San Ramon), Campolindo (Moraga), College Park (Concord), Hercules
Middle/High, Miramonte (Orinda), Monte Vista (Danville), Northgate
(Walnut Creek), Richmond, and San Ramon Valley (Danville).
The winning team will represent Contra Costa
County at the State Mock Trial competition in Riverside March 17-19.
All participating schools will be honored at an evening awards
reception on March 23 at the Mt. Diablo Medical Center in Concord.
Video/Photo/Audio Opportunity: Thursday,
March 2, 5:15-7:45 p.m., Contra Costa County Courthouse, Martinez
for the actual Mock Trial event, as well as March 7, 6:30-8:00
p.m. at the Mock Trial Awards Ceremony.
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California
Subject Exams for Teachers (CSET) Preparation Course Offered
Through Contra Costa County Office of Education
Published:
March 3, 2006
The Contra Costa and Solano County Offices of
Education are currently offering California Subject Examinations
for Teachers (CSET) preparation courses. A Bachelor's
degree is required.
The Single and Multiple Subject Subtest preparation
courses begin on April 4, 2006. Registration fees for these courses
vary from $90 to $180 (includes materials and instruction). Registration
fee (payable to CCCOE) is required in advance of the first day
of the course. Courses are held at the Contra Costa County Office
of Education, 77 Santa Barbara Road, Pleasant Hill, and at the
Solano County Office of Education, 5100 Business Center Drive,
Fairfield.
Under the No Child Left Behind Act, all teachers
who received their Preliminary Credential after July 2002 need
to prove subject matter competency to be considered highly qualified
by June 30, 2006. One option to demonstrate knowledge is to pass
the CSET in a teacher's credential area.
“The CSET courses have been offered for
the past two years. Participants have had a very high success rate
on the exam after taking one of the preparation courses,” said
Barbara Berman, Special Projects Coordinator at Contra Costa County
Office of Education.
For specific course information contact Barbara
Berman at (925) 296-1461. A complete list of courses, dates
and times can be found here on
the CCCOE Web site. return to top of
page
Education
Job Fair
Published:
February 17, 2006
What: Contra Costa County Teacher/Certificated
Staff Recruitment Fair
When: Saturday, February 25, 8:30 a.m. - 12
noon
Where: Pleasant Hill Education Center, 3100
Oak Park Boulevard, Pleasant Hill
Who: County Office of Education and 17 school
districts
As schools and districts grapple with budgets,
accountability, NCLB and the high school exit exam, the Contra
Costa County Office of Education is helping deal with the most
basic of issues--hiring qualified teachers--by sponsoring an Education
Job Fair on Saturday, February 25.
The County Office, along with 17 school districts,
and several universities will be providing information and applications
to candidates for an anticipated 350 plus K-12 certificated vacancies
for the 2006-2007 school year. These will include elementary, secondary
and special needs program openings.
Applicants should bring multiple copies of transcripts,
current resumes and credential documents. Credential staff will
be on hand to answer questions and some districts will be interviewing
selected candidates at the fair itself.
For more information or for directions to the
Job Fair visit our Web site at www.cocoschools.org.
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Successful
Partnerships Rev Up Advanced Learning Opportunities
Published:
February 6, 2006
What: BMW/MINI Concord car donation to Alhambra
High School ROP Automotive program
When: February
8, 2006 1:00 p.m.
Where: Alhambra High School,
Automotive Technology Classroom,
150 E Street, Martinez
Another exciting learning opportunity is
the result of a successful partnership between the Contra Costa
County Office of Education and BMW/MINI Concord. Regional Occupational
Program (ROP) automotive technology students at Alhambra High
School will further their hands-on training for careers in the
automotive industry because Concord BMW is donating a 2005 Mini
Cooper to the class. In addition to providing hundreds of cars
to schools, BMW’s Industry Education Program dealerships
provide training resources to outstanding automotive programs
in high schools, community colleges and vocational schools.
“BMW/MINI Concord
and other automotive agencies help us prepare students for careers
in that industry,”
said Marie McClaskey, Contra Costa County Office of Education’s
Student Programs Director. “They review our training programs,
donate vehicles and equipment, provide scholarships, job shadowing,
internships, mentors, and employment for our students. With their
help, our ROP program meets industry standards and our students
gain the technical skills needed in the automotive industry.”
Vicki Southers, Service Manager of BMW/MINI Concord, sees the car
donation program as an opportunity to ensure that qualified technicians
will be available for hire in the future.
“We’re fully
committed to helping schools improve their auto technology programs,” said
Southers. “We are particularly pleased to help schools
that are providing employees for our dealerships. We see it as
good for the school, good for BMW/MINI and best of all, good
for the students in the program.”
The ROP Automotive Technology
class at Alhambra High School in Martinez earned its National
Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification
in 2004 through the National Automotive Technicians Education
Foundation (NATEF). The certification is a rigorous process that
ensures the instructor, facility and curriculum of the program
meet or exceed industry recognized, uniform standards of excellence.
The Alhambra High School program is the only NATEF certified
training program in Contra Costa County.
The Alhambra High School
ROP Automobile Technology students participate in the AYES program
(Automotive Youth Education Systems). AYES is only available
to NATEF certificated programs. A partnership between auto manufacturers,
dealers, and schools, AYES interns have a paid job – full-time
in the summer between their junior and senior year and part-time
after school – at a participating dealership, an experienced
technician as a mentor, and a tool scholarship, which pays for
a substantial portion of the starter set of quality tools. BMW/MINI
Concord employed three Alhambra high school students through
this program in 2005/06.
# # #
School-to-Career focus on Felix Elizondo, ROP Student
(Note: Felix Elizondo will be available to interview at the
BMW Concord donation ceremony, 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, February
8, 2006, Tim Bruder’s Auto Tech classroom at Alhambra High.)
“I always wanted
to be a mechanic,” says Felix Elizondo, ROP Auto Technician
student at Alhambra High. “This class is a good thing.
I want to stay in this field.”
Felix, now a senior, has
come a long way since 2001, when he stepped into his first
American classroom, not knowing a word of English. “But
I always like to listen to people, paying attention to what
they say. That’s how I learned English,” he says.
Felix has an after-school
internship at BMW/MINI Concord, working under the mentorship
of Jake Arevalo. Having a mentor “is the best thing about
the internship,” he says.
“He explains things to me step-by-step.”
Felix likes auto mechanics
because it demands both manual dexterity and brain power. “I
like doing things with my hands, and getting into things I
can really think about.”
Students in Tim Bruder’s
ROP Auto Tech class at Alhambra High have the opportunity to
do after school and summer internships at the local auto shops
and dealerships. Felix hopes to go to advanced technical school
after graduation, while continuing to work at BMW/MINI Concord.
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2006
Contra Costa County Academic Decathlon
Published:
February 1, 2006
What: 2006 Academic Decathlon:
The European Renaissance: Reform and Renewal
Who: Contra Costa County Office
of Education
200+ high school students on 18 teams from 12 schools in Contra
Costa and San Francisco Counties
Where: Los Medanos College,
2700 E. Leland Rd, Pittsburg
When: Saturday, February 4
at LMC, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
(Seven Written Tests and Oral SuperQuiz)
SuperQuiz begins at 2 p.m. in the Recital Hall
High school students from Contra Costa and San
Francisco will put their academic skills on the line in two back-to-back
Saturdays in the hope of moving on to LA for the state competition.
The 2006 Academic Decathlon is an opportunity for students to
compete as individuals and teams in a series of ten academic
tests and demonstrations, including: art, economics, language
and literature, mathematics, music, science, essay, interview,
speech (prepared and impromptu) and SuperQuiz (both written and
as a team-relay event).
Teams are made up of nine students, grades 9-12,
with a maximum of three students in each of the following divisions:
Honors (3.75-4.00 GPA), Scholastic (3.00-3.74 GPA) and Varsity
(2.99 GPA and below). Reigning Contra Costa champion, Campolindo
High School, returns to defend its title against teams from:
Acalanes (Lafayette), Antioch (Antioch), California (San Ramon),
Campolindo (Moraga), Freedom (Oakley), Kennedy (Richmond), Las
Lomas (Walnut Creek), Liberty (Brentwood), Miramonte (Orinda),
Monte Vista (Danville) and Pittsburg (Pittsburg). Lowell High
will be representing San Francisco County.As part of the National
and State Academic Decathlon Programs, the Contra Costa County
event is a competition for high school students, modeled after
the Olympics, to encourage and honor scholastic achievement.
The students have been studying and preparing for this event
with their coaches since September. The curriculum for this year’s
tests is The European Renaissance: Renewal &
Reform. The Oral SuperQuiz Relay at LMC on February 4 is open
to the public. Admission is free. Everyone is encouraged to attend
and cheer on their favorite team.
# # #
Best Photo Opportunity:
The SuperQuiz (beginning at 2:00 p.m., February 4 in the LMC
Recital Hall). Also, on Wednesday, February 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
at the Pleasant Hill Civic Center, 320 Civic Drive, during the
awards presentation when outstanding decathletes accept their
medals and teams find out who won the competition.
Additional Academic Events: The
Mock Trial competition will begin on February 7 and continue
on selected Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the month, with
finals being held on March 2. All trials take place at the County
Courthouse in Martinez. Participating high schools include: Acalanes,
Alhambra, Antioch, California, Campolindo, College Park, Concord,
Hercules, Miramonte, Monte Vista, Northgate, Richmond and San
Ramon Valley.
For more information about the Academic Decathlon
or Mock Trial programs, contact Joan
Sieczkowski, Academic Events
Specialist, CCCOE, 925-942-3400.
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Students
Take On The Judicial System In Mock Trial Competition
Published:
February 1, 2006
What: Mock
Trial Competition
When: Tuesdays
and Thursdays, February 7 – March 2, 2006 (5:15-7:30
p.m.)
Where: Superior
Court, Martinez
Who: Coordinated
by the Contra Costa County Office of Education, sponsored by
the Constitutional Rights Foundation
The 2006 case is People
v. Markson - A Murder Trial. It is a mock trial created by
the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF). Mock Trial is an
academic activity for high school students coordinated by the
Contra Costa County Office of Education. The purpose of this
program is to teach students about the law and the workings
of the legal system. Each participant portrays the part of
a courtroom character such as an attorney, witness, court clerk,
or bailiff. To prepare, the students conduct legal research,
receive guidance on courtroom procedures from volunteer attorneys,
and acquire a working knowledge of the judicial system. Each
team works with teacher and attorney coaches to prepare their
version of the criminal case, both from the prosecution and
defense perspective.
Through these role-playing
techniques, students learn about the content and processes
of law in an exciting and vibrant way. Also, by studying the
case and preparing strategies and arguments for trial, students
increase their public speaking skills, analytical ability and
team cooperation.
Teams from the following
high schools will be competing: Acalanes (Lafayette), Alhambra
(Martinez), Antioch, California (San Ramon), Campolindo (Moraga),
College Park (Concord), Concord , Hercules Middle/High, Miramonte
(Orinda), Monte Vista (Danville), Northgate (Walnut Creek),
Richmond, and San Ramon Valley (Danville).
Students may also participate
as courtroom artists or journalists. As such, students accompany
their Mock Trial teams to the preliminary rounds of the competition.
Artists sketch courtroom scenes and the courtroom reporters
write and submit a 500 –
700-word news article on the trial they attended. The entries
are then judged and the winners represent Contra Costa County
at the state finals. These winners are picked regardless of whether
their school is selected as the Mock Trial finalist.
The two highest scoring
teams will advance to the finals on March 2. The winning team
will then represent Contra Costa County at the State Mock Trial
competition in Riverside on March 17 – 19, 2006. All
participating schools and outstanding individuals will be honored
at an evening awards reception on March 7, 6:30 p.m. at the
Mt. Diablo Medical Center in Concord.
In 1977, the Constitutional
Rights Foundation (CRF) introduced the concept of mock trials
to Los Angeles schools. In 1980, the program expanded to the
state level. The California Mock Trial Program currently involves
more than 35 counties and over 8,000 student participants from
more than 400 teams. Approximately 1,500 attorney volunteers
serve as team coaches and scorers, and 500 Municipal, Superior
and Appellate Court judges preside over the trials.
Schedule for
2006
Preliminaries February 7, 9, 16, 21 (5:15 p.m.)
Quarter February 23 (5:15 p.m.)
Semifinals February 28 (5:15 p.m.)
Finals and Consolation March 2 (5:15 p.m.)
Award Celebration March 7 (6:30 p.m.)
For more information contact:
Joan Sieczkowski,
(925) 942-3400, or check our Web site: www.cocoschools.org/edsvcs/events/mocktrial.htm
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Community
Members Sought for Local Planning Council to Assist Innovative
Child Care Developments
Published:
January 9, 2006
What: Seeking
New Members for Child Care and Development Council
Who: Contra
Costa County Office of Education—Youth Development Services
Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development
Where: Contra
Costa County Office of Education, 77 Santa Barbara Rd., Pleasant
Hill
When: Meeting
dates are January 26, March 23, and May 25, 2006 from 5:30 – 7:30
p.m.
How: The Local Planning
Council for Child Care and Development (LPC) is in partnership
with the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) to support
and educate child care providers in Contra Costa. The LPC is
a dedicated group of child care providers, consumers, public
and community agency representatives, and concerned citizens.
It is comprised of 25 volunteers representing West, Central and
East Contra Costa, appointed by and reporting to, the Board of
Supervisors and the Superintendent of Schools as well as to the
public.
There are currently four
positions open--three openings from the East County and one from
the West County. Ruth Fernandez (previously of KQED’s Education
Network) has joined the CCCOE Youth Development Services staff
to implement and supervise the Professional Development Program
and staff the LPC.
For further information on
the Local Planning Council or Early Childhood Development programs
contact Ruth Fernandez, (925) 942-3413.
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