Contra Costa County Office of Education

More than 400 Contra Costa County high school students learned about manufacturing careers and toured nine East Bay companies and three community colleges during Manufacturing Day on October 24, 2023. Sponsored by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) College and Career Readiness Program and Earn & Learn, Manufacturing Day offered students an inside look at career pathways with competitive wages that do not require a college degree.

In partnership with Earn & Learn and Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), more than 130 students throughout Contra Costa County were given the opportunity to explore the world of skilled trades and learn from experts in the field. Earn & Learn is an organization that helps support and manage work-based learning activities. By teaming up with them, CCCOE was able to help connect dozens of students with the construction workforce and introduce them to industry career opportunities in construction, engineering, and other skilled trades.

Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey recognized Village Community Resource Center (VCRC) as the Education Champion for the month of October 2023 at the most recent county Board of Education meeting. Executive Director Kirsten Rigsby of VCRC and her colleagues were thanked for providing comprehensive resources to East County families, such as after-school programs, parent support groups, mental health services, food distribution, summer programs, and a youth leadership track.

Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey today congratulated Ygnacio Valley High School engineering teacher Joseph Alvarico for being named one of five 2024 California Teachers of the Year. The announcement was made today by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

In these challenging times, it is crucial for educators and families to be aware of the accessibility of disturbing content and misinformation on various social media platforms. Even traditional media can be sources of graphic images and footage that may be unsuitable for young people.

Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey recognized the Rotary Club of San Ramon Valley as the Education Champion for the month of September 2023 at the most recent county Board of Education meeting.

Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey congratulates 114 high school seniors for being named Semifinalists in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Led by 52 students at Dougherty Valley High School in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, there are 13 Contra Costa County high schools represented on the list of more than 16,000 Semifinalists.

Middle College High School (MCHS) in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, has been selected as one of California’s National Blue Ribbon Schools, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced last week. MCHS is one of 33 schools in the state honored with the prestigious award.

County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey announced Joseph Alvarico of Ygnacio Valley High School (Mount Diablo Unified School District) and Annalouisa Gonzalez-Ortega of Freedom High School (Liberty Union High School District) as the 2023-2024 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year.

The Contra Costa County Board of Education will welcome its first-ever student members at its meeting on Wednesday, September 13, 2023. Sophia Nguyen from El Cerrito High School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District and Daphne Milich from Monte Vista High School in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District were selected by the Board to represent the voices and perspectives of students in Contra Costa County.

Education workforce housing, school fund investment activities, and an update on the progress about students and reading intervention strategies at Mt. McKinley School are on the agenda for the September 13, 2023, Contra Costa County Board of Education meeting.

Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) has developed a new online guide titled, “Substance Use, Mental Health, & Teens: A Guide for Parents & Other Caring Adults,” which focuses on resources to protect and care for teens facing substance abuse and mental health challenges. Created by the agency’s Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) department, the resource was inspired by April Rovero, Founder/ Director of National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse (NCAPDA), to equip adults with knowledge and resources they need to support young people in their lives to make positive decisions regarding their health.

The agenda for the next Contra Costa County Board of Education meeting includes a resolution in support of Hispanic Heritage Month and a resolution on climate change learning opportunities, consideration of granting high school diplomas to students who met graduation requirements, and an update on charter schools throughout the county. Reports will also be given about the California Collaborative for Learning Acceleration (CCLA) and new legislation requiring high school students to take ethnic studies courses.

Three additional Contra Costa County students are recipients of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities. They join the three other county high school seniors previously announced in June.

Three Contra Costa County students are among more than 3,000 recipients of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced.

The proposed adoption of the agency’s Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAP) and 2023-2024 budget, a charter oversight update, highlights from Mt. McKinley school’s Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) program, and an overview on CCCOE’s recruitment and credentialing efforts will be showcased at the Board Meeting. The Board will also receive a progress report on CCCOE’s Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant, a summary of supports explaining what essential services CCCOE provides to local school districts, and proposed additions/changes to policies.

It is graduation season and a time to acknowledge the Class of 2023. It is time to celebrate their accomplishments and the start of a new chapter in their lives. Wherever they may be headed next - whether it is college, career training, the workforce, or something else - it is a time to recognize and appreciate their achievements and perseverance.

A budget workshop and an update on the agency’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) will be presented, including a breakdown on how the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) plans to allocate funding and services for the 2023-2024 school year, at a special workshop meeting of the Contra Costa County Board of Education on May 31, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. The regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting will commence at 5:30 p.m., following the workshop and budget update.

Rising juniors and seniors can be a voice for students by applying to serve as a member of the Contra Costa County Board of Education (CCCBOE). The Board voted unanimously at its May 17 meeting on the process to appoint a student board member, a position that was approved at the February 22 meeting. Applications are available online and will be accepted until June 30 at 5 p.m.

Three educators from Contra Costa County received the coveted Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust award for exceptional work in the classroom as K-12 teachers. A celebratory awards dinner took place at the Lafayette Hotel on May 4, 2023. The dinner was hosted by Chef and Radio Host Narsai David, and former KPIX news anchor Ann Notarangelo was the Master of Ceremonies. Nominated by principals, colleagues, and students, the recipients were each awarded $10,000 for exhibiting extraordinary commitment to their students.

Resolutions recognizing June as LGBTQIA+ month and pledging support for a new Education Center at Mt. Diablo State Park, a presentation on Universal Pre-Kindergarten grant funding, information on labor agreement proposals, and updates on the process for selecting a Student Board Member are some of the items on the Contra Costa County Board of Education (CCCBOE) agenda for its meeting scheduled for May 17, 2023, at 5 p.m.

Eight seniors from five Contra Costa County high schools have been named National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners. The group of winners was named in the program’s second announcement and are among those to have earned the “Merit Scholar” title. The 2,500 Merit Scholar winners were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Some 50 students were nominated to be Students of Excellence recipients, and 39 won the award based on their teachers' recommendations and the nominee’s submitted statement. Honored students were awarded a certificate of merit and a $300 scholarship. Additionally, the nominees received a gift card. Monetary donations were provided by Chevron, Phillips 66, Earn & Learn, Junior Achievement, Travis Credit Union, and Biocom California.

Eight seniors at four Contra Costa County high schools have been named winners in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. They are among approximately 840 distinguished high school seniors from throughout the Nation announced in the first group of National Merit Scholars for 2023.

Dhruv Subramanian, a 7th grader at Windemere Ranch Middle School in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, is one of three students from the Bay Area who will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee the week of Memorial Day in National Harbor, Maryland.

School-aged scientists recently competed to represent Contra Costa County in state, national, and international science contests. 110 student projects were submitted for judging at the Contra Costa County Science & Engineering Fair (CCCSEF) in March. Of those, 18 were selected to compete in the California Science & Engineering Fair and three projects will represent CCCSEF at the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) in May. Three projects in the Junior Division Grand Sweepstakes became eligible to compete at Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators Challenge held in October 2023 in Washington, DC.

Seven classified school employees were recognized for their support of students and schools in Contra Costa County at a reception held on Thursday, April 20, 2023.

Joseph Alvarico (Mt. Diablo Unified School District/Ygnacio Valley High School), Annalouisa Gonzalez-Ortega (Liberty Union High School District/Freedom High School), Patricia Ogura (West Contra Costa Unified School District/Hercules Middle School and Hercules High School) and Danya Townsend (Mt. Diablo Unified School District/Olympic High School) will now compete to be named one of two Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year.

Board resolutions will recognize May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month as well as additional topics to highlight throughout the month (see below). A resolution to Promote Development of Education Workforce Housing will also be highlighted. Classified School Employee of the Year Nominees will be recognized by the Board. A review of a Quarterly Report, a Charter School Update, and a presentation from the Center for Recovery and Empowerment are some of the additional items on the Contra Costa County Board of Education agenda for its meeting scheduled for April 19, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.

Twenty-one educators in Contra Costa County have been named their school district’s teacher of the year. With that distinction, the educators represent more than 8,000 teachers in Contra Costa County public schools and community colleges.

Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) has put together a list of resources to provide educators, parents and guardians support in talking with students about gun violence, their safety and their feelings. Included in this list are resources for adults to care for themselves as well.

Students from schools in Contra Costa County competed in the annual Contra Costa County National Day of History event on Saturday, March 4 at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif. Individuals, or groups with the highest scores in each category are now eligible to participate in California History Day, April 15-16 at Sacramento State. Those who win at the state competition become eligible to advance to National History Day.

ACSA Region 6, which represents public school administrators in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, named Credential Supervisor Kandi Hayes as the Personnel/HR Administrator of the Year, College and Career Readiness Coordinator Jeff Brauning as the Career Technical Administrator of the Year, and Literacy ELA/ELD Coordinator Erin Roberts as the Curriculum & Instruction Administrator of the Year.

A workshop on the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), a board resolution recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month, presentations about educating homeless children and youth, and the Second Interim Report are among the items on the Contra Costa County Board of Education agenda for its meetings scheduled for March 15, 2023, at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey announced White Pony Express (WPE) as the Contra Costa County Education Champion for February 2023. The nonprofit organization was recognized at the Feb. 22, 2023, Contra Costa County Board of Education meeting.

Two board resolutions for the month of March, recognition of an Education Champion, and a new grant benefitting the arts in Contra Costa County’s elementary schools are among the items that are on the Contra Costa County Board of Education agenda for its meeting scheduled for February 22, 2023, at 5 p.m.

For the sixth consecutive year, California High School has won the Contra Costa County Mock Trials championship, the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) announced at an awards ceremony on Thursday evening.

Harper Iles, a sophomore at Pinole Valley High School in Pinole, is Contra Costa County’s 2023 Poetry Out Loud winner. With expressive recitations of poems by Emily Dickenson and Stephen Dunn, Iles became the county champion during the annual poetry event on February 11, 2023, at Las Lomas High School.

Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey announced Aimee Henry, field communications director at Phillips 66, as the Contra Costa County Education Champion for the month of January 2023.

Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) is hosting its annual countywide Spring Job Fair on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at Alhambra High School in Martinez from 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

An update on charter schools and a discussion of student board members are among the items that are on the Contra Costa County Board of Education agenda for its meeting scheduled for January 25, 2023, at 5 p.m.

Golden Gate Community School Principal Douglas Corbin has been awarded the Lighthouse Award for Turnaround Site Leader by the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE). The Lighthouse Awards are presented annually at the SDCOE Equity Conference to honor the work of education, community, and student leaders who are champions for equity.

The Contra Costa Tobacco Prevention Coalition (TPC) recently named Emily Justice the Tobacco Control Leader of the Year for her work in building relationships with schools and increasing the number of students being served by anti-tobacco programs.

Twenty-eight Contra Costa County elementary schools are being honored with the prestigious 2023 California Distinguished Schools award by the California Department of Education (CDE).

The 42nd Annual Contra Costa County High School Mock Trial Program is scheduled to begin at the end of January; and volunteer legal professionals and students are greatly needed to lend their expertise.

Mackey was unopposed in the June primary election as she won a second term in office.

Consuelo Lara, a longtime educator and community advocate, was selected as the Contra Costa County Board of Education President

Three members of the Contra Costa County Board of Education who won re-election in November took the oath of office during a special meeting on Friday, December 9.

Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) invites the community to view its 2021-2022 Annual Report to the Community which outlines the accomplishments of the past year by the agency, county school districts, its schools, and students.

Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey announced April Rovero, founder and executive director of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, as the Contra Costa County Education Champion for the month of November 2022.

CCCOE will team up with seven partners to share professional development opportunities and work with schools, educators, and districts in meeting the state’s critical goal: every child learns to read by third grade.

Students learn the science behind fires and participate in drills that help them understand how to knockdown and fight fires. During the drills, students are suited up in real firefighter gear and utilize fire hoses, stairs, and real life situations one might face as a firefighter.

Contra Costa County Office of Education’s principal of Golden Gate Community School, Douglas Corbin, has been awarded the Administrator Leadership Award by the California Association of Science Educators (CASE). Nominated for his outstanding work bringing high-quality science curriculum and learning opportunities to alternative students, Corbin was awarded this prestigious honor at the 2022 California Science Education Conference in Palm Springs, Calif.

Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) will host a job fair highlighting permanent positions, substitutes, classified, and certificated positions. The event will take place on October 27, 2022, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ronald L. Stewart Center, located at 77 Santa Barbara Road in Pleasant Hill.

Chavonta Edington of Diablo Vista Middle School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District) and Natasha Paul of Mt. Diablo High School (Mt. Diablo Unified School District) were named the 2022-2023 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond congratulated the Contra Costa County Schools along with 24 other schools throughout the state last week.

Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey congratulated 107 high school seniors for being named Semifinalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Tickets for the 50th-Annual Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year celebration on Thursday, September 22 are now on sale on the Lesher Center website. Nineteen teachers from across the county will be honored at the first in-person celebration since 2019, and for the first time ever at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek. At the end of the program, two Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year winners will be announced.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond recently named two Contra Costa County students as National Youth Science Camp delegates for California.

CCCOE teamed up with Bay Area Cyber League for CyberCamp. It was a free week-long day camp of engaging and interactive learning on how to stay safe on the internet.

Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) is proud to recognize and celebrate six local student recipients of National Merit Scholarship Awards.

Three Contra Costa County students received individual recognitions at the 71st-annual California Science & Engineering Fair held last month. There were over 850 participants that presented 720 projects and represented 343 schools from throughout the state.

Students from Contra Costa and Alameda counties who have excelled in their Career Technical Education classes were honored by the Contra Costa County Office of Education at the annual Students of Excellence Awards ceremony.

The Contra Costa County Office of Education today announced the four teachers who have been selected 2022-23 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year finalists: Serina Culleton (Moraga School District/Donald L. Rheem Elementary School), Chavonta Edington (San Ramon Valley Unified School District/Diablo Vista Elementary School), Natasha Paul (Mt. Diablo Unified School District/Mt. Diablo High School) and Paula L. Rathert (Walnut Creek School District/Murwood Elementary School).

Five schools and four school districts in Contra Costa County were named winners of the newly created 2022 California Pivotal Practice (CAPP) Award Program by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

PLEASANT HILL, Calif. – Over 100 students from the county submitted projects that were judged at the Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair (CCCSEF). Eighteen student projects went on to compete in the California Science Fair earlier this month.

Nineteen Educators in Contra Costa County Have Been Named Their School District's Teacher of the Year. With That Distinction, They Represent the Nearly 8,600 Teachers in Contra Costa County.

Last night, the California Department of Public Health announced that the state will delay the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students until the 2023-24 school year.

PLEASANT HILL., Calif -- Seven Contra Costa County public schools won their divisions at the Odyssey of the Mind NorCal State competition which was held on March 26. In addition, 23 teams from Contra Costa County schools advanced to compete in the World Finals, May 25-28, at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

California High School students Cindy Zhu and Aarja Singh received individual accolades for their performances at the 41st-Annual California State Mock Competition which was held virtually, March 18-20.

Christina Carter, a career technical education (CTE) teacher at the Contra Costa Adult School (CCAS) was named the Contra Costa County Office of Education’s Teacher of the Year in a virtual ceremony Thursday evening. She becomes eligible to be a nominee for the County Teacher of the Year competition which announces two county winners in September.

The Contra Costa County Board of Education recently completed the constitutionally-mandated redistricting process, adopting a map that draws new political boundaries for elected members.

Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey congratulated Brentwood Union School District’s Edna Hill Middle School for being named a 2022 California School to Watch for the sixth time.

For the fifth-consecutive year, California High School claimed the 2022 Contra Costa County Mock Trials competition, led by coach Brian Barr, beating Miramonte High School in the championship bout on Tuesday.

The Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) is hosting a county-wide Certificated Job Fair on Saturday, February 26, 2022, at Alhambra High School in Martinez from 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Representatives from 20 school districts and charter schools will be in attendance, as well as four universities to discuss credential programs and options for current classified and certificated staff to further their education.