From the desk of
Charles Weis, Ph.D. County Superintendent of Schools Recently I was invited to address the Santa Clara County After School Collaborative's annual "Breakfast of Champions" event. The Collaborative is dedicated to bringing together diverse parties who support after-school programs in the county. Their work aligns with our SJ2020 initiative to eliminate the achievement gap among county students by the year 2020. My talk centered on the notion of making the impossible possible. Our stated goal of closing the gap is extremely ambitious. The disparity in academic performance between lower-performing Hispanic/Latino and African-American students, versus higher-performing Asian and White/non-Hispanic students, is widely prevalent and deeply embedded in schools all across the nation. So, what makes us think we can do what has not been done on a large scale anywhere else? Don't we know that's impossible? A personal hero of mine, President John F. Kennedy, spoke of a similar "impossible dream" in 1962, when he discussed the challenge America faced in putting a man on the moon. He said, in essence, We choose to go to the moon in this decade not because it is easy, but because it is hard. In other words, we should not be afraid to strive for the loftiest goals just because they seem difficult, or even impossible. Granted, eliminating the achievement gap is going to be hard. But it's a very worthwhile goal -- not just for the children whose lives will be enriched ... and not just for their families, and their neighbors, and their future employers ... but for ALL of us. So, let's not be daunted by words like "impractical" or "impossible." Let's not shirk from a goal because it is hard. I know you all join me in saying that eliminating the gap is something we should do, something we must do, and something we can do. 
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Event shows law school experience
Santa Clara County students can get a taste of the law school experience at the eighth-annual "A Day at Law School" at UC Hastings College of the Law.
The free, Oct. 29 event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the college, 198 McAllister St. in San Francisco.
Attendees between the ages of 5 and 18 will learn about college and law school, as well as tips to succeed in high school. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, as will school supplies and door prizes. Parent sessions in English and Spanish will also be provided.
To RSVP, call 775-400-1112 or email
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Links of Interest
The State of Education
Check out data of vital interest to education planning efforts in Santa Clara County.
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Teachers shine at 42nd annual recognition |
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 With broad smiles across their faces and thunderous applause at their feet, the region's finest teachers got their moment in the spotlight late last month at the 42nd annual Santa Clara County Teacher Recognition Celebration.
Educators, business partners and community members joined with friends, family and colleagues to honor the county's 31 Teachers of the Year at the Campbell Heritage Theatre on Sept. 27.
 Co-hosted by County Superintendent of Schools Charles Weis, Ph.D. and NBC Bay Area News anchor Jessica Aguirre, the evening included entertainment from the Miller Middle School Jazz Choir, a video tribute to the Teacher Recognition founders, and video profiles of each teacher honoree.
A video of the ceremony is available online. Check out a photo gallery of the evening's festivities, as well as the event's program.
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| 'Head of the Class' profiles Teacher of the Year |
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Paul Myrvold's students at Blue Ridge High School learn about the trade of welding -- as well as broader life lessons, the COE Teacher of the Year tells Dr. Weis in the latest episode of "Head of the Class."
Watch the video here.
 In the latest episode, Myrvold, a Regional Occupational Program teacher at a school for incarcerated youth, talks about what students can expect in his classroom -- and the rewards of teaching he receives in return.
"Head of the Class" showcases programs and initiatives at the COE and in school districts throughout the county.
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Summit addresses digital citizenship
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About 200 educational leaders, school board members, parents and student leaders gathered earlier this month to share successful practices and resources that support digital citizenship in schools.
 Attendees of the fifth annual Digital Citizenship Summit held at the Yahoo! Campus in Sunnyvale learned about the five building blocks of digital citizenship: build a culture of ethics and safety; implement a network of support and leadership; align policies and procedures; provide professional development; and integrate student curriculum for safety and ethics.
Co-produced by the COE and Yahoo!, the Oct. 14 summit included locally and nationally recognized child safety experts including Project Cornerstone, Common Sense Media, iKeepSafe and NetSmartz.
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Board renews charter, OKs countywide charter approval guidelines |
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Here's a summary of the Santa Clara County Board of Education's actions at its Oct. 5 and 19 meetings
- Recognized Debbie Boer as the October Employee of the Month
- Renewed Bullis Charter School through June 2017
- Adopted guidelines for approval of countywide charter schools
The Board of Education is the elected governing body of the COE. Its seven members serve four-year terms and are elected by different regions of the county. Learn more about the members, and view their meeting schedule, agendas and minutes.
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| Community reading project focuses on Islam |
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 Santa Clara County residents will learn more about what it's like to be a Muslim and American as part of Silicon Valley Reads, an annual effort co-presented by the COE to get the community reading -- and talking -- about the same book.
Book selections for the 10th edition of the community literacy project are The Muslim Next Door and The Butterfly Mosque, which provide two perspectives of American Muslim women.
A Jan. 25 interview with the two authors will kick off a series of events, discussions, film showings, and other activities focused on the books and held county-wide through April. A full schedule of events will be posted Jan. 1 on the Silicon Valley Reads website.
To ensure participation by the entire family, the program also includes companion books for children of varying ages: It's OK To Be Different by Todd Parr, for children not yet in school; One Green Apple by Eve Bunting, for children in kindergarten through second grade; My Name is Bilal by Asma Mobin-Uddin, for grades two through six; and Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim, for grades seven and higher.
Silicon Valley Reads is presented annually by the COE, Santa Clara County Library and San Jose Public Library Foundation, with funding from community groups, corporate and individuals donors.
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Since 1852, the Santa Clara County Office of Education has provided vital services and resources to the county's 31 K-12 public school districts and more than 250,000 students. The COE strives to provide: advocacy and leadership on education issues, student programs that are models of excellence, and indispensable services to schools and community partners. The COE takes pride in being a premier employer and a champion for children, schools, and community. |
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