|
| |
A bright new accessible playground opens at the SMCOE ECE Center | |
|
|
|
STEM Center Opens With a Splash
Once the ribbon was cut at the official grand opening on August 24, 2012, more than 200 people streamed through the newly opened STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Center at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE). Visitors marveled at the state-of-the-art technology in the Center, including facilities for professional development training and videoconferencing.
"All of the staff at SMCOE has been fantastic in helping us prepare for this day," noted STEM Center Director Christi Harter. Invited guests included community leaders, superintendents,
 | | STEM Center Director Christi Harter and SMCOE Deputy Superintendent Gary Waddell welcome guests at the STEM Center grand opening. |
school board trustees, teachers and education support providers from the Lawrence Hall of Science, the Marine Science Institute, the Exploratorium, CuriOdyssey and KQED.
The morning session featured a keynote address by Kevin Walsh, Chief Technology Officer at Oracle, which has been pivotal in supporting the STEM Center from the beginning planning and research stage to future professional development trainings. Thanks to the Oracle Impact grant, fifth- through 12th-grade computer science training will be offered face-to-face and on a virtual basis nationally through the STEM Center.
At the open house from 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., visitors interacted with the technology tools that will be used in the STEM Center professional development trainings. The Center is equipped with all the latest, including Polycom videoconferencing equipment, SMART boards, Walltalkers (dry-erase white boards that can also be used as projection screens) and iPads. The STEM Center Studio is flexible so that it can be used for small or large group training sessions.
During the summer prior to the grand opening, the STEM Center was abuzz with training. Math content training for pre-K to third-grade teachers, and a collaborative Pre-K to third-grade science training in conjunction with the Marine Science Institute and the KQED Science Lab were part of the professional development offerings.
The STEM Center staff is now complete and includes: Robin Worley, instructional technology coordinator and Alex Harrell, media technician. Robin and Alex join STEM Center early learning coordinator Kim Bambo and administrative assistant Luz Roman-Amaro, who have been on staff since January 2012. SMCOE math coordinator April Cherrington and administrative assistant Janet Shi have been with SMCOE for 11 and 22 years, respectively. Director Christi Harter has been with SMCOE for a year and two months now. The team moved into the STEM Center in late spring of 2012.
On the calendar for this fall are a math and science resource fair on September 10, a series of Common Core State Standards math trainings, information sessions on the Next Generation Science Standards currently being vetted across the nation, a series of free Oracle Academy Trainings on Java Fundamentals and Programming for middle and high school teachers, as well as professional development series for Pre-K to third grade teachers for mathematics, and Blended and Online Learning. Details of upcoming STEM Center events and trainings can be found on the SMCOE website here.
|
|
Accessible New Playground Opens at SMCOE Early Childhood Education Center
When infants, toddlers and preschoolers return to school this fall at the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Center at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) facility at Tower Road in San Mateo, they'll have a spiffy new playground with special features waiting for them.
The ECE program at Tower Road, which
 | | Carol Pex, ECE Director, delights in the new accessible playground. |
currently has nearly 60 young students enrolled, serves the needs of little ones with low incidence disabilities (visual, hearing and orthopedic impairments) and the new playground is designed to be accessible to them.
The brightly colored playground features a special metal slide suitable for youngsters with cochlear implants, while wide ramps make the playground accessible to children using wheelchairs or walkers. Red and yellow panels with dials encourage touch and play for children with visual or hearing impairments, and a bouncy ground surface protects kids from hard falls.
Toddlers on tricycles can ride on the striped pathways and little ones who can't hold their arms up can ride the swings with adaptable arm harnesses. The bumble bee rocker promises to be a popular choice for toddlers, too. Soon there will be new small tables and chairs to complete the outdoor area, and a new area for preschoolers, too.
Before all the fun equipment was put in place, construction was done to grade and level the area, and a retaining wall and new fencing were added to make it safer. New grass areas were also added. "This playground had not been touched in decades," notes Denise Porterfield, Deputy Superintendent, Fiscal and Operational Services Division at SMCOE. "We wanted to make sure it was updated for safety and accessibility," she adds.
When a tree fell last winter and severely damaged the area, the time was ripe to update the playground. Funds for the project came from deferred maintenance monies. Construction began in December and was completed in March.
In June the ECE Program held a ribbon cutting and ice cream social celebration to inaugurate the new playground. Families, County School Board trustees and SMCOE staff attended. "Our families are thrilled to have such a great playground," exclaimed ECE Director Carol Pex with delight.
|
|
Schools Across the County See
Major Renovations
The sound of hammers, buzz saws and more could be heard at school sites throughout the county this summer as bond monies provided funding for major renovations and new buildings.
Building projects took place in the Burlingame Elementary, Belmont-Redwood Shores, Menlo Park,
 | | A new classroom building at Capuchino High School provides state-of-the-art facilities. |
South San Francisco Unified, and San Mateo Union High School districts, to name a few.
New state-of-the art classrooms, science labs, career and technical education facilities, gymnasiums and theaters are bringing schools throughout the county into the 21st century. With many school districts on the peninsula seeing an increase in enrollment, these projects couldn't have come to fruition at a better time.
Check here to learn more about a few of these building projects. |
|
Two Candidates Vie for Open Seat on
County Board of Education
On November 6, 2012, when San Mateo County voters go to the polls, they will have a choice between two nonprofit professionals for San Mateo County Board of Education Trustee for area seven. Current area seven board member Memo Morantes chose not to run for re-election, which opened up the field. Area seven, in the southern part of San Mateo County, includes part of the Sequoia Union High School District and the Las Lomitas, Menlo Park City,  Portola Valley, Ravenswood City and Woodside Elementary school districts. Joe Ross, executive director of Citizen Schools, a national nonprofit, and Jo-Ann Sockolov Byrne, director of the Redwood City Education Foundation, are the two contenders for the open seat. "The moment is urgent to engage the community in education," says Ross, who lives in Menlo Park and has two of his three children enrolled in the Las Lomitas school district. "With declining budgets and the persistent achievement gap, we need to look for ways to consolidate services, and bring the corporate and nonprofit sectors into the schools to provide better resources." Ross holds a bachelor's degree from Yale University, served in the U.S. Navy, and has a law degree from Stanford. Prior to joining Citizen Schools, an organization that brings in volunteers to help extend the learning day in middle schools in Redwood City, East Palo Alto and other Bay Area communities, he headed a startup that manufactured the flip video camera. He sold that company to Cisco Systems. "I'm passionate about closing the achievement gap, and providing equal access and opportunity for all students," notes Sockolov Byrne, a resident of Atherton. "We need to provide our teachers with the highest quality professional development, and we need to prepare our students for 21st century jobs. They need to understand and use technology tools effectively." Prior to her post at the Redwood City Education Foundation, Sockolov Byrne served as a human resources manager and executive in the financial services industry and in the nonprofit sector. She holds both bachelor's and master's degrees from San Francisco State University, and attended public schools in Pacifica. She is the mother of two daughters, one a student at Sequoia High School, and the other a student at Hillview Middle School. Three other seats on the San Mateo County Board of Education up for re-election, in areas four, five and six, -- held by Rod Hsiao, Jim Cannon and Ted Lempert respectively -- were not contested. |
|
A New Backpack for Every Child
What better way to start off the new school year than with a spanking new backpack filled with school supplies! So that even those less fortunate can have this opportunity, Samaritan House is sponsoring a backpack drive to collect and distribute new fully-equipped backpacks to needy children in San Mateo County.
If you'd like to be a part of their backpack  drive now through August 31,2012, here is what the organization suggests you include in each backpack:
For elementary school: pencil case, pencils (and colored pencils), pens (various colors), kids' books, ruler, notebook, calculator (optional), fancy book cover (optional), an inspirational note (you can type on a computer and make multiple copies) such as "Have a great year, you are a great student!"
For middle school: colored pencils (12 pack), colored markers (8 pack; 1 bold pack, 1 thin pack), scissors (1 pair), crayons (24 pack), ruler, magic eraser, binder paper (1 pack), Pee-Chee folder, Pencils (1 dozen), pens (3), yellow highlighter (1), glue sticks (3 pack), and a pencil box.
Donations are being accepted during Samaritan House regular office hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and can be delivered to the administration office on the third floor of Samaritan House 4031 Pacific Blvd. in San Mateo. Call Kristen at (650) 523-0823 to give an estimated time for your delivery. If you have a large donation (20+ backpacks), call Robyn at (650) 523-0814 to schedule a pickup within two working days.
Samaritan House, a private nonprofit organization, provides services to help meet the essential daily needs of more than 12,000 low-income people within San Mateo County.
|
|
Check Us Out on Facebook
The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) now has a page on Facebook. We'll be providing frequent upd ates on SMCOE events and education news of interest, adding groups of interest, and linking to other education organizations. Check us out and "like" us today on Facebook!
|
|
About the San Mateo County Office of Education
The San Mateo County Office of Education provides a variety of instructional, business and consulting services to the County's 23 public school districts, charter schools, the Community College District and County Office of Education staff.
Believe in Tomorrow: Think Green Today
|
|
|
