Dateline Masthead
Contra Costa County Office of EducationSeptember 2011
In this issue
Contra Costa Regional Area Energy Workshop
AB 430 Administrator Training Program
Model United Nations
Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society
Countywide Shelter-in-Place Drill
The Great California ShakeOut
Constitution Day
27th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day
2012 United States Senate Youth Program
Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grants
Toshiba America Foundation
Chevron's Fuel Your School
Raley's Reach
Whooping Cough Booster Shot Requirement
Water Facts & Fun Catalog
Lindsay Wildlife Museum Educators' Resource Fair
Children's Oral Health Program
Quick Links
Join Our Mailing List
Welcome to Dateline!
 
Greetings!

 

Welcome to the September 2011 issue of Dateline.  This informative newsletter is for all those in Contra Costa County who work in education.  Please tell your fellow teachers and administrators, as well as your friends who would be interested to join our mailing list (see link button at the left column).

Professional Development / Opportunities

Contra Costa Regional Area Energy Workshop

ConocoPhillips and the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project have partnered for the 4th year to provide teachers in 26 cities, across 19 states with curriculum and training opportunities.  They believe it is important to provide professional development opportunities for classroom teachers and to introduce exciting and engaging energy curriculum to students in today's classrooms. The one-day energy classroom workshop will feature plenty of lesson plans, curriculum materials, and a set of Energy Infobooks for student research. Along with meals, parking, and materials, all attendees' substitute reimbursements will be covered.

Date and location: December 6, 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Embassy Suites Walnut Creek

For info: Contact W. Moss at (800) 875-5029 or visit the program's website

Fee: Free

Deadline: November 28

AB 430 Administrator Training Program

AB 430 is a State Board of Education approved training program that focuses on developing the leadership skills necessary for administrators to implement a coherent, effective standards-based instructional program to improve student achievement, including understanding the school's adopted textbook programs, developing professional learning communities, acting on assessment data, aligning fiscal resources, providing teacher support, and using technology resources.  Completion of AB 430 is accepted as Tier II for the Professional Administrative Service Credential.

Dates and locations: The 2011 training schedules and sites are listed on the AB 430

website

For info: Contact Cheryl Hansen, CCCOE, at (925) 942-3445

Upcoming Events / Field Trips

Model United Nations

The Contra Costa County Model United Nations program is an exciting, educational way for high school students to learn about global issues.  The Model UN simulates the activities of a UN body, such as the Security Council or the General Assembly.  Students assume the roles of diplomatic representatives to the UN as they consider contemporary international concerns.  Through this role-playing event, students develop a great understanding of world affairs and the complexity of international relations.   

Dates and location: November 4 and 5; Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill

For info: Contact Peggy Marshburn at (925) 942-3420 or visit the Model UN website

Deadline for sign-ups: October 11 

Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society
The Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society will gladly organize an astronomy night for your school, youth group, or community organization.  Their members volunteer their time and their telescopes to bring the universe to you.  They also provide knowledgeable speakers and activities on various astronomy topics,  either in a classroom or in a meeting setting.

Fee: Free

For info: Contact Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society by email or visit their website

Countywide Shelter-in-Place Drill

Put this on your calendar today!  Community Awareness Emergency Response (CAER) invites all schools to practice and improve their site emergency procedures for shelter-in-place by taking part in this 10th annual county-wide exercise.  Guidelines for this program will be sent out to all districts and school principals in September.  Schools can use the time for training, running brief drills, or conducting more detailed emergency exercises.

Date: November 2, 11:00 a.m.

For info: Contact Lori McDonald at (925) 313-9296

The Great California ShakeOut
The California ShakeOut drill is held annually on the third Thursday of October each year. (Other states are also holding ShakeOut drills.)  More than 7.9 million Californians participated in 2010, practicing Drop, Cover, and Hold On, as well as other aspects of family, school, and organizational emergency plans.

Date and location: October 20, 10:20 a.m.; throughout the state of California

For info: Visit their website
Constitution Day
A 2005 act of Congress states that all educational institutions receiving federal funding must observe September 17 as Constitution Day, which celebrates the 1787 signing of our founding document.  According to the guidelines put forth by the Department of Education, teachers and schools are free to design Constitution Day programming that best addresses the needs of their students.
Date: September 17 (But this year, observed on September 16)
For info: Visit their
website 
Fee: Free
 
27th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day

California Coastal Cleanup Day is the premier volunteer event focused on the marine environment in the country.  In 2010, more than 80,300 volunteers worked together to collect more than 1,100,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from our beaches, lakes, and waterways. California Coastal Cleanup Day has been hailed by the Guinness Book of World Records as "the largest garbage collection" (1993).  Since the program started in 1985, over 800,000 Californians have removed more than 15 million pounds of debris from our state's shorelines and coast.

Date and locations: September 17, 9:00 a.m.-noon; various shorline sites

For info: Contact The California Coastal Commission at (800) COAST-4U or visit their

website

Grants / Scholarships
2012 United States Senate Youth Program
The California Department of Education administers the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), which is an annual scholarship competition funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and endorsed by the United States Senate.  Each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia select two high school juniors or seniors to participate in the USSYP. The delegates receive a $5,000 college scholarship and attend a one-week, all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. from March 3-10, 2012.
For info: Contact Erin Dimmitt
 at (916) 319-0173 or visit their website.
Deadline: September 30
Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grants

The Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grants, up to $5,000 per school, are now accepting their fall-cycle applications.  These funding requests should have a permanent school-site impact, such as facility enhancement (both indoor and outdoor), as well as landscaping and/or clean-up type projects.  Projects that encourage parent involvement and build stronger community spirit will be favored.

For info: Visit Lowe's Toolbox for Education website

Deadline: The fall 2011 application grant cycle closes October 14, (or when 1,500 applications are received)
Toshiba America Foundation

The Toshiba America Foundation's Grants Program for K-5 science and math education will be offering a number of grants, worth up to $1,000, for grade school science and math teachers who want to provide special in-class learning projects that would take place over at least three class sessions.

For info: Contact (212) 596-0620 or e-mail, or visit their website

Deadline: Oct. 1

Chevron's Fuel Your School

Through a shared vision, Chevron is working together with DonorsChoose.org to help provide teachers with the supplies they need for their classrooms.  Chevron supports public education and the Fuel Your School promotion is designed to assist today's students and tomorrow's leaders, with the help of DonorsChoose.org. DonorsChoose.org is a non-profit organization that benefits the community and offers a convenient way for anyone to help students in need.

For info: Visit Fuel Your School

Resources / Contests

Raley's Reach

Grocery story Raley's is providing five $5000 grants to regional K-12 schools.  Contra Costa County's (Region 5) PTAs, booster clubs, parents. and residents are encouraged to nominate their schools to participate in this contest.  From September 6-23, votes can be cast online for the nominated schools.  Winners will be announced September 30.  The grant can go toward back-to-school needs, ranging from new books to physical education equipment to art supplies. 

For info: Visit their website

Deadline: School nominations must be in by September 2

Whooping Cough Booster Shot Requirement

A new California state law requires all 7th- through 12th-grade students must show proof they have received a whooping cough (pertussis) booster shot, called Tdap, before starting school this fall 2011. Get your teen vaccinated now.  And, be sure to keep vaccine records for proof.

For info: Check with your regular health care provider or visit the Contra Costa Health Services' website to find a free public health immunization clinic near you  

Water Facts & Fun Catalog
California's Department of Water Resources has many free water-education materials, including curricula, maps, and classroom posters.

For info: Visit their website

Lindsay Wildlife Museum Educators' Resource Fair

The Lindsay Wildlife Museum Educators' Resource Fair  is the perfect opportunity for all educators to learn more about the many resources available in the area.  Find out about field trips, classroom presentations, assemblies, and teacher workshops.  Attendees will also be able to pick up free curriculum and classroom materials.  

Date & Location: September 20, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Walnut Creek 

For info: Contact Connie Loosli at (925) 627-2922

Fee: Free

Children's Oral Health Program

The Children's Oral Health Program is part of the Family, Maternal and Child Health (FMCH) Programs in Contra Costa Health Services. It was founded in 1977 to provide preventive dental services to children in low-income areas of the county. The program works in collaboration with schools, preschools and community partners to increase access to oral health services, by linking families with no- or low-cost resources.

For info: Contact them at (925) 313-6280 or visit their website

CCCOE Logo

Published by the Contra Costa County Office of Education Communications Office
77 Santa Barbara Road, Pleasant Hill, California 94523
Joseph A. Ovick, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
Editor: Peggy Marshburn; Writer/Layout: Jonathan Lance, (925) 942-3429;
Diane Morrell, Designer; Robin Wood, Web Developer 
 
Dateline is distributed during the school year to all public schools in the county by the Communications Office. Information must be received by the first of the preceding month. Publication does not signify the Contra Costa County Office of Education endorses the event or program mentioned.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Lance
CCCOE