Alternative Education students gather at first ever Honors Night
Family, friends and educators gathered on Thursday, Jan. 8 at the Santa Clara County Office of Education to recognize the academic and personal achievements of 106 students from the Alternative Education Department's Community Schools at the first-ever Alternative Education Honors night.
In addition to conventional academic excellence and outstanding attendance awards, students were celebrated for their accomplishments in athletics, community service, leadership and overall improvement in school. All in all, more than 178 awards were distributed, as many students were honored in multiple categories. Students received a personalized certificate and a pin to wear at their future graduation, and were able to take pictures with Chief Schools Officer Dr. Mary Ann Dewan.
"The Alternative Education team takes great pride in the achievements of our students," said Yvette Irving, Director of Alternative Education. "Honors Night allows us to acknowledge their dedication, hard work and perseverance, while also validating the time, effort and commitment of their families and school staff."
The inaugural Honors Night marks the beginning of a new SCCOE tradition that will take place at the end of each semester going forward. The spring ceremony is scheduled for May 28, 2015.
View more pictures from the event here.
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Multilingual Education Services receives Vision & Action award
 The Santa Clara County Office of Education's (SCCOE) Multilingual Education Services department has been chosen as the recipient of the National Association for Bilingual Education's (NABE) prestigious Vision and Action: Promoting Biliteracy for All Award for 2015.
 | | Dr. Yee Wan, Director of Multilingual Education Services |
This award recognizes organizations that have made significant contributions to advancing NABE's vision for promoting biliteracy for all students. According to NABE, the SCCOE was chosen as this year's recipient because of its history as a trailblazer and advocate on behalf of English learners and its commitment to promoting biliteracy as an essential 21st century skill.
"I am extremely proud of our Multilingual Education Services staff and director Dr. Yee Wan, whose work has supported our schools and districts in providing multiple opportunities for the study of world languages," said Jon R. Gundry, County Superintendent of Schools. "Resources and materials developed by our staff, including the Educating for Global Competence: The Value of Multilingualism communications toolkit, have been made available to schools, districts and educational agencies at the local, state and national level."
In addition to the creation of a communications toolkit, the SCCOE's Multilingual Education Services department has promoted bilingual education through the Seal of Biliteracy and Pathway Award program. This program was the recipient of the 2014 Golden Bell Award given by the California School Boards Association.
 NABE is a national organization committed to excellence in bilingual and biliteracy education for students through enrichment programs, professional development and advocacy. NABE currently represents more than 3,500 bilingual education teachers, administrators, school board members, researchers and parents,
The SCCOE's Multilingual Education Services team will receive their award at a recognition ceremony to be held in March at the NABE Annual Conference.
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SCCOE provides QCC reporting tool for responding to district salary requests
The SCCOE's Technology Services Branch (TSB) would like to remind school districts of the availability of a reporting feature in QCC that can provide assistance in responding to Public Records Act (PRA) requests for personnel salary information. This feature allows school districts to create a standard spreadsheet report for all employee salaries.
PRA requests for district salary and benefits information have become increasingly common, and the SCCOE has created this tool to help districts respond quickly and effectively to these inquiries from the media, community organizations and private citizens.
A guide to generating the Payroll Earnings Analysis report in QCC is available here.
Once your staff creates this report for your own district, it is very important that someone in your business office carefully reviews the data provided, as there are slight nuances germane to your local district that may need to be adjusted to accurately respond to any PRA you might receive.
Please consult with your Chief Business Officer and payroll office as they are likely familiar with this process.
This reporting feature is available under the QCC Human Resources System Job Menu. If your district has any questions or needs technical assistance, please enter a service request in AccessPoint and select 'Category and Type - QCC/Payroll.' Please also attach samples of any reports or screens referenced in the request. By entering a service request in AccessPoint we can assist you as quickly as possible.
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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 SCCOE 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 SCCOE is committed to serving, inspiring and promoting student and public school success.
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Second annual Heart & Soles 5K supports healthy food options for students
 This year, the Santa Clara County Office of Education is proud to partner once again with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation, the South Bay Labor Council and the San Jose/Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce to present the second annual Lam Research Heart & Soles 5K to provide salad bars to schools. The event will take place on Feb. 7 at 9 a.m. in Hellyer Park in San Jose.
 In its first year, the Heart & Soles 5K funded 56 salad bars to help increase the availability of healthy food options for K-12 students in local schools, but there are still many students that don't have access to fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.
Research shows that a strong relationship exists between health and academic achievement, and that a balanced diet allows our students to perform at optimal levels. New federal nutrition standards have doubled the amount of fruits and vegetables required to be served in school lunches, and salad bars are a simple way for schools to comply, but each salad bar station costs $2,825.
 To register for the Heart & Soles 5K and support bringing salad bars to schools, click here. Proceeds from registration and sponsorships will provide salad bars to schools across the county that want them.
Don't miss out on race day perks! All registered participants who attend the event will receive a finishers medal. Attendees can also stop by the Lam Research booth for a free Lam beanie.
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SCCOE takes home Excellence in Communications awards
 | | Communications/PR Specialist Rachel Zlotziver with CalSPRA President Stephen Nichols |
The Santa Clara County Office of Education's (SCCOE) Department of Media and Communications received three awards from the California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA) at the organization's annual conference on Thursday, Jan. 15 in San Francisco.
Each year, CalSPRA recognizes school districts and county offices of education for creative and effective communications, public relations and marketing work in several categories.
The SCCOE's Media and Communications department won three Awards of Merit for two publications, the SCCOE Brochure and the Walden West Board Brochure, and the Shaping Our Global Future: The Role of Multilingualism video.
"I am very proud to have an award-winning communications staff here at the County Office of
Education," said Jon R. Gundry, County Superintendent of Schools. "Clear, concise communication is critical to the success of any organization, and it is imperative that we consistently engage with districts, schools, families and community members in order to share our vision for public school success in Santa Clara County."
Also representing Santa Clara County was Campbell Union School District, honored with an Award of Merit for their district website.
 CalSPRA is a nationally recognized leader in school communications with more than 250 members statewide, working to increase the public's understanding, commitment and support of public education.
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Board holds charter public hearings
Here's a summary of some of the actions taken by the Board at its Jan. 14 and 21 meetings:
- Heard an overview of the SCCOE Annual Financial Audit Report for the 2013-14 fiscal year;
- held a public hearing on a petition from Voices College-Bound Language Academy at Mount Pleasant;
- held a public hearing on a material revision to the University Preparatory Academy Charter School petition;
- heard a presentation from the Student Services Branch on the services they provide through the Alternative Education Department; and
- honored Janet Zurovski, audiologist in the Oster Special Education cluster, as the Employee of the Month for January.
The Board of Education is the elected governing body of the SCCOE. 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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