Partners get first look at Educare of Silicon Valley facility
 Local education leaders, including Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Jon R. Gundry, participated in a hardhat tour of the Educare of California at Silicon Valley construction site late last month. Slated to open in the fall, the facility will be California's first Educare School, serving high-need students and families to ensure they have the best possible preparation for primary school.
"The kids who come to this program are going to have a tremendous early start," said Superintendent Gundry. "Beyond that we're hoping that this will be a demonstration center, and an inspiration for others in the community to show them what is possible with really high quality early education."
 The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) has been engaged in this project since its inception in 2010 and has helped to lead this robust public-private partnership that is dedicated to improving the quality of early education, child development and family engagement for all children. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in June 2014.
 More than 160 low-income children and families will be served by the 28,000-square-foot Educare School. A signature component of Educare is its Professional Development Institute, a center that will provide high-quality training to early education providers and K-8 teachers in the latest science and evidence-based teaching methods. The institute will partner with the region's schools, colleges and universities to ensure that educators bring robust teaching practices back to their schools and classrooms.
"You can't have an Educare on every corner," said Jolene Smith, CEO of First 5 Santa Clara County. "What you can have is a place where people can come and see it and learn, and participate, and then take it back into their environment."
 Each Educare School is a comprehensive early childhood program aimed at preventing the achievement gap that takes root between children in poverty and their middle-income peers long before they enter kindergarten. The school is scheduled to open in August 2015 on the campus of Santee Elementary School in Franklin-McKinley School District.
The facility will contain a 2,200-square-foot teacher professional development institute; 12 state-of-the-art classrooms as well as multiple indoor and outdoor learning spaces to meet the developmental needs of children; a family resource center to provide training and resources for families and the greater community; and its Early Learning Career Academy, in partnership with the East Side Union High School District, to provide hands-on learning to high school students who will become our future instructional leaders.
Educare of California at Silicon Valley, a 501(c)3 organization, was formed by a robust partnership among the Santa Clara County Office of Education, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, FIRST 5 Santa Clara County, Franklin-McKinley School District, East Side Union High School District, Health Trust, Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the national Educare Learning Network. Additional partners and funders include the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, the Ounce of Prevention Fund, FIRST 5 California, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Opportunity Fund, AT&T and US Bank. Collectively, these partners raised more than $14 million for the construction of the school and institute.
For more information about Educare's launch in California and Silicon Valley, or to learn more about the network of schools, please visit www.educareSV.org and www.educareschools.org.
A brief video on the hardhat tour is available here.
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Board of Education focuses on importance of Career Technical Education for students
The Santa Clara County Board of Education passed a resolution recognizing February as Career Technical Education (CTE) Month at its Feb. 18 meeting, honoring the work being done throughout the county to ensure that all students have hands-on preparation for a variety of growing career paths.
 CTE refers to courses that blend rigorous academic and technical training to give students real-world training and exposure to employers in the career field of their choice, including Information Technology, Health Science, Education and Agriculture. Students who complete CTE programs leave high school equipped with marketable skills and industry connections that will serve them well as they pursue post-secondary education and opportunities.
The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) supports CTE programs throughout the county in a variety of ways, including teacher credentialing resources, strategic partnerships with employers and community stakeholders and professional development for teachers that is aligned to CTE standards, the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards.
 "I'm pleased that we can take this time to celebrate the tremendous work being done by our CTE teachers and students to build a workforce truly suited to the challenges of the 21st century," said County Superintendent of Schools Jon R. Gundry. "CTE is an option that provides students with a school-to-career connection, fosters economic productivity and contributes to the preparation of 21st century global citizens."
Research has shown that students who participate in CTE courses are less likely to drop out of schools, and more likely to improve their grades and attendance in other classes.
 "Before I was able to take my first CTE course, I was at risk of failing out of school," said Zachary James, a former student at Metropolitan Education's (MetroED) Central County Occupational Center who received $80,000 in scholarships through his involvement in CTE. "It wasn't because I was a bad student, but rather, I was not engaged and I felt school was not relevant to my interests. I was not successful in the traditional educational setting. My junior year at Leigh High School, I took the Video Production course at MetroED and for the first time, I loved going to school."
CTE gives high school students experience in practical applications of basic skills and provides leadership opportunities in prospective fields of study, while providing motivation to those who might otherwise consider dropping out of school.
For more information about CTE programs supported by the SCCOE, visit the CTE webpage.
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PlayGarden opens to children of all abilities
 On Saturday, Feb. 21, County Superintendent of Schools Jon R. Gundry and Santa Clara Santa Clara County Board of Education President Darcie Green and Trustees Grace Mah, Anna Song and Joseph DiSalvo participated in the San Jose Rotary Club PlayGarden ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Rotary PlayGarden is the Centennial Legacy Project of the Rotary Club of San Jose. The project grew out of the club's desire to provide a play experience in San Jose where children of all abilities can play together side by side.
 The project turned 4 acres of the Guadalupe River Park into a colorful playground that is accessible to children and adults in wheelchairs and with other special needs.
The SCCOE's Student Services Branch will be able to utilize the PlayGarden as a support to its regular student programming, with an estimated 100 students visiting per year for WorkAbility training, science activities and to work on Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals.
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Live web streaming of board meetings launches at the SCCOE
On Feb. 18, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) began live web streaming of board meetings, which will be archived and available on-demand in an easy-to-view format that includes a navigable agenda.
Utilizing Granicus, the leading provider of cloud-based solutions for government transparency, efficiency and citizen engagement, viewers are able to watch the meetings easily online and on any mobile or portable device. This new platform also enhances the SCCOE's ability to web stream other organization-wide events, professional development trainings and conferences.
 Web streaming is the most cost effective and optimal distribution method available today, providing increased accessibility for members of the community and flexibility of scheduling for SCCOE-sponsored events.
"Providing greater access to the community is always our goal," said Board President Darcie Green. "If we can assist those who want to be involved and informed about Board of Education business and the decisions being made about critical local education issues, then we can strengthen community engagement and participation while bolstering transparency."
The user-friendly web interface allows viewers of the meeting to see the whole agenda simultaneously and instantly jump to the beginning of a different agenda item by clicking on it while watching the archived version.
"We want the public knowledgeable and engaged because what we do here at the SCCOE has a real impact on the lives of students, families and the community," said County Superintendent of Schools Jon R. Gundry. "It's great to be able to utilize technology to bring our board meetings to our stakeholders to conveniently watch live or whenever and wherever they want."
Regular board meetings are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month, at 5 p.m. in the San Jose Room of the SCCOE, 1290 Ridder Park Dr., San Jose. An updated schedule and meeting agendas are available at on the SCCOE website.
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Students excel at annual Greene Scholars science fair
 On Saturday, Jan. 24, the California Alliance of African American Educators (CAAAE) sponsored its 13th annual Dr. Frank S. Greene Scholars Program (GSP) Science Fair at Cypress Semiconductor.
Silicon Valley business professionals, scientists and technology enthusiasts from major corporations such as Intel, Google, Applied Materials, IBM, Sandisk, Amazon, Oracle, Microsoft and Lockheed Martin were invited to participate as judges, celebrating and sharing in the achievements of 135 African American participating students in grades 3 through 12. Students represented both public and private schools throughout Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, San Francisco, Contra Costa and San Joaquin counties.
 The Greene Scholars Program Science Fair showcased a wide variety of science fair projects in support of developing the next generation of women and minority Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) leaders and entrepreneurs. One hundred percent of the scholars graduate from high school and are admitted to college, with nearly 60 percent graduating from college with degrees preparing them for STEM careers.
For additional information, please visit the Greene Scholars Program website.
The CAAAE is the parent organization of the Greene Scholars Program and many other Bay Area programs and services which serve students of African ancestry. For additional information about the CAAAE, please visit www.caaae.org.
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Delegation of cultural ambassadors from China visit county schools
 More than 100 students, along with dozens more parents and teachers from China recently spent a day touring local classrooms, making new friends and putting on a cultural showcase as part of an exchange program created by the Santa Clara County Office of Education and the Chinese Society of Education.
 Dubbed the "Young Cultural Ambassador Communication Troupe," the Chinese delegation visited Evergreen School District's Tom Matsumoto Elementary School, as well as Campbell Union School District's Rolling Hills Middle School, Forest Hill Elementary School, Castlemont Elementary School, and the "Campbell Cares" after school program. Students attended classes, shared lunch and socialized with their young American hosts.
 The Evergreen portion of the tour culminated in an assembly at Katherine Smith Elementary School, where the Chinese students showcased their talent in music, calligraphy, painting, and performed a Chinese version of the song "Let It Go" from the film Frozen accompanied by classical Chinese dance.
The once-in-a-lifetime visit was designed to foster opportunities to share and collaborate around the topics of science, cultural diversity and multilingualism for students and adults alike.
A gallery of photos from the visit can be viewed here.
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Board vacancy in Area 3 following resignation of Trustee Beauchman
In a letter dated Feb. 20 to County Superintendent of Schools Jon R. Gundry, Area 3 Trustee Leon Beauchman announced his resignation from the Santa Clara County Board of Education effective March 31. To fill the vacancy, the County Board has the option to either order an election or make a provisional appointment no later than 60 days from the date the seat becomes vacant.
Here's a summary of some of the actions taken by the Board at its Feb. 4 and 18 meetings:
- Held a public hearing on a petition from STEM Academy of Silicon Valley Charter School;
- denied a petition for Wei Yu International Charter School;
- approved a petition for Voices College-Bound Language Academy at Mount Pleasant;
- heard an update on the Governor's 2015-16 Proposed Budget;
- recognized Lindsey Wong, Digital Media and Operations Coordinator, as Employee of the Month for February;
- and approved resolutions in honor of National African American History Month and Career Technical Education (CTE) Month.
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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Since 1852, the Santa Clara County Office of Education has provided vital services and resources to the county's 32 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 is commited to serving, inspiring and promoting student and public school success.
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