County board seeks applicants for vacant seat in Area 3
The Santa Clara County Board of Education plans to make a provisional appointment to fill a vacancy from Board Trustee Area 3, which will become vacant on March 31 with the resignation of Leon Beauchman. The provisional appointee will serve until the term of office of the vacant seat expires in November 2016.
 To apply for the position, applicants must be registered voters residing within Area 3, which includes the Cambrian School District, Campbell Union School District, Luther Burbank School District, Moreland School District, Union School District and Campbell Union High School District, as well as small portions of San Jose Unified School District and Santa Clara Unified School District. Applicants can verify residency in Area 3 by contacting the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters at (408) 282-3005 or (408) 299-8683 or by visiting the Registrar's website.
The County Board of Education's responsibilities include setting the policies that guide the SCCOE and establishing its operating budget. In addition, the Board serves as a decision making body for countywide charter school petitions and also serves as an appeals board for charter school petitions denied by local school districts. The Board also serves as an appeals board for such actions as interdistrict attendance requests and student expulsions. The Board meets in public session on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at SCCOE, 1290 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose.
Interested individuals should submit a letter that includes interests and qualifications for the position. Include a minimum of three references and a resume. All materials must be received by 5 p.m., April 3, 2015. Submit all requested materials to Jon R. Gundry, Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools, 1290 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95131-2304 or fax to (408) 453-6601.
Selected candidates will be interviewed at a public meeting of the Board tentatively scheduled for May 6, 2015. It is anticipated that the Board will take action on the appointment at that meeting. For further information, contact Jon R. Gundry at (408) 453-6540.
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School districts and teaching candidates to meet at this year's recruitment fair
 The Santa Clara County Office of Education's annual Teacher Recruitment Fair will be held on Saturday, March 28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its Ridder Park offices.
This is the 28th year that the Teacher Recruitment Fair has introduced job-hunters to potential employers from districts across the county. The fair provides candidates with the opportunity for one-stop shopping in their job hunt, and presents districts with a wide array of potential employees who already have their qualifications in hand.
 Over a thousand qualified credentialed candidates register for the fair each year, where more than 300 school district and charter school administrators meet with prospective employees in the hopes of filling open teaching positions.
The event will feature on-site interviews, recruiters from multiple districts, credential specialists and a resource guide on Santa Clara County school districts and charter schools. To attend, candidates must have a preliminary clear credential or have worked as an intern for one year.
Typically, about 300 countywide positions are filled each year as a result of the fair.
Jobs in high demand throughout the county include those for speech pathologists, special education teachers, bilingual educators and teachers in the subjects of math and science.
The County Office of Education will be looking for teachers for students with severe disabilities, emotional disturbances, autism, orthopedic impairments, and hearing and visual impairments.
More information and a registration link are available on the SCCOE website.
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Superintendent Gundry accepts Vision and Action award
 Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Jon R. Gundry accepted the prestigious Vision and Action: Promoting Biliteracy for All Award from the National Association of Bilingual Educators (NABE) at its annual conference earlier this month.
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.
 All together, staff from the Santa Clara County Office of Education's Educational Services Branch presented 13 different sessions during the conference, on topics ranging from taking action to support English Learner success to developing a comprehensive and cohesive multicultural education curriculum. Superintendent Gundry also participated in a panel discussion entitled Courage Leadership: Actualizing Biliteracy for All and moderated by Dr. Yee Wan, the SCCOE's Director of Multilingual Education Services.
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SCCOE's Elizabeth Calhoon receives prestigious ACSA award
 Elizabeth Calhoon, Manager of Educational Technology Services at the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE), has been selected as the Association of California School Administrators' (ACSA) State Technology Administrator of the Year, after having already been named as ACSA's honoree in Region 8. The award recognizes those who demonstrate exceptional leadership, commitment to educational quality and student achievement, commitment to professional growth and creativity in dealing with issues and problems facing public education.
"Elizabeth's passion for innovation and learning technologies has been an inspiration for hundreds of teachers across Silicon Valley," said Jon R. Gundry, County Superintendent of Schools. "Her selection for this award highlights the strategic importance of technology leadership in education and we are happy to have a role supporting our county schools in that effort."
Calhoon works with educators throughout the county, helping teachers use technology to hone their craft and personalize learning experiences for their students. Some of her most recent accomplishments include mounting the EdTech Innovation Summit, which brought educators together from Santa Clara and San Mateo to share best practices for using technology to implement the new Common Core State Standards, and authoring a book on the use of Google Apps in the classroom.
"I have been so fortunate to help create spaces for educators to take risks, fail fabulously, forge ahead with new learning and set a fresh tone about what it means to be a true lead learner," said Calhoon.
Calhoon will be formally recognized at both the ACSA Region 8 Recognition Reception on Friday, May 8 at the Corinthian Event Center and the state-level awards ceremony in the fall. A special reception will be held in her honor at the SCCOE Ridder Park site on Thursday, May 21.
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Applications still being accepted for Walden West scholarships
The Santa Clara County Office of Education's Walden West is offering scholarships for two summer programs: the Abby Sobrato Science and Sustainability Center Summer Camp and the Abby Sobrato and Science and Sustainability Center Engineering and Empowerment Weekend Conference.
 Twelve summer camp scholarships of up to $500 for students entering the fifth through ninth grades will be offered to students who participate in the summer camp program. Walden West is offering four, one-week academically rigorous day camps focused on the science behind sustainability and renewable resources. Students will tackle engineering challenges, hike, swim and participate in other outdoor activities, including a high-ropes course. For more information on camp activities and schedule, visit the Walden West website.
Thirty scholarships will also be awarded to female students entering the seventh through ninth grades to participate in the Engineering and Empowerment Weekend Conference. This residential conference is designed to empower female students through engineering challenges, hands-on science and leadership training. All lodging, food, activities and materials are included in the scholarship.
For more information on how to apply, please contact Michelle Fergus at (408) 573-0380 or via email at waldenwest_sciencecenter@sccoe.org.
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Students meet with local employers at WorkAbility Job Fair
 More than 600 high school students from across Santa Clara County attended this year's WorkAbility Job Fair at the Santa Clara County Office of Education's Ridder Park offices. Students began the day with a workshop session on how to successfully seek employment and then had the opportunity to meet with 40 different employers about potential job openings and participate in on-the-spot interviews.
View a gallery of photos from the event here.
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Board moves to fill board vacancy
Here's a summary of some of the actions taken by the Board at its March 4, 11 and 18 meetings:
- Voted to make a provisional appointment for the board vacancy in Trustee Area 3;
- denied a charter petition for STEM Academy of Silicon Valley;
- approved a material revision to the Discovery Charter School II petition;
- held public hearings on charter school petition renewals for Rocketship Mateo Sheedy and Rocketship Los Sueños;
- heard the Second Interim Budget Report;
- heard a presentation from the Healthier Kids Foundation;
- recognized Saneya Howard from the South County Regional Occupational Program's Dental Program as part of the SCCOE's Student Recognition program; and
- recognized Eliot Guernsey, teacher of students with severe disabilities at Campbell Community School, as Employee of the Month for March.
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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