SCCOE celebrates Alternative Education & Special Education graduates
Throughout the end of May and into June, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) honors its student graduates from both the Special Education and Alternative Education programs.
"These graduation ceremonies are a highlight of the year for everyone here at the County Office of Education," said Jon R. Gundry, County Superintendent of Schools. "I greatly appreciate being able to welcome our kids and their families and to see firsthand how happy and proud they are at having accomplished this significant academic and personal milestone."
On June 1, 82 students graduated from the SCCOE's Alternative Schools, including Blue Ridge, Odyssey, Osborne, Terra Bella Academy, Snell Community and Edge Community schools and the independent study program. Superintendent Gundry and Judge Patrick Tondreau provided the keynote remarks for the event, with three student speakers also addressing their peers, families and friends. Both the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA) and ACSA (Association of California School Administrators) awarded a total of seven scholarships to students in the graduating class. Graduates participated in a rose ceremony, during which they were given the opportunity to share their rose with someone that had helped them to achieve their personal goals.
Twenty-nine students also graduated from the Special Education's Connect Post-Secondary Program during a ceremony held at the Quinlan Center in Cupertino. Superintendent Gundry and Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, Chief Schools Officer, assisted in the presentation of graduation certificates to the students, who had completed their participation in a post-secondary transition program preparing them for their adult options. Ten students in the graduating class have been directly hired into jobs, with the rest of the students enrolled in a variety of adult programs.
This month, 13 students also graduated from the SCCOE's Special Education Centers at the McCollam, Della Maggiore and Gateway schools, and going on to adult programs. Additionally, two students in the Special Education program graduated from the SCCOE's Foothill Program with their High School Diplomas, 12 students graduated from Erikson Center and two students from the County Jail received their High School diplomas through the SCCOE's Special Education home study program.
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Board holds charter summit
Here's a summary of actions taken by the Board at its June 3, 10 and 17 meetings:
- Held a charter summit on the policies and procedures surrounding the approval and operation of charter schools in Santa Clara County;
- Held public hearings on the SCCOE's Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and the SCCOE's 2015-16 Budget;
- Heard an update on Educare of California at Silicon Valley;
- Heard a report on the Governor's May Revise;
- Approved a petition from Rocketship Franklin-McKinley Charter School; and
- Recognized Chris Hess, payroll services specialist, as Employee of the Month for June.
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 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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SCCOE departments bring home multiple Telly Awards
The SCCOE's Media and Communications department, in conjunction with staff from the Multilingual Education Services department has been awarded three Telly Awards for excellence in film and video productions. This year, nearly 12,000 entries were submitted from all over the world.
SCCOE staff received the following awards:
2015 People's Telly Silver Award: Wall of Honor for Biliteracy and Pathway Awards - Program or Webisode
2015 People's Telly Silver Award: San Jose-Silicon Valley 1st Chinese Star Contest - Program or Webisode
2015 People's Telly Silver Award: Young Cultural Ambassador Program - Program or Webisode
Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs, video and film productions and web commercials. Winners include companies, agencies and organizations of all sizes, from large multinational media companies to local production houses. To view the complete list of winners, visit the Telly Awards website. The SCCOE's award-winning videos can be viewed here.
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Inclusive practices take the spotlight at COE-hosted statewide conference
The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) will host the second-annual Inclusion Collaborative State Conference, co-sponsored by the California Department of Education (CDE), on October 29 and 30 in San Jose.
The conference will feature nationally-recognized experts in the fields of special education and inclusion, focusing on evidence-based practices that can guide inclusive practices in the programs and communities of those involved in the care and education of children of all ability levels. Robin McWilliam, Director of the Center for Child and Family Research and Siskin Endowed Chair of Research at Siskin Children's Institute, Pam Winton, Senior Scientist & Director of Outreach, FPG Child Development Institute and Research Professor, School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Wayne Sailor, Director of the Schoolwide Integrated Framework for Transformation (SWIFT) Center at the University of Kansas, will serve as the conference's keynote speakers.
Breakout sessions will focus on inclusive educational practices appropriate for use with different age groups, including birth to 3, pre-kindergarten to transitional kindergarten and kindergarten to sixth-grade.
Virtual participation at the conference will also be made available through a live broadcast to virtual host sites and individuals across the state.
Last October, more than 200 individuals attended the first-ever statewide inclusion conference following the selection by the CDE of the Inclusion Collaborative as a statewide technical assistance center for inclusionary practices, supporting districts in the expansion of inclusive programs, schools and communities.
Jointly created in 2004 by FIRST 5 Santa Clara County, the Local Early Education Planning Council and the SCCOE in response to the many barriers that prevent children with disabilities from being included in high-quality learning environments, the Inclusion Collaborative of Santa Clara County is committed to ensuring that children with special needs have equal access to full participation in high-quality, inclusive learning environments. The Collaborative supports this goal by demonstrating respect for all children and families, providing leadership in the community, creating and implementing integrated delivery systems, offering training and education at all levels and establishing support for parents, providers, teachers and children.
More information on the conference and registration can be found on the SCCOE website.
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