Welcome to the 2022-2023 School Year!


June and July flew by and here we are in August welcoming our Contra Costa County communities back to school. I truly hope you had time to soak in some sunshine, recharge, and reset your mindset over the summer months.


In this August issue of Dateline, I want to remind you of the new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the United States had one death every 11 minutes in 2020. Suicide is the leading cause of death in people aged 10-34. Please take a look at the 988 Lifeline information below as well as the helpful Contra Costa County crisis resources on the Wellness in Schools Program (WISP) webpage. We all need to be prepared with resources, in case we need them.


I realize it is a very busy time of year. But, please take a few minutes to peruse the online and professional development opportunities available in this issue of Dateline. We are always collecting helpful teaching resources, grant opportunities, contests, and scholarships.

 

Please remember to share Dateline with your educator network. 

 

Have a wonderful start to the school year!



In Community,


Lynn Mackey


Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools

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New 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline


988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be: thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotion distress.


People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. 988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help. A 988 Toolkit is also available with key messaging, graphics, and more.


CCCOE Wellness in Schools Program (WISP)


For crisis resources in Contra Costa County, view the WISP section of the CCCOE website. A comprehensive list of information is continuously updated to support educators, students, and families in our county. 


Get Your Tickets Now

Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year Celebration


THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2022: 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Nineteen educators in Contra Costa County have been named their school districts’ teacher of the year. With that distinction, they represent the nearly 8,600 teachers teaching in Contra Costa County public schools and community colleges. The teachers represent 18 county school districts, the Contra Costa Community College District, and the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Purchase your tickets for the celebration now!

English Learner Professional Development Opportunities

 EL RISE! 2022-2023

Professional Learning Offerings

Begins in August

View Our List of Offerings


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Three-Session Webinar Series:

How Coaches Can Support Teachers Enacting EL Roadmap Policy

8/17, 9/20, 11/8

View Flyer

Be Prepared to Deliver

English Learner Roadmap Workshops to Your Families

September 13, 2022

View Flyer

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Classroom Practices, Teaching &

Learning, and Specific Instructional Strategies in English Learner Roadmap 

9/15, 10/20, 12/14, 1/17, 3/2, 4/20

View Flyer

Emergency Trainings

Dates Ongoing: Cal OES - Governor's Office of Emergency Services offers trainings in Disaster Recovery, Disaster Mitigation, Emergency Management Concepts, and more! Browse training sessions. **Note, you must create an account before you register for a course.*** View upcoming dates of courses available.

News & Media Literacy Webinar: "Elections and Misinformation: Helping Students Build Skills and Knowledge"

Date: Thursday, August 11, 2022, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Cost: Free

As we hurtle toward another volatile election season, learn how educators can help students develop the necessary skills to distinguish high-quality news coverage from misinformation, advertising, and propaganda. See how we can create space for critical, evidence-based classroom conversations while helping students navigate and express their own feelings about current events.


Join two of the News Literacy Project’s California news literacy ambassadors, Adriana Chavira and Molly June Roquet, as they share strategies for helping students develop news literacy skills and find reliable information about elections and voting. Chavira is a journalism teacher at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Los Angeles, and Roquet is an education librarian at Saint Mary’s College of California. For more information, please contact Steve Bateman, Manager of Technology/Curriculum Integration at sbateman@cccoe.k12.ca.us.  

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USDA Local School Wellness Policy Webinar

Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. (PST)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Team Nutrition (TN) initiative will present a Meal Talk Webinar on Local School Wellness Policies (LSWP). TN staff and guest speakers from South Carolina’s Local Wellness Policy State Technical Assistance Team and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will share how to energize, strengthen, and assess LSWPs. Attendees will leave with new ideas for increasing engagement and excitement about school wellness in their communities, including amongst administrators, teachers, parents, students, and more. Certificates of participation will be provided for those who attend the entire webinar. For questions regarding this webinar, please reach out to TeamNutrition@USDA.gov.

Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference

Date: Wed, September 14 - Sun, September 18, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. | Cost: $95

Attend the Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference, the fourth annual event that gathers people who are passionate about nature, art, science, curiosity, and wonder to share ideas, learn from each other, support each other, inspire each other, and have fun together in nature’s beauty. The online event will be five full days featuring a rich schedule of 30 classes, panels, lectures, and nature journaling challenges. For more information, please contact Tracy McManus, STEAM Coordinator at tmcmanus@cccoe.k12.ca.us.

STEAM Symposium

Date: Sat, October 1 - Sun, October 2 | Anaheim | Cost: $545

Throughout the event, we will come together to explore high-quality strategies to cultivate systems to promote life-long learning for everyone through inclusive and targeted practices, high-impact techniques, and policies, whether from a classroom or organizational point of view. These approaches promote a sense of belonging and ignite student passion for learning as well as support the social-emotional development of our education community. Together we will share knowledge, research, and stories to support each other in navigating our personal and professional journeys. 


The Symposium will provide a space for exploring equity in STEAM learning, particularly for underrepresented populations we seek to grow in STEAM: educators and students of color, girls, multilingual learners, foster youth, unsheltered students, LGBTQIA+, low socio-economic students, and those with special learning needs. Participants will be able to embark upon this journey immediately with access to resources, collaborators, and a network that seeks to leverage STEAM education as a tool for developing STEAM Identity, civic engagement, social responsibility, student agency, and other shared goals to benefit future generations. For more information, please contact Tracy McManus, STEAM Coordinator at tmcmanus@cccoe.k12.ca.us.

California Science Education Conference 2022

Date: Fri, October 14 - Wed, October 16 | Palm Springs | Cost: $225

The California Science Education Conference, hosted by the California Association of Science Educators (CASE), is the pre-eminent science education event held annually for educators from throughout California. Drawing more than 1,000 attendees, the goal of the annual gathering is to develop an educational space for professional learning, deepening connections, fostering creativity, generating new ideas and energizing science educators to build excitement and enthusiasm for science education inside and out of the classroom. For more information, please contact Tracy McManus, STEAM Coordinator at tmcmanus@cccoe.k12.ca.us.

Math Con 2022

Date: Saturday, October 15, 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Cost: $175

The Stanislaus County Office of Education MATHCON math conference is the premier location in the Central Valley to engage in a wide variety of professional development opportunities in the area of math content and instruction for the TK-12 classroom. In addition to a fantastic keynote speaker, Dan Meyer, we will have several breakout sessions hosted by rock star teachers from across Stanislaus County and an exhibit hall filled with powerful resources to bring back to your classrooms. Lunch is provided and there will be ample opportunities to win prizes throughout the day. For more information, please contact Christen Northrop, Mathematics Coordinator at cnorthrop@cccoe.k12.ca.us

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2022 California Assessment Conference

Date: Tues, October 18 - Thurs, October 20 | Riverside | Cost: $350

Registration for the 2022 California Assessment Conference (CAC) is now open. The CAC offers a unique chance for educators to connect with peers to discover assessment tools and strategies for improved learning and teaching. Do not miss out on the keynote address by Professor Nancy Frey. This year’s CAC will take place in person in Riverside, CA. A limited virtual offering is also available.


With the theme of Partners in Progress: Harnessing the Power of Student Assessment, the conference will feature knowledgeable K–12 educators from across the state who have developed and implemented best practices for using assessment resources in their classrooms. For more information about the conference, to register, and to submit a session proposal visit the California Assessment Conference website.

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Contra Costa County Library News

 Pleasant Hill Library Opens 


The grand opening for the new library took place on July 30, 2022. The state-of-the-art facility includes more than 50 thousand new books and boasts new technology including robots, sewing machines, a 3-D printer, and a laser cutter. The library is open Tuesday through Saturday. Visit ccclib.org for specific hours.



 Wi-Fi Hotspots 


The Library is now lending Wi-Fi Hotspots. The hotspot provides internet access to families and library patrons who don’t have a connection at home. The lending program will allow students, parents, teachers, and families working and studying remotely, access to a free and reliable internet connection. The portable hotspots connect Wi-Fi enabled devices such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones to the internet. The hotspots can connect up to ten devices at one time and work almost anywhere in the continental U.S. Hotspots are available for checkout at ccclib.org or by contacting library staff at any community library. Patrons must have a library card in good standing in order to check out a hotspot. The lending period is 21 days, and they are available for renewal if there is no waitlist.



 Black Life in America   


This news resource explores the experience and impact of Black people in America as recorded by the news media from 1704 to today. From the early days of slavery to modern times, people of African descent have had a profound impact on American history. This collection offers an expansive window into centuries of African American history, culture, and daily life—as well as the ways the dominant culture has portrayed and perceived people of African descent. The content is sourced from more than 19,000 American and global news sources, including over 400 current and historical Black publications. It covers many topical categories such as slavery and flights to freedom, voting rights and voter suppression and disenfranchisement, segregation and civil rights, prejudice and discrimination, and activism and protest movements. Get free access to this resource by visiting the digital resources page at ccclib.org.


 Digital Comics on OverDrive  


All Access Comics are now available from the Library through OverDrive. Get access to over 2,000 comics and graphic novels. The collection includes titles from Disney, Marvel, IDW, Image, and Dark Horse. Start reading at ccc.overdrive.com/library/comics.



For more information on all Contra Costa County Library programs, resources and events, visit ccclib.org.

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California Grant Portal

The California State Library has launched a new website that streamlines all available state agency grants for education, small businesses, nonprofits, individuals, tribal governments, and more!

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2022 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is Now Open


The 2022 Congressional App Challenge launched on June 15, 2022. Students can enter their apps through November 1, 2022. To be eligible to participate in the Congressional App Challenge, applicants must be a middle or high school student at the time of app submission. Students may register as individuals or as teams of up to four. No more than four students are allowed to form a team. Students may compete in the district they reside in or the district they attend school in. If competing as a team, at least half of the teammates must be eligible to compete in the district in which they are participating in. This App Challenge is hosted by the Office of Congressman DeSaulnier. If you have questions about the Challenge, call Mr. DeSaulnier's office (925) 933-2660.

Applications Open for #CaliforniansForAll College Corps Fellows


The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps is a statewide service initiative that helps low-income students graduate on time and with less debt. Students will receive $10,000 for their service while helping to take climate action, tutor and mentor low-income K–12 students, support food insecurity, and more. Over the next two years, 6,500 College Corps Fellows will tackle challenging issues facing our state—this program is roughly the size of the entire Peace Corps. For the first time, Assembly Bill 540 CA Dream Act students will also have the opportunity to participate in a state service program. Learn more on the California Volunteers Californians for All College Corps web page.

Register Your School Today for 2022 California Student Mock Elections


The 2022 California primary and U.S. general election are quickly approaching, and it is time once again to get students involved and excited about civic engagement. California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber and State Superintendent Thurmond are partnering to host the 2022 California Student Mock Election on Tuesday, October 11, 2022. This important program helps young people discover the importance of elections and the power of their votes in the democratic process. Through your school’s involvement, students will discover how government and politics affect their daily lives. The CDE strongly encourages you to incorporate this great program into your curriculum. Registration for the 2022 California Student Mock Election can be found on the Secretary of State California Student Mock Election web page. Read a CDE/CA SOS joint letter for more information and resources.

Educational Programming of edTV 

Looking for some additional quality Monday-Friday educational programming at home or in the classroom? Check out the latest edTV broadcasts here.


Programs scheduled include (times are approximate):


  • Number Talk, presented by the Khan Academy and CCCOE , K-5 math lessons in English and Spanish: 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
  • Food Kids, lessons in purchasing, growing and preparing healthy meals: 12:00-12:30 p.m.
  • STEM in 30, Emmy-nominated program produced by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum: 12:30 -1:00 p.m.
  • National Arts Gallery, outstanding stories about artists and art movements from around the world: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
  • Number Talk (repeat of morning broadcast), presented by the Khan Academy and CCCOE , K-5 math lessons in English and Spanish: 2:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. (replay from the morning)


edTV can be found in most of Contra Costa County on cable channels 32 (Comcast) or 99 (AT&T U-Verse).


For info: Daily schedule can be found here.

Published by the Contra Costa County Office of Education Communications Office
Contra Costa County Office of Education
77 Santa Barbara Road, Pleasant Hill, California 94523
Lynn Mackey, Superintendent of Schools

Dateline is distributed during the school year to all public schools in the county by the Communications Office. The 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.
Contra Costa County Office of Education
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