Community Schools Connection

Issue #7 November 2025

Grantee Spotlight

Principals Leading the Way: Building Capacity through Collaboration

This fall, school leaders across the region have been actively engaging in professional learning opportunities designed to strengthen collaboration, deepen understanding of the Community Schools strategy, and build collective leadership to support students and families.

In August, the Tri-County (Colusa, Sutter, and Yuba) Community Schools hosted a training in Yuba City, while Solano County Community Schools held sessions in Vallejo and Fairfield—each bringing together principals and their school teams for a day centered on collaborative leadership and shared vision. Participants explored how principals and Community School Coordinators can lead side by side to cultivate the conditions where every student and family can thrive. These events showcased the power of regional partnership—these counties coming together to strengthen leadership development that uplifts all communities.

Building on that momentum, the Principal Community of Practice, co-led with our partners at Learning Heroes, launched this fall. This new network brings together Community School principals from across the region to learn, reflect, and share strategies. The sessions provide a space for principals to grow their understanding of Community Schools as a whole-child, whole-community approach, while also fostering peer connections that strengthen implementation and sustain impact.

Principals also joined their school teams for the recent Parent/Teacher Home Visits Training, an experience that highlighted the importance of building authentic, trust-based relationships with families. Through the training, principals and school teams modeled the core belief that family engagement is foundational to student success and school improvement.

Together, these professional learning opportunities reflect a growing commitment to shared leadership, authentic partnership, and continuous growth. Our principals are leading the way—demonstrating how collaboration, curiosity, and connection can transform schools into thriving community hubs that meet the needs of every child and family.

Meet the Team

R-TAC

Professional Learnings

November

4th - Principal Community of Practice (Virtual)

6th - Learning Together Series (Virtual)

11th - District Systems for Community Schools (Virtual)

12th - Whole-Child Improvement Network (Virtual)

14th - Building Bridges (Virtual)

17th - Centering Community Based Learning (Virtual)

December

4th - Capitol Area R-TAC Community (In Person)

SCOE/PCOE Community Schools Related Professional Learnings

PCOE

November

3rd - SafeTalk Suicide Prevention

4th - Opening Doors for Every Child: An Introduction to Universal Design for Learning

10th - PK-3 Credential Program Info Meeting

12th - PASC (Preliminary Administrative Services Credential) Info Meeting

19th - Social-Emotional Learning Through Play and Stories

December

6th - PASC (Preliminary Administrative Services Credential) Info Meeting

10th - Designing Career Technical Education for All: Universal Design in the classroom

Ongoing Training Opportunities

CSEC 101 - Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: Virtual or in person 2-hr training on request

Caregiver Prevention Education: Online Safety: Virtual or in person 2-hr training on request

Open Access/UDL Trainings: Multiple offerings from Open Access/ UDL trainings both virtual and in-person options

SCOE

November

5th, 12th, 13th, 18th - Asset Mapping Our Instructional Practices in Support of Multilingual Learners: Instructional Rounds Series for 6th-12th Educators

6th - Integrated and Designated ELD for Secondary Teachers

6th - CA Math Framework Series Part 3

13th - Critical Well-Being Convening Session 2. Contact sel@scoe.net for more information

13th - Multilingual Learners TK-12 Nuts & Bolts

18th - 19th - Elementary Civics Institute

December

2nd - LCRSET Grant Expert Webinar Series w/ Jim Knight (open to all)

2nd - Reading Difficulties Risk Screeners (RDRS) Office Hours: From Data to Action: Optimizing Tier 1 Instruction

11th - Advancing UDL at all levels: Focuses on implementing and advancing UDL strategies across levels in virtual sessions

Ongoing Training Opportunities

SCOE/English Learner Roadmap Power in Collaboration Across California Flyers and Events

SCOE Expanded Learning Professional Learning Catalog

Getting Reading Right: Filling the Gaps in the Secondary Classroom Gr. K-6 (Monthly)

Getting Reading Right: Filling the Gaps in the Secondary Classroom Gr. 6-12 (Monthly)

2025-26 Building Thinking Classrooms Series: For grades TK-12, beginning in September.

CA Math Adoption Series Cohort B: LEAs reviewing, piloting, or adopting after the release of the State Board Adopted (SBE) list in November

NGSS Assessments Toolkit Training -Science Educators multiple dates Flyer

News & Updates

California Department of Education (CDE)

CCSPP Fall Budget Webinar

The CDE held a budget seminar on 10/8. In case you missed the Budget Webinar, here are some resources:
October Budget Webinar Slides
Santa Clara COE AER Companion Guide

State Transformational Assistance Center (S-TAC)

Celebrating Student Voice: Meet the Capitol Area SSA Cohort 4 Representatives

We are thrilled to announce the selection of students for Cohort 4 of the Statewide Student Advisory (SSA) Board! For the first time, all eight R-TAC regions across California are represented.

This year, 20 students were selected statewide, and we are proud to introduce the Capitol Area R-TAC representatives who will uplift the voices of youth across our 12 counties.

Please join us in congratulating these inspiring student leaders:

Alaysia Simmons – Vallejo Unified, Jesse M. Bethel High School
Hadia Chakari – Natomas Unified, Natomas High School
Elijah David Steiner – Esparto Unified, Esparto High School
Ja’Nyah Cinkan – Sacramento City Unified, John F. Kennedy High School

We celebrate their leadership and look forward to the impact they will make in shaping the future of community schools.

Collective Learning Space

11/4 The S-TAC will be co-hosting the third Coherence & Sustainability webinar exploring the shared goals of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education program and the CCSPP, highlighting opportunities to enhance coherence through high-impact collaboration and effective coordination strategies that promote long-term sustainability.
Please find the registration details linked here. You can also access the Wordly Translation Services / Servicios de Traducción Wordly for attendees who may need translation support.
SAVE THE DATE: 2026 Community Schools Summit, Ontario, CA; September 10th-11th, 2026

Regional Transformational Assistance Center (R-TAC)

Capitol Area R-TAC Team Updates

We’re excited to share some team transitions! Christina Trentz has been promoted to a leadership role in PCOE’s Mental Health and Wellness Services. We’re grateful for her many contributions to our region and look forward to continued collaboration in professional learning.

We’re also thrilled to welcome two new members to our team:

Kirsten Thomas-Ackee, Director of Integrated Support Programs at PCOE, brings over 30 years of leadership experience advancing culturally relevant, social-emotional, and trauma-informed practices that support equity-centered, whole-child approaches.
Darren Gapultos, Coordinator of Teaching and at SCOE, draws on his site-level leadership and community school coordination experience to help districts strengthen systems that elevate student, family, and community voice through restorative and equity-driven practices.

Learn more about our team on the Capitol Area R-TAC website.

Tailored Professional Learning

Interested in customized support? Contact us to discuss tailored professional learning opportunities designed to meet your team’s needs.

Upcoming Quarterly In-Person Meeting

12/4 Capitol Area R-TAC Community: Ideas, Insights, Impact 9am - 4pm, Marriott Rancho Cordova

Professional Learning Resources

It has been wonderful to connect with many of you during our professional learning opportunities. Just a reminder: you can find all the professional learning resources linked to the title of each learning series on our (website)

R-TAC Partner Highlight

Seeds of Partnership is a California Department of Education, Special Education Division funded technical assistance project, operated through the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), that offers training, support, and resources related to special education and family engagement for educators, parent center staff, and families across California. Seeds supports in various statewide initiatives and activities related to professional development, compliance improvement monitoring requirements, family engagement, youth leadership, early learning and statewide coordinated assistance to the Family Empowerment Centers (FECs). There are thirty-three FECs that assist California families who have children and young adults (ages 3–22) with disabilities. FECs offer specialized training, peer-to-peer support, information, and referral services. To learn more about FECs visit www.californiafamilyempowermentcenters.org. Contact Seeds of Partnership via email at seeds@scoe.net or visit our website at www.seedsofpartnership.org.

FECs in the R-TAC Region:

Five of the Family Empowerment Centers (FECs) support one or more counties within the Capitol Area R-TAC region. Select the parent center name below to access their spotlighted page on the FEC website.

Family Resource Network

Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tuolumne

Family SOUP

Colusa, Sutter, Yuba

Matrix Parents at Marin CIL

Marin, Solano, Sonoma

Plumas Rural Services

Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Sierra

Warmline Family Resource Center

Alpine, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Yolo

CS Forward Framework