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NSTogether
Connect * Collaborate * Contribute
Issue 34 | Fall 2023
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Welcome to NSTogether, our quarterly newsletter to keep you informed about the K-16 Collaborative work happening all over the North State region. | |
Grand Opening for The Community Leadership Center | | |
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The Heart of Downtown Redding Welcomes the Community Leadership Center! | |
A new era for Shasta College. On September 21, many educators, community members and leaders gathered at The Shasta College Community Leadership Center in the heart of our transformed downtown area for its official grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. Dr. Joe Wyse and members of the Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College board of trustees did the honors of cutting the ribbon to mark the completion of this community leadership project, "which represents a new era in Shasta College's ability to serve our communities as leaders, educators, and advocates for positive growth and prosperity for the communities we serve" - Joe Wyse. | |
Pictured above (from left to right) are members of the STTJCC District Governing Board: Rhonda Nehr, District Board Clerk; Stephen Bell, District Board President; Dr. Joe Wyse, District Superintendent/President of Shasta College, and Kendall Pierson, District Board Vice President. | |
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Shasta College's partnership with The McConnell Foundation and K2 Development brought to fruition the vision to bring outward, community facing programs all under one roof, to help remove barriers to job training for students, stimulate further collaboration with businesses, and accelerate our regional efforts for innovation in cradle to career outreach. This 5-story building is the new home for North State Together (NST), Economic and Workforce Development (EWD) programs (e.g. Adult Education, Apprenticeship, College Corps, CTE Outreach, Employer Partnerships, and Strong Workforce), Shasta College Attainment and Innovation Lab for Equity (SCAILE), Community Education, Foster & Kinship Care Education (FKCE), the Shasta College Foundation. and the Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District board room along with general offices and workstations.
As the large group then filed up to the fourth floor which houses North State Together, a regional collective partnership that provides backbone support to networks in ten surrounding counties to strengthen educational outcomes from cradle to career for ALL in far Northern California, Kevin O'Rorke, District Associate Superintendent and CEO of North State Together, reflected upon the fact that "the buildings that have presence in our landscape are more than mere structures; they are the embodiment of our community's identity and aspirations. With our children and our local school systems in mind, we wanted a place that would demonstrate what we value in this community, and our hope is that this building will serve as a shining light for decades to come."
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Shannon Philips, COO of The McConnell Foundation, also shared a few words:
"What was once hot concrete and a failing parking structure is now Shasta County's premier educational institution's commitment to education, and education-related services! It is a statement to ALL that education matters in this community, such that it calls for a prominent presence in an iconic building in the heart of our downtown."
Many thanks to all, especially The McConnell Foundation and K2 Development for their amazing partnership. Click here to see Action News Now coverage of the ribbon cutting ceremony.
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North State Together was featured on KIXE on Sept. 7 highlighting our collective impact work. Watch to learn more about how NST is making a difference in our rural communities throughout our north state region. | |
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Exciting Week at the 2023 StriveTogether Convening | |
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It was an incredible experience representing North State Together at the recent StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network Convening held in San Francisco, Sept 19-21. This gathering of change-makers and education champions from across the nation was truly inspiring. Together, we explored innovative solutions and shared our commitment to creating a brighter future for our communities.
Collaboration is Key. Our North State Together network partners joined forces with like-minded organizations to strengthen our collective impact. We believe that by working together, we can achieve even greater outcomes for our region.
At the heart of our mission is ensuring that every child in our community has the opportunity to succeed from cradle to career. This event reinforced our dedication to this vision and provided valuable insights to help us achieve it.
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Pictured above is our fantastic North State Together team that attended the Convening. | |
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Policymaker Champions. To wrap up an incredible week, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma and State Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula hosted a special session on Sept 21, to explore how The CA C2C Policy Coalition, statewide as well as NST regionally, can support state implementation of CalKIDS, the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program, which gives children in California a jump start on saving for college or career training. With the focus on implementation, it was a promising outreach from a public agency we haven't had the pleasure of working with substantively enough.
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Front and center is California State Treasurer Fiona Ma and State Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula with members of the CA Cradle to Career Policy Coalition which consisted of many North State Together partners. | |
Many thanks to StriveTogether for hosting this exceptional gathering and to our incredible partners for your unwavering commitment to our shared goals. Together, we are building a brighter future for the North State! |
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North State Together is 10-County Strong! | |
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Our Growing Network
North State Together has successfully expanded to a 10-County Regional Model with the K-16 Grant! Sierra (Sierra Strong), Plumas (Plumas County Healthcare and Education Collaborative), and Butte (Building Butte Health Workforce) counties were onboarded, making our 10-county region complete! Since the launch of the K-16 Education Collaboratives grant on July 1, 2022, North State Together has utilized the grant to continue to support our existing five counties and extend our reach to include county networks in Lassen, Glenn, Sierra, Plumas, and Butte counties.
In addition to expanding our collective impact work across the entire North State region, North State Together is leveraging the K-16 grant to create occupational pathways that include accelerated degree/credential programs and work-based learning opportunities for our 10-county network.
New University Partnerships. The K-16 grant has allowed us to expand and create new partnerships with universities, such as Western Governors University (WGU), who provide educational opportunities that address the obstacles rural, low-income, and working student populations face. North State Together has also partnered with Reach University to provide our county networks with postsecondary options that bring job-embedded, accessible educational pathways. Reach University is helping to bridge the gap for some of our more remote counties that lack proximity to a community college or university by providing affordable, online certificates and degrees that embrace work experience.
North State Together continues to support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts and the Governor’s Recovery with Equity recommendations to ensure that each network develops the strategies, policies, and practices that align with the needs of their counties.
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NST: Community Schools + Collective Impact | |
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In March 2023, Shasta County Office of Education in partnership with North State Together and Partners for Rural Impact were named the Northern California Regional Technical Assistance Center.
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The mission of the North Star Regional Technical Assistance Center (RTAC) is to transform schools across Northern California into thriving community schools that advance outcomes for students, educators, and communities.
RTAC will offer support, provide technical assistance, advocate for rural needs across the state, and empower and equip schools, community members, students, and local organizations to work collectively towards shared goals across the 13 northernmost counties of California.
Learn more about North State Together’s role in the North Star Regional Technical Assistance Center for community schools in the short video below.
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North State Together is proud to be a designated a Talent Hub. The Talent Hub designation signifies that our regional cross-sector partnership has met rigorous standards for creating environments that attract, retain, and cultivate talent, particularly among today’s students many of whom are the first in their families to go to college, and from low-income households. Bestowed by CivicLab, the Talent Hub designation is the only designation of its kind, is independently enforced, and serves as both an aspirational target for other communities to aim and a platform from which partnerships designated as Talent Hubs can build. We work collaboratively to enhance educational options and boost economic development by re-engaging adults who have left the formal education system.
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Expanding programs such as ACE, BOLD, STEP UP and the Siskiyou County Adult Ed Diploma, North State Together supports adults who seek credentials or career opportunities. North State Together builds off successful partnerships with local businesses, tribal communities and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act partners to help adults explore careers through a regional career portal and a virtual job-shadowing program.
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A section for our county networks and partners to dive in and collect, analyze, and use data
for their own continuous improvement. Go ahead and make a splash!
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As a backbone organization to our region, North State Together is focused on developing sustainable shared measurement systems and practices and building partners' capacity to contribute and use data. It's a priority for our team!
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In this corner, you'll see a small glimpse of the work being done in our North State region. We'll feature a few every quarter because to recount them all would make this a very lengthy newsletter! | |
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Spotlight on Lassen County:
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Establishing a Dental Pathway in Lassen County | |
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A year ago, North State Together met with leaders and community members in Lassen County to discuss opportunities for students within their region. Shortly after, an MOU to implement the K-16 Education Collaborative grant was signed and Lassen Healthcare Education Collaborative (LHEC) was formed! LHEC has been fully developed and consists of a robust group of at least 25% local employer representatives including Lassen Indian Health Center, Northeastern Rural Health Clinic, Alliance for Workforce Development, Lassen High School, and Lassen Community College.
Dental Pathway. With LHEC's mission to build intellectual growth, human perspective and economic potential in the healthcare community, they are well underway on creating a new dental hygiene/dental assisting program for Lassen County!
LHEC has identified a dedicated classroom and lab space with up-to-date equipment to ensure a robust healthcare program. They also received an additional donation of equipment from one of their community partners. To assist with remodel plans for the designated space, a consultant has been acquired to complete and refine the plans so remodeling efforts can soon begin. On the horizon, work on the state board obligations for development of the dental healthcare pathway as well as submission of curriculum is being tackled. Keep up the great work, LHEC!
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Spotlight on
Shasta County:
Increasing College and Career Readiness across Shasta County
| (Re)Defining the Goal: Solutions to the American Workforce Paradox and the Path to True Career Readiness | |
Kevin Flemming, scholar, author, and global keynote speaker, highlights a student-focused, career-minded approach to education. | |
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North State Together’s county network Reach Higher Shasta consistently works to increase college and career readiness among K-12 students across Shasta County and is hosting multiple free events featuring Dr. Kevin Fleming, founder and CEO of Catapult, the producer of multiple viral videos including Success in the New Economy, and author of the bestseller, (Re)Defining the Goal. He is a global keynote speaker who is a passionate advocate for ensuring all students enter the labor market with a competitive advantage and highlights a student-focused, career-minded approach to education.
Dr. Kevin J Fleming’s inspiring presentation will challenge our language and the perceived goal of education while presenting new paradigms and tangible action steps to help all students gain a competitive advantage after graduation. Technical skills are the new currency in the 21st century, and Dr. Fleming will address how we can balance preparing students for both higher education and the workforce.
You are Invited. Reach Higher Shasta invites you and your teachers, counselors, admin, career techs, employers, and industry partners to register for Dr. Fleming's presentation in Redding on November 14. The event will include a keynote with Dr. Fleming and breakout sessions to explore opportunities for collaboration and system improvement to better equip our students for the modern workforce.
Date: Tuesday, November 14. 2023
Session Title: (Re)Defining the Goal: Solutions to the American Workforce Paradox and the Path to True Career Readiness
Location: Sequoia Middle School (McLaughlin Auditorium)
Time: 8 am - 11 am (Free LUNCH included)
Pre-registration is required. Please spread the word to those in your counties that may be interested.
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For parents/students: There is a session specifically targeted for 8th -12th grade students/parents on November 13. Dr. Fleming will discuss the often surprising reality of the modern American workforce and how to support high school students on the path to true career readiness.
Date: Monday, November 13, 2023
Session Title: (Re)Defining the Goal: Supporting Student Success in the New Economy
Location: Sequoia Middle School (McLaughlin Auditorium)
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Free DINNER included)
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Healthcare Exploration Opportunities for Community College Students | |
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21st Annual
Pre-Health Conference
October 14, 2023
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North State Together has an established partnership with UC Davis which provides expertise for the healthcare pathways our county networks are creating for targeted populations, as well as opportunities for students to explore healthcare professions.
The 21st Annual UC Davis Pre-Health Conference is a great opportunity for North State community college students to explore a variety of health professions, including allopathic, osteopathic, podiatric, naturopathic medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, optometry, physician’s assistant, physical and occupational therapy, and more.
Over 200 exhibitors representing all health professional fields, organizations, and test prep companies will be on site at UC Davis. Students can choose from the 20+ didactic and interactive workshops, build relationships and ask questions to admissions representatives and professional students, and explore schools from California to New York to Australia. Registration ends soon. Sign up today!
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The Power of Partnerships | |
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Grad Partnership is a national initiative that encourages and supports communities in efforts to use high quality student success systems, also known as early warning/on-track systems, that empower schools to graduate ALL students ready for their future.
Together, Rural Schools Collaborative, North State Together and Shasta College are helping rural high school students stay connected to school - Check out this new spotlight story on how Gateway to College at Shasta College combines data with student belonging.
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RSC Executive Director Taylor McCabe-Juhnke with GRAD Partnership Directors Susan Schroth & Annah Rogers on a tour of Shasta College Campus. | |
Excellent Training Opportunities | |
Spreading What Works.
StriveTogether provides training to help community leaders strengthen their ability to work across sectors, change systems and achieve equitable outcomes.
Grounded in proven approaches and tools used by nearly 70 communities in the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, the courses and workshops have been tested by national partner. Here's a sampling of the courses offered:
Click on The Training Hub to see these courses and offerings accessible to everyone, including place-based partnerships and community partners outside of the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network.
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Get these upcoming dates on your calendar now and look out for early bird registration! | |
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Every year, North State Together's county network, Expect More Tehama hosts a special convening of community stakeholders to share ideas, celebrate great people and programs, inspire action, and remind us that together we can do amazing things.
Tehama county's story is filled with Western individualism, rural values, and a culture embedded in agriculture with a healthy get-it-done attitude. At the same time, it is heavy with generational poverty, a blue-collar economy hit hard during the 90s, and unacceptably high trauma numbers. We are collectively holding the pen for where this story takes us next.
You are invited. We invite you to join this unique opportunity for stakeholders across the county to gather, learn, connect, and leave energized and ready to create powerful new narratives about our future. We'll share exciting work being done to help students of all ages make sense of their next steps. Together, we will examine key data (because data always has a story to tell). And we'll share stories that connect us. We'll even let the adults play with some pretty cool hands-on equipment.
Who should attend? Teachers, counselors, government representatives, non-profits, business leaders, community members, elected officials, college staff, parents, service organizations, and community initiators.
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The National Forum to Advance Rural Education is one of the country’s leading rural education conferences. The event is designed to create an environment for collaboration and innovation with a diverse community that includes national experts, K–12 and higher education practitioners, leading researchers, policymakers, and philanthropic leaders from around the country.
New for 2023. NREA is proud to present a new showcase event to share components of NREA’s rural research agenda and highlight impactful programs in education and our communities.
Raising Rural: Policy, Practice & Research Showcase
Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Time: 1 pm -4 pm
Here’s what you can expect:
· Engaging panel discussion with rural researchers
· 8 learning sessions (choose 2)
· Hear from research and policy advisors and practitioners leading change in their communities
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Mark your calendars for Complete College America’s 2023 Annual Convening at the Paris, Las Vegas. This year's convening will be an exciting opportunity to engage with leaders and policymakers from across the country as we work together to dramatically increase graduation rates and improve on-time completion for all students.
Sessions will explore innovations in the post-pandemic new normal, platforming policies, closing institutional attainment gaps by race/ethnicity, household income background, rurality, and other demographic factors. .
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North State Together
Downtown Redding
Community Leadership Center
1401 California Street, 4th floor
Redding, CA 96001
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CONNECT ** COLLABORATE ** CONTRIBUTE | | |
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OUR VISION
North State Together is a regional network of cross-sector partners who have come together to strengthen educational outcomes from cradle to career for ALL in far Northern California.
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OUR MISSION
To increase community vitality by increasing educational access and success in the North State through local solutions within a regional support framework.
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OUR VALUES
We are community, data, equity, and relationship driven.
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