Connect is a publication produced by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools to highlight positive news, information and events related to public education in our community. Please email items for consideration to [email protected] .
Sparkling Image Car Wash Donates $15,000 to Camp KEEP
Sparkling Image Car Wash of Bakersfield presented a check for $15,000 to the KEEP Foundation on Oct. 11. The car wash company hosted its 9th annual fundraiser to benefit the Kern Superintendent of School’s Kern Environmental Education Program (Camp KEEP) on Sept. 21 at its five Bakersfield locations and pledged 50 percent of all its proceeds that day, which totaled $12,901. The company generously rounded up the donation. In the nine years of hosting this fundraiser, Sparkling Image has donated nearly $100,000 to KEEP Foundation. That money has helped send local kids who need financial aid to Camp KEEP.
Parent Engagement a Top Priority at BCSD
Parent engagement is a top priority at the Bakersfield City School District as evidenced by two events held this month.

BCSD hosted its 3rd annual Parent University Kick-Off at Stiern Middle School that brought together parents, students and family members for a day of learning, fun, and an overall celebration of parent engagement and student success. The day featured presentations from BCSD Superintendent Doc Ervin, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Mark Luque, and a motivational session from keynote speaker Andres Lara, Aka “The Cuban Guy.” In his message to the attendees, Mr. Lara challenged parents to dream big for their children and to increase involvement in their educational pursuit. This year’s Parent University saw a big increase in guests with more than 1,000 attendees, including approximately 850 parents.

The district also held its first-ever father engagement event, earlier this month, more than 500 fathers, students and family members were in attendance. The event encouraged dads to stay involved with their children’s lives and education. 

Robert Lopez, parent of a Franklin Elementary student said, “Studies have shown that parents that are involved with children, those children have a greater chance of going to college and succeeding later on in life. This event is extremely important because it can help shape or define what they look forward to in life."
BCSD moms and dads came out in masses at two recent events designed to encourage parents to be a part of their students' education.
Watch a video about BCSD's Parent University program.
Kern County Network for Children Accepting Applications for Leadership Program
Applications are being accepted now through Nov. 2 for the Kern County Network for Children’s (KCNC) 2019 Leadership Development Program . Since 1998, nearly 700 individuals from organizations throughout Kern County have graduated from the program that serves to achieve three primary goals:
  • Educate participants to increase understanding of public issues and human relationships.

  • Mobilize participants to learn to lead effectively in areas of community health and well being.

  • Help participants network with other citizen action groups with common interests and issues.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The Leadership Development Training Program includes fifty-six (56) hours of instruction time in nine (9) subject areas: public speaking, time management, community meeting facilitation, strategic planning, conflict resolution, community mobilization, resource development, media/marketing and legislative advocacy. 

These sessions are held one Friday per month and begin in January 2019 (with the exception of the first class meeting two days, Thursday, January 24th and Friday, January 25th). A non-refundable $100 participant fee to cover the partial cost of class materials, presenter fees and meals is due upon acceptance into the program.
FILL UP AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Through October 31, 2018 in Kern County, Chevron will donate $1 when you fill-up with 8 or more gallons, up to $300,000, to help fund materials and supplies for local public schools through  DonorsChoose.org .

Since 2010, Chevron has raised $43 million, funded nearly 50,000 projects, and supported 6,100 public schools through this program in the communities it serves!
Check out the video of students at Haven Drive Middle School in Arvin receiving a special delivery of STEM, literature and artistic learning materials from Chevron through its Fuel Your Schools program.
Lost Hills Elementary School District Shows Considerable Growth in English Language Arts Standardized Test Results
Lost Hills Elementary School District students are making considerable gains in their English Language Arts (ELA) standardized test scores. New California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) data released this month by the California Department of Education (CDE) shows the district has improved ELA scores by more than 11 percent over the past two years. The progress in ELA is significant given the fact that 79 percent of students in the district are from low-income households, 68 percent are English learners, and 48 percent are migrant students.

While the district’s growth in ELA ranks in the top five of all 47 school districts throughout Kern County, progress in mathematics has remained flat over the past two years. 

“We realize we still have a lot of work ahead in math,” said Harrison Favereaux, Chief Administrative Officer. “But, we feel we are in a good position to start moving the needle in our math scores based on the improvement structures we have been practicing.”

The district was recently awarded a $2.5 million federal community-school grant, which will allow it to hire a math coach to support students who are in most need of intervention. Grant funds will also help improve the district's counseling and socio-emotional supports and enhance its preschool program. 
BCSD Breaks Ground on New Elementary School
The Bakersfield City School District broke break ground on its new campus, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School. The school will be the 44th campus in BCSD and is scheduled to open in the fall of 2020. The site will offer a STEAM focus to its approximately 900 K-6 students. The school is being built on the corner of Cottonwood Rd. and Belle Terrace. 





Upcoming Trainings
Active Shooter Protocol Training
While schools are still amongst the safest places for children, high profile multi-casualty shootings continue to occur. This training focuses on lesson’s learned from past and recent attacks from both the law enforcement and the education sides. Attendees will understand law enforcement protocols and how they address the issue. Attendees will also learn how the school can mitigate injuries and deaths through practice, model strategies and steps that can be taken before, during and after the event.
EAST COUNTY TRAINING
Thursday, November 1, 2018
8:30 am - 12:00 pm

Sierra Sands Unified School District - Conference Room
113 Felspar Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
BAKERSFIELD TRAINING
Friday, November 2, 2018
8:30 am - 12:00 pm

Larry E. Reider Ed. Center / Room 101
2000 K St.
Bakersfield, CA
Tactical First Aid Response for Educators 
This is a crash course on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and how these evidence-based, life-saving medical techniques and strategies for providing the best trauma care in an active shooter incident can be applied by school personnel. In this 2-hour block of instruction, participants will have a greater understanding of bleeding control, tension pneumothorax and airway obstruction. Attendees will actively participate in some of the medical techniques described.
Friday, November 2, 2018
1 pm - 4 pm

Larry E. Reider Education Center / Room 101
2000 K St.
Bakersfield, CA