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SCCSBA President's Message

By Shali Sirkay

I hope everyone’s school year is off to a wonderful start! With summer 2025 in the rearview mirror, I love being back in the rhythm of the school year. There is so much to look forward to; the beginning of the school year reminds me of why I became a trustee in the first place.

However, in the current climate, each school year seems to bring new challenges. Yet with those challenges, I think we have new opportunities as well. As I was reflecting on this year’s theme, Leadership in Changing Times, one of the lessons I learned early in my career is the importance of building relationships outside of our spheres and nurturing those partnerships. One of the issues that trustees are keeping a close eye on are the impacts of the federal budget cuts due to the passage of H.R. 1. Yet, decisions that impact us are being made without our voice at the table. That needs to change. Therefore, on September 11^th, we hosted a Zoom meeting with SCC Executive, James Williams. The County Executive is the highest non-elected position in the County, in effect the CEO. As you can imagine, the County is working on ways to mitigate the impacts of H.R. 1, and as those decisions are being made, it is really important that County Executive Williams hears the concerns of school board trustees. I really appreciate that he took time from his busy schedule to talk to us. We had a robust conversation, and the recording of that Zoom meeting has been sent to all trustees. If you didn’t get it, please reach out to us. Feel free to share it widely in your networks.

Building deeper relationships within the trustee community is also key to the good work we will do this year. Opportunities to network with each other are integral to our events. In addition to our wonderful, traditional SCCSBA events, I’d like all of us to have a chance to simply hang out with each other. In that spirit, and to launch the new school year festively, I am excited to host a trustee networking reception at my home on September 21st. This will be a great opportunity to meet other trustees and learn about all the ways you can get involved with SCCSBA. Please be sure to RSVP to the calendar invitation because this is not a ticketed event.

We have some great topics lined up for our popular noontime Lunch and Learns (for example, working effectively with your city councils; serving our justice-involved youth). Bonnie and I are open to suggestions from all of you as well, so if there’s a topic you’d like to explore deeper and learn from your fellow trustees, please reach out to either me or Bonnie.

We have a really great, fun year planned! Please be sure to read our newsletter to stay informed, and please always feel free to reach out to me or Bonnie with any questions or comments.

Hope to see you at my house on the 21^st!

SCCSBA Hoffmann Awards Applications for 2026 are Now Open

Applications Now Open for the 42nd Annual Hoffmann Awards

Applications are now open for the 42nd Annual Glenn W. Hoffmann Exemplary Program Awards, which recognize outstanding educational programs across Santa Clara County. The deadline for submissions is Friday, December 12, 2025.

Complete details, including the Applicant Information Packet and Online Application Form, are available on the SCCSBA website at www.sccsba.org. For inspiration, you can also view applications and videos from last year’s award winners, as well as videos from past recipients.

The 2026 Hoffmann Award winners will be honored at a ceremony in May 2026.

📣 Trustees: Join the Selection Committee!

We invite trustees to serve on the Hoffmann Awards Selection Committee and help celebrate educational excellence in Santa Clara County!  No prior experience is needed - all training, scoring rubrics, and guidelines will be provided.

As a member of the Selection Committee, you will review and score applications (December/January), join a Zoom discussion to select finalists (January), and have the option to visit finalist sites (February/March).

This is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with fellow Trustees, discover impactful programs happening across Santa Clara County, be inspired by the creativity and innovation of these programs, and see programs firsthand through optional site visits.

👉 Sign up now to be a part of the Hoffmann Awards Selection Committee!

Questions? 

Bonnie Mace, SCCSBA Executive Director, at execdirector@sccsba.org 

Aine O’Donovan, Hoffmann Awards Chair, at HoffmannAwards@sccsba.org 

Easily Add SCCSBA Events to Your Personal Calendar

We’d love to see you at SCCSBA events this year! Check out our SCCSBA website at www.sccsba.org.

The full 2025–26 schedule is in our online calendar on the SCCSBA Events Webpage. Click “+ Google Calendar” at the bottom of the calendar to sync events with your personal calendar. You can also browse the webpage to view the schedule by event type and learn more about each event.

Wednesday, September 17 - SCCSBA Evening Zoom Meeting

Topic: State and Federal Budget Updates from CSBA

Our first evening zoom meeting of the new school year will be held on Wednesday, September 17 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Our featured topic will be a federal and state budget update. Our featured guest speaker will be Chris Reefe, the Legislative Director for the California School Boards Association. We will also hear from our Legislative Action Committee about their legislative advocacy activities on behalf of the SCCSBA.

All trustees are welcome to attend.

Here is the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82537979734?pwd=dwRdxCfWyEd8m4JDqOvkrer8XeU1Xy.1

Sunday, September 21 - SCCSBA Networking Reception

Welcome back the new school year with our SCCSBA Networking Reception on Sunday, September 21 from 3:00-5:00 P.M. It will be held at the home of our SCCSBA President Shali Sirkay in Los Altos. All trustees are welcome, and it's free of charge. Learn more about our SCCSBA and its activities! Please RSVP on the calendar invitation, which also has the address.

Wednesday, September 24 - SCCSBA Lunch & Learn Zoom Meeting

Topic: McKinney-Vento/Unhoused Students in Santa Clara County

Our next Lunch and Learn Zoom Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 24 from noon to 1 PM. Our Unhoused Students SUCCESS Committee will be discussing what's happening around the county, and will provide information about best practices in school districts regarding McKinney-Vento homeless and unhoused students.

We invite all trustees to attend. Here is the zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86343921052?pwd=mBOMIK5Nde2GrPODJaq5fXpSE7hQuc.1

Friday, October 3 - SCCSBA No-Host Networking Lunch

We will be holding our next SCCSBA networking lunch on Friday, October 3 at Country Gourmet in Sunnyvale. The lunch runs from 11:30 AM to 1 PM. This is a fun way to meet trustees from across the county, and share best practices and advice. All trustees are welcome to come. There's no need to RSVP. The address is 1314 S Mary Ave, Sunnyvale.

Wednesday, October 29 - Save the Date for our Annual Fall Dinner

We invite all trustees and superintendents to join us for our Annual Fall Dinner, which will be held this year at Maggiano's Restaurant on Santana Row in San Jose on October 29 from 6-9 p.m. In addition to our networking opportunity with trustees and superintendents from across the county, we will also be featuring a panel of students from school districts across the county discussing their journeys as Multilingual Learners. It promises to be a fun and informative evening!

Here is the link to register: https://sccsba.ticketspice.com/2025-sccsba-annual-fall-dinner

Wednesday, November 5 - SCCSBA Lunch and Learn Zoom Meeting

Topic: School Districts and City Government Working Together

We invite all trustees to join us for our November 5 Lunch and Learn Zoom Meeting on the topic of School Districts and City Government Working Together. This is our opportunity to learn from each other about what makes successful collaboration between school districts and city government. The zoom meeting will be held from 12-1 p.m., and all trustees are invited.

Here is the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89613102328?pwd=zcIYSf7EtHEHt1gRe5ZqVE9MMMym2C.1

SCCSBA Legislative Action Committee



Shape Policy, Protect Schools: Be Part of SCCSBA Advocacy

Legislative advocacy is one of the most powerful ways school board members can impact student success and district sustainability. Policies at the county, state, and federal levels directly shape funding, accountability, and opportunity for Santa Clara County schools. Whether you are LCFF funded or Basic Aid, the SCCSBA Legislative Action Committee focuses on strengthening our collective voice, gaining insight into emerging legislation, and helping craft thoughtful letters of support and opposition that ALWAYS puts students first. Together, we influence decisions that safeguard resources, expand opportunities, and ensure every child has the chance to thrive. Want to get involved? Contact lac@sccsba.org today. Want to know more about what happened this past legislative session? Check out this article from Ed Source. 

https://edsource.org/2025/california-lawmakers-education-bills-2025-newsom/740527?utm_source=EdSource&utm_campaign=45d3e2abda-Special Newsletter - Sept. 14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a54dc0b8a6-45d3e2abda-287301221

SCCSBA SUCCESS Committee (Supporting Unhoused students through Communication, Collaboration, Education, and Solutions for School districts)

Join us on Wednesday, September 24, 2025 for the SCCSBA Lunch and Learn Zoom meeting from 12-1 p.m., where the SUCCESS committee will be doing a presentation on the McKinney-Vento program and speakers from different school districts will be sharing strategies for success!

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86343921052?pwd=mBOMIK5Nde2GrPODJaq5fXpSE7hQuc.1

All trustees are welcome to join us for our monthly SUCCESS meeting, the first Wednesday of each month at 2:30pm. Google Meet:https://meet.google.com/xpz-jydc-vid

SAVE THE DATE!The SUCCESS committee will be hosting a Fall Symposium on Student Homelessness on Saturday, Nov 15. Join us for an informative and relevant morning with experts, panels and local leaders as we discuss the growing challenge of homelessness in Santa Clara County and how we as trustees can help our students.

Sharpening the Image: Developing the Full Picture for Unhoused Learners

Saturday November 15, 2025

8:30AM-11:30AM

Santa Clara County Office of Education, San Jose Room, 

1290 Ridder Park, San Jose, CA 95131

Here is the link to register: https://sccsba.ticketspice.com/success-event-nov-2025

Milpitas Unified School District

Recent Milpitas HS alumnus in 4th year of pre-med at UCLA

Standing before the Milpitas Unified School District Board of Trustees, as well as MUSD educators, local community members and civic leaders, 2022 Milpitas High School graduate Kush Brahmbhatt credited much of his upward career trajectory to his educational pathway through MUSD schools.

“I come on behalf of BAPS Charities and the Milpitas Unified School District because I actually completed all of my education from Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade in this very school district,” said the 21-year old MUSD alumnus and current fourth-year pre-Medical student at UCLA, where he is double-majoring in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology along with Disability Studies.

Brahmbhatt, the 2021-22 Milpitas HS Associated Student Body (ASB) President and 2019-20 MHS MUSD Student Board Representative, attended the August 26th school board meeting, along with a group of his fellow BAPS Charities volunteers, to deliver a $5,000 donation generated from the 2025 BAPS Charities Walkathon fundraising event.

“I go around telling people this all the time, even in college, a lot of the things I’m able to accomplish both academically and professionally are thanks to the values I’ve learned and gained from my education in the Milpitas Unified School District,” he shared. “They do an incredible job both helping you build your academic and leadership skills and all the other soft skills you need to be successful in your life.” Read on

Cambrian School District

Cambrian School District Student Receives National Math Award

You just can’t stop Cambrian School District kids from ACHIEVING! Huge congratulations to Sartorette Elementary School superstar Jaylah for being recognized by Imagine Learning as one of the TOP ACHIEVERS IN MATH nationwide this summer!

Through hard work and dedication in Imagine Learning’s My Path: Math program, Jaylah rose to the top and earned this incredible honor. 



We are SO proud of you, Jaylah—your achievement shines bright and inspires us all! 

Pictured: Mr. Garcia (Imagine Learning representative), Jaylah, and Sartorette Principal Mrs. Stein.

MetroED

SVCTE Alumni Spotlight Launches

Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) center, formerly known as Central County Occupational Center (CCOC), recently launched an Alumni Page highlighting the accomplishments of former students. The page features the diverse paths SVCTE graduates have taken, from pursuing higher education and launching successful careers to making meaningful contributions in their communities. Through these inspiring stories, current students and community members can see firsthand the impact of a CTE education.

SVCTE encourages alumni to share their own experiences, milestones, and successes to be featured on the page and join a growing network of accomplished graduates. Visit the SVCTE Alumni Page to learn more.

STAY CONNECTED

www.sccsba.org