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Sutter County Superintendent of Schools Community Update: October 2021

I am happy to welcome Sutter County Career Training Center, the former Cambridge Junior College, to the Sutter County Superintendent of Schools family. Career technical education for adults is a vital part of our mission. Acquiring a strong for-profit college is a first-of-its-kind initiative for a county superintendent of schools. Through the success of this venture, we hope to expand educational opportunities for adults in California.

SCSOS has acquired Cambridge Junior College’s institutional operations and assets at the Yuba City campus, including curriculum, students, employees, and over two decades of experience in career technical education. All existing Cambridge Junior College students and most faculty have transitioned to the new Sutter County Career Training Center. It will be distinct from other programs within the SCSOS Office. Pending regulatory approval, students will have access to CalGrants, veteran’s benefits, and Title IV student financial aid, a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition to providing services in Sutter County to more than 20,000 public school students, 12 school districts and nine charter schools, SCSOS currently provides adult education; including English as a Second Language, Special Education, high school diplomas and high school equivalency; and job services through the Sutter County One Stop and Sutter County Adult Education programs. These existing programs connect adults with education, job training and employment opportunities. The new Sutter County Career Training Center has become a vital level in the SCSOS system giving students access to an accredited Medical Assistant program, with additional programs planned to launch in the coming years.

To learn more, and to apply for the Sutter County Career Training Center’s Medical Assistant Program, visit www.cambridge.edu. To learn more about education, job training and employment opportunities, visit the Sutter County One Stop at www.sutteronestop.com

Sincerely,

Superintendent Tom Reusser

SCSOS New Director of Special Education:

Josh Harris

Sutter County Superintendent of Schools is delighted to welcome Josh Harris as our new Director of Special Education. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Josh graduated from the University of Maryland with his bachelor’s degree in History. Josh moved to the Bay Area and earned his law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1991 and began to practice law in San Jose. 

Josh practiced business litigation and transactional law, as well as criminal defense in San Jose. In 1994, Josh married his wife, Dawn, and moved to Yuba City where he practiced law in Yuba, Sutter and Sacramento Counties. His wife was an elementary teacher and he often visited her classroom and read to the students during his lunch time. Josh fell in love with teaching and decided he wanted to serve students in special education. He left the practice of law and began his teaching career at Ella Elementary in Olivehurst. Over the 23 years of his career in education, Josh has worked in special education as a principal, SELPA Director, Director, Assistant Superintendent and County Superintendent. He left education in 2019 and returned to the practice of law as an attorney at one of the leading education law firms in California. He returned to public education last year.

Josh and his wife, Dawn, have four children, three boys and one girl. All four have left the nest for either work or college. Josh and his wife enjoy hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and walking their 4 dogs. Josh was previously an assistant instructor at Kuk Sool Won Martial Arts and holds a 1^st degree black belt. He also enjoys working out and reading during his down time.

“I am happy to be able to do what I love here at Sutter County Superintendent of Schools,” Josh said. “I know so many people here and everyone has given me a warm welcome. It feels like I’ve come home.”

Be sure to welcome Josh when you see him. 

A Message from Shady Creek Director, Shannon Cueva

Shady Creek will reopen this Spring!

Shady Creek is excited to welcome students back in the spring of 2022. The staff has been working hard planning for the return of the residential program and keeping campus in tip-top shape. Until then they will be hosting students for day trips and adapting the outdoor education program to take it on the road. Christopher Little and Shannon Cueva, a.k.a. Yeti and Quail, will be visiting classrooms throughout the fall bringing science, music and live animals to students in the Yuba Sutter area.

Included in the classroom visits will be Shady Creek's newest addition, a Kingsnake! This particular species of Kingsnake is also called a Mexican Milk Snake. Because he is tri-colored, he has been named Tres Leches after the traditional Latin American dessert made of sponge cake and three types of milk. Mexican Milk Snakes will grow up to three feet long and can live for twenty years. Chris and Shannon are excited to take Tres Leches to meet students and to help them learn about this beautiful reptile and the role of snakes in an ecosystem. Shady Creek's birds of prey will also be visiting classrooms including Piper, a Western Screech-Owl, and Roja, a Red-tailed Hawk. Educators that are interested in signing up for day programs and classroom visits can email Director Shannon Cueva at Shannonc@sutter.k12.ca.us, or call (530) 822-2470.

Congratulations to the Sutter County One Stop for once again being voted a Favorite Yuba-Sutter Employment Agency!

It's time for the 10 for Alec Challenge! Make a video doing ten things, share your video, then donate $10 to go towards scholarships for athletes!

"Effective schools seek to develop and reinforce character traits, such as caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness, through a systematic approach that includes adult modeling, curriculum integration, a positive school climate, and access to comprehensive guidance and counseling services."

Elementary Makes the Grade! (California Department of Education, 1999)

The California Department of Education has designated October as Character Education Month. Click on the following links for character education resources.

Good Character

Character Counts

Giraffe Heroes Project

October 17-23 is National Character Counts Week.