Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Contra Costa annual Rebuilding Lives Luncheon honors Domestic Violence Awareness Month

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Concord, CA – On Thursday, October 6th at 11:30 a.m., STAND! For Families Free of Violence’s 24th Annual Rebuilding Lives Luncheon and more than 350 civic, business, and community leaders gathered at the Concord Hilton this year to honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month, celebrate the resilience of domestic violence survivors, and raise more than $140,000 for programs that help survivors of family violence.

Keynote speakerTony Porter, Co-founder and CEO of A CALL TO MEN, addressed the role of men in ending violence against women. Exploring the influence that men have with boys and other men as fathers and coaches, he discussed how to encourage boys and men to stand up to those promoting men’s violence. “It is time to stop asking why women stay and starting asking men to stop.”

“Today it is clearer than ever that domestic violence is a men’s issue too. We will end this problem only when men, too end their silence around violence and tell each other this is no longer acceptable behavior. We need to change the conversation.” said Gloria Sandoval, CEO of STAND! For Families Free of Violence.

Though the movement to end family violence has made great progress, there is still work to be done: On average, one in four women and one in seven men will experience intimate partner violence severe enough to send them to the hospital; one in five teens will experience teen dating violence; and 3.2 million children will experience domestic violence in their homes annually. Awareness-raising events, such as the Rebuilding Lives Luncheon, are important for strengthening the movement as well as inspiring new supporters to help end domestic violence.

About STAND! for Families Free of Violence

STAND! helps 15,000 people in Contra Costa County break the intergenerational cycle of violence each year by saving lives, rebuilding families, and changing the future: intervening when violence strikes, supporting victims as they rebuild their lives, and guiding the community as a whole toward nonviolence. Visit www.standffov.org for more information.

 

Assembly candidates Grayson, Torlakson to square off in East Bay Leadership Council forum Thursday evening

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The candidates for Assembly District 14 are set to square off at the East Bay Leadership Council’s candidate forum tomorrow in Concord. The highly contested-race between Mae Torlakson and Tim Grayson has drawn statewide attention and millions of dollars from independent expenditure campaigns. Topics of discussion will include the East Bay’s historic traffic congestion, soaring housing costs, crumbling infrastructure, and underfunded schools.

The forum will be moderated by the President and CEO of the East Bay Leadership Council, Kristin Connelly. Questions for the candidates may also be submitted by the audience.

WHEN: Thursday, October 13, 2016, 5:30PM – 6:30PM

WHERE: Crowne Plaza Concord, 45 John Glenn Dr in Concord

EVENT WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/ForumAsm14

Grayson campaign claims Torlakson campaign TV ad false, inaccurate

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Attempts to spin Grayson’s work to eliminate taxpayer expenses for healthcare benefits for elected officials

Tim Grayson’s campaign for State Assembly released the following information about a TV ad produced by his opponent’s campaign which began airing, last week:

Mae Torlakson’s campaign for California Assembly District 14 released an ad Friday containing false and inaccurate information on former Mayor of Concord Tim Grayson’s work to eliminate local elected officials’ lifetime healthcare benefits.

The Claim:

The ad claims Grayson “voted to keep his taxpayer funded healthcare for life.”

The Facts:

  1. As Mayor of Concord, Grayson sought to eliminate lifetime taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits for Concord’s elected officials. A memo written by city staff in 2014 (attached) states that as Mayor, Grayson created an Ad Hoc committee and “gave direction to develop a method to eliminate elected officials retiree health benefits going forward.” The Mercury News covered Grayson’s efforts in a story on July 23, 2014.
  2. The city’s contracts with CalPERS and PEMHCA entirely prohibit the elimination of taxpayer funded healthcare benefits for elected officials.In the July 2014 memo city staff write that research indicated “that this desired outcome [eliminating lifetime benefits] is not possible based on the City’s contract with the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and regulations in the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA).”
  3. As Mayor, Grayson was prohibited from eliminating these lifetime taxpayer funded healthcare benefits, so instead, he sought to “significantly limit eligibility for retiree medical benefits for incoming, newly elected officials by establishing stringent vesting and retirement age criteria.” (July 22, 2014 memo). Under the new rules, newly elected officials can only qualify for lifetime healthcare benefits if they serve a minimum of 30 consecutive years in Concord government as an elected official.
  4. Grayson does not qualify for lifetime healthcare retiree benefits.Current elected officials must be 50 years or older and serve five consecutive years as an Elected Official. Grayson is younger than 50 years old and does not qualify for the benefit. City documents also clearly show that CalPERS’ rules severely limited the ability to make changes to future officials’ healthcare benefits and prohibited these changes from applying to current councilmembers.

Bottom Line:

City documents clearly show that as Mayor, Grayson’s intent was to entirely eliminate lifetime taxpayer funded healthcare for Concord’s elected officials and now the Torlakson campaign is seeking to mislead voters with false information on Grayson’s record as Mayor.

“Mae Torlakson is spending BIG to try to mislead voters but the facts are clear. Tim Grayson worked to make it nearly impossible for any elected official to qualify and because of his work, Concord taxpayers will almost certainly never have to foot the bill for elected officials’ lifetime healthcare coverage,” said Grayson Campaign Manager, Naser Javaid. “To make matter worse, Mae Torlakson is lying about Grayson’s record all while enjoying taxpayer-funded Cadillac health care coverage valued at $20,000 a year from her work in Administrators’ offices at the University of California.”

BACKGROUND:

Additional False Claims from Torlakson’s ad: 

The Claim: Grayson improperly accepted over $16,000 from lobbyists for the developer of the Concord Naval Weapons Station development.

Fact Check: Grayson returned the contributions once he became aware of their source. He also recused himself from the decision to select the developer.

Ad Script:

The Concord Naval Weapons Station development.

A $6 billion scandal inside city hall.

At the center of it, Assembly candidate Tim Grayson.

The same politician who voted to keep his taxpayer funded healthcare for life.

This time, Grayson was caught by an independent investigator

for attending secret illegal meetings on the deal

and improperly accepting over $16,000 from lobbyists for the developer.

The last thing the legislature needs is another ethically challenged member.

 

County Social workers, eligibility workers extend unfair labor practice strike to fifth day

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On Wednesday, Contra Costa County social workers and eligibility workers announced a one-day extension in their strike, protesting intimidation by County Executives. Workers announced last Friday that they had intended to strike for three days but are now preparing to enter an unprecedented five-day unfair labor practice (ULP) strike in Contra Costa.

Two of those picketing offered their concerns and reasons for participating in the strike.

“I am here today because we are fighting for the resources to serve the community and to have a safe working environment for employees,” said Vicky Dominguez, Medical Social Worker at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center. “We want to be able to continue serving the community. To be able to have enough medical social workers at the hospital to help people with issues like domestic violence, child abuse, elderly individuals that need placement in skilled nursing facilities or assistance with mental health challenges and homeless individuals that need help with transition back to the community. These are things we deal with on a daily basis.”

“I have been with the County for 11 years,” said Sharon Taylor, Eligibility Worker with CalWorks. “It is not just related to our ULP, but there was $21 million lost because the county has not provided enough workers. I know as a worker myself of being overloaded, stressed out and clients are not getting their services like they need to and deserve to and that is what we’re striking about. It’s about the community and the people we serve, and that’s why we are out here.”

Nearly 1,000 of social workers and eligibility workers and their community supports are expected to continue picketing in front of the county Administration building at 651 Pine Street in Martinez, beginning Thursday at 9:00 a.m.

Contra Costa Social Workers and Eligibility Workers vote to extend strike over unfair labor practices

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More than 1,000 people picket against county executives, Board of Supervisors on Tuesday

Nearly 1,000 workers from across Contra Costa County voted to extend their three-day unfair labor practice strike to a fourth day, after more than 1,000 people picketed against county Executives and the Board on Tuesday.

The picket line is being held, today, Wednesday, October 5, 2016 in front of the County Administration Building at 651 Pine Street in Martinez.

Grayson releases statement on shooting of Concord Police Department office

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Concord Councilmember and State Assembly candidate Tim Grayson released a statement on Monday regarding the weekend shooting that left bullet holes in the office of the Concord Police Department.

“I am thankful no one was hurt, but this is a stark reminder of the dangers officers face every day when they are serving their communities,” Grayson said. “As Police Chaplain I’ve seen firsthand how guns in the wrong hands can ruin lives. Our leaders need to be doing more to responsibly reduce gun violence. Ensuring public safety is a priority for me, and in Sacramento I will work to make sure our families and communities are safe.”

An investigation in to the shooting is ongoing.

Grayson has served as Concord’s Police Chaplain, aiding first responders and crime victims, since 2007 and has served on Concord’s City Council since 2010.

More information on Tim’s work is available at www.graysonforassembly.com.

Pleasant Hill, Oakley teachers Shauna Hawes, Gina Minder-Maldonado named 2016-2017 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year

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On Thursday night, September 22, in an energy-filled and packed Concord Hilton banquet room, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Karen Sakata, announced Shauna Hawes, of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and Gina Minder-Maldonado of the Oakley Union Elementary School District as the 2016-2017 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year.

Shauna Hawes

Shauna Hawes

Shauna Hawes teaches computer applications/technology to grades 6-8 at Valley View Middle School, in Pleasant Hill. The 18-year teacher has been with the Mt. Diablo Unified School District during her entire teaching career. Prior to her current position, Hawes taught 6th grade core (English, history, and reading) at Valley View. Before coming to Valley View, she taught 5th grade (all subjects) at Hidden Valley Elementary, in Martinez, from 1998-2007.

“I have worked closely with Shauna Hawes for the past several years,” says Foothill Middle School teacher Margaret Elliott. “Shauna does not work for awards or accolades, but simply to inspire and impact all those she comes in contact with each day. She believes that all students should have the same opportunities that her students have. Shauna is what you could call ‘open-source.’”

Gina Minder-Maldonado

Gina Minder-Maldonado

Gina Minder-Maldonado has recently begun her 26th year of teaching. For the past 18 years, Minder-Maldonado has taught at Oakley Elementary School, in Oakley. Currently teaching 2nd grade, Minder-Maldonado’s former teaching experience includes preschool through 5th, as well as adult education.

“For the last 25 years, Gina Minder-Maldonado has challenged the students in Oakley to dream big, do the best they can each and every day, and treat one another with kindness and respect,” said Oakley Union Elementary School District Assistant Anne Allen.  “Her classroom is a magical place – a place where children and adults to go to breathe in an environment that makes learning anything possible, celebrating mistakes normal, and creating independent thinkers a goal.

Their pathways to becoming this year’s Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year:

After both teachers were named Teacher of the Year by their school districts, last March, Hawes and Minder-Maldonado successfully proceeded, with the other 17 eligible county candidates, through a rigorous countywide selection process, including an application screening, classroom evaluation and interview, and speech presentation. Their fellow finalists were Summer Rodriguez, Liberty Union High School District (Liberty High) and Joyce Rooks, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, (Creekside Elementary).

The impressively large audience was made up of the TOYs’ family members and friends, as well as numerous local educators, business partners, and elected official representatives. Kicking off the festivities were three songs performed by the tremendous Hillview Junior High Jazz Band. The Pittsburg school’s 23-piece band was led by their teacher Diane Klaczynski. Klaczynski is a former Pittsburg Unified School District Teacher of the year.

The evening also featured Sakata introducing the TOY class of 2016-2017, individually on stage, as she shared with the audience her visits to each of the teachers’ classrooms and the comments their students gave her about their teachers. In addition, each honored teacher told the audience about which teacher inspired them to follow a career in education. This was followed by speeches of the four TOY finalists on the topic: “What I have learned from my students.” After the finalists’ speeches were given, Sakata announced the two Teachers of the Year.

Hawes and Minder-Maldonado will now compete with all the other California county representatives in the California State TOY competition. The California State Teachers of the Year are expected to be announced in early October. The county TOY program is coordinated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education.

For additional info and a complete list of this year’s TOYS, visit the CCCOE’s Teacher of the Year Web page.

#cocotoy

Mt. Diablo Unified hosts community meeting on reopening of Holbrook School

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Survey seeks input on future of the campus and school theme

WHAT:  Informational meeting on reopening of Holbrook School for the 2017-2018 school year

WHEN:  Thursday, September 29, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Holbrook School, 3333 Ronald Way, Concord, 94519 (Directions)

BACKGROUND: 

Holbrook School is reopening for the 2017-2018 school year.  The community is invited to a meeting to discuss facility plans, programs, and to talk about the future of the campus. The meeting will be held on September 29th from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the multi-use room at the Holbrook campus, 3333 Ronald Way, Concord.  Snacks will be provided, and child care will be available.  MDUSD is committed to a quality academic program that prepares all our students for the 21st century.  A survey (English or Spanish)  has been developed for the community to provide input on how the district can best accomplish this, and also to solicit input on proposed themes for the school, including:

  • Technology (integration of technology into the curriculum that is student-centered and aligned to the Common Core State Standards)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (school-wide focus i.e. music, art, theater)
  • Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) (school-wide focus in these four areas extended beyond the standards and hands-on)
  • Project based learning (Classroom approach in which students actively explore real-world
  • problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge)

For additional information, please contact Stephanie Roberts, Director of Special Projects, at 925-682-8000 x6203 or robertss@mdusd.org.

Innovative Mt. Diablo Unified partnership transforming Special Ed teacher pipeline

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MDUSD Special Education assistants earn teaching degrees through specialized program at St. Mary’s College

Critical shortages of fully-credentialed Special Education teachers are a well-documented national problem, with data showing that the number of Special Education credentials issued in California decreasing 21% from 2011 to 2013. As the demand for Special Education professionals increases, the consequence of this teacher shortage creates challenges for school districts across the country.

To respond to the need for qualified Special Education teachers, St. Mary’s College of California (SMC) Kalmanovitz School of Education has created an innovative, reciprocal partnership with the Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD).  Under the program, MSDUSD employees currently serving as Special Education assistants in the classrooms or serving individual students as one-to-one assistants, are enrolled in a two-year program with extensive and intensive coaching and classroom support that helps them earn an intern credential  for Mild/Moderate Special Education that deems them to be highly qualified Special Education teachers.

“We are incredibly proud of this opportunity for staff who, on a daily basis, work with, care for, and have a profound and personal impact on the lives of students with physical, learning, or other disabilities,” said Dr. Nellie Meyer, Superintendent for MDUSD.  “This partnership will help us develop a tailored pipeline for teacher candidates who match our needs and have already shown a deep commitment to working in the best interest of our students.”

The program was co-designed by Drs. David Kraft and Peter Alter, co-directors of the Education Specialist program at SMC; Dr. Wendi Aghily, MDUSD Director of Special Education; and Leyla Benson, MDUSD Director of Personnel.

“This partnership will allow us to strengthen the preparation education specialists receive so they can enter the classroom with confidence that they can fully address both academic areas, and other domains, such as communication and social/behavioral issues,” said Dr. Alter.

The initiative includes three components that set it apart from traditional teacher preparation programs.

  • All classes are being held at MDUSD facilities to decrease travel time and increase convenience for the candidates.
  • By pooling resources, MDUSD and SMC are able to provide an increased amount of ‘in the classroom’ support and coaching.  In the first year of the program, a group of district-funded coaches provide ongoing feedback, demonstration lessons, classroom resources, and support with classroom management. In the second year, candidates are moved to an intern credential that deems them to be highly qualified Special Education teachers. During this intern phase, MDUSD and SMC have developed a formal plan of support provided by support personnel by both the District and the college. It is estimated that each candidate will be provided over 100 hours of support over the academic year.
  • The program of study has been modified so that courses typically taught in multiple semesters have been condensed to allow multiple courses to be taught within each semester.  Additionally, the program has been extended from 18 months to two years.  Collectively, the modifications allow teacher candidates to attend classes for two evenings each week, allowing for a home/work/school balance.

In the inaugural year of the program, 12 individuals began the course of study.  By this time next year, all candidates will be eligible to become the teacher of record in their classroom.  In two years, they will have completed their coursework and will be able to fill the need for education specialists within the District, and begin a new journey on their career path.

“We see some tremendous talent among our Special Education assistants, and with a program such as this which provides reduced tuition and loan forgiveness, it’s an opportunity we hope they can’t turn down,” said MDUSD’s Leyla Benson.

“The role of a Special Education teacher isn’t easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding – for both the teacher and the student,” said Dr. Wendi Aghily.  “There is no shortage of phenomenal moments.  When you help a student achieve something beyond what he or she thought possible, it’s as meaningful personally as it is professionally.  We dream big on behalf of all students. And we want our Special Education assistants to dream big too and become a teacher.  There is no greater calling, and we will help them get there.”

For additional information about the program, please contact Dr. Wendi Aghily at aghilyw@mdusd or 925-682-8000 x 4047.

County Flood Control District seeks public input for ambitious creek restoration project

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ccc-flood-control-district-logoThe Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (District) will host a public workshop on Tuesday, October 4 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at 255 Glacier Drive, Martinez to receive public input for the planning phase of an ambitious restoration project for Lower Walnut Creek.

The Walnut Creek watershed is the largest in Contra Costa County, contains eight cities and more than 300,000 residents. The restoration project area consists of the most downstream 4 miles of this watershed that drains to Suisun Bay and is called Lower Walnut Creek.

The District’s long-term vision is to restore and enhance habitat in Lower Walnut Creek and to provide sustainable flood management, while allowing opportunities for public access and recreation. The first public workshop was held in December 2015 early in the planning process. The purpose of this second workshop is to receive public feedback on the restoration alternatives that have been developed to date.

“Since last year, we have worked closely with a representative group of stakeholders to design a project with multiple benefits for flood protection, water quality, wildlife habitat, and other community interests,” said Paul Detjens, District Senior Engineer and project manager for the restoration effort. “The District would like to share with the public what we’ve come up with and to listen to the community’s thoughts about the project.”

An important principle that has guided the planning phase of the project is to anticipate changes such as Sea Level Rise and to design a system that is resilient to change without expensive and environmentally-disruptive management actions.

“The project offers a unique opportunity to connect and expand habitats at the landscape scale, and to do it in a way that will provide benefits with future sea level changes,” said Michelle Orr, the principal technical consultant for the project who works with Environmental Science Associates based in San Francisco.

The community workshop will feature presentations describing different alternatives for the restoration of Lower Walnut Creek and will create a community forum to offer feedback about the direction of the restoration project. The public can also participate in the ongoing conversationa bout Lower Walnut Creek on the project’s Facebook page which can be accessed through www.lowerwalnutcreek.org. There, the public can learn more about the project and view a multi-episode video series produced by the District called Lower Walnut Creek Adventures.

In addition to the community workshop on October 4, the District invites the public to participate in Lower Walnut Creek field tours on October 1 and November 12. These site tours offer a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the restoration potential of Lower Walnut Creek. Seats are limited and registration is required. To register, visit www.lowerwalnutcreek.org.