High school students get hands-on experience in John Muir Hospitals’ summer internship program
Intern Group 1, Back Row (L-R): Saadhana Deshpande, Kaanan Goradia, Justin Chang, Eeshan Sharma, Andrew Cho. Front Row (L-R): Harini Rajan, Kaileigh Yang, Christina Alejandrino and Marina Fernandez.
Intern Goradia with Rehab Staff (from left to right): Leo Francis Santos, Rehabilitation Aide, Heather Wren, Rehabilitation Aide, John Jamieson, Rehabilitation Aide, Kaanan Goradia, Student Intern, Denise Ybarra, Rehabilitation Department Secretary, and Robert Walters, Director In-Patient Rehabilitation Services
This summer, John Muir Health Hospitals engaged in a dynamic partnership with local high schools to offer work-based learning programs designed to make students aware of health care careers and their own potential – exposing students to an experience they can’t get in a classroom.
The goal is to align classwork with real-world job opportunities, and to awaken local high school students to opportunities for education and careers in the medical field.
On Friday, August 5, nine local students graduated from the summer intern program at John Muir Health, Walnut Creek Hospital: Saadhana Deshpande, Kaanan Goradia, Justin Chang, Eeshan Sharma, Andrew Cho, Harini Rajan, Kaileigh Yang, Christina Alejandrino and Marina Fernandez.
To view a video on the Medical & Biotechnology Academy overview, click here.
Governor signs Bonilla’s bill to reduce financial burden on college students
This year, Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla (D-Concord) continued her efforts to help college students fight mounting higher education costs by authoring Assembly Bill 1914, which was signed into law, last Friday by Governor Brown. AB 1914 ensures that college students are not paying for unnecessary and underutilized academic materials during coursework.
“Each year students pay approximately $1,300 for required textbooks,” said Assemblywoman Bonilla. “Couple this with rising tuition, room and board, and the fact that textbooks are increasingly linked to digital content which require access codes costing an additional fifty to one hundred dollars, college is becoming more and more unaffordable. The problem is not only the extra costs, but the fact that many of the tasks managed by digital content can be completed by platforms already available to professors and universities.”
Faculty members are already encouraged to consider free or inexpensive options when they select materials for their students to purchase. However, in many cases, professors do not realize the cost of the materials they assign or know that less expensive, quality resources are available. AB 1914 addresses this issue by requiring a policy specifically considering the benefits and drawbacks of academic materials, in addition to raising awareness of platforms already available on campus. Overall, this bill will make the process of selecting, requiring, and purchasing textbooks more transparent for both faculty and their students.
“This bill is part of our continued commitment to ensuring students have access to affordable course materials,” said David Lopez, California State Student Association President. “For far too long the cost of textbooks have been rising at levels that put students in undesirable financial situations. With the help of Assemblywoman Bonilla and her dedicated staff, we have been able to alleviate some of that financial burden by continuing to improve access to free or low-cost educational resources. CSSA believes every student should have access to an affordable education, and this bill is yet another positive step toward that goal.”
Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla (D-Concord) was elected in November 2010 and represents California’s 14th Assembly District, which includes Contra Costa County and Solano County.
Mt. Diablo Unified observes Arts Education Week, meetings begin with new steering committee, students
The Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s (MDUSD) new Visual and Performing Arts Steering Committee is beginning a series of meetings to engage the MDUSD community in planning a framework for sustained growth of visual and performing arts in district schools as part of the District’s core belief that all students in MDUSD deserve a high quality and robust arts education.
The committee was formed in spring 2016 as a leadership and advocacy group composed of District teachers and central office staff focusing on equitable access to high-quality visual and performing arts programs from Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through Grade 12. The committee also includes a student leadership component – Student Leaders Within the Performing Arts. Students will meet throughout the year for special sessions on a variety of arts-related topics. Their first meeting on September 7, featured a motivational speaker talking about student leadership and break outs for students in band, orchestra and vocal music.
“A strong arts education promotes the skills our students need to be successful in school and in life,” said Meyer. “We know from our experiences and from years of research that experiences in the arts have direct connections to positive student outcomes. Arts education levels the playing field among students, regardless of income, race or ethnicity, and other demographics.”
Decades of research compiled by the Arts Education Partnership (AEP), a national network of organizations dedicated to advancing the arts in education, show time and again that students highly involved in the arts outperform students with little or no arts involvement, particularly in school settings. They receive better grades, have more positive attitudes about school, and are less likely to drop out of school. An AEP study also noted that, more importantly, the differences are most significant for economically disadvantaged students.
This year’s National Arts in Education Week will be observed September 11 – 17, as part of House Resolution #275 designating the second week of September as National Arts in Education Week. The resolution expresses congressional support for arts education, stipulating that “arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines including dance, music, theatre, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts, is a core academic subject and an essential element of a complete and balanced education for all students.”
“Arts education is a priority of the MDUSD as a key tool for developing capacity for creativity, problem solving, collaboration and communication, and leadership,” added Meyer. “More and more, these qualities are essential to being successful in the 21st century workforce.”
California leads the United States in the creative economy with the largest number of creative jobs. Additionally, California has two of the top five regions leading the creative economy; the Los Angeles region and the San Francisco Bay Area. MDUSD visual arts teachers have demonstrated success at preparing students to participate in this flourishing creative economy. Some MDUSD arts alumni are working in California’s creative economy in major companies such as like Laika, FitBit, Playstation, the DeYoung Museum, and Yelp.
“From photography to ceramics, and culinary arts to designing layouts for the yearbook, the courses I took in high school enabled me to think creatively and critically, and were crucial to my decision to study art history and design in college,” said Ryan Printer, an administrator with the Department of Strategic Projects at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and an MDUSD alumnus. “The arts education I received in the Mount Diablo Unified School District inspired me to pursue the career I have today,”
Key to MDUSD’s success is the expertise of the MDUSD visual arts teachers. “Our MDUSD visual arts team includes teachers with multiple degrees in Art and education, several National Board Certified teachers, and many teachers who are also practicing professional artists,” said Meyer.
MDUSD has four approved AP courses of study in the visual arts (AP 2-D, AP Drawing, AP 3-D, and AP Art History) offering students college-level coursework in high school. MDUSD offers numerous CTE courses in arts, media, and entertainment providing students with opportunities to be college and career ready.
MDUSD’s art students were selected by the Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek to exhibit work from around the district in the Walnut Creek library during April 2017. This exhibition will represent the first district-wide art show in over 10 years. Meadow Homes Elementary has also been chosen as a Turnaround Arts School and recognized by the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities.
In April 2016, the US Department of Education issued a letter to State Educational agencies and school districts discussing how to maximize Federal funds to support and enhance humanities-based educational strategies under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA.) MDUSD has recently added a specific goal in the 2016 LCAP that targets visual and performing arts (Goal 1.21.)
To learn more check out the following, additional resources:
Courses of Study – Performing Arts
Courses of Study – Visual Arts
California’s creative economy: http://www.otis.edu/sites/default/files/2015-CA-Region-Creative-Economy-Report-WEB-FINAL.pdf
Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year featured at education summit
On Friday, July 29, Contra Costa County educators were well represented as presenters at CSU East Bay, for the second annual Better Together: California Teachers Summit. Opening the program was Contra Costa County Office of Education’s Deputy Superintendent Pamela Comfort, Ed.D. and the county’s current Teachers of the Year Kate Perry (Liberty Union High School District) and Maria McClain (Antioch Unified School District).
The California Teachers Summit is a free statewide day of learning and networking that is open to all California PreK-12 teachers, teacher candidates, school administrators, and other educators. One of 38 locations across the state, CSU East Bay welcomed hundreds of Bay Area teachers to share ideas, join a teacher network, and learn effective strategies for implementing the new California Standards in their classrooms. The Summit featured keynote addresses by education leaders, TED-style EdTalks presented by local teachers, and Edcamp discussions on timely topics such as the California Standards in English/Language Arts and Math, and the Next Generation Science Standards.
In the early afternoon, Perry and McClain, together, presented a stimulating EdTalk session to all the attending educators. The audience was in full attention as the two gave real-life stories on how they learned to reach some of their most challenging students through the years.
“As we celebrate this day of learning, we want to emphasize the essential lessons that our students can teach us, if we take the time to listen and learn,” McClain said. “Lisa and Lisbeth [student examples] made Kate and I better teachers. They taught us that we must meet students where they are, not where we expect them to be, and then work to support and guide them. We must broaden our focus beyond content acquisition and understand that achievement for all students can only occur once their primary needs are met. California’s new standards represent significant changes in educational content and practice. Successful implementation requires both students and teachers to stretch outside their comfort zones, take risks, and embrace new ideas. As we work to adjust our course content and teaching practices, we must also focus on building classroom environments that are safe, welcoming, and truly value all students.”
Perry also offered her comments.
“Now we know how complicated teaching is, and the many daily pressures that face us all,” she said. “And in the face of these we have both learned that the key to staying in the profession is our connection to our students and colleagues. So, if you take nothing else away from us, today, please remember, listen to your students, listen to your fellow teachers, and find mentors like Maria – people who will listen, support, and challenge you. We all – teachers, students, parents, and administrators – have so much to learn and share with one another and that only happens when we open ourselves to the people around us and really hear what they have to say.”
In addition to, CSU East Bay, Summit locations in the Bay Area include:
- Brandman University, Walnut Creek
- Mary’s College of California
- CSU Monterey Bay
- San Francisco State University
- Sonoma State University
More information, a list of event locations, and online registration is available at CATeachersSummit.com. Follow #CATeachersSummit for up-to-date information.
Mt. Diablo Unified School District receives California Arts Council “Artists in Schools” grant
State funds support arts education at Meadow Homes Elementary celebrating cultural diversity
The California Arts Council announced, on Wednesday, that it plans to award a grant to Meadow Homes Elementary in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD) as part of its Artists in Schools program.
The Artists in Schools program supports projects that integrate community arts resources—artists and professional art organizations—into comprehensive, standards-based arts learning projects for California’s students. This year, the California Arts Council’s Artist in Schools program will allow 144 arts organizations to hire 580 teaching artists that will serve a total of more than 43,000 students in 323 schools across California.
The $6715 grant was awarded jointly to Walnut Creek Civic Arts Education, along with MDUSD’s Meadow Homes Elementary and Tice Creek School in the Walnut Creek school district to offer high-quality, after-school arts learning communities for at least 50 students in grades 1-6. In series of workshops, students will receive standards-based arts instruction in two disciplines, one visual and one performance-based, draw connections between them, and hold a community-based culminating performance/exhibition.
“Civic Arts Education is excited about this opportunity to work with local schools whose goals so closely align with ours. Teaching artists from Civic Arts can’t wait to share visual and performing arts like anime and African drumming to help Meadow Homes students explore their creativity,” said Linda Johnson, Civic Arts Education Program Manager. “We’re grateful to the California Arts Council for making it happen!”
Dr. Nellie Meyer, Superintendent for MDUSD, praised the Artists in Schools grant as a valuable tool to contribute to student achievement and success in school and beyond.
“A strong arts education promotes the skills our students need to be successful, and is essential to promoting self-directed learning, and critical and creative thinking skills. We believe firmly that what students learn in arts education helps them to master other subjects, including mathematics, language arts, and science,” said Meyer. “We could not be more excited about the opportunities this grant will open up for Meadow Homes’ students and families.”
Meadow Homes Elementary serves approximately 900 students, representing 19 different ethnic groups. Principal Sandra Wilbanks applauded the Artist in Schools grant for providing the campus an unparalleled opportunity to expand their existing arts education program to further celebrate the school’s cultural diversity.
“When you tie arts education into all areas of the curriculum, you create a rich environment for student learning that truly celebrates and honors students’ cultural backgrounds and traditions,” said Wilbanks. “Having diverse arts experiences is empowering for students. By exercising creative expression in all subject areas, students can be proud of who they are and how they are developing as young learners and future leaders.”
Wilbanks says Meadow Homes’ existing arts initiatives and grants have had unexpected but happy consequences in promoting second language development among its English Learner population, which accounts for approximately 78% percent of its 900 students.
“What we’ve seen is that, through the arts, students have a stronger connection to school, especially for English Learners. This has, in turn, improved the home-to-school and school-to-home engagement with our families,” she added. “We are absolutely elated about the grant and very excited about being able to partner with the California Arts Council on something that will be so meaningful for our families.”
The news of Meadow Home’s grant was featured as part of a larger announcement from the California Arts Council, which can be viewed online at http://arts.ca.gov/news/pressreleases.php.
“California Arts Council grants provide vital support for projects in diverse communities across our state,” said Craig Watson, Director of the California Arts Council. “This was an historic year of state arts support. We are proud to invest more than $8.5 million in funding 712 grant projects that will stimulate local growth and prosperity, and meet the needs of our communities through deep engagement with culture and creative expression.”
The California Arts Council will continue to grow the reach of its programs in the coming year, as the result of a significant one-time state arts funding increase for 2016-17 announced last week.
Nestled at the base of Mt. Diablo in the suburban East San Francisco Bay Area, the Mt. Diablo Unified School District is one of the largest school districts in the state of California, with over 56 school sites and programs serving 150 square miles, including the cities of Concord, Pleasant Hill, Clayton; portions of Walnut Creek, Martinez and Pittsburg; and unincorporated areas including Lafayette, Pacheco and Bay Point. The district is among one of the more ethnically-diverse in California, with students and their families representing more than 50 languages and dialects. Learn more at www.mdusd.org.
For over 50 years the City of Walnut Creek’s Civic Arts Education program has been the regional center of arts learning — promoting new visions, supporting exploration, stimulating creative thought and encouraging self-expression. Last year more than 8,000 adults, youth and children enjoyed beginning through professional level classes and programs at the Shadelands, Civic Park and Heather Farm campuses. Learn more at by clicking here.
The mission of the California Arts Council, a state agency, is to advance California through the arts and creativity. The Council is committed to building public will and resources for the arts; fostering accessible arts initiatives that reflect contributions from all of California’s diverse populations; serving as a thought leader and champion for the arts; and providing effective and relevant programs and services. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.
Interim Executive Dean Ted Wieden selected as Interim President for Diablo Valley College
Ted Wieden
Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) Chancellor Helen Benjamin announced the appointment of Ted Wieden, Diablo Valley College (DVC) interim executive dean, to serve a one-year term as the interim president effective Friday, July 1, 2016. Formal approval of the appointment will take place at the Governing Board’s June 22, 2016, meeting. The opportunity became available following current DVC president Peter Garcia’s June 30, 2016, retirement announcement.
“We are fortunate to have Ted Wieden accept this one-year assignment”, said Governing Board President Vicki Gordon. “Ted knows the college very well, is a respected faculty member and manager, and will ensure there is leadership stability at DVC while we search for a permanent president.”
“Ted has been with our District for over 24 years, taking on a number of leadership roles both at the college and the District Office”, said Chancellor Benjamin. “DVC will be in good hands.”
Wieden is a first generation college student and graduated from Reedley College. After receiving his B.A. and M.A. from California State University at Fresno, he began teaching as an adjunct faculty and later joined DVC as a full-time instructor of Geography/Meteorology. At DVC, he served in many leadership roles including chair of the Physical Science and Engineering Division, interim Senior Dean of Curriculum and Instruction, and interim Executive Dean of Effectiveness/Accreditation Liaison Officer. Wieden also served in management positions at the District Office as interim Special Assistant to the Chancellor, and interim Senior Dean.
DVC has distinguished itself as one of the nation’s most successful community colleges by offering incomparable transfer opportunities and exceptional career-technical programs and degrees to a diverse student body, while responding to an evolving need for robust adult basic skills and English as a Second Language programs. At both the Pleasant Hill and San Ramon locations, local and international students engage with high-quality instruction and support services designed for student learning and success. Faculty from DVC’s various career-technical programs are in continuous dialog with the surrounding community to keep pace with emerging technologies and skill requirements students need to be successful in any job market. The college’s unparalleled transfer programs prepare students in large numbers to be successful in four-year colleges and universities all over the state and the country. DVC continuously ranks among the top transfer pathways to UC Berkeley.
The Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The CCCCD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez.
John Muir Health gives $10,000 to support high school “Safe and Sober Grad Night” celebrations in Contra Costa County
John Muir Health announced this week, the donation of $10,000 to local high schools across Contra Costa County. The funds will support programs and services related to the schools’ 2016 “Safe and Sober Grad Night” celebrations, which are held to honor the graduating senior class in a safe environment.
Twenty high schools each received a $500 check from John Muir Health to help finance graduation night festivities hosted by the schools, including professional entertainment such as hypnotists, magicians, karaoke, casino games and live DJs.
“Graduation is one of the most celebrated and yet potentially dangerous nights in a teenager’s life,” said Marci Jones, co-chair of the 2016 Grad Night celebration for Ygnacio Valley High School. “Our primary goal is to keep our graduating seniors in a safe and sober environment. Having John Muir Health’s support is a huge testament to our shared interest and concern with keeping our kids out of harm’s way.”
This year marks the 30th anniversary of John Muir Health’s trauma center, which cares for critically injured patients in Contra Costa County and parts of Solano and Marin counties. In addition to treating critical injuries, John Muir Health actively works to prevent them. Trauma physicians, nurses and staff are participants in the Every 15 Minutes program to educate high school juniors and seniors about drinking and driving and the impact their decisions have on family, friends and other members of their community. John Muir Health also participates in Beyond Violence, an intervention program for trauma patients treated at the medical center between the ages of 14-25 who are victims of intentional injuries (e.g. gunshot, knife assault) and reside in West or East Contra Costa County. Support for Safe and Sober Grad Nights is another form of injury prevention.
“As a health care provider in the community with the county’s only trauma center, we’re well aware of the dangers involved with teens driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” said Kacey Hansen, executive director of Trauma and Transfer Services at John Muir Health. “This is an important time in their lives and we appreciate the efforts by local high schools to provide an appropriate environment for them to celebrate. The last place we want to see members of the class of 2016 on their graduation night is in one of our hospitals.”
The high schools receiving donations included: Acalanes High School, Alhambra High School, Antioch High School, California High School, Campolindo High School, Clayton Valley Charter High School, College Park High School, Concord High School, Deer Valley High School, El Cerrito High School, Freedom High School, Heritage High School, Las Lomas High School, Liberty High School, Miramonte High School, Monte Vista High School, Northgate High School, Pittsburg High School, San Ramon Valley High School and Ygnacio Valley High School.
About John Muir Health
John Muir Health is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit health care organization east of San Francisco serving patients in Contra Costa, eastern Alameda and southern Solano Counties. It includes a network of more than 1,000 primary care and specialty physicians, nearly 6,000 employees, medical centers in Concord and Walnut Creek, including Contra Costa County’s only trauma center, and a Behavioral Health Center. John Muir Health also has partnerships with San Ramon Regional Medical Center, UCSF Medical Center and Stanford Children’s Health to expand its capabilities, increase access to services and better serve patients. The health system offers a full-range of medical services, including primary care, outpatient and imaging services, and is widely recognized as a leader in many specialties – neurosciences, orthopedic, cancer, cardiovascular, trauma, emergency, pediatrics and high-risk obstetrics care.
Community College Board announces progress in Chancellor search
The Governing Board (Board) reports progress is being made on the search for the next chancellor of the Contra Costa Community College District (District) following Chancellor Helen Benjamin’s December 31, 2016, retirement announcement. The Board is committed to conducting an equitable, inclusive, and transparent national search that will attract a strong pool of outstanding candidates.
“The selection of our next chancellor is one of our most important responsibilities,” said Governing Board President Vicki Gordon. “We encourage our students, staff, and community members to participate in the process.”
Community input on the following two questions can be submitted online through the District’s website by clicking onto “Chancellor Search,” or you may send an email directly to search consultant Dr. Pamila Fisher at pamfisher@bresnan.net as soon as possible.
The questions are:
- What are the major issues and challenges facing the District and its colleges in the next three to five years?
- What characteristics, qualities, attributes and skills do you think are critical for the new chancellor’s success?
Progress reports and updates will be posted on the District website, and members of the community can meet the chancellor finalists at public forums during the last stage of the process.
The Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The CCCCD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. Each college is individually accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez.
Contra Costa students participate in LearnStorm math challenge
Khan Academy, Google.org, 49ers celebrate Bay Area students who have demonstrated hustle, grit and mastery of math
A student (left) from Pleasant Hill Elementary School collaborates with a teammate during the carnival at Khan Academy’s LearnStorm Final event at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday, May 7th, 2016. photos by David Kong
By John Cogswell & Nicole Villanueva
Students from Pleasant Hill Elementary School, Live Oak Elementary School in San Ramon and Highland Elementary School in Richmond, were among 300 students from across the Bay Area, who attended Khan Academy’s LearnStorm Final event at Levi’s Stadium, to recognize their math accomplishments, on Saturday, May 7, 2016. These students were among the 75,000 students that registered in the Bay Area for LearnStorm, a free, 9-week math challenge that celebrates student progress, mastery, and hustle learning math on Khan Academy.
Unlike traditional math competitions, LearnStorm is breaking new ground by rewarding not only the knowledge students attain, but the learning skills they need to attain it. LearnStorm is powered by the Silicon Valley-based educational nonprofit Khan Academy, which seeks to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.
A student (middle) from Live Oak Elementary School participates in a team-building activity.
Notable representatives from the Google.org, the San Francisco 49ers, including Jesse Lovejoy, director of STEM Education and the 49ers Museum, and Khan Academy CEO, Sal Khan helped celebrate the achievements of these students. The LearnStorm 2016 Finals were hosted by the 49ers who lent additional support this year alongside lead funder Google.org.
Other Stats:
- Over 40% of the Bay Area students that enrolled in LearnStorm attended schools that had at least 50% of their student populations qualifying for the National School Lunch Program.
- Over 15 million problems completed by students registered for LearnStorm Bay Area 2016
- Over 200,000 hours spent on Khan Academy by students registered for LearnStorm Bay Area 2016.
A student from Highland Elementary School enjoyed the carnival.
Khan Academy is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a mission to change education for the better by providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. We believe that students of all ages should have free, unlimited access to the best educational content, and that they should be able to consume and master this content at their own pace. In addition, we believe that there are incredible opportunities to use intelligent software development, deep data analytics, and intuitive user interfaces to more effectively surface and present these educational resources to students and teachers around the world. Our library of content covers kindergarten to early college math, science topics such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and reaches into humanities with tutorials on economics, finance, music, philosophy, and art history. To date, we have delivered more than 750M lessons and more than 5 billion practice problems. For further information, visit www.khanacademy.org.