Veterans Diploma Project Seeks Applicants For Class Of 2016

From now until Sept. 23, applications are being accepted to award diplomas to men and women whose high school education was interrupted due to military service or internment in a Japanese American camp.

In partnership with the County Department of Veterans Affairs, the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools is offering an opportunity to provide veterans and internees who qualify for a high school diploma, as authorized through the California Education Code.

The deadline to apply for the seventh annual County Operation Recognition Veterans Diploma Project is Sept. 23.

Diplomas will be awarded to qualified applicants at a presentation in November. There is no cost to apply or to receive a high school diploma.

Operation Recognition Veterans Diploma Project provides veterans and internees, who were unable to complete high school due to military service or internment, the opportunity to receive a high school diploma, according to the state education code. Veterans who served in and received an honorable discharge from World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War; or individuals who were interned in a Japanese American relocation camp and are San Bernardino County residents are eligible to participate.

Applications can be downloaded from the County Schools’ website at http://vdp.sbcss.k12.ca.us/. For assistance with verification of military service and/or discharge papers, contact the County Department of Veterans Affairs at 866.472.8387 or 909.387.5516.

For more information, contact Samantha Koker at County Schools at 909.386.2412.

West End Educational Service Center Staff Relocates

The County Schools’ West End ESC staff have relocated to a temporary location as part of the planned modernization of West End ESC building.

The address of the temporary location while modernization takes place is 9630 7th St. in Rancho Cucamonga. County Schools’ West End ESC staff phone numbers will remain the same as they were at the West End ESC building.

West End ESC staff moved June 24-27 and is expected to be relocated until mid-2017 while modernization takes place at the Aspen Avenue site.

Regional Teachers Of Year Honored By County Board

Five San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools’ teachers have been recognized as regional teachers of the year.

The teachers, who represent special education, alternative education and state preschool, will be recognized by the County Board of Education on June 14. The ceremony will be held at the County Schools’ West End Educational Service Center, located at 8265 Aspen Ave. in Rancho Cucamonga.

“We are so proud of the outstanding work each of these teachers do in our County Schools’ classrooms on behalf of our students,” County Superintendent Ted Alejandre said. “They represent the excellence and dedication of staff across our Student Services programs.”

This year’s County Schools’ teachers of the year, the programs they represent and their school sites are:

• Leticia Castaneda, State Preschool, Lucy Siegrist School in Hesperia;
• Sharon Graham, East Valley special education, Judson and Brown Elementary in Redlands;
• Dvonne Pitruzzello, Alternative Education, Vision Community School in Colton;
• Colleen Sanden, West End special education, Live Oak Early Education Center in Ontario;
• Jane Stroup, Desert/Mountain special education, Vista Verde Elementary in Victorville.

Among the five teachers, Graham was chosen as County Schools’ Teacher of the Year in Student Services. She will represent County Schools in the countywide Teacher of the Year competition later this year.

Energy Conservation Hours Begin June 13

Energy Conservation Hours at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools’ administrative sites will begin on June 13.

Work hours for staff at those sites will be from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (with half-hour lunch) or 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. (with hour lunch).

The following administrative sites will be observing the Energy Conservation Plan:

• Brier Building;
• Desert/Mountain Educational Service Center;
• Mt. View;
• Roy C Hill Education Center;
• Support Center;
• West End Educational Service Center (through June 30);
• 7th Street Building in Rancho Cucamonga.

The Energy Conservation Hours will be in effect until Sept. 5.

Please see the attached memo concerning details of the Energy Conservation Plan, as well as summer dress guidelines. In addition, a waiver form is attached for approval to schedule after-hour meetings.

SALSA Scholarship Luncheon On May 4

The San Bernardino Association of Leaders for School Administrators (SALSA) will hold its annual Fiesta Scholarship Luncheon on May 4 from 11:30 to 1 p.m at the Roy C Hill Education Center.

Lunch cost is $10 per person and includes a ticket in an opportunity drawing for gift card prizes.

Register online at http://sbcss.k12oms.org/6-112358 .

See the attached flier or call 909.386.2657 for more information.

SB Strong Night At San Manuel Stadium On April 15

The Inland Empire 66ers announced that it will host "SB Strong Night" at San Manuel Stadium on April 15 to honor the victims of last December's tragic shooting at the Inland Regional Center.

“SB Strong Night” also will celebrate the strength and vibrancy that San Bernardino and the entire Inland Empire region have shown throughout the difficult healing process. The 66ers will play the San Jose Giants on “SB Strong Night.”

The 66ers will be wearing special uniforms during the contest with the iconic SB Strong Arrowhead logo emblazoned upon it. The club will also wear SB Strong hats. The 66ers jerseys will be auctioned off with bids placed during the game and the proceeds will be donated to the Arrowhead United Way SB Relief Fund and to the San Bernardino Police Foundation.

In addition, the visiting club from San Jose has graciously agreed to wear SB Strong themed jerseys of their own that night and will auction them off on June 14 when the 66ers visit the Giants at San Jose Municipal Stadium.

In addition to the auction, proceeds of every walk-up ticket sold for the event will be donated to the SB Relief Fund and San Bernardino Police Foundation. The County of San Bernardino is also using this as a fundraiser for Arrowhead United Way's SB Relief Fund as 100 percent of each ticket purchased by the county will go directly to the charity. Furthermore, fans in attendance will receive a SB Strong hat provided by San Bernardino's own Optimal Sports Nutrition while supplies last.

For ticket information, go to the Inland Empire 66ers’ website at http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t401.

Blood Drive At Brier On April 8

Employee Connection will hold a Blood Drive on April 8 and is requesting County Schools' employees to participate. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Brier building in San Bernardino.

To schedule an appointment for the Blood Drive, go to the link listed below:

https://giftoflife.lstream.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/56474

For those who make an appointment, each individual will receive a free jeans pass, compliments of Employee Connection. The jeans pass is good for staff to wear jeans on the day of the Blood Drive.

For those who cannot donate toward the Blood Drive, staff may purchase jeans passes for $2. See the attached flier for more information about the Blood Drive on April 8.

Nomination Process Opens For Annual Classified School Employees Of Year

Submissions from San Bernardino County are encouraged for the annual Classified School Employee of the Year program, which is organized through the California Department of Education. The deadline for nominations to be received by County Schools is March 2.

The program, which features six categories for nominations, highlights the contributions of school employees who support public education for more than 410,000 students in the 33 county school districts.

The categories that employees can be nominated for include: child nutrition; maintenance, operations and facilities; office and technical; paraeducator and instructional assistant; support services and security; and transportation.

Eligible nominees need to be a current classified employee within a county public school district in grades K-12 (including charter schools, district office or county office). They also must be a rank-and-file employee (not in a supervisory or management position) and have five years of service for the category in which they are nominated.

Program information, including the nomination form, can be downloaded at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cl/. Nominations should be sent to Nancy Johnson, manager of Human Resources for San Bernardino County Superintendent at Schools, at 760 E. Brier Dr. in San Bernardino, 92408. For more information, call Johnson at (909) 386-9570.

Nominations Needed For County Education Medal Of Honor

SAN BERNARDINO - The San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor is seeking nominations for this year’s awards that recognize outstanding contributions to public education by volunteers, business/government partners, educators and alumni. The deadline for entries is Feb. 25.

Nominations for the 25th annual Education Medal of Honor can be made in six categories: Volunteer in Action/Community Volunteer; Volunteer in Action/Service Group; Partners in Education/Small Business or Franchise; Partners in Education/Corporation or Government Agency; Excellence in Education/Education Professional; and Excellence in Education/Student Alumni.

Criteria for nominations should focus on ways in which an individual or organization made an impact or lasting contribution, served as a positive role model and created an awareness and support for education in the community.

A copy of the nomination form is below. The nomination forms also can be downloaded from the County Schools’ website at: http://www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/index.php/superintendent/communications/medal-of-honor .

Entries need to be returned to the County Schools office by the deadline of 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 25. Judging for the Education Medal of Honor will be conducted by an independent panel of school public information professionals from Riverside County.

Award recipients for the Education Medal of Honor will be recognized at a ceremony during the spring meeting of the San Bernardino County School Boards Association.

For more information about the awards programs, contact the County Schools’ Communications office at (909) 386-2413.

Thanksgiving Food Drive Serves Record Number Of Students

Close to 300 students and their families who attend schools and programs with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools will receive food baskets for this year's Thanksgiving holiday.

Employee Connection, a volunteer employee group within County Schools, organized this year's 27th annual food drive with a record number of food baskets -- 292. County Schools' employees donated food and money through administrative sites and program offices.

“We want to thank everyone who contributed to this year’s food drive,” said Rebekah Smith, co-chair of Employee Connection. “The amount of support this year was great, and County Schools staff all pitch in to help in this very worthwhile cause that support our students and their families.”

The food baskets will be distributed to a variety of County Schools' programs, such as State Preschool Services, Homeless Education, Regional Occupational Programs and operations offices in the Desert Mountain, East Valley and West End for alternative education and special education sites and classrooms.

In addition to the food baskets, more than 600 books were donated this year to be included for students.