My Blog

August 2015

08/20/2015

We have some upcoming cohort trainings!

CLLC:
Northern Region October 6th- Stockton Parole Office, 612 Carlton Ave, Stockton, CA 95203
Southern Region October 13th- Pomona Parole Office, 971 Corporate Center Drive, Pomona, CA 91768

STAR:
Northern Region October 7th- Stockton Parole Office, 612 Carlton Ave, Stockton, CA 95203
Southern Region October 14th- Pomona Parole Office, 971 Corporate Center Drive, Pomona, CA 91768

We are looking forward seeing you!

Substitute Teachers:
Each of you should have an office.com account that ends in "cccoepep.org". Your name should be your first initial and last name.

For example, Chris Wilson would have the address "cwilson@cccoepep.org". Please use this email address for all CCCOE related correspondance.
If you need documentation on how to use this, please let Chris Wilson know, and he can send you the information. Thanks!

January 2015

01/28/2015

Yes, it has been a very long time since new news has been posted here!

Well, we have been through a lot of changes since February 2014.
* We have a new coordinator: Nafeesah Mustafa-Rasheed. Thanks to everyone who has welcomed her via e-mail or in person. We will all get to meet her in the upcoming spring training!
* We are evaluating new STAR curriculum and video tapes.
* We have implemented the new STAR electronic Pre/Post Test and Risk Assessments on computer. Some on a desktop computer, and others on a tablet.
* We have updated the STAR Pre/post test questions
* We have implemented a new program in CLLC for low level readers: Reading Horizons
* We have the NEW Aztec Companion boxes that prepare students for the new Pearson GED (Highschool Equivalency) test.
* We had to say goodbye to Jim Sanford. He has moved on to good things in his retirement.
* We have a new Superintendent: Karen Sakata. We bid Joe Ovick a fond farewell and hope he enjoys retirement!

If anything has been forgotten, I apologize... so much has happened in the last year.

We will be having Spring Training: March 18, 19, and 20. So, be prepared to say "hi" to all your fellow teachers and administrators!

February 2014

02/20/2014

Spring Training is around the corner (March 5, 6, 7). We will be meeting in Sacramento this year, and topics will include GED, electronic testing in STAR, community partnerships, Aztec, and much more!

How about some trivia about March 5, 6, and 7?
March 5th:
* In 1845 the U.S. Congress appropriated $30,000 to ship camels to the western U.S.
* In 1934 iIn Amarillo, TX, the first Mother's-In-Law Day was celebrated.

March 6th:
* 1521 - Ferdinand Magellan discovered Guam.
* 1960 - The United States announced that it would send 3,500 troops to Vietnam.

March 7th:
* 322 BC - Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, died.
* 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell received a patent (U.S. Patent No. 174,465) for his telephone.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in Sacramento!

January 2014

01/09/2014

Happy New Year! Hopefully everyone had a good cebration and is looking forward to a great 2014.

A couple of things to look forward to:
Firstly, the cohort meetings are coming up in Southern and Northern California during the weeks of January 13th and January 20th, respectively.

Another thing to look forward to is the yearly spring conference, which will be in Sacramento this year from March 5th to 7th.

Finally, a message from our new program administrator:
I want to give my heartfelt thanks to everyone for such an amazing welcome to the CCCOE and the PEDP!
Everyone has been so kind and genuine in welcoming me aboard and I am truly grateful to be working among such an incredibly talented, committed and enthusiastic group of people! I am impressed with your work and with the dedication of so many gifted educators who provide so much, yet receive so little.
Thank you for what you do. I am very happy to be here and cannot wait to be of service!
- Carey

November 2013

11/18/2013

November 2013
11/18/2013
Welcome to our program administrator: Carey Johnson!
She comes to us from the Santa Clara County Office of Education. She has a strong alternative education background and substance abuse treatment background.

You will all get to meet her when we have our next state-wide meeting.

Holidays:
Nov 21: The Great American Smoke Out.
Nov 28: Thanksgiving! The county office will be closed November 28 and 29.
Nov 29: Black Friday. Of course, this new-ish day is not really a holiday, but people celebrate standing in lines nonetheless.

As we gear up for the holidays, we may want to keep in mind how much waste is created by parties and gatherings. The EPA has an excellent web site with some tips on how to reduce waste:
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/wycd/funfacts/holidays.htm

July 2013

07/05/2013

It's a new school year, and we are excited to be starting out the 2013-2014 year with some changes.
Remember the old saying: "The only constant is change". This quote in fact goes back to 5th century BC by Heraclitus.

Beat the heat in your house this summer with the following tips:
1. Try a makeshift air conditioner with a fan blowing over a shallow bowl or chest of ice. As the ice melts and evaporates, it will create cool air.
2, Give your airconditioner some TLC. Make sure the vent filtes are clean or replace them often!
3. Keep blinds shut on the sun-side of the house. This can make a huge difference.
4. Close your fireplace damper.
5. Or, for something out-of-the box: Put your sheets in the fridge before bed, or get a chillow or some other type of cold pack you can use in your bed.
6. And of course, drink plenty of cool water. This helps keep you hydrated and cool.

July Holidays:
1. Independence Day (America): July 4.
2. Start of Ramadan: July 8.
3. Tisha B'Av: July 15-16.
4. And finally, what summer would be complete without Hot Dog Day: July 23

April 2013

04/16/2013

New Form: The Motivational Interviewing Observation Form is here. You can also access it through the teacher resources area.

Some holidays in April:
22nd: Earth Day
24th: Administrative Professionals Day
26th: Arbor Day

March 2013

03/08/2013

We had a great training! It is always nice to get together with your peers to share ideas and information about what is happening in our classrooms across the state.

NEW STAR LESSONS are here! Go to Teacher Resources (at the top of this page), and click on the STAR button at the top of that page.

February 2013

02/19/2013

New:
Substitute Feedback Form
NEW 2012 Operations Manual

Located in the Teachers Login Section
(you will have to have a password and user name)

Spring Training is almost here! We will be meeting March 5th, 6th, and 7th in Orange County. The first day will start with a full sit-down lunch catered by the hotel.

February is home to Valentine's Day and President's Day, but also some lesser known holidays:
Feb 22 - Washington's Birthday (used to be celebrated separately).
Feb 20 - Love Your Pet Day
Feb 25 - National Chili Day
Feb 28 - National Tooth Fairy Day

Also, if you are a movie lover or just like watching all the players on the "red carpet, don't forget that the Academy Awards are on Sunday, February 24th.

December 2012

12/05/2012

The holidays and special events are here! There are lots to choose from...
* From http://www.kidzworld.com

Hanukkah: December 8th-16th ---- Hanukkah, which is the Hebrew word for dedication, honors the victory of the Jews over the Greek Syrians in 165 BC. After their victory, the Maccabees, sons of the family that led the revolt, entered the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and dedicated it to the service of their God. When the Maccabees entered the temple, they found only enough lamp oil to last one night, but the oil somehow managed to burn for the whole eight days it took to go in search for more oil. Therefore, Hanukkah is observed over eight days.

Winter Solstice: December 22nd ---- Winter solstice is the beginning of winter. It's also the shortest day of the year. Because of the earth's tilt, the Northern Hemisphere is as far away from the sun as it can be. Therefore, the first day of winter has the shortest amount of sunlight. In 2011, the winter solstice falls on December 21nd.

Christmas Day: December 25th ---- Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. No one knows the exact date of Christ's birth but in the 4th Century, Pope Julius I chose December 25th as the day of celebration. It's a holiday that's celebrated in a variety of ways around the world. In recent times, Christmas has become a holiday that is largely commercial, with everyone eagerly anticipating the arrival of St. Nick, but for Christians around the world, Christmas is a special and holy time to celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ.

Kwanzaa: December 26th ---- Although some people believe this holiday is a substitute for Christmas, it is not a religious holiday. It is celebrated every year on December 26th. Kwanzaa, which means "first fruit of the harvest" in Swahili, is a time to focus on the traditional African values of family. It is based upon the celebration of seven principles or beliefs called the Nguzo Saba and was created by Ron Karenga in 1966 to celebrate African-American heritage.

New Year's Eve: December 31st ---- The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4,000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, Babylonians celebrated the beginning of a new year on what is now March 23rd, although they had no written calendar. It wasn't until 153 BC that the Roman senate declared January 1st to be the beginning of the new year.

Whatever you may be planning, may you and yours have a wonderful December!

November 2012

11/02/2012

NEW: Links to the CCCOE Employee web site found to the right as well as the Substitute Feedback Form and Operations Manual

We had wonderful cohorts! Thanks to all who attended and participated in our Northern, Central, and Southern cohort meetings.

We had requests to make the Civility PowerPoint Presentation available for download, so here it is!

Additionally, a new video introducing the Choices Career Pathways Exploration program is available by going to the video section here and choosing Choices Introduction from the dropdown menu.

IMPORTANT: Daylight Savings ends on Sunday, November 4, 2012, 2:00am - Don't forget to set your clocks back to "fall back" to normal time (-8 hours from UTC).
*** Did you know that Arizona and Hawaii are the two states that do NOT observe Daylight Savings?

Tuesday, November 6 is election day! Don't forget to get out and vote!

The holidays are almost here: The "biggie" in November of course is Thanksgiving on November 22.

Perhaps one of the most obscure days observed in November is "Fibonacci Day". Do you know the importance of the Fibonaci sequence of numbers? Find out here (warning: it is not for the faint of heart).

October 2012

10/09/2012

The heat of summer is slowly going away, and fall is settling in.

Your regional cohort meetings are right around the corner. Both CLLC and STAR teachers will get together by region in a few weeks.
Northern Cohort Meeting: October 23 at CCCOE CSIG building
Central Cohort Meeting: October 25 at Fresno Parole
Southern Cohort Meeting: November 1 at Pomona/Ontario Parole.

Halloween of course is in October, but there are a few other more obscure holidays:
October 8: Canadian Thanksgiving, and Colombus Day
October 24: United Nations Day
October 26: Islamic Eid al-Adha

September 2012

09/06/2012

The cohorts are coming in October! Soon, you will have information on the exact dates of the CLLC and STAR cohort/trainings.

For most of us (and especially our kids), summer has ended. Labor Day (on September 3, this year) marked the end of summer vacation for many, and the beginning of a new semester for some.

There is a little mystery about the beginnings of Labor day: "More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers. Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

Labor Day is not the only date to know about in September... other important dates:
Sep 9: Grandparents Day - Celebrate a day with grandparents!!!
Sep 11: Patriot Day
Sep 21: International Day of Peace
Sep 22: The FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN
Sep 28: Native American Day

August 2012

08/22/2012

Summer heat is still here! You can learn how to keep cool in these hot days by clicking here.

Strange holiday in August: National Marshmallow Toasting Day (Aug-30)

Also, we are working on a new video tutorial project: A Destinations Training video series. See the "New Videos" section to the right for the link.

June/July 2012

06/20/2012

Summer is finally here, along with the famous California "June Gloom" in many costal areas.
June is also the end of our "Fiscal Year", so make sure your expenses and calendars for the next year are submitted by the end of the month.

July 4th is quickly coming, and all sites as well as the County Office of Education will be closed in observance.
If you want to share a little about the significance about July 4th with your students, you can find some resources here:
Wikipedia Article, or the official US.GOV web site here.
If you are in Los Angeles area, there are shows and barbeques and celebrations.

Tech News (6/18/2012):
The US Government has admitted to creating two viruses with the Israli military, "Flame", and "Stuxnet" to combat Iran's nuclear program. These viruses are so sophisticated that anti-virus companies have admitted that they can do nothing against these well written and funded viruses. Both viruses have been found in the "wild" and are being analysied by commercial companies.

April 2012

04/19/2012

Tax time is here (April 16).
Spring is here (well, actually it started on March 20, this year).
It seems the year is flying by.

We will be distributing Office 2010 to all teachers in the near future! If you are a little worried about the new interface, checked out the new video trainings (the link is on the right of this page).

Don't forget: April 25th is Administrative Professionals Day!

We will all be in Sacramento on the 25th, 26th, and 27th for our first STATEWIDE traing in a few years. You will be able to mingle with your counterparts from outside your region this year!

Other holidays include Earth Day on the 22nd, which has gained importance in recent years due to the climate change issue.
Finally, a holiday somewhat related to Earth Day: Arbor Day on the 27th.

Tech News:
The war of the web browswers goes on! For the last couple of years, Google Chrome has been the fastest browser. In the latest version, Firefox has caught up to, and in some tests surpassed, Chrome (so long as you don't have any extensions installed). Remember that Chrome will not display the GED Testing web site for some reason. It probably contains "non standard" code that Firefox and Internet Explorer can read. So, simply use Internet Explorer if you want to view the GED web site.

March 2012

03/09/2012

March is here! Spring is right around the corner.

There are three new forms available for download: a POE claims form, a POE mileage only claims form, and the newest travel request form.
Click on the Teachers button in the "Login Required" section on the left to get to the new forms.

New video training is avialable (see the left textbox here > )

February 2012

02/09/2012

February is Black History Month. There are several sites with information that you can check out:
* Wikipedia
* NAACP
* History Channel
* AfricanAmericanHistoryMonth

February also has:
Groundhog Day - February 2 (find out if there will be 6 more weeks of winter!)
Tu Bishvat - February 8
Valentine's Day - February 14
Washington's Birthday - February 20
Mardi Gras - February 21

Quote of the Month:
"Things turn out the best for the people who make
the best of the way things turn out."
- John Wooden

Technology Warning: There is a problem that the web browser Google Chrome has when trying to open the GED web site.
You must use Internet Explorer to view the California GED web site. If you have any questions, please contact your technology specialist.
Thanks.

January 2012

01/05/2012

Happy New Year!
Here's hoping all of your dreams and aspirations for 2012 come true.

Quote of the Month:
You may only be someone in the world, but to someone else, you may be the world.
- Author Unknown

Technology Warning: There is a problem that the web browser Google Chrome has when trying to open the GED web site.
You must use Internet Explorer to view the California GED web site. If you have any questions, please contact your technology specialist.
Thanks.

December 2011

12/02/2011

Winter is here! The holidays are coming!
Shopping season is in full force, so stay safe out there with the crazy shoppers.

Some celebrations include:

Kwanzaa - an African celebration that lasts for a week in December. Did you know that Kwanzaa is a Swahili name "first fruits of the harvest"? You can also get a full description about it here.

Hannukah - Another holiday that stretches over several days, Hannukah is the Jewish holiday known as the "Festival of Lights". It lasts eight days, and you can read more about it here.

Christmas - The shortest (lasting only one day), but the most popular of December holidays, Christmas was first truly widely celebrated during the fourth century, and the earliest known reference to the date of the nativity as December 25 is found in the Chronography of 354.

So grab some good food, enjoy friends and/or family, and look forward to the quickly approaching new year!

In case you love food during this season, there are several fantasic sites for recipies.
All Recipies
Taste of Home
The Food Network
Kwanzaa Recipies
Hanukkah Recipies

September 2011

09/06/2011

Days are getting shorter, and hopefully the heat will subside soon.

We offer our best wishes to our teachers who have recently left our program, and to those who will leave soon. May this prove an opportunity to experience great things and open unexpected opportunities..

Holidays include:
Labor Day (September 5)
Rosh Hashana (Sep 28-30)

Also, it is NATIONAL ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION RECOVERY MONTH, which is very appropriate to share with students.

July 2011

07/13/2011

Summer is here, and we are looking forward to starting a new program year with new goals and successes.

We have already celebrated the Fourth of July, so let's look a look at some other holidays this month (some serious, and some silly):

Bastille Day - July 14: A day of celebration of French Democracy. It symbolizes the end of the constitutional monarchy and the beginning of the democratic republic. In 1789, the citizens of France stormed the "Bastille" which was a prison, but to the people represented the monarchy.

Cow Appreciation Day - July 15: Go out and give a cow a hug?

Parents Day - July 24: One of the newest holidays, then President Bill Clinton proclaimed the fourth Sunday in July as National Parents Day.

Also, it appears that July is the official month for many different types of foods:
* National Blueberry Month
* National Hot Dog Month
* National Ice Cream Month

So, go outside this month and enjoy some foods and the summer!

June 2010

08/30/2010

June 21st marks the beginning of summer!

Holidays:
June 14: Flag Day
June 20: Father's Day
Lesser known dates:
June 13: Abused Women's and Childeren's Awareness
June 23: Public Service Day

Astronomy:
On June 26 there will be a partial eclipse of the moon. It will be visible from Asia, Australia, and the Western Americas.

Also, CASAS Summer Institute is coming June 16-19.

May 2011

05/12/2011

April showers bring May flowers!
The month May has been named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet Ovid provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the maiores, Latin for "elders," and that the following month (June) is named for the iuniores, or "young people" (Fasti VI.88).

In both common Western calendrical systems, no other month begins on the same day of the week as May. This month and June are the only two months that have this trait, though the first day of August in a common year and the first day of October in a leap year are also unique. No other month ends on the same day of the week as May.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month (United States only). And, if you are a fan of zombies, it is also Zombie Awareness Month.

The Rosa chinesis is the flower symbol of May.

April 2011

04/22/2011

Spring has sprung!
Teacher trainining is this month, We have endeavored to make the training both fun and relavent for you.
Jim Carter, Ph.D. will be training on the CBT process among other important topics, and Nancy Pane, Ph.D. has a great training planned on learning disabilities.
Jim Carter's web site is: specialtybehavioralhealth.com, and Nancy Payne's web site is: www.paneandassociates.com

April 22 - Earth Day, which has recently become widely celebrated across the world to raise awareness about climate change, recycling, and environmental sustainability.
Gaylord Nelson, a United States Senator from Wisconsin, called for an environmental teach-in, or Earth Day, to be held on April 22, 1970. Over 20 million people participated that year, and Earth Day is now observed each year by more than 500 million people and several national governments in 175 countries.

March 2011

03/02/2011

EMERGENCY UPDATE for SID PRINTING
This is a necessary update for those who cannot print from SID. Go to the Compuer Apps section (here), and download the ScrewDrivers v4.5 client and install.

Important note:
Some of the forms have been moved from the public area to the "Login Teacher" area. If you can't find the form you are looking for, try the secure area.

Did you know: In the Northern hemisphere, the beginning of the meteorological spring is 1 March. In the Southern hemisphere, the beginning of the meteorological autumn is 1 March.

The name of March comes from ancient Rome, when March was the first month of the year and named Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war. In Rome, where the climate is Mediterranean, March was the first month of spring, a logical point for the beginning of the year as well as the start of the military campaign season.

February 2011

02/23/2011

NEW material now available!
* 2011 Operations Manuals - Now available for CLLC, ICDTP, and STAR. They are in PDF format so you can either read them in the browser or download them to the computer. You can find them under the last section on the left navigation bar "Login Required - Teachers". Use the teacher username and password to gain access.

* CDCR to CASAS number converter - This is a small app that converts a CDCR number into a CASAS student ID number for CLLC sites. It also automatically puts the CASAS number on the clipboard!

We are also almost done with winter and its shorter days and longer nights!

Did you know: February was named after the Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 (full moon) in the old lunar Roman calendar. January and February were the last two months to be added to the Roman calendar, since the Romans originally considered winter a monthless period.

January 2011

01/24/2011

Happy New Year!

Of course we all know January 1 starts off our new year (on the Gregorian Calendar), but different areas around the world have a different date that starts off their calendar year. Below is a small example of some other cultural new year beginnings:
* The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, occurs every year on the new moon of the first lunar month, about four to eight weeks before spring (Lichun). The exact date can fall anytime between 21 January and 21 February (inclusive) of the Gregorian Calendar.

* The Iranian New Year, called Nowruz, is the day containing the exact moment of the vernal equinox, which usually occurs on 20 or 21 March, commencing the start of the spring season.

* Rosh Hashanah (literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. It occured from September 8-10 in 2010, and occurs on different dates in September through 2015.

* South and Souteast Asian: The new year of many South and Southeast Asian calendars falls between 13 and 15 April, marking the beginning of spring.

While the year on the Gregorian Calendar is 2011, the year on the Hebrew Calendar is 5771. The Chinese Calendar lists the current year as 4708. Perhaps the oldest calendar (although no longer in use) is the Byzantine Calendar where the current year is 7520!

December 2010

12/03/2010

We are in the middle of the holiday seasons! It is easy to become stressed at the crowded malls and streets as you prepare to celebrate. Here are a couple of tips: http://www.katc.com/news/tips-to-reduce-holiday-stress/

We also have a couple new forms in the "Forms and Docs" section:
* The Media Release Form - required whenever a picture, video or audio is captured of a student.
* The Approval of Absense Form

November 2010

11/04/2010

New material now available on the site!

* Uniform Complaint Procedures (PDF document) - Available in the Docs and Forms section.

* WALL CALENDARS are now available for download on the site. These calendars were created for teachers to print and hang on their wall. It includes an inspirational image and quote as well as some images of our staff together at different gatherings and trainings. You can get it in the "Forms and Docs" section. There are two different sizes available: Letter and Legal.

* New, free applications are available in the Computer Apps section. Everything from encryption to Google Chrome to a free file backup program. Check it out.

* Groupwise 6.5 and 7.0 manuals are available in the Forms and Docs section. Everything you evern wanted to know about how to use the GroupWise email clent.

* Alphabetics Training (SoCal 2010): Some general information and links are available for you in the CLLC section.

Also, the holidays are fast approaching! Thanksgiving and other winter holidays are unbelievably right around the corner Here are some sites that may interest you:
   Thanksgiving Recipes and More
   Christmas Party Ideas
   Chanukah Information
   Kwanzaa Information

October 2010

10/09/2010

Many children (and some adults) are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to dress up and get some goodies at the end of this month, either during Halloween or a Harvest Festival.

And of course, we have Oktoberfest: a 16-18 day festival held in Germany each year. Visitors eat huge amounts of traditional hearty fare such as Hendl (chicken), Schweinsbraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Wurstl (sausages) along with Brezn (Pretzel), Knodel (potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut or Blaukraut (red cabbage) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda (a spiced cheese-butter spread) and Weisswurst (a white sausage).

One bit of trivia you won't find many places: October 14th is Grover's birthday (from Sesame Street), while October 28th is the Statue of Liberty's birthday.

September 2010

09/01/2010

September is here! The Back to School crowds are out and about, and traffic is bound to pick up.

It is also "Read a New Book" Month, National Courtesy Month, and Women of Achievement Month.

Did you know that most of America's rules of courtesy and ettiquette date back to the middle ages? One thing that didn't make it to modern day though, is the odd custom that if a person at the dinner table had an itch, they not scratch it with the fingers. Instead, the person was to use a piece of bread from the table to scratch it, then eat the bread. While seeming odd, it meant that a person's hands never touched their body while using the communal dining plates at the table.

Speaking of Women of Achievement, many are unaware that Ada Lovelace is considered to be the first computer programmer! She made extensive notes on the first (non-electronic) computer back in the mid 1800's. She even has a programming language (called Ada) named after her.

You may be wondering why the "Septem" in the word "September" means seventh in Latin, but is the ninth month. It used to be the seventh month, before the Romans moved the first month of the year to January (which used to be March), as well as changing the month names of July and August. This is also why October, November, and December (meaning 8th, 9th and 10th, respectively) have the names they do.