District Digest

Positivity Abounds:

September 2024 brought some amazing highlights to the Antioch Unified School District!

Our very own, Nicole Vicknair, Bidwell high School Teacher, and District Teacher of the Year, was named as one the Teachers of the Year for all of Contra Costa County. We are extremely proud of the dedication she has to her students at Bidwell High School, the leadership she shows in multiple aspects of her career, and her exceptional engagement strategies she uses to connect and support each of her students with high expectations for their success. We offer our congratulations to Nicole, and offer her best wishes as she competes at the state level for possible recognition as California Teacher of the Year.

On the same day that Nicole was announced as Teacher of the Year for Contra Costa County, site principals and district office administrators spent a full day of professional development with Dr. Anthony Muhammad. Dr. Muhammad is world renown for his work on transforming school culture and spent the day supporting, guiding and providing leadership training to our team with a focus on cultivating Professional Learning Communities in School Settings. Our Educational Services Team is excited to continue our professional learning with our certificated and classified personnel over the next several months.

Both Deer Valley High School and Antioch High School celebrated their Homecoming Weeks as September concluded, and with the support of the principals, Veronica McLennan, Deer Valley High School (DVHS), John Jimno, Antioch High School (AHS) and the Leadership Directors, Jordan Orosco (DVHS), and Nick Wisely (AHS), respectively. The leadership students for the freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors at both schools worked extremely well together to engage and build school spirit for both sites the entire week, which culminated with football games and dances at each school. Well done!

My hope is for those that will be off for the fall break to take some time for yourself to reflect, renew, and ready yourself for the second half of the first semester. I continue to be excited about the amazing work being accomplished at all of our schools and appreciate the efforts of everyone who is helping to advance the skills and development of our scholars across the District. I sincerely believe that together we can accomplish great things for all our scholars.

Sincerely,

Dr. Rob Martinez

Acting Superintendent / Chief Human Resources Officer

Women are at higher risk of developing certain conditions and diseases than men, with the leading causes of death for women including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Below are several resources on physical, mental, and reproductive health. To learn more please visit www.kp.org/womenshealth.

Physical Health:

Breast health

Cancer care

Gender-affirming care

Gynecological health

Heart health

Menopause and perimenopause

Reproductive Health:

Birth control

Parenting

Preconception

Pregnancy

Sexual Health

Mental and Emotional Health:

Addiction and substance use disorders

Grief

Mental health during and after pregnancy

Mental health and wellness

Stress

The Water Wake up Challenge invites you to drink an 8-ounce glass of water first thing in the morning for the next 31 days. If you forget, drink it as soon as you remember but one trick is putting a glass of water at your bedside before you go to bed. Think of your body as a wilting plant that needs to be watered, helping your body to perk up and perform better. After a long night’s sleep, our bodies are typically dehydrated. A glass of water in the morning can jumpstart your metabolism, hydrate your body, flush out toxins and may even help eat less. Plus, you can even chalk it up to your first successful accomplishment of the day!

We all experience fear or worry occasionally: for some, speaking in public, driving in heavy traffic, or worrying when a loved one is late in arriving home can cause anxious feelings. Feeling anxious is our body’s normal response to stress, but when these feelings become overwhelming, uncertainties take over, or a fear of fulfilling everyday tasks develops, you may have anxiety.

You’re not alone. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in North America.1 According to the TELUS Mental Health Index, anxiety and depression are the most prevalent diagnosed conditions among workers in the United States.2

Considering World Mental Health Day on October 10, we invite you to explore our microsite on understanding and coping with anxiety. If you think you or someone close to you is experiencing anxiety, there are ways to help and confidently deal with it. We hope the resources we’ve provided can benefit you and those you care about.

Logging begins on September 30th. Register here

We want to send a shout out to all the sites making Reclassification a special commemoration for our English Learner/ MULTILINGUAL students. Attaining a 4 on the Summative ELPAC exam, a passing grade of C- in English, and a level of proficiency on the annual SBAC, or iReady diagnostic is worthy of celebration! Thank you to DRMS, Fremont, Kimball, and most recently OPS, for honoring our students’ accomplishments!!!!

We are now accepting requests to come and speak to your intermediate and secondary ELD classes about the path to reclassification. We have a short 20–30-minute presentation that can be done in person or via TEAMS for students in grades 5th - 11th.

Please take advantage of this opportunity for students to gain an understanding of their ELD status, placement, and the importance of doing well on the required assessments, such as the annual Summative ELPAC to reach fluency and exit the program. Reach out to our new EL Coach Dr. Trisha Gonzales-Waters at trishagonzaleswaters@antiochschools.net to schedule a time to discuss your classroom or site’s specific needs.

On September 19th, 2024, we hosted our first DELAC meeting of the year and were pleasantly surprised with the number of parents willing to take on the two-year term from 2024-26 as President, Vice President, and Secretary. This parent leadership group aids us providing tenets of the core Empowerment Wheel, including, Agency, English Language Development, and Community Building Practices.

Please share the candidate’s ballot with all your EL parents so they can place a vote for each position. See the attached ballot that will be emailed to parents and asked to be placed on all school websites. Please be advised that elections close on October 14th.

President:

• Ana Aguilar - Sutter

• Maria Fajardo - Kimball

Vice-President:

• Ana Aguilar - Sutter

• Maria Fajardo - Kimball

• Yesenia Camacho - Sutter

• Ana Cuevas - Sutter

Secretary:

• Ana Aguilar - Sutter

• Maria Fajardo - Kimball

• Yesenia Camacho - Sutter

• Ana Cuevas - Sutter

Link to ballot: https://forms.office.com/r/NVrsciygTL

This year in an effort to support our district-wide goal to ensure that “all scholars learn at or above grade level,” the English Learner Department, within the Educational Services Division, is working to remind all certificated and classified staff of the ELD standards that work in conjunction with the English essential standards as guides for lesson design and implementation. These standards are for all students needing designated and integrated English language development support.

Colorful 11x 14 posters will be delivered to all secondary ELD teachers and available for all elementary teachers upon request.

These posters are reminders for educators and students of ways they can ensure our scholars are interacting in meaningful ways while learning about how English works by utilizing the following strategies within the classroom:

• Collaborative engagement in dialogue

• Interpretive comprehension and analysis of written and spoken texts

• Productive creation of oral presentations and written texts

• Structuring cohesive texts

• Expanding and enriching ideas

• connecting and condensing ideas

Why should we focus on promoting multilingualism in our schools and community?

1. Identification of non-native English status,

2. Classification of English proficiency level based on initial language assessment,

3. Supports and Services provided to promote linguistic and academic achievement,

4. Reclassification of students demonstrating proficiency in English based on multiple factors,

5. State Seal of Biliteracy awarded to students demonstrating fluency in two or more languages.

In AUSD we can create welcoming and affirming learning environments for our multilingual learners by providing asset-based and culturally responsive instruction. By creating engaging, standards-based lessons that motivate students to learn, we can accelerate language development across subject areas and increase multilingualism.

We are excited to host our second of three New Teacher Orientation days on Monday, October 14th. Teachers will meet at Black Diamond Middle School and will engage in a day of relevant and meaningful learning! Below is a snapshot of the agenda. If anyone has questions, please reach out to Amy Bettencourt. For a detailed list on sessions and topics, check out our NTO webpage by clicking HERE.

NTO Day 2 Agenda

8:00-8:30am:

Sign in and Light Refreshments

8:30-8:45am:

Welcome and Overview with Nicole Vicknair, AUSD Teacher of the Year

8:45-10:15am:

Session One

10:15-10:30am: Break

10:30-12:00pm:

Session Two

12:00-1:00pm Lunch on Your Own

1:00-2:30pm:

Session Three

2:30-3:00pm:

Closing Remarks and Next Steps

The Educational Services team will host network meetings again this year and extend a warm welcome to any teacher or administrator who is interested in attending. The purpose of our network meetings is to identify areas of strength and need in specific content areas and programs, make recommendations on various tools, resources and professional development for each content area as well as fostering a space for teacher collaboration and sharing of best practices. Each network meeting will be held after school and educators will be compensated for attending. The CI&A website has specific details for each group (including virtual meeting links) but below is a snapshot of our first round of meetings on the schedule. We hope to see you there!

Advanced Placement (AP) Community of Practice
Thursday 10/24 3:45-5:00pm Virtual

AVID Network
Thursday 10/17 Elementary 3:00-4:30 and Secondary 4:00-5:30pm District Office Board Room

Elementary Math Network
Thursday 10/17 3:15-4:45pm Mission Elementary Library

Ethnic Studies Network
October/November Date TBD-keep an eye on the network page for an update coming soon!

3:45-5:15pm Virtual

Secondary ELA Network
Thursday 11/7 4:00-5:15pm Virtual

Secondary Math Network
Tuesday 10/22 3:45-5:15pm Virtual

Secondary Science Network
Tuesday 10/29 3:30-5:00pm

A big shoutout to our K-2 teachers for their dedication and determination in teaching foundational reading skills to our youngest learners! Heggerty (for phonological awareness) and UFLI (for phonics) are being systematically and explicitly taught in all of our K-2 classrooms. These programs have been well received by both staff and students. Additionally, Secret Stories have been spotted in all of our K-3 classrooms, providing valuable "Cognitive Velcro" through engaging stories that help students remember digraphs and diphthongs (also known as Special Spellings).

If you have any questions or would like additional need support, please reach out to your site administrator or reading teachers.

Don't forget to make use of the many AUSD resources provided for K-2 teachers:

• AUSD UFLI Pacing Guide
• AUSD Grade-Level Binders
• MyLocker AUSD Button
• UFLI/Wonders Crosswalk
• Magnetic Boards & Letters
• UFLI Teaching Manual (the introduction is a masterclass in reading instruction)
• UFLI Game Apps (available in the UFLI Toolbox on the free website)

Our AUSD Upper Grade Teachers at all school sites will participate in our yearlong book study of Shifting The Balance Grade 3 - 5:

Six Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom. This new text is built in mind specifically for grades 3-5 teachers around best practices for the intermediate classroom.

Shifting the Balance, Grades 3-5 introduces six shifts across individual chapters that:

• Zoom in on a common (but not-as helpful-as-we-had-hoped) practice to reconsider
• Untangle a number of “misunderstandings” that have likely contributed to the use of the common practice
• Propose a more science-aligned shift to the current practice
• Provide solid scientific research to support the revised practice
• Offer a collection of high-leverage, easy-to-implement instructional routines to support the shift to more brain-friendly instruction.

The content offers a refreshing approach that is respectful, accessible, and practical – grounded in an earnest commitment to building a bridge between research and classroom practice. See Home Page - The Six Shifts for more information and resources.

Shout out to the Orchard Park Upper Grade Team for the continued deep dive into Upper Grade Literacy during their Shifting the Balance 3 - 5 Book Study time!

Please check your district email for information and invitations to upcoming Elementary Literacy Paid Voluntary Trainings.

Additionally, we are seeking AUSD teachers interested in leading our upcoming trainings on UFLI, Secret Stories, and/or Upper Grade Literacy Best Practices (aligned with Shifting the Balance for grades 3-5). These trainings are 1.5 hours long and can be held either in person or on Teams. Presenters will be compensated for their planning time. If you're interested, please contact Deborah Meylan at deborahmeylan@antiochschools.net for more information.

This year with the addition of APIP (Antioch Pre-Induction Program) we have more experienced teachers offering their time, experience, skills and wisdom to candidates at our various sites. AUSD is supporting our newest teachers as well as teachers that have transitioned to California from other states and countries. Our mentors offer tips on everything from how to communicate with parent and guardians to active student engagement and behavior management plus much more. Mentors are essential to new teachers. AUSD mentors are our marigolds, and we truly appreciate the encouragement that they offer through just-in-time support and weekly mentoring meetings.

If you are an experience teacher with a clear credential and want to know more about being a mentor in the future, please contact tammyely-kofford@antiochschools.net.

It's that time of year again. The Empowerment Project is October 24, and our high school leaders are working hard learning how to facilitate discussion groups with the 8th grade girls. Below are some pictures of our amazing Antioch High School student leaders preparing for the event.

We've kicked off our elementary sports programs for the year with an amazing start in golf! Over 40 AUSD students are already learning foundational skills and having a blast on the green. A huge thank you to the First Tee program and Lone Tree Golf Course for making this incredible opportunity possible. Here's to a fantastic year of sports and growth! ⛳️🎉

The Special Olympics of Northern California serves hundreds of exceptional needs students each year through various sporting events. Antioch Unified has been participating in the Special Olympics since 2014 through soccer, basketball and track. Many of our events are outdoors during the warmer months of the years.

AUSD and the Special Olympics is fundraising to create misting cooling stations and shade stations for each event. This will help make the Special Olympics physically safer for all participants.

Below is the link for the Donor’s Chose Project to help supply materials for cooling stations and tents:

https://www.donorschoose.org/project/cooling-off-our-exceptional-athletes/8716434/?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=directlink&utm_campaign=teacherhub&utm_term=teacher_7432818&rf=directlink-dc-2024-09-teacherhub-teacher_7432818&challengeid=21639197

Thank you,

Kirsten Rocheleau

Thomas Gaines- 6th- 8th Resource

Prospects High School- 9th -12th Life Skills & CBI/Adult Transition

kirstenrocheleau@antiochschools.net

If you teach or provide services to students in grades 8 - 12+ (to include transition age students), you are responsible for completing or contributing to the student's Individual Transition Plan (ITP). To avoid confusion about the intent of the ITP and how the forms have been filled out, the State SELPA Manual includes specific recommendations for how to complete the ITP forms. A copy of those recommendations is attached here.

• Remember that the ITP must be in effect by the time the student turns 16 (or sooner if appropriate). If the student will turn 16 prior to the next IEP review (i.e., they're already 15 when you hold an annual or eligibility review), the ITP must be in effect.
• As the student approaches their exit from SpEd services, be sure to invite any public agency that may be supporting them after they leave public school. Usually this is the regional center, but there are times when other agencies may be involved. Page 1 of Form 2 should be marked "YES" and the agency representative should be included as an individual the district expects to have present at the IEP team meeting.
• If the student and/or their family have opted for the alternative pathway to diploma option rather than a certificate of completion, that must be indicated on page 2 of the ITP form and the course of study accurately described. Since we are just starting to offer this option, please contact your site administrator and/or the special education department if you need more information about this process.
• Make sure you remind parents about the age of majority and remind them that educational rights fall fully to the adult student upon turning 18, unless a conservator has been appointed by the court.
• Educational Benefit Reminders:

• Is there an appropriate measurable post-secondary goal or goals that covers education or training, employment, and as needed, independent living?
• Are the post-secondary goals updated annually?
• Are the post-secondary goals based on age appropriate transition assessments?
• Are there transition services in the IEP that will reasonably enable the student to meet his/her post-secondary goals?
• Does the course of study reasonably enable the student to meet their post-secondary goals?
• Is there a plan review ( annual)IEP goal related to the student’s transition services needs?
• Was the student invited and involved in their transition planning?
• Was a representative of any participating agency invited to the IEP Team meeting with prior consent from parent, guardian, or student?

IEP goals are a required and essential part of a student's IEP. They serve as a foundation for the progress an IEP team seeks to help and support the student's access to their FAPE. Our local SELPA's program specialist, Rachel Fogelman, recently presented a brief training on legally compliant IEPs. In that training she covered what the goals must include and how they must be monitored. Her slides are attached here for your quick reference.

• Remember that goals have to be monitored by a certificated or a licensed person. An aide, parent, or student cannot be identified as a "person responsible" for implementing an IEP goal.
• Progress reports must be provided as often as indicated in the student's IEP. This is typically at the same time as school report cards are provided.
• If your progress reports indicate only a percentage (e.g., the goal states that a student will accomplish a goal at a certain percentage that is higher than that of the baseline, make sure you have actual data to support this, not just the provider's guesstimate or opinion)
• Baselines and goals must match, and must be based upon observable data. That doesn't include:
• the student "will learn" (how can you measure that?),
• student scores on a test given only annually or at eligibility reviews,
• the student "will be able to" or "will improve"
• Instead, consider:
• the student "will demonstrate"
• student scores on regularly used curriculum assessments, teacher designed quizzes and tests, student work product
• "the student completes 8 of 10 problems in the RSP classroom," or "the student produces two cohesive paragraphs on a homework assignment," "the student actively chooses two identified strategies to use to calm down" or "the student demonstrates two reciprocal exchanges with a peer in the ______ (identify the environment)

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is an American federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is normally observed on September 17, the day in 1787 that delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia. In AUSD, it was celebrated by Sutter Elementary School's Tina Briggs' special day class students in a big way. In preparation for their celebration, and an important visitor, Sutter students in Ms. Briggs' room learned about the meaning of the day and about what it means to be a judge. That helped prepare them to meet the Honorable Christina Martinez, a San Joaquin Superior Court judge in Manteca. Judge Martinez met with the class virtually, and talked with students about her work as a judge. It was a learning opportunity that enthralled, as the pictures here attest. Kudos to Ms. Briggs for designing a wonderful and impactful learning opportunity for her students!

Everyone in education has encountered the vast array of special education terms, abbreviations, and Acronyms (e.g., IEP, BIP, SDC, SAI, ITP, ASD. APE. CART. ADL...the list could fill pages). Some of them you may know, others may leave you guessing. To help you navigate this maze, the Department of General Services for the state of CA provides a list of common terms. This link is a helpful tool for interpreting and better understanding the terms. https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OAH/Case-Types/Special-Education/Self-Help/Abbreviations-and-Acronyms?search=acronyms

PS the above acronyms stand for:

Individual Education Plan

Behavior Intervention Plan

Special Day Class

Specialized Academic Instruction

Individual Transition Plan

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Adaptive Physical Education

Communication Access Realtime Translation

Activities of Daily Living.

Below you'll find PD options for October offered by our SELPA. The early October events were listed in last month's District Digest. There are options for Instructional Associates (both general education and special education staff), RSP teachers, M/M SDC teachers, M/S SDC teachers, Site Administrators, School Psychologists, and SLPs.

1. Site Administrators

Thursday
October 10
8:30-9:00Site Administrator
Evaluating SPED Teachers, Related Service Providers, and Para's

https://meet.google.com/kuo-hjvj-znbSite AdministratorsMaryAnn Frates
CC SELPA
Executive Director
and Rachel Fogleman
CC SELPA
Program Specialist

2. M/S SDC teachers and SpEd IAs

Wednesday,
October 16
2:30pm-3:00pmCommunication Partner Skills: Working with AAC Users
Learn about working with a child who has complex communication needs, how they communicate, and other information to increase student success throughout the school day
https://meet.google.com/cjd-mphv-eebModerate/Intensive Special Education ParaprofessionalsKelsey Cardana &
Alana Garcia-Chavez
CC SELPA
AT-AAC Leads

3. Education Specialists and Related Services providers

Wednesday,
October 16
2:45 pm-3:30 pmProgress on Goals and Reporting Through Progress Reports on SEIS
Progress reports are required for special education the same as they are for general education. Learn or refresh your skills through SEIS and the progress reporting process.
https://meet.google.com/tsj-ngcu-bsmSpecial Education Teachers and Service ProvidersSoledad Springfield
CC SELPA
Program Specialist

4. M/S SDC teachers

Wednesday,
October 16
2:45pm-3:30 pmUnique 2 You for Beginners
Cover the basics of setting up your classroom and getting started with implementation of Unique to You including set up, unit planning and benchmark assessments.
https://meet.google.com/wxy-fnvo-pozModerate/Intensive Special Education TeachersRachel Fogleman
CC SELPA
Program Specialist

5. Special Education and Classroom IAs

Wednesday,
October 23
1:30pm-2:00pmClassroom Management
Ideas on how to create and implement a classroom schedule, individual student schedules, using first/then, visual supports, and behavior tools.
https://meet.google.com/kmg-qrav-fjoParaprofessionalsTricia Facteau
CC SELPA
Program Coordinator

6. Education Specialists

Wednesday,
October 23
2:45pm-3:30pmClassroom Management
Ideas on how to create and implement a classroom schedule, individual student schedules, using first/then, visual supports, and behavior tools.
https://meet.google.com/kmg-qrav-fjoSpecial Education TeachersTricia Facteau
CC SELPA
Program Coordinator

7. School Psychologists and SLPs

Thursday,
October 24
10:00am-12:00pmQuestions, Answers, and Scenarios with a Lawyer

https://meet.google.com/uti-qopn-puoSchool Psychologists and SLP'sMaryAnn Frates
CC SELPA
Executive Director
&
Karen Samman
F3 Partner

8. Education Specialists

Wednesday,
October 30
1:30pm-2:15pmDifferentiating Instruction in a General Education Setting
Building a working relationship with general education teachers to support learning through scaffolding needed for success.
https://meet.google.com/rrx-wmgh-gzdSpecial Education TeachersSoledad Springfield
CC SELPA
Program Specialist

9. Special Education and General Education IAs

Wednesday,
October 30
2:30pm-3:00pmCreating Inclusive Environments Within SDC and General Education Classrooms, and the School Environment
Enhancing acceptance and learning with peers in all settings from early childhood to high school.
https://meet.google.com/sct-ozjb-kdeParaprofessionalsRachel Fogleman
CC SELPA
Program Specialist

10. Resource Specialists and M/M SDC teachers and staff

Wednesday,
October 23
1:30pm-2:15pmAn Introduction to Assistive Technology
An overview of widely available AT supports for high incidence needs & how to support student use.
https://meet.google.com/tva-hmpz-ruoResource Specialists, Mild/Moderate
Special Education StaffKelsey Cardana &
Alana Garcia-Chavez
CC SELPA
AT-AAC Leads

AUSD has received new copy machines with features designed for more efficient paper usage. One key aspect of the new system is the requirement for staff to log in by entering a unique PIN. Additionally, each copier is equipped with a badge reader that works with the new AUSD badge system.

To provide new badges to all sites that work with the new copiers, the Technology Department is printing them, which requires staff photos. For school site staff: if we do not have a photo on file for you, please see your school site administrative assistant to ensure your photo is sent to the Technology Department.

Prepare your taste buds and grab your map. National School Lunch Week will be from October 14-18, 2024! Join us on an adventure where the treasure is a healthy school lunch.

For September's featured produce, the Nutrition Services Department brought in plums from Fresno BIPOC in Fresno, California. Students have been loving the sweet and juicy plums. We've also brought these local plums onto our serving line for breakfast, lunch, and supper.