Northern California Educational Leadership Consortium

October 2021 Newsletter

NorCal Educator's Digest


CA Rural ED Network: Creating Opportunities and Amplifying the Voice of Rural Educators

Submitted by Sandra Azevedo

This article is the first in a series in the NorCal Educator’s Digest that highlights primarily North State agencies and resources that help educators improve the work they do. If there is an agency or resource you want to see featured, contact us -- Sandra Azevedo or Mike Kotar.


At the heart of the CA Rural Ed Network is connection; connection to similarly situated educators. According to Rindy DeVoll, “We really focus on providing a space for people to literally network our rural issues.”  Aiming to improve rural educational practices and share the unique and positive features of rural education with the world, the CA Rural Ed Network was designed as an on-ramp to the California Multi-Tiered System of Support (CA MTSS).  Rindy is Executive Director of the CA Rural Ed Network and the CA MTSS Director for Rural California. She works at the Butte County Office of Education and is committed to amplifying the voice of rural educators. Given current demands on rural educators, the Network is trying to respond to the situation, provide support through virtual meetings, while also being respectful to not put extra “asks” on rural counties and schools.

A recent service developed through CA MTSS is the Paraeducator Training Course.  Due to COVID restrictions, the Paraeducator Training course is accessible online, free, and open-source. You can access this resource here: CA MTSS Paraeducator Course (Google Slide). Even with this, to more fully address the rural perspective, Rindy is currently offering this training in-person in Amador County. Through this, Rindy is helping to amplify the voice, stories, and data of those rural paraeducators.

An exciting new development is a plan to establish a Student Commission to help students network with their rural peers and participate in leadership opportunities.  “We are planning on piloting at a small high school and ultimately aim to amplify the rural student voice across the state,” DeVoll reports. The hope is to involve about 14 LEAs from rural COEs throughout California. See more information here: Student Commission Overview (Google Slide).

Another rural relevant opportunity is the creation of a Multigrade Teacher Leader Community of Practice (CoP). Partnering with 21CSLA Mid-State Regional Academy (Tulare Region), this Community of Practice will hold eight monthly meetings addressing the unique needs of those ruralteachers teaching 3 or more grade levels in the same classroom. See description of the CoP here Multigrade Teacher Leader CoP (Google Doc). If you want to join, contact Mike Kotar

The CA Rural Ed Network has an Executive Team, a Steering Committee, an Advisory Council and a team of Researchers. All of these members represent and advocate for Rural California through their roles at the CA Department of Education, universities, state and community colleges, county offices of education, and rural districts. 

The CA Rural Ed Network holds an annual Summit that brings together rural educators and advocates from across California to listen to and share effective practices for rural schools. Equity was the theme of the Virtual Summit 2021.  Participants heard from keynote speaker Dr. Sharroky Hollie, and then had a chance to discuss equitable practices occurring in their schools. Summit 2022 will focus on the strengths of rural schools coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

If you have any questions or are interested in the CA Rural Ed Network or any of the projects mentioned, please reach out to Rindy DeVoll.

USING BOOKS TO CREATE MIRRORS AND WINDOWS

Submitted by Sandra Azevedo

According to Simone Hobbs, “Our books need to reflect the students. That’s the bottom line. They need to see themselves.”  Ms. Hobbs, a sixth-grade teacher at CK Price Middle School in Orland, CA is passionate about reading and recently, she was awarded a Book Love Foundation grant to build up her classroom library and help other teachers do the same. Orland, in Glenn County, is a rural community with an economically disadvantaged student population. Many students are from Hispanic families. CK Price School has about 500 students and Ms. Hobbs teaches five English/Language Arts (ELA) classes to sixth graders. 

“Spreading the love of reading is having kids talk about reading. It is about everyone having books. We do table talk every day and that's talking about reading. I want kids to see connections. Getting the right book in the hands of students, that's what drives me. And, it’s about comprehension. Can they talk about their book? Can they write about their book? Students can't do that meaningfully if they don’t comprehend it.”

Ms. Hobbs displays books in clear and accessible ways, like a bookstore. The books are in small bins labeled by subject that students can take back to their desks to explore. The classroom library includes books ranging in reading difficulty from picture books, to graphic novels, to longer novels. Content includes fiction and non-fiction, both light-hearted and serious. Diversity in authors and social justice are emphasized. Topics include: Native Americans, LGBTQ, 20th Century history, immigration, addiction, and science. “I like books that change you after you read them”, she shared. Taking books home is never a barrier to students in her class. Ms. Hobbs has a library lending system for easy check-out and says any book in the classroom can be taken home.

Ms. Hobbs facilitates student choice and reading for pleasure. For 10-15 minutes every day when they come into class, students read.  Everyone has a “What I’m Reading List”(opens in new window)and every Friday they share what they are reading and what books, if any, they abandoned. They have to give a reason why they abandoned something. These are not the school books, rather, the ones they choose to read for pleasure. Additionally, students send video recordings every two weeks to Ms. Hobbs on their reading status. See Ms. Hobbs three minute example video (opens in new window). They don’t have to be done with a book after two weeks, just provide an update on it. “One of my goals is to confer.  That’s why I started the video process. I go around and check in with students individually while they are doing silent reading. With the video check-ins, I get more of that. I joke that this is your AR (Accelerated Reader) test. Tell me about the book? Is this the book for you?”

This poem by Ms. Hobbs captures her passion for reading:

So much depends

On a good book

Just the right book

That the student doesn’t

 Know just yet, that book they don’t

Know they’re looking for

That they can’t find

That is calling their name

Their match, their one and only

The book that completes them

That inspires them, makes them laugh

Keeps them coming back

Maybe makes them cry

Can’t wait to keep reading

Can’t wait til the end

To grab another

Educators interested in expanding the diversity in their own curriculum may look to the California Department of Education (CDE) for guidance. In March of 2021, CDE adopted the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. The preface states that “the Curriculum will focus on traditional ethnic studies  . . .  characterized by four foundational disciplines: African American, Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander studies. Focus on the experiences of these four disciplines provides an opportunity for students to learn of the histories, cultures, struggles, and contributions to American society of these historically marginalized peoples which have often been untold in US history courses.”  



Do You Edutopia?

Edutopia from the George Lucas Education Foundation in San Rafael has been providing useful resources for school leaders and teachers for 30 years that address a wide range of topics. The foundation is dedicated to transforming K-12 education so that all students can acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives. Check out these titles from a recent issue of Edutopia Weekly. Each title is a hotlink to the article.

List of Titles from Edutopia Weekly
The Necessity of Finding More Ways to Praise

Encouraging students is not enough, says a new study--you actually have to raise your ratio of praise to reprimands dramatically, and that might mean keeping track.

A Question Teachers Should Ask as Often as Possible

Push students past simple recall into deeper thought and engagement by adding this short follow-up question to your repertoire. 

Harnessing the Synergy Between Trauma-Informed Teaching and SEL

Students can develop the core competencies of social and emotional learning with the support of strong relationships with teachers.

The ‘How’ of Building Deeper Relationships with Students

When students feel safe and supported in school, they can learn better. Here’s how to start making those connections

How School Leaders Can Navigate Conflicting Demands This Year

Principals are being pulled in all sorts of directions, but it’s crucial that they prioritize what will do the most good for students.

How to Use Microtracking to Promote Student Autonomy

Guiding students to create lists of learning objectives and what they need to do to meet those goals on time can boost their independence.

How to Design Better Tests, Based on the Research

A review of a dozen recent studies reveals that to design good tests, teachers need to consider bias, rigor, and mindset.

Resources for Promoting Social and Emotional Learning at Home

Providing families of students in preschool to second grade with strategies to bolster SEL skills can also strengthen family bonds.

Exploring Environmental Issues Outside of Science Classes

Whether students are studying art, math, social studies, or English, there’s a way to incorporate environmental concerns.

5 Trauma-Informed Strategies for Supporting Refugee Students

Educators can take the initiative to provide safe and welcoming spaces in their classrooms and school community.



Whale-Tail Grants are Now Open!

Apply by November 5th 

Whale Tail Grants support experiential education and stewardship of the California Coast and its watersheds. Grant projects can engage youth and adults and take place anywhere in California.

  • Application Deadline: November 5, 2021
  • Applicants may request any amount up to $50,000. At least 25% of the funding will be allocated in small grants up to $20,000. Approximately $1,500,000 will be distributed.
  • Eligible Applicants: Non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, projects of a non-profit fiscal sponsor, schools or districts, government entities, Federally Recognized Tribes, and other California Native American Tribes as defined by Governor's Executive Order B-10-11.
  • WHALE TAIL® grants focus on reaching communities that have historically received fewer marine education and stewardship opportunities. Projects throughout California are eligible.

Apply for the  Whale-Tail Grant Today!(opens in new window)



NorCal ELC Webinar Series

We’ve sponsored a series of webinars that focus on increasing equity in education and social and emotional learning. The upcoming webinar will be held live cast on Zoom.

NorCal Equity Community of Practice

With Lily Chang - Coordinator of Continuous Improvement, BCOE

  • Thursday, January 13, 2022 @ 3:30-5 PM (Session 2 of 4)

Achieving equity in education is necessary to improve the outcomes for students and staff, especially those who have been historically marginalized. It’s imperative that educators come together to prioritize equity as it relates to race and culture, address systemic racism, forms of oppression and exclusion, and identify unfair practices and policies that contribute to inequitable outcomes. Participants will deepen their learning and awareness, share resources and tools, collaborate and network in order to move to action. 

Session Schedule:

  • Session 3 will be held live cast on March 24, 2022
  • Session 4 will be held live cast on May 12, 2022 

Register now for NorCal Equity Community of Practice (PDF).