Marin County Air Quality Outdoor Activity Overview and Communication Protocols for Schools

The attached Marin County Air Quality Outdoor Activity Overview and Communication Protocols for Schools in Spanish and English, illustrates when and how to modify outdoor physical activity based on the Air Quality Index (AQI), and communication protocols at different AQI thresholds.  This guidance can help protect the health of all children, including teenagers, who are more sensitive than adults, to air pollution.  Air quality can also be checked daily at www.airnow.gov.

The nearby wildfires continue to significantly impact air quality throughout Marin County.  As a reminder, extensive work was done last year with Marin County Public Health to develop information, resources and protocols for days with poor air quality.  As we are now dealing with the additional challenge of COVID-19, Public Health reviewed the guidelines for any needed revisions.

PLEASE NOTE: a revision has been made to protocols when the air quality hits the “Red Flag” or “Unhealthy” stage.  The earlier protocols recommended moving physical activity indoors during the Unhealthy period.  The new “COVID-19” edition of the air quality protocols does NOT make that recommendation and students should not engage in physical activity indoors during the COVID-19 period.

The new COVID-19 edition of the Air Quality Protocols are at this link and attached:

In addition, AIRNOW.GOV has revamped their Air Quality Data page making it easier and more efficient to use.

Additional resources and other resources can be found on the MCOE Extreme Weather Information web page.

Marin Community Learning Hubs

We are appreciative of everyone’s collaboration and partnership in working together to provide Marin Community Learning Hubs during the 2020-21 school year. Marin Community Learning Hubs are safe spaces with adult supervision for TK-8th grade students during school hours. Students will receive connection support for distance learning and access to WiFi. This opportunity is FREE for families who meet specific criteria.

Eligible families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, work with Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), foster youth, newcomers, families unable to access or support distance learning, siblings, and those with special circumstances.

You can use the attached English and Spanish language template email when sharing the attached flyers and Interest Surveys in Spanish and English with partners and families. Please let us know if you have questions or would like additional support. We look forward to continued collaboration with you.

Parents Anonymous Inc Support Groups

In partnership with Governor Newsom, Parents Anonymous® Inc. recently launched the California Parent & Youth Helpline and Online Parents Anonymous® Support Groups in response to the Coronavirus to provide free trauma-informed, evidenced-based emotional support to Parents, Children and Youth in any language via calls, text, live chat and email. The California Parents & Youth Helpline operates 7 days a week from 8:00AM-8:00PM. Parents can join a Weekly Online Support Group now through the website: caparentyouthhelpline.org. In this confidential setting, parents address their underlying emotions and build resiliency to strengthen their family.  California Parent & Youth Helpline and Online Support Groups, offer free resources for Parents, Caregivers, Children and Youth.  Attached are outreach flyers in both English and Spanish.

2020-21 Adopted Budget Review
 

District Business Services office staff are in the process of reviewing the district's 2020-21 adopted budgets.  We expect to provide draft review letters to districts on or about September 11th, with final letters issued by the statutory deadline of September 15. This year we will be changing how the letters will be addressed to the board presidents: the district office address will be listed in the letters, however, the letters will continue to be mailed to the board presidents' home addresses. As always, we appreciate as quick a response as possible to ensure we meet the statutory deadline for the final letters.

 

 

Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting

Senate Bill (SB) 98 changed instructional time and attendance accounting requirements for 2020-21 with temporary regulations. For the 2020-21 school year the annual instructional minutes requirement has been suspended and in its place, LEAs must provide minimum daily instructional minutes that vary by grade span. The regulations in place for 2020-21 pay particular attention to providing instruction at a distance and include requirements to document daily participation and weekly engagement. CDE have provided a template that will satisfy all elements of the temporary regulations, however, the template is not required and the elements required may be more efficiently managed by making slight modifications to our existing student information systems. Nick Mitchell from our Information Services team joined us for a work session of CBOs and Instructional leaders on August 28, 2020 to share the latest information and ideas for documenting compliance including how to best utilize existing student information systems.

 

Unaudited Actuals Financial Data

District Business Services has been hosting weekly technical assistance work sessions over the summer on topics related to year end closing and SACS unaudited data submissions with updates on events that may impact school budgets. The Unaudited Actuals Financial reports are due to the County Office of Education on or before September 15, 2020.

 

 

School Board Candidate Workshop Series held on August 17, 18, 19 and 20, 2020

We experienced a great turn out for the School Board Candidate Workshop series. Attendees appeared to be engaged and stayed for the full session each evening. We would like to express our gratitude to Yancy Hawkins from Novato Unified School District and Corbett Elsen from Tamalpais Union High School District for co-presenting the Local Control Finance workshop.

 

 

Cash Management

Cash and County Treasury has been reconciled as of June 30, 2020. Temporary cash loans provided by the County of Marin has ensured positive cash flows to close the 2019-20 fiscal year for all Marin county districts.

PreK3 Initiative Desired Results Developmental Profile Update

The PreK3 Initiative is coordinating an opportunity for PreK teachers to share with TK or Kindergarten Teachers, a summary of each child’s Desired Results Developmental Profile (2015).  The DRDP2015 is a formative assessment instrument developed by the CDE for young children and their families and used to inform instruction and program development.   The goal of this activity is to support children’s transition to TK or K by giving their new teachers a profile of their developmental status as of last spring, as well as anecdotal data from the PreK Teacher and family. 

Due to funding reductions, the ECE dept plans are still in development. 

"Walking Up the CA Teaching Pyramid", Tools to Support Children's Return

On October 17^th, 9:00am – 12:00pm, the Early Childhood Education Department will hold their first virtual Early Learning Summit, which is a collaboration with the College of Marin.  For more information, please refer to the following workshop link: https://cainclusion.org/teachingpyramid/walking-up-the-pyramid/.  As this is funded through the North Bay ECE QRIS HUB it will be open to eight Northern CA Counties.

Marin's Ocean and Bay Backyard - September 26, 2020

Facilitated in collaboration with Dr. Jessica Bean of UC Berkeley, Marin's Ocean and Bay Backyard blends virtual learning with our local environment to discuss the impact of humans on Marin County's coastal ecosystems.  This is open to all Teachers grades 2nd-8th.  Click here to complete the interest form, and see the attached flyer for more information.

Elevation to Transformation Seminar Series 2020 

This three part virtual series is designed to help participants develop the foundation and tools to talk about race, elevating racial consciousness, and the impact of race on their lives and work.  Held in cohorts of 30 people to enable the connectivity and engagement necessary for this work.  Facilitated by Dr. Lori Watson, CEO Race-Work.  See the attached flyer for more details and registration.

Training of Trainers for Racial Equity Transformation

This series beginning in September 2020, is designed to help educators deconstruct often unconscious personal biases and beliefs, develop the knowledge and skills to challenge them when they arise, and thereby moving closer to systemic equity transformation.  Educators will engage in a series of personally reflective exercises, thought provoking dialogue, and race-centered instruction supporting their ability to serve as equity leaders in their school communities.  Please see the attached flyer for more details and registration.

Trauma Care

MCOE is pleased to bring you a year-long series of grant-funded Trauma Care professional development opportunities with Julie Kurtz, founder of Center for Optimal Brain Integration (COBI). This series is intended to support district and school staff in addressing trauma and other impacts of COVID-19 on the school community. 

Asynchronous Trauma Care Module Series

30-40 minute prerecorded sessions with accompanying resources (available until August 2021)

• Overview of Trauma and Resilience
• Adult Self-Care and Self Awareness
• Nurturing and Responsive Relationships Part 1 & 2
• Safe and Predictable Environments Part 1 & 2
• Teaching Sensory and Emotional Literacy Part 1 & 2
• Managing Big Emotions and Self-Regulation
• Looking at Trauma Through the Lens of an Individual Child

Weekly COVID-19 Updates from State Superintendent Tony Thurmond

Following are the weekly COVID-19 updates from CA State Superintendent Tony Thurmond for the month of August 2020.

• Friday, August 7, 2020
• Friday, August 14, 2020
• Friday, August 21, 2020
• Friday, August 28, 2020

School & College Legal Services of CA - MCOE Legal Updates Resource 

As a resource for all, please refer to the link here  from the Marin County Office of Education's website, for a complete listing of the School and College Legal Services of California Legal Updates from 2019 to present. 

Lost Minutes of Instructional Time Due to Fires

In the midst of rolling blackouts and fires in Northern California, School & College Legal Services of CA has provided the attached review of procedures for asking the CA Department of Education to waive penalties for lost instructional time due to emergency school closures.

California Supreme Court Ruling on Pension Reform

The CA Supreme Court unanimously upheld a pension reform law that prevents certaiin county employees from artificially increasing their final year of wages to obtain higher pension payments, also know as "pension spiking".  Please refer to the attached memo for more information.  

Guidance for Cohort Instruction and Childcare at Schools on the State Monitoring List

On August 25, 2020, the CA Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued Cohorting Guidance to identify conditions in which schools otherwise prohibited from reopening for full in-person instruction can offer in-person services to small groups of students, including for small group instruction and childcare.  Refer to attached memo for more information.

SchoolsRule Marin Distribution Event - October 27, 2020

Save the Date!  The SchoolsRule Marin Distribution Event is October 27, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.  The Zoom link is forthcoming.

School and College Legal Services (SCLS): Best Practices in assessment associated with emotional disturbance and ERMHS - September 15, 2020 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

This workshop will review best practices in assessment, various ERMHS issues and review of FBA/BIP.

 

Behavior: Special Circumstance Assistance (SCA) - September 22, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Supporting students with special circumstance assistance Part 1: Determining the Need for Special Circumstance Assistance.

 

Diagnostic Center: The Impact of Trauma at School - September 15, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Better understanding, Recognition, Assessment and Support for Students with Trauma Related Challenges.

 

Learning  Ally: Build a Rich Vocabulary for Struggling Readers by using Learning Ally Audiobooks - Elementary School Educators on September 16 or Middle and High School Educators on September 17, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Understanding, Recognition, Assessment and Support for Students with Trauma Related Challenges. This workshop will teach you strategies to increase access to academic vocabulary by using the Learning Ally App.

 

Learning  Ally: Using Learning Ally Audiobooks as a Model for Fluent Reading - September 21, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Discover how to pair the Learning Ally audiobook alongside explicit instruction to build the capacity for fluency.

 

SPG: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Overview - Part 1 September 14, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Part 2 September 15, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. *required for part 1 only*

 

PENT: Using Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) During Distance Learning - (Pre-recorded training) Video

When transitioning to online learning, it can be helpful to remember that the same practices used in physical classrooms can work just as well invirtual classrooms. This short video will show teachers how to create a distance learning teaching matrix, defining expected behaviors for online activities. Teaching, practicing, and rewarding these behaviors can help make distance learning more safe, predictable, and positive.