Saturday, 07 September 2024

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Opinion

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Dr. Shouan Pan, chancellor of the Yuba Community College District. Courtesy photo.

As I write this article in late March 2024, I am completing nine months of serving as Chancellor of Yuba Community College District, or YCCD.

While settling into my new role and becoming acquainted with the community, I have had the opportunity to meet many individuals — nurses, dental hygienists, police officers, as well as elected city and county leaders — who either have personal ties to one of YCCD's two colleges or have relatives who have studied or worked at one.

Each person has a different story, but I hear a consistent theme: Yuba College (YC) or Woodland Community College (WCC) played a vital role in getting them where they are today. I feel honored to be a part of a community college system that is so deeply integrated into our
communities, serving them in countless impactful ways both now and in the future.

I have come to understand that YCCD's strong connections with the diverse communities it serves establish YC and WCC as anchor institutions for the eight counties spanning across rural, north-central California. Like other rural community colleges in California, YCCD’s institutions have their own set of challenges, but they also draw benefits from their strengths.

Unlike their urban counterparts, rural community colleges serve large geographic areas that have low population density, which often means smaller enrollment and budgets.

Additionally, staff take on multiple roles and responsibilities beyond their official titles, and administrators manage branch campuses situated miles apart. That has been the reality for YC and WCC, and the COVID-19 global pandemic exacerbated these challenges. I am relieved and inspired to see that they have not allowed these obstacles to weaken their commitment to serving students and the communities.

YC and WCC continue to embrace new and innovative initiatives. Both are federally designated Hispanic Serving Institutions, reflecting YCCD’s commitment to strive for equitable student success. Both colleges have significantly expanded dual enrollment and currently serve over 3,500 dual-enrolled students. A significant percentage of these students are the first in their families to take college-level courses and come from populations that have been historically underserved.

Building business partnerships is a priority for YC and WCC to fully serve their mission. Last fall, YC collaborated with the Yuba Water Agency to offer a highly sought-after Watershed Management program, resulting in an enrollment of more than sixty students. Upon graduating from the program, they will have the opportunity to work in an exceptional, high-paying career field.

The financial backing provided by the Yuba Water Agency has been instrumental in making this program feasible, with YC taking proactive steps to address a vital need for workforce development within the region.

Similarly, WCC offers the Environmental Technology Program with a specialization in Drinking Water and Wastewater Technology at its Lake County Campus. The program has proven to be a resounding success, providing many post-traditional students with a solid foundation, industry recognition, and the practical skills needed to excel in the dynamic field of environmental technology.

Like sister colleges across the state, YCCD has always prioritized student success. Our faculty, staff, administrators and the governing board focus heavily on raising degree and certificate completion and graduation for all students.

The work we are doing to enhance student support services, streamline processes, improve academic support, and respond to students’ basic needs is paying off. Our completion, transfer, and living wage outcomes significantly exceed state averages.

In a recent study session of the district board of trustees, college and district staff reported that student completion of associate degrees for the district increased by 24%, from 851 degree completers in 2017 to 1,601 degree completers in 2021. For YC, the increase is 16% for the same period, from 624 to 721; for WCC, the increase is 48%, from 229 to 340. This significant boost in student degree completion across YCCD’s two colleges has only been possible due to the faculty and staff’s commitment to equitable student success.

As we recognize Community College Month this April, it is befitting for us to take a moment to celebrate YCCD and the other 114 community colleges across the state and honor our students, faculty, staff, trustees, and supporters.

Each of these institutions has, in its own way, played a vital role in improving California’s educational and economic health and development, one student, one community at a time.

Dr. Shouan Pan is chancellor of the Yuba Community College District.
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Marie Garceau. Courtesy photo.

St. Patrick’s Day in 2024 is not celebrated for the same reasons it once was, as times change, and holidays take on different meanings.

While some still see it as a family-centric Catholic celebration or a break from Lent-related restrictions, the day primarily focuses on parties, rowdy parades, green beer, bar specials, and heavy drinking.

Sounds fun, right? There are undoubtedly good times had by all who take part, but if you want to stay sober and avoid alcohol, it can pose a challenge. What seems like harmless fun quickly turns into days, months, or years of sobriety down the drain.

Suppose someone is in recovery from alcoholism, choosing a healthy lifestyle, or recently decided to give up alcohol for whatever reason; the temptation of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations is tough to avoid. In any social setting this time of year, there is lively music, good food, and lots to drink.

While it is only one day a year, it can quickly derail any progress on sobriety. Fortunately, there are practical approaches you can take to stay sober and reap the benefits of St. Patrick’s Day sobriety.

Initially, the best benefit of sobriety on St. Patrick’s Day is avoiding impaired driving and not becoming another statistic. In California, alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the biggest threats to public safety. According to a 2021 report, alcohol-involved crashes increased by 16% from 2020 to 2021. If you choose to celebrate, do not drink and drive, and plan ahead.

Staying sober means knowing what to do; consider some pointers.

Remind yourself why you are sober, and don’t do it alone. You can still have fun and celebrate but do it with other sober people. Everyone has their reasons why they stopped drinking; remind yourself of those reasons and hold yourself accountable.

Know your triggers; it doesn’t matter if you are a recovering addict or have removed alcohol from your life. Be cautious around possible triggers that pose a challenge. Most people in this situation choose to skip the bar and find something fun to do or go to a sober celebration.

Keep a non-alcoholic drink or mocktail in your hand. People will not bother you to ask if you want a drink if you already have something to sip on, like a mocktail. This also leads to planning how to say no. You will encounter social pressure if you go to a bar on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s unavoidable. It’s wise to practice ways to refuse alcohol.

Finally, if all else fails, take a walk outside if you feel overwhelmed. The most straightforward solutions are usually the best. Remove yourself from any situation you know will lead to relapse. This is also why it’s essential to be with a sober friend or loved one; there is accountability and someone to lean on.

Marie Garceau has been working in the field of substance use and addiction recovery for over a decade. She works at DRS and primarily focuses on reaching out to the community and spreading awareness.
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Exposure to lead is harmful to young children. Recent news reports of high lead levels found in some fruit pouch brands consumed by kids, highlight the fact that lead exposure is not a thing of the past but an important part of our present. All parents need to be vigilant and informed about lead poisoning prevention.

If you have children age 6 or younger, your health care provider should be talking with you at every well-child visit about the possibility that your child has been exposed to lead. This is important because exposure to lead can cause a wide range of health problems, including irreversible brain damage, especially in young, developing brains. There is no known “safe” level of lead exposure.

Since most children have no symptoms while they are being exposed, the best way to prevent lead poisoning is to know how kids may be exposed and to have your child screened by answering questions and/or getting tested for lead exposure. Testing is recommended at 1 and 2 years of age and is usually done with a quick finger poke at your child’s well-care visit.

For children in publicly funded programs like Medi-Cal and the Women, Infants and Children Supplemental Food Program, or WIC, testing at 1 and 2 years of age is required. For these children, catch-up testing must be done (up to the age of 6 years) if not done at 2 years of age.

Many of us have heard about older (pre-1978) homes being a source of exposure due to the lead-based paints widely used prior to that time. Fortunately, lead-based paints were banned for continued home use in the U.S. in 1978 but can still be found in older homes.

As this paint cracks and peels over time, lead-containing dust and paint chips can find their way onto the hands and then into the mouths of crawling infants and climbing toddlers. Lead may also be found in soil, particularly around older homes and industrial sites and in water that flows
through older pipes containing lead.

Until fairly recently, parents were advised primarily about these potential lead sources. In recent years, we have been finding lead in many more unexpected places.

These days, the items we all eat, drink and use every day (such as pottery, cookware, herbal medicine and makeup), come from all over the world. As countries have varying customs and regulations regarding food and product safety, the potential for lead exposure has grown.

For example, the contaminated apple cinnamon fruit pouches mentioned above were made in Ecuador and sold under various brand names in the United States. The source of contamination is suspected to be the added cinnamon. Similarly, in parts of South Asia, the beautiful golden yellow spice called turmeric has long been used in traditional medicines and in food. In that part of the world, the turmeric roots are often treated with a lead compound to make the color even brighter. This may be one reason that South Asia has some of the highest rates of lead poisoning in the world.

So, parents, the bad news is that lead exposure in children is a big health concern. The good news is that many exposures can be avoided, and testing for lead early can prevent ongoing and higher levels of exposure. Some helpful tips to prevent lead exposure in your home are:

• Be careful and consider the source of spices, medications, cosmetics and items such as cookware and tableware that you bring into your home.

• Think about the age of your home and whether it is likely to have lead paint.

• Talk with your child’s doctor about lead exposure and preventing exposure.

• Visit the California Department of Public Health Lead Prevention Homepage for facts on how you can keep your child safe from lead poisoning.

Dr. Teresa Frankovich is an associate medical director at Partnership HealthPlan of California. Partnership is a community-based, safety-net health plan that contracts with the state to administer Medi-Cal benefits. Partnership provides quality care to over 900,000 Medi-Cal members. Starting in Solano County in 1994, Partnership now serves 24 Northern California counties – Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba. Learn more at PartnershipHP.org.
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Konocti Unified School District Superintendent Becky Salato. Courtesy photo.

Most folks say they want to live in a functioning society, but they sometimes forget this means we must depend on each other. We each have a role to play.

Along with parents and families, schools’ have a responsibility to teach children the skills they need to become self-supporting adults. As life gets more complex, so does the challenge of educating our youth.

When people cannot read, they struggle to fill out job applications. When they cannot do basic arithmetic, they struggle to manage their personal finances. When they cannot think critically, they struggle to make good decisions.

At Konocti Unified, we offer an educational experience that builds the academic, social, and emotional capabilities to help our students navigate the world around them.

From the time students enter kindergarten, we provide pathways so students will have options open to them after high school.

The requirements to graduate from Lower Lake High School are structured to ensure that students are exposed to a wide variety of subjects and skills.

As we plan classes and programs, we ask ourselves what our students need from us to grow into their potential, and what our community needs from our students to regenerate a healthy, thriving community.

We offer college-prep classes in traditional disciplines like math, language arts, science and social studies.

We also offer Career Technical Education, or CTE, classes to let students explore their interests and to give them a launch pad to pursue certain fields after high school (whether they start with college, technical training, or go directly into the workforce).

Most of the businesses in Lake County are owned and operated by local people who have had to learn new skills on the job. To adjust to an ever-changing work environment, people don’t just need to master a fixed set of skills; they need to know how to learn new skills.

That is what a high school diploma and/or a college degree often represent — the ability to learn and the determination to see something through to the end.
I am especially proud of our growing CTE program. With our community partners, we are providing students with essential skills and the knowledge they need to pursue their interests.

Last year, more than 50 students completed a full CTE pathway, and this year, almost 80 students are on track to do so (an increase of 65%). Last year, we offered seven pathways; now we offer eleven.

The pathways include ornamental horticulture/floral design, animal science, child development, food service/hospitality, welding/materials joining, structural repair and finishing, design/visual/media arts, patient care, emergency response (EMT) and beginning in fall 2024, TK-12 Education.

Some of these programs wouldn’t be possible without our community partners. For example, our new emergency services pathway is team-taught with a high school teacher and a firefighter (Fire Chief William Sapeta or Battalion Chief Marc Hill). When students complete this pathway, they are ready to take the emergency medical technician, or EMT, certification test so they can work alongside paramedics as first responders.

Our new education pathway will address the nationwide teacher shortage right here at home. Students who complete this pathway can apply for positions as paraprofessionals in our district when they graduate from high school.

They can remain in that position, or they can work as paraprofessionals during college while they earn their bachelor’s degree. Then, they can come and work as teachers for us while they complete their teaching credential.

We also have a childhood development pathway that prepares students to work with young children, ideally providing more qualified staff for preschools and transitional kindergarten classrooms.

Our public safety pathway helps fill another shortage in our community: that of law enforcement. Once students complete this pathway, they can apply to any number of agencies to finish their law enforcement education, whether they choose police, highway patrol, sheriff, or corrections.

To fill the pipeline of people qualified to work in agriculture, we offer ornamental horticulture, floral design and animal science. These courses open the door to many fields of study, from crop science to animal husbandry and more.

Our food service/hospitality pathway has introduced the world of culinary endeavors to many students. Whether they choose to become chefs or simply cook amazing meals for friends and family, this program offers many rewards.

Sometimes CTE classes help students get summer jobs making excellent wages. I recently learned that one of our seniors was hired as a welder last summer at $45/hour.

Along those lines, we are working with the Lake County Economic Development Corp. to identify local employers interested in hiring our students for work-based learning opportunities as part of our Structural Repair and Finishing Pathway (automotive).

Our goal is to prepare students for college and eventually, for them to become our community’s next generation of workers. All CTE pathway courses satisfy college entry (“A-G”) requirements for California’s public universities. Some courses even offer dual enrollment so students get high school and college credit at the same time.

When students at Carle recently asked about the value of a high school diploma, they were encouraged to figure it out–in terms of dollars and sense. Their research determined that the difference in earnings with a high school diploma versus without one would amount to about $600,000 over their lifetime. That’s a lot!

We are so fortunate to work hand-in-hand with our community partners. Thanks for supporting our schools. We’ll continue to do our best to prepare our students to be the workers you need in the years to come.

Becky Salato is superintendent of the Konocti Unified School District.
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Dr. Nicki Thomas. Courtesy photo.

You may be surprised to learn that when our youngest students miss just two days of school per month for any reason — excused or unexcused — they can become third-graders who can’t make the transition from learning to read to reading to learn; sixth-graders who cannot keep up in core classes, and high school students who do not graduate.

Missing ten percent of school, which equates to about 18 days for the whole school year, is called “chronic absenteeism” and children living in poverty are more than twice as likely to be chronically absent. This is especially harmful in kindergarten through third grade when students are building fundamental language and math skills.

Even when students are absent because of something important like a medical appointment or family emergency, they still miss out on the teacher’s lesson and social time with their peers. Studies show it takes three days for students to catch up for every one day they miss.

Here’s why. When students miss a day of school, they not only miss that day’s lesson, they also struggle to keep up when they return to the classroom because lessons build on each other. If they missed yesterday, today’s lesson will be harder. They don’t like feeling behind, so they disengage. When school goes from being fun to confusing, from being easy to hard, many students stop trying.

The best thing parents can do is to get their children to school every single day. This means scheduling appointments after school when possible. It means planning family trips to coincide with school holidays. It means only keeping students home for illness when they have one of these three symptoms: a fever higher than 100 degrees; diarrhea or vomiting during the previous 24 hours; or eyes that look pink and/or crusty.

I understand the desire to keep kids home from school when they have the sniffles, to wrap them up in a cozy blanket and feed them chicken noodle soup. But allowing them to skip school just a couple of days a month can significantly affect their success at school.

When you get your child to school every day, it sends a message: that showing up every day is important. And these good habits can last a lifetime.

Some people think I am worried about attendance because of the drop in funding that occurs when students are absent. It’s true — I do care about funding, but only because of what funding allows us to do for our students. More funding means we can hire more teachers, which reduces class sizes. Smaller class sizes allow each child to receive more individual attention from their teacher.

Chronic absenteeism impacts more than academics. At school, students learn to navigate complex social interactions with peers, they develop respectful relationships with caring adults, and they explore extracurricular interests like athletics, art, and music. They also get a roof over their heads, a free meal, and a safe space to be themselves.

Unfortunately, students whose families are struggling financially are a lot more likely to be absent because of factors out of their control, such as unstable housing, unreliable transportation and a lack of access to health care.

If you are having trouble getting your child to school every day, talk to their teacher. We’ll do what we can to connect you with more resources — other families who could help out, district support, or assistance from community organizations.

Education is the path to success and having students in school every day is the path to a great education.

Dr. Nicki Thomas is superintendent for the Kelseyville Unified School District in Kelseyville, California.
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Becky Salato. Courtesy photo.

When it comes to motivating students (or anyone, really), holding them to an overwhelming goal doesn’t work.

The California Department of Education regularly updates an online dashboard for each public school district to display information about academic achievement and some of the factors that contribute to it, including suspension rates, chronic absenteeism, English Learner progress, and more.

As a district, Konocti Unified has a history of struggling to achieve at high levels when measured on the basis of “Distance from Standard,” which is what the dashboard uses. I recognize the importance of having uniform standards, but I also know how depressing it can feel when those standards feel out of reach. So, while we continue to strive for high marks, our schools are paying attention to whether students are making progress.

Imagine for a moment that your health level makes it hard to walk to the mailbox without getting winded. You know you’re not in great shape, and when someone tells you you’re not as fast as the track star next door, you shrug and shuffle back to your front door. Would you like to be in better shape? Sure. Who wouldn’t? But when external measures seem completely unrealistic, why put any effort into achieving them?

Now imagine that the whole neighborhood is on a health kick and each person is measured on their own improvement. You receive daily encouragement and helpful information about the benefits of cardiovascular health. Each time your minutes-to-the-mailbox score improves, everyone celebrates.

Suddenly, you’re fired up. You know you can shave another minute off your time. You love how much better you’re feeling. You think it’s great that you aren’t tired all the time. Now, you’re not even working hard for the recognition; you’re working hard because you like the results. Now, it’s for you.

This is what we are going for at Konocti Unified. We’re measuring student progress. If a middle school student is reading at a third-grade level and they achieve two years of progress in one year, according to the distance-from-standard measure, they are still “below grade level.”

But according to our measure, they are ROCK STARS! In one year, they learned twice as much as anyone expected. We call that a reason to celebrate.

When students start succeeding, they start to believe in themselves. After all my years in education, I can tell you, this is where the magic happens. This little snowball of success can roll into an avalanche or achievement.

At Pomo Elementary, Lexile (reading) growth rates were stunning. The percentage of kids who hit the 50-point growth goal was as follows:

First grade: 83%
Second grade: 85%
Third grade: 73%
Fourth grade: 69%
Fifth grade: 61%
Sixth grade: 52%

This is a huge improvement over prior years. We have implemented a strong foundational reading program in grades K-3. Schoolwide, we are providing the kind of support that catches students as soon as they start to stumble, so they don’t get stuck — and frustrated. This keeps students motivated to learn.

We celebrated all students for the schoolwide success — this helps students feel connected to each other and feel school pride.

For students to succeed, we need them at school. Poor attendance has been a problem countywide, but we are starting to see improvement in that area. By making our schools as welcoming as possible, students have a place where they feel like they belong.

Sometimes, this means finding a club or sports team. Sometimes, this means connecting with a caring adult willing to take the time to listen. Sometimes, it simply means getting used to each other.

At Obsidian Middle School, we had a bumpy start to the year. We knew this would be the case. When this many middle schoolers come together in a new school, they need to figure out the social hierarchy. It’s human nature.

The good news is that things are settling way down. We have a tiny fraction of the fights on campus that we had at the beginning of the year. Our goal is no fights (standards-based goal), but we are focusing on our progress (things are moving quickly and dramatically in the right direction).

At Obsidian, we are also creating a culture that supports a sense of community. Our House Structure program allows students to be in a smaller learning environment.

Students have two core teachers, one STEM (math and science) and one Humanities (English and history). Each house has approximately 90 students, and the students travel together in their three blocks throughout the day. This makes a middle school of 600 students feel smaller and more personalized. We plan to name the houses and hold healthy competitions this semester to boost school/house spirit.

At Obsidian we also have “positive referrals,” where all staff members can “catch” students doing good work, such as standing up for another student, helping a staff member or cleaning up the campus.

The student receives an Obsidian Middle School hoodie and can take the positive note home to share with parents. These hoodies are gaining popularity and students are working hard to earn them.

We have so many reasons to feel encouraged. We are proud of the progress our students are making. We intend to continue to help them set realistic goals and to celebrate when they reach them.

So, although our California Department of Education dashboard may not look amazing (yet), we’ll keep motivating our students to achieve. Our goal is progress, not perfection.

Becky Salato is superintendent of Konocti Unified School District in Lower Lake, California.

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