News Briefs | FYI | May 23, 2022

Association of California School Administrators

News Briefs | FYI

May 23, 2022

Thurmond visits educators in schools affected by fire

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond visited local school administrators in districts affected by the devastating Coastal Fire in Orange County. He joined local educators May 13 to hear about efforts made by schools moving quickly and efficiently to ensure students did not fall behind while evacuations were in place. He also offered support with food vouchers, gift cards and other monetary resources to help the families and students that have been affected by the Coastal Fire.

“We are truly saddened by the recent events following the Coastal Fire here in Orange County. We will work tirelessly around the clock to ensure students and their families will be taken care of as evacuations continue throughout the area,” Thurmond said, in a news release. “Fire season continues to get worse here in California and we’re already in the midst of a historic drought. Tragically, these horrific wildfires are a new normal as a result of climate change.”

Thurmond joined local educators, including Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte and Orange County Superintendent of Schools Al Mijares, to inform the public about important evacuation measures the area is taking to keep students safe and out of the fire zone.

No instructional time was lost during the evacuation orders issued from the Coastal Fire. This was a direct result of the educators in the area and their commitment to ensuring students do not fall behind. Capistrano Unified personnel was able to act quickly and efficiently to move students and staff without any disruption.

Students who have been evacuated from surrounding schools are relocating to Wood Canyon Elementary School in Aliso Viejo.

Thurmond and CDE will continue to support families, students and school employees in the area who have been evacuated from their homes. More information and resources related to response and recovery efforts associated with natural disasters and emergency incidents can be found on the CDE Disaster and Emergency Resources web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ep/schoolemergencyres.asp.

FYI

Magazine seeks submissions on solving staffing issues

Leadership magazine is seeking submissions for its September/October 2022 issue with the theme “Staffing in Schools.” Topics include retention and recruitment; what we learned from COVID staffing shortages; principal pipelines; credentialing; teacher residencies; classified recruitment; planning for retirements; and diversity in hiring. Articles should be at least 750 words and include practical information written in an informal style. Email your article to Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Naj Alikhan. Find Leadership online at leadership.acsa.org. The submission deadline is June 13, 2022.

Students can apply for free summer leadership academy

The summer conference of the Ed100 Academy for Student Leaders will be held June 20-22, 2022. This free, online event connects students from all over California with extraordinary opportunities for leadership and civic engagement. Student leaders who are well-prepared and well-informed can make a big difference in their school, in their community and beyond. Find more information, including a list of represented schools and a sample letter to send to students at https://ed100.org/blog/student-leader-academy.

Join free webinar series from Attendance Works

The Attendance Works’ Attendance Awareness Campaign webinar series continues from 12-1:30 p.m. May 25, featuring insights from students, parents and educators on what promotes engagement and attendance. Register for this free webinar at https://awareness.attendanceworks.org/resources/webinars/.