Left, left, right, right, left, left, right right. Students participating in the first annual Robot Riot last month were challenged to program their LEGO Mindstorm robots to navigate a wooden maze in a race against the clock. Held Saturday, May 11, Robot Riot attracted nearly 100 students from elementary, middle and high schools in Tulare, Kern and Fresno counties. Tensions were high as robots battled against each other in Tug-o-War and Sumo competitions. Students tested their programming skills in competitions such as the Light Sensor Course, which required robots to follow a meandering white line on the f loor utilizing their optical sensors. The event also included races - both fast and slow. The goal of the slow-motion Turtle Race was to design a robot that would achieve the slowest continuous time traveled over five feet. At the end of the day, ribbons were awarded to students in each of the seven competitions. Students from Linwood Elementary (Visalia), Conyer HEART After School Program (Visalia), La Joya Middle School (Visalia), and Tehachapi High School were the top prize recipients. To read more, visit www.tcoe.org/NewsGallery.

June 2013

Robot Riot challenges students to utilize science, math, engineering and technology skills

New annual technology-based event launched

T H E N E W S L E T T E R o f T H E T U L A R E C O U N T Y O F F I C E o f E D U C A T I O N

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(top photo) Students prepare their robots for battle in the Sumo Bot competition. The object of the event is to push one’s competitor outside the circle. (lower photo) Students inspect an ultra slow-moving robot in the Turtle Race .

Teachers, parents, administrators recognized for service to children with special needs

Special Services honors Clarey, Daniel For her dedication to connecting with each of her students on an individual basis and unlocking their potential, teacher Barbara Clarey has received the annual Brent Rast Award from the Special Services Division. Named in memory of Brent Rast, a Tulare County Office of Education teacher for students with severe needs, the award honors teachers who possess his leadership and vision qualities. The award was presented at the annual Community Advisory Council (CAC) luncheon, co-hosted by the countywide Directors of Special Education (DOSE) and the Superintendents Governance Committee. Program Manager Jill Santivanez surprised Mrs. Clarey with the award, calling her to the stage before a large audience of administrators, teachers and parents. “Barbara seeks the highest standards for her students to achieve and meets the needs of every student that is fortunate enough to be in her classroom,” she said.

Barbara Clarey began teaching for TCOE in August 1999 at Linwood Elementary. In 2000, she transferred to F.J. White Learning Center in Woodlake where she has a classroom of elementary-age students. She has enjoyed the Woodlake class and has appreciated the support of school staff, the parents and the community. Her students stay with her for up to seven years before they transition to a middle school program. “I treat each student individually, challenging them to do more because I know they are capable,” she says. “I find that if they are challenged, then the behavior issues tend to go away.” She is quick to add, “Of course, I couldn't do this without the help of my terrific aides Caroline Salazar and Jessie Gomez.” In her colorful classroom, Mrs. Clarey moves from task to task with great energy and humor, while maintaining her focus on the students she is instructing. “The challenge of every special education teacher is to get to know each student and their interests,” Mrs. Clarey says. “Those interests can be the key to unlocking their learning and the trigger that shows you how much they know.” Evidence of her success in unlocking this potential can be seen in numerous former students who are now doing amazing things at Woodlake High School. At the CAC luncheon, the annual Linda Hess Award, which recognizes an exceptional parent of a student with special needs, was also presented. This year’s recipient was Nancy Daniel, the proud parent of a freshman student at Lindsay High School. Ms. Daniel's son is a member of the Green Zone Program – the partnership program between the district and TCOE’s Behavioral Health Services Program. To read more, visit www.tcoe.org/NewsGallery.

June 2013

Barbara Clarey was selected as the recipient of the annual Brent Rast Award, given each year to an exemplary teacher of the severely handicapped. Since 2000, she has worked with Woodlake students in her classroom at F.J. White Learning Center.

Administrators, teachers and school employees celebrated in annual awards program

2013 Excellence in Education winners selectedLast month, County Superintendent of

Schools Jim Vidak visited three Tulare

County educators, surprising them with

the news that they were winners in the

annual Excellence in Education Awards

program. The winners of the 2013 awards

are Luis Castellanoz (Administrator of the

Year), Susan Burley (Teacher of the Year)

and Gail Inman (School Employee of the

Year).

The Excellence in Education Awards

program, now celebrating its 19th year,

honors “the best of the best” in the three

educational categories. A total of 34

nominations were received this year from

Tulare County school districts, the College

of the Sequoias and Porterville College.

Each nomination was reviewed and scored

individually by members of the selection

committee. “The winners are people who

are committed to excellence in their

respective areas of education,” says Tulare

County Superintendent of Schools Jim

Vidak. “Each winner has gone ‘above and

beyond’ in their educational careers, as well

as their service to their communities.”

Administrator of the Year Luis

Castellanoz is superintendent for the

Tulare City School District. Mr. Castellanoz’s career in education

spans 38 years. In that time, he has served as a second-grade teacher, a

migrant education resource teacher, a principal, an administrator and

– for the past four years – as superintendent of the Tulare City School

District (TCSD). The majority of his career has been spent at TCSD,

including 22 years as assistant superintendent of personnel.

For 10 years early in his career, Mr. Castellanoz worked for the Tulare

County Office of Education in the Migrant Education Program. The

son of migrant farm workers who raised 16 children, Mr. Castellanoz

served several summers as the lead Migrant Education summer

program teacher – working with students to advance their academic skills prior to the fall semester. Nominators

describe Mr. Castellanoz as “steadfast,” “thoughtful” and “caring.” To read more, visit www.tcoe.org/ NewsGallery.

Read more at www.tcoe.org

(top photo, l-r) County Superintendent Jim Vidak, Teacher of the Year Susan Burley, Tulare City School Board president Melissa Janes and Administrator of the Year Luis Castellanoz, district superintendent. (lower photo) Mr. Vidak congratulates School Employee of the Year Gail Inman (center). Also pictured is Porterville Unified Assistant Superintendent, Instructional Services Dr. Val Staley.

The 10th Annual Slick Rock Student Film Festival was held May 18. Nearly 200 videos were submitted by middle and high school students from public and private schools in Tulare, Fresno, Madera and Kings counties. (photo 1) El Diamante High School (Visalia) Junior Bianca Pattani (left) was the winner of the Best Overall Award for her Public Service Announcement (PSA) Good Vibes. She also won the general high school PSA category for her other video Optimism. Bianca is pictured with El Diamante students Courtney Berk and Austin Smith, who won the top prize in the Tulare County “Come Play” tourism category. (photo 2) Caught on the red carpet before the awards ceremony were Festival coordinator Adam Valencia and ABC30 News reporter Jessica Peres. ABC30 was a major sponsor along with the Tulare & Kings Counties Suicide Prevention Task Force. Winning videos can be seen at www.slickrockfestival.org. (photo 3) Enid Brinkman, credentials and retirement supervisor for the Human Resources Division, was selected as one of two finalists in the Excellence in Education Administrator of the Year category. Ms. Brinkman was commended by her nominators for her expertise, which has been used statewide by other educational agencies. (photo 4, l-r) Special Services program manager Jill Santivanez, Public Information Officer Robert Herman, County Superintendent of Schools Jim Vidak and Educational Resource Services administrator Charlene Stringham are pictured at the annual regional Association of California School Administrator (ACSA) awards luncheon. Ms. Santivanez, Mr. Herman and Ms. Stringham were winners of Administrators of the Year Awards for ACSA Region XI, which includes Tulare, Kings, Kern, Inyo and Mono counties. Mr. Herman was also selected Confidential Manager of the Year for ACSA at the state level. For the first time, the Battle of the Books competition included both a middle school category and a new upper elementary school category. The Readers of the Lost Ark team from Eleanor Roosevelt Community Learning Center captured first place in the middle school category, while the Eagles 1 team from Linwood Elementary (Visalia) won the elementary school contest. Teams prepared for the Battle of the Books by reading from a list of books distributed at the beginning of the school year. At the competition, teams participated in a variety of quizzes on the books they've read to earn points toward the championship. Over 1,000 children and adults visited the first annual Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros event held April 27 in Mooney Grove Park. (photo 6) Each child had the opportunity to take home a new book, plus enjoy hands-on activities and performances from young people involved in local mariachi, roping, and Ballet Folklorico groups.

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For more events, programs and meetings, visit our online calendar at www.tcoe.org/CalendarOfEvents

upcomingevents

Special Services Graduation (for Tulare area students)10:00 a.m., City of Tulare Youth Center, 948 N. “H” St.For information, call Linda McKean at (559) 730-2910

Special Services Graduation (for Porterville area students)10:00 a.m., L.B. Hill Learning Ctr., 1051 S. Plano, PortervilleFor information, call Linda McKean at (559) 730-2910

Valley Life Charter School Promotion/Graduation 2:15 p.m., Auditorium, 3737 W. Walnut Ave., Visalia For information, call Lori Lackey at (559) 625-8527

La Sierra Military Academy (LSMA) Graduation7:30 p.m., LSMA, 1735 E. Houston Ave., Visalia For information, call Anjelica Zermeño at (559) 733-6963

Planetarium Public Evening ShowBlack Holes: The Other Side of Infinity7:00 p.m., Peña Planetarium, 2500 W. Burrel, VisaliaFor more information, call (559) 737-6334

Annual Retirees Celebration5:00 p.m., Education Ceneter. 2637 W. Burrel, Visalia For information, call Jeanne Croson at (559) 733-6322

SCICON Summer Academy - Session 1(for students entering grades 6-8)SCICON Campus, SpringvilleFor information, call (559) 539-2642

Summer Institute for Tulare County School Administrators8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Edison Energy Education Center, 4175 S. Laspina St., TulareFor information, call Marlene Moreno at (559) 733-6302

Planetarium Public Matinee Shows: Kaluoka/Hina: The Enchanted Reef2:00 & 3:00 p.m., Peña Planetarium, 2500 W. Burrel, VisaliaFor more information, call (559) 737-6334

SCICON Summer Academy - Session 2(for students entering grades 6-8)SCICON Campus, SpringvilleFor information, call (559) 539-2642

Planetarium Public Show: Perfect Little Planet7:00 p.m., Peña Planetarium, 2500 W. Burrel, VisaliaFor more information, call (559) 737-6334

ERS Technology Class: LEGO Robotics Summer Workshop for Teachers & Students8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., ERS Technology Lab, 7000 Doe Avenue, VisaliaFor information, call Glenn Williams at (559) 651-3047

Theatre Co. Summer Musical: Shrek The MusicalL. J. Williams Theatre, 1001 Main St., Visalia7:00 p.m. evening shows 7/19, 7/20, 7/25, 7/26 and 7/272:30 p.m. matinee shows 7/20 and 7/27General admission tickets $8/VIP tickets $20 available 7/1 For information, call Brian Roberts at (559) 651-1482

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Tulare County Board of Education

News Gallery CommitteeEditor: Robert Herman, Public Information OfficerContributors: Marlene Moreno, Jennifer Fisher, Lorena White, Shelly DiCenzo, Norma Erwin, Paula Terrill, Glenn Williams, Beth Olshewsky, Linda Horsting, Michelle Lapadula and Brian Conway.

The News Gallery is published monthly with the exception of double issues printed for July/August and December/January. If you would like to receive The News Gallery, visit www.tcoe.org/GetTheGallery or contact Jennifer Fisher at (559) 733-6172, or at jenniferf@tcoe.org.

On June 12, the Human Resources Division will honor employees who have retired during the 2012-2013 school year. The annual Retirement Reception will be held at 5:00 p.m. in the Education Center, 2637 West Burrel Avenue. This year, nearly 50 teachers, support staff and administrators have retired. For a complete list of the 2012-2013 retiring honorees, visit www.tcoe.org/NewsGallery.

May was Mental Health Awareness month and TCOE Behavioral Health Services (BHS) received commendation from both the Tulare County Board of Supervisors and the California State Assembly for their work in serving children and their families throughout Tulare County with evidenced-based, behaviorally- focused treatment services that have improved the quality of mental health services. Through the efforts of TCOE BHS, May 9 was declared Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day in both Tulare County and the State of California. BHS Administrator Dr. Eileen Whelan estimates that the program will double its service to Tulare County students in the next school year.

Last month, the Tulare County Hispanic Leadership Network honored six exemplary Tulare County school administrators in its First Annual Administrators of the Year Awards Program. Among the honorees from the Tulare County Office of Education were Educational Resource Services administrator Charlene Stringham and Choices Prevention Programs Program Director Adam Valencia.

County Superintendent of Schools Jim Vidak will host the annual Summer Institute for Tulare County School Administrators on June 19 at the Edison Energy Education Center in Tulare. Open to superintendents, district administrators and principals, Summer Institute will feature nationally-known comedian and author Judy Carter, plus numerous breakout sessions on school finance, instruction and legal topics. The deadline to register is June 14. More information is available at www.tcoe.org/Summer.

Tulare County Superintendent of Schools: Jim VidakPresident: Celia Maldonado-Arroyo, Trustee Area No. 1; Vice President: Joe Enea, Trustee Area No. 5; Trustees: Debby Holguin, Trustee Area No. 2; Tom Link, Trustee Area No. 3; Judy Coble, Trustee Area No. 4; Chris Reed, Trustee Area No. 6; and Patricia Hillman, Trustee Area No. 7

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