NAPA
Thompson announces 2021 Congressional App Challenge
On Tuesday Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) announced the start of his 2021 Congressional App Competition, open to all middle and high school-aged students in the Fifth Congressional District. The challenge invites students to design an app in an effort to increase awareness and participation in science, math, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and computer science education. A statement from Thompson is below.
“It’s critical we ensure our students have the skills to compete in a 21st Century workforce, including computer science and STEM learning. That’s why each year, I host my Congressional App Challenge to encourage local middle and high school students to design an original app. I’m glad to announce the start of this year’s challenge and encourage all young people in our district to compete. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!”
Each year, students in the Fifth Congressional District are invited to compete in Thompson’s Congressional App Challenge. The winning app from each district if put on display in the U.S. Capitol for one year. You can click here to learn more and find out how to apply. App submissions are due by 5pm PT on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.
—Submitted
LITTLE RIVER
MCOE Hosts Multi-County Education Conference
This week, the Mendocino County Office of Education (MCOE) hosted a retreat for eight county offices of education to discuss educational trends and share best practices. In addition to MCOE, participants included county offices from Alameda, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Napa, San Diego, and Sonoma.
County offices of education are often siloed by their areas of expertise: educational services, business and finance, special education, advocacy and outreach, and so on. According to Mendocino County Superintendent of Schools Michelle Hutchins, the California County Superintendents Education Services Association (CCSESA) provides training and education for job-alike groups such as all county superintendents or all assistant superintendents of educational services, but they rarely bring multi-disciplinary groups together.
She said, “That’s what we do each year at this conference. We discuss the most pressing educational priorities and challenges, and how they affect our agencies and the districts we serve.”
This year’s three-day conference included presentations by top-level state leaders in education.
The conference focused primarily on the topics of budget and equity. In the wake of the pandemic, schools are receiving one-time funding to offset costs associated with the implementation of safety protocols and remote learning. Conference attendees discussed how these one-time monies could be apportioned to have the most positive and lasting effects for students.
According to Hutchins, attendees also did a “deep dive on equity” that was well received, even by those who were not enthusiastic about the topic. “Dr. Bagula’s presentation wasn’t about making one group feel guilty. Instead, she used a scientific approach to help each of us understand how human brains process information; she helped us become more aware of the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge.” Dr. Bagula’s presentation included information from the Cognitive Bias Codex of 2016.
Dr. Bagula also addressed the importance of providing educational materials that are relevant and inspirational for various groups of students. For example, instead of providing a 14-year-old English learner with young children’s books because the language is simpler, Dr. Bagula recommended a lesson of interpreting a utility bill—an exercise that is relevant, useful, and appropriate for the student’s grade level. “That’s equity,” Hutchins explained.
Hutchins continued, “Overall it was a great conference. The high vaccination rate among attendees allowed us to meet in person, which added so much to the experience. We were mindful of safety protocols and grateful to the staff at Little River Inn who worked with us to provide a high quality experience with comfortable accommodations and excellent service, even though they, like many in the hospitality industry, are currently short-staffed. Most importantly, as educators and leaders, we deepened our knowledge of how to support each other as we support the students in our counties.”
—Submitted
—Compiled by Ariel Carmona Jr.
