August 2015 - San Luis Obispo County Office of Education

SLOCOE eNews
SLO COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
A
T.S. Eliot poem about new
beginnings is truly fitting for
this time of year.
“For last year’s words belong
to last year’s language,
And next year’s words await
another voiceTo make an end is to
make a beginning.”
Our new year allows us to welcome
several new employees to the
SLOCOE family in all divisions.
Additionally the new academic year is most certainly going to
be a time of change for all of our organizations throughout the
county.
I want to thank the sixteen individuals representing each of
our divisions that participated in the two-day strategic
planning session. The information gathered in our Strengths,
Mark Your Calendars
IMPORTANT REMINDER:
Back-to-School Breakfast
Wednesday, August 18, 8 am to 10 am
Rancho El Chorro
ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY
There will be breakfast, music, updates,
service awards, prizes
Did you know . . .
Beth Gorrill
(Student
Programs &
Services) once
was a US Forest
Service Wildland Firefighter? She is pictured here with
her truck.
IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS for this
newsletter, or areas of our organization you
would like to see highlighted, please email:
newsletter@slocoe.org by the 15th of each
month. We welcome ideas and photos.
AUGUST 2015
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis, as
well as the subsequent strategic planning, will only strengthen
our organization. As with the SWOT, all data (positive and
not-so-positive) is being shared with all employees. I ask that
you take some time to review this data and reflect on our
shared mission:
“To promote student success by supporting the work
of local school districts, delivering specialized
student services, and providing countywide
leadership and advocacy for the needs of all
children.”
Lincoln stated that a house divided cannot stand. Only
together do we grow stronger in our service to others. I thank
you for your dedication and willingness to work together in
strengthening SLOCOE so we can best serve our community.
- Jim Brescia
Cool Notes Returns for “Back To School”
Y
ou are in for a treat! Cuesta College’s Cool Notes jazz combo,
enjoyed by staff at the year-end reception in June, will play us
into the new school year at August 18’s Back To School event, held this year
at Rancho El Chorro. Combo members are pictured below, left to right:
keyboardist and vocalist Madison Scott, the newest member, with a fond
connection to SLOCOE as a former client of itinerant vision services; flutist
and vocalist Talia Phillips Ortega, a daughter of music artist Louis Ortega
who has been making music all her life; drummer Tom Brown, who has been
playing percussion
for ten years; and
bass player
Matthew Evans,
who is also an
aspiring actor and
appeared in the
2010 film, “Bad
Teacher.” Not
pictured is
guitarist Alex
Piper, who has
been studying
music at Cuesta for several years, and is a key member of the combo. Each of
the five members was assigned to “Cool Notes” by their combo class instructor
at Cuesta College. “Last semester was really awesome for us,” says
Tom Brown, describing opportunities last spring to play at Cambria Pines
Lodge, Linnea’s Café, and various art shows and receptions at Cuesta.
SLOCOE eNEWS
Leadership in Art Education
H
ave you seen the
fabulous artwork
donning the halls and
walls of the SLOCOE
Administration building? Our
superintendent is inviting regional
artists to exhibit gallery-ready art in
all public areas of the main office,
with the goal of hosting quarterly
artist receptions.
august 2015
Deprise Brescia—Artist, Actress, Model
Our
first artist displaying her work at
SLOCOE is Deprise Brescia (do you see the
family resemblance?..Deprise is Dr. Brescia’s
younger sister). Deprise is a mixed media
artist specializing in transformational,
energy art. Some of the modalities incorporated into her artwork include: yoga,
Hado, dance, feng shui, color, nature,
affirmations, prayers, crystals, semiprecious stones, grids and sacred
geometry.
“The San Luis Obispo County Office
of Education is positioned to serve
“At its core, my artwork merges
as a leader in the promotion of the
science and spirituality for its
arts in our schools,” says Dr. Brescia.
aesthetic beauty and energetic
“We will be hosting regional artists
properties. I consider it transto display their art and participate
formational, energy art, created
in leadership forums that explore
to positively influence the viewer
ways of promoting the arts in our
and environment. All of my work
local schools. By forming and
is created for uplifting places and
working in leadership groups, art
spaces.”
educators promote essential
alliances that can nurture a shared vision for the growth of art
Deprise received private training as a
education among teachers, administrators, parents, and other
child in painting and pottery, and
community members. We invite you to join us in promoting arts received awards for her sketches. After receiving her BA in Dance and
in all of our schools.”
Theatre Arts, Deprise studied art in Spain, Asia, Mexico, the
Caribbean, and South America. “Traveling gave me the
opportunity to collect concepts and ideas abroad and
incorporate them into my work.”
Transitions
(as of August 4)
Welcome to the SLOCOE Family!
Jennifer Chassman, Program Director, Administrative
Services Credential Program, ESS
Nicholas Crouch, Bus Driver, Operational Services
Erica Davis, LVN, SPS
Terri Gibbs-Burke, Teacher on Special Assignment,
Assessment, Accountability & Math, ESS
Paige Hanham, Speech/Language Specialist, SPS
William Hanham, Speech/Language Specialist, SPS
Dana La Curan, Teacher, Orientation & Mobility, SPS
Ashley Lightfoot, Director, Operational Services
Reanna Mazuka, Instructional Specialist,
Orthopedic Services, SPS
Heather Reutzel, Payroll Specialist, BS
Jaimie Schmidt, Teacher, Alternative Education, SPS
Kelly Yungman, Program Coordinator, Teacher Induction
Program, ESS
Annie Turner, Teacher, Grizzly
Promotion Congratulations!
Lori Pena, Admin. II, Career & Tech. Education Grant/SLOPE
Thank you for Your Service!
Tamara Brown, Teacher, Alternative Education, SPS
Allen Castillo, Instructional Services, Alternative Education., SPS
Christina Gosmeyer, Associate Teacher, 1st Five
Alexandra Hart, Health Instructional Aide, SPS
ESS = Educational Support Services; SPS = Student Programs &
Services; BS = Business Services
Deprise continues her private coaching and training in a variety of
disciplines including videography, photography, painting, 3-D collage,
stonework, drawing and encaustic painting (also known as hot wax
painting). Deprise, thank you for sharing your work!
D
oes anyone have an interest in
creating or being part of a group
that would plan or just participate in fun
events outside of work? Perhaps one day
every quarter we can organize ways for our
work family to come together to enjoy one
another outside of work. This could be a
day for charity or recreation—a staff picnic,
volunteer services like cooking or gift
wrapping during the holidays, supporting
our troops, or taking part in a sports event.
The sky is the limit for anyone who wants to partake. We know you
are all extremely busy outside of work, not to mention inside of
work! Which is why we wanted to see how many people would
actually be interested in events like this throughout the year. If
anyone feels interested in this idea, please contact us at newsletter
@slocoe.org. We’ll see where this takes us!