The Tuesday, October 17 Tom Torlakson
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THE Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette, Inc. (CA) Branch TRIADOCTOBER 2017 WEBSITE: oml-ca.aauw.net TUESDAY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 OCTOBER 17 9:30~11:30 am ARE YOU FINANCIALLY Orinda Community Church LITERATE? Do you even know OML and Public Policy what you should know? Presents Karla J. McAvoy, a senior financial advi- sor and principal of Financial Advisors, TOM TORLAKSON Inc., in Lafayette, will be our keynote California State speaker at the November General Superintendent of Meeting presented by AAUW Fund. Public Instruction She will talk about important financial issues facing women at different stages in our lives: managing our finances Guests Welcome! Bring your friends and neighbors. while working and in retirement, dealing The OML Branch welcomes Tom Torlakson, the California State Super- with a spouse’s health issues, helping intendent of Public Instruction (SSPI), to our next General Meeting. Tor- adult children and/or aging parents to lakson will address the state of education in California. name just a few. Torlakson’s journey has led him from the classrooms of Contra Costa PLEASE NOTE: County’s Mount Diablo Unified School District (where he remains a teacher- The November General Meet- on-leave), to the Antioch City Council, the Contra Costa County Board of ing will take place on the second Supervisors, and the CA State Senate and State Assembly. Tuesday of the month due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Read more about Torlakson’s life and what Public Policy is doing on page 3. REMINDER: Walnut Creek Restaurant The 2017-18 OML Directory will be distributed at this meeting. Walk • Tuesday, October 3 UPCOMING OCTOBER EVENTS WINE & CONVERSATION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 Thursday, October 5 APPOINTMENTS TRAINING 5-7 pm • Amoroma Café Learn how you can get involved in your community. 6:30 pm Civic Park Community Center Social Hall 1375 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek Safely shred documents This workshop is free, $7 per box but you must RSVP to attend. Details are on page 5 Proceeds benefit Turn to page 9 for full details. Tech Trek Scholarships WEBSITE: oml-ca.aauw.net OCTOBER 2017 ... from LAURA’S DESK Board Meeting The OML Strategic Planning workshop in July gave our HIGHLIGHTS branch a great guide to follow, enabling us as an organization Tuesday, September 12 to improve the methods we use to educate and advocate for We’re on to a new year, and the 2016- fairness and equality for women and girls. Working on the 2017 financial books have been put to Goals and Action Plan our board members and committee bed. As far as anyone can remember, chairs have been very busy following through with our com- last year was the first time we had a mitments to our membership, making sure our activities are deficit in our projected budget, which is mission-based and fun. a pretty good record. Our reserves have easily covered the deficit. And, speaking Our number one goal is to increase the visibility of AAUW- of money, where does the cash to OML in our community and beyond, insuring our viability as organization. Denise operate the branch come from? Would Burian, Mary Leigh Miller, Denise Sallee, our college intern, and I began the you believe that the sale of ads by our process of creating a Facebook page for AAUW-OML. We made a great start and Advertising Committee brings in more hope to have it activated within the next week. Once we go live we will “friend” our than half of our operating expenses. The members. It is a work in progress, and we look forward to hearing your comments. rest, of course, comes from your dues. We will have a calendar of events and pictures highlighting our past activities. We And, the dues are now well overdue. will advertise our community events and fundraisers, and post articles regarding issues supported by AAUW. It will allow us to advocate on a larger platform for Staying with money for a moment, the current issues affecting women and girls. Getting a Facebook page live will many of the dollars we contribute to increase our visibility within our Branch, our Lamorinda community and beyond. AAUW Funds are given out as grants and It will also help us to enhance our publicity by giving us greater exposure outside scholarships to women seeking to further our membership. You might want to take a look at the Facebook page for AAUW their education. You can meet some of National while you are waiting for ours to go live. (https://www.facebook.com/ the recipients of these scholarships at the AAUW.National) AAUW Funds Luncheon, which will be held on October 29th at the Crow Canyon The programs committee, headed by Jill West and Janette Maher, has been hard Country Club in Danville. Sign up online at work developing “mission-based” programs for the year. It has been a team effort at AAUW CA by October 16. to develop a list of potential programs that our membership and greater community would find compelling to hear. We had a great turnout forShowcase and the Roads If you have ever wondered what it Scholar presentation. Our interest groups are growing, lots of choices of activities takes to be appointed to a local board, for all. Be sure to contact Denise Burian if you did not have a chance to sign up commission, or committee, you might for an interest group. I have found this to be a wonderful way to get to know one consider attending the Appointments another, and it makes working together on our priorities fun. Training event at 6:30 on October 12th at the Civic Park Community Center in Scholarship, Tech Trek and STEM committees are hard at work developing their Walnut Creek. Our branch is a sponsor plans for the year as well. Check out their updates in this issue. You can help them through the Inter-Branch Council. Sign by supporting their fundraising efforts. Meet us all at the Walnut Creek Restaurant up at www.cawomenlead.org/event/ Walk for a fun evening, and bring your papers to be shredded to the Shred Fest. WalnutCreekAppointments. Marie Bonilla has done a wonderful job of pulling together the Appointments Mark your calendars for the EYH- Training workshop in Walnut Creek on the 12th. The program will provide an op- STEM Conference on March 17, 2018 portunity to learn how to get involved in our local communities as an appointee at Saint Mary’s College. Volunteers are to a board or commission. Do sign up and join us that evening. I look forward to needed. Please contact Stacia Crag- learning about the process, even if I don’t plan to seek an appointment. holm if you can help out. Laura Wittenberg, The 501 (c)(3) and 501 (c)(4) budgets President were voted on and passed at the September 19 General Meeting. AAUW Mission • AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. Value Promise of AAUW • By joining AAUW, you belong to a community that breaks through educational and economic barriers so that all women have a fair chance.. Judy Hammon, Recording Secretary 2 OCTOBER 2017 WEBSITE: oml-ca.aauw.net FOCUS ON ... PUBLIC POLICY AAUW Public Policy 2017-2019 Action Priorities: Education TOM TORLAKSON, continued To support a strong system of public education that promotes gender fairness, During his tenure equity, and diversity, AAUW advocates: in the CA State • Adequate and equitable funding for quality public education for all students, Legislature, Tor- • Opposition to the use of public funds for nonpublic elementary and secondary lakson acted to education and to charter schools that do not adhere to the same civil rights and protect education accountability standards as required of other public schools, funding, improve • Protection of programs that meet the needs of girls and women in elementary, student nutrition secondary, and postsecondary education, including strong promotion of sci- and physical edu- ence, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and comprehensive cation, and ensure sexual health education, school safety. He also championed • Vigorous enforcement of Title IX and all other civil rights laws pertaining legislation to increase funding for text- to education, books, computers, and other instruc- • Increased support for and access to affordable higher education for women tional materials, and promoted efforts and disadvantaged populations and to close the digital divide, eliminate • Increased support for programs that break through barriers for women and the achievement gap, and reduce the girls in STEM fields. dropout rate. California Works to Bolster Title IX Protections for Students Torlakson was initially elected as the In September, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that the Department SSPI in 2010. During his first term, he of Education would be reviewing Title IX regulations and guidance, including re- set out on a mission to provide a world- scinding a 2011 Dear Colleague Letter on Title IX and sexual violence that aims to class education for all students. He prevent and end discrimination in our schools. California State Sen. Hannah-Beth directed the change to rigorous new CA Jackson (D), backed by AAUW CA members, is championing a bill that would state standards in English, mathematics, enshrine protections similar to those laid out in the 2011 Dear Colleague Letter and science. He advocated increasing into law. The bill passed both chambers of the California legislature and awaits investments in education, helping to pass Gov. Jerry Brown’s (D) signature. Proposition 30 in 2012 and leading the effort to give local school districts more The AAUW Public Policy Mission flexibility to make spending decisions. Since AAUW’s founding our members and supporters have spoken out about policies important to women and girls.