The Inyo Insight Mt. Whitney Highest Summit in the Contiguous An Education Newsletter from the Inyo County Superintendent of Schools United States Volume 8, Issue 5 www.inyo.k12.ca.us February, 2016 14,497 feet A Message from the Superintendent local funds annually for Inyo Schools A s planned, I will be retiring as your County Superintendent at the end of this Strengthening of ROP and Transitioning to school year. After nearly 22 years as a Districts (Skills for Success, Ag, etc) County Superintendent (eight here in Inyo County and fourteen in Nevada County), I believe that nearly all of my initiatives that I have undertaken for Inyo Schools are underway and firmly in place. My wife, Liz, and I will be returning to our home base of Nevada County which is much closer to our two children—Jeanne, a special education teacher in Santa Rosa and, Gregory, an assistant to Governor Brown in Sacramento. Inyo Schools Establishing the Second Lowest I will not completely disappear from Inyo as I have agreed Truancy Rate in the State to continue to provide oversight and leadership for our Strong K-12 to College Partnerships (Cerro Coso three Los Angeles-based charter schools for the next five Day, Cerro Coso Refurbishing, Development of years. Therefore, I will return to Inyo often on charter the Inyo Promise and the Endowment of the business and to visit friends. Eastern Sierra Foundation) Together, you and I have made great strides in improving education in Inyo County. I wish to thank you very much Unification of Bishop Schools—Streamlining & for your collaborative and collegial approach which has Generating an Additional $700,000 Annually made these changes possible. I leave with the COE in a Improved School Infrastructure—New School very healthy fiscal state and with a remarkable staff. I’m Furniture for 6-12th Graders and Teachers, very proud of our record which includes: Funding New Bishop HS Commons, Lo-Inyo Science Center, Big Pine Pre-School and a Restructuring of Programs for At-Risk Youth countywide school phone system (Strengthening SARB, Refocusing JKBS, Juvenile Hall transition, Establishing the North Star Revitalized Youth Afterschool Activities— Counseling Center, Instituting PBIS Countywide) (Rebrand and revitalize the Sierra Adventure Infusion of classroom- Center, Summer Camp Opportunities, based programs for our Afterschool Arts Classes, Scholar Day at the Fair) youth (ie. Trout in the Since I am retiring mid-term, the County Board of Classroom, Sex Ed, Art Education is empowered by law to appoint my successor. Docent, Brummitt-Taylor I have great faith and trust in them and their abilities to Music, YEP, Paiute find a fine replacement to complete my term. The job Curriculum, Eastern opening is currently Sierra Watershed Project) posted on EdJoin and 100% Technology the application Infusion into All Schools—Laptops and deadline is February Infrastructure to Support Them; Making Inyo 26th. If you know of County Schools the Most Technologically qualified applicants, Advanced Public Schools in California please encourage them to apply. Charter Schools: Assist LA Youth and generate February 3rd I nyo Council for the Arts will be hosting the county-wide, final competitions of Poetry Out Loud on February 3rd at 6:30pm in the Inyo Council for the Arts gallery. Poetry Out-Loud is a contest that encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. The program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, Poetry Out Loud and learn about their literary heritage. For more information, visit the Inyo Council for the Arts website at inyo.org or call them at (760)873-8014. This year’s book: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Today All Community Reads events are FREE and open to the public! For more information, visit the Inyo Council for the Arts website at inyo.org or call (760) 873-8014. Register NOW for Countywide Professional Learning Day! Building Brain Compatible Classrooms - February 29th If It’s Our Job to Develop the Mind, Shouldn’t We Know How The Brain Works? R egistration is now open for our upcoming Countywide Professional Learning Day. Dr. Kenneth Wesson will join us to offer Inyo County teachers the latest findings in the neuroscience of learning. According to Dr. Wesson, “The brain is not only the most complex organ in the human body, but this ‘three-pound universe’ has also been described as the most complex object known to mankind. Understanding how the young brain learns will help educators design classrooms that are ‘brain-considerate’ – where we capitalize on the Dr. Kenneth Wesson brain’s natural inclinations for learning. Joseph Epstein stated that ‘We are what we read.’ Neuroscientists, however, would offer a differing viewpoint highlighting that ‘we are what we experience’ instead”. Join us to learn how to to apply the best “brain-compatible” teaching practices in your classroom. Please register TODAY at http://inyo.k12oms.org/1781-109482 Registration closes February 12th. Upcoming Student Events February The topic this year is: In your opinion, confidence and an earned sense of what questions should our presidential achievement and leadership. FEB 3, 6:30pm: Poetry Out Loud candidates address? The public is encouraged to attend the @ Inyo Council for the Arts Students in grades 6-8 from all school event. (See page 2 for additional details) districts in Inyo County are eligible to MAR 24, 6pm: High School FEB 10, 6pm: Countywide Science participate in the competition. Each Geography Bee @ Jill Kinmont Fair @ Home Economics Building, Tri school will hold their own speech Boothe School (JKBS) -County Fairgrounds. contest where one or two winning students will be selected to compete in The public is invited to attend the Inyo April County Science Fair. Winning projects the Inyo County Speech Contest. With APR 8: 5th Grade College Day @ from our schools’ science fairs will be five districts set to participate, we are looking forward to an evening of Cerro Coso College, Bishop. on display from 6 to 6:30 with awards interesting and thought-provoking announced starting at 6:30. Student 5th grade classes are invited to the discourse. projects will be judged earlier that day. Bishop Cerro Coso campus to A panel of 3-5 judges will critique the participate in a series of sessions March speakers and judge them on the basis focused on exposing students to a of content, effectiveness, delivery, variety of college and career options. MAR 10, 6pm: Speech Contest poise, voice, and language. The goal of (Grades 6-8) @ Jill Kinmont Boothe For more information on student the contest is to cultivate effective School (JKBS). events, please contact Ilissa Twomey public speaking skills, create at 760-873-3262 ext. 2197. Rose Bracken Earns First in Spelling Bee We are pleased to After much fierce Thank you to coaches Melinda announce that competition with Dardenne-Ankringa, Megan Fuchs, Rose Bracken words like Carmen London, Victoria Hamilton, o f B i s h o p desuetude, obeisance Rory Winzenread, Bryan Mack, Gemma Elementary and exuviae, the Arana and Lidia Rubio for working with School won first winning word was: the students to prepare them for the place in the Inyo punchy. The spelling bee. County Spelling contestants included: The local Altrusa chapter sponsored the Bee, sponsored by Rainah Dewey, competition. Margee Neer, Sarah Altrusa. Ashley Fitt, Rocko Sheehan and Vi Tripp were on hand to Moore and Bodie T w e n t y - f i v e distribute awards to students and judge Steinwand from Big students from the competition. Lynne Almeida of Pine; Dev Bhakta, local elementary Spellbinder Books graciously accepted Graciela Gutierrez, a n d m i d d l e Rose Bracken, Inyo County Spelling Bee the position as the Pronouncer for this Korina Isidro, and s c h o o l s year’s competition. The Round Valley Jenna McGuire of Lone Pine; Sarah participated in the 2015-16 PTO donated $5 to the “last person Faircloth, Erik Martinez, Mark countywide Spelling Bee last week at standing” from each of the five districts McAlister and Orion Nash of Owens Jill Kinmont Boothe School. Sixteen competing. The recipients of those Valley; Branden Gardea from Bishop students made it to the final rounds. awards were: schools; Rylee Arcularius, Jilly The winners of the competition were: Maurice, Braeden McGrale and Alex Clarissa Castro: Owens Valley Morales from Round Valley. Several 1st Place Rose Bracken Hana Hogan: Round Valley students also joined the preliminary Tyler Mahlum-Hambleton: Bishop Elementary competition as alternates to get Big Pine practice for next year: Paul 2nd Place Mahdi Ayman Angelica Mendoza: Lo-Inyo Rodriguez from Lo-Inyo, Carlos Home Street Roriguez-Gonzales from Bishop, Ace Selters: Home Street 3rd Place Lyndsey Rowan Dante Allen and Julian Carter from Owens Valley, and Greg Tordoff from Home Street Round Valley. ICSOS Funds All Mini- Grant Proposals! “smart” (interactive) whiteboard; Last Person Standing Award recipients with Margee Neer of Altrusa International I CSOS received technology mini- and iPad sets for center and small- Pictured (left to right): Margee Neer, Angelica grant proposals from 41 teachers group activities such as video Mendoza, Clarissa Castro, Tyler Mahlum- Hambleton, Hana Hogan, Ace Selters from preschool through high school creation and use of science, math, or and has funded them all! language arts apps. Representing Inyo County at the Proposals came from the Unique items requested Elementary State Bee in April will be Bishop, Big Pine, and Lone Pine included preschool teacher Forrest Lyndsey Rowan and Rose Bracken. Ace districts and ICSOS preschools. Most Smith’s programmable “Ozobots”; Selters and Mahdi Ayman will proposals fell into 3 broad Jonathan Willy’s handheld thermal represent Inyo county at the Junior categories: interactive whiteboards detection devices; and special High State Bee in May.