Regional Workshops Aim to Help Schools Apply for Energy Upgrade Funding

Bay Area, Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield and North Coast trainings complement online tools available at www.energy.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO, California - California school districts and charter schools seeking Proposition 39 money for energy-related projects can get hands-on help and guidance with their application and expenditure plans at upcoming Energy Commission workshops throughout the state.

Fresno: Tuesday, March 4, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Fresno County Office of Education, 1177 Van Ness Avenue. RSVP to Prop39@energy.ca.gov or (855) 380-8722.

Bakersfield: Wednesday, March 5, 9 a.m. to noon, Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Larry E. Reider Education Center, 2000 K Street, Room 101. RSVP to Scott Fieber, (661) 852- 5863 or scfieber@kern.org.

Eureka: Monday, March 10, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Humboldt County Office of Education, 901 Myrtle Avenue. RSVP to kcarpenter@redwoodenergy.org by March 5.

Sacramento: Wednesday, March 12, 9 a.m. to noon, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, 6301 S St. RSVP to Prop39@energy.ca.gov or (855) 380-8722.

Hayward: Thursday, March 20, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Alameda County Office of Education, 313 West Winton Ave. RSVP to Carol Houps (510) 670-4555 or carol@acoe.org.

Also in Sacramento, the 2014 California Green Summit is sponsoring a workshop, Leveraging Prop 39 for

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Release of $38 Million to Local Educational Agencies Under Proposition 39

SACRAMENTO, California — School districts will soon receive about $38 million from the state in the second round of planning funds from voter-approved Proposition 39, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today.

Proposition 39 will direct up to $2.5 billion in new revenues over five years to fund projects by California's local educational agencies (LEAs), including school districts, charter schools, county offices of education, and community colleges. Future years' funding will go toward the projects themselves, and first-year awards that were not used for planning can also go toward projects.

"The funding voters provided with Prop 39 will go a long way toward supporting our schools as they create stronger learning environments for our students," Torlakson said.

The first round of funding—totaling approximately $106 million—went to LEAs last November to begin assessing needs and planning projects. As part of the application to request energy planning funds, LEAs have certified that these funds will be used for authorized energy planning expenditures.

The complete list of recipients and amounts can be found on the California Department of Education's funding results Web page for Proposition 39. For additional details, visit the California Department of Education's Proposition 39 - California Energy Jobs Act Web page or the California Energy Commission's The California Clean Energy Jobs Act  Web page.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Unveils New Standards for High-Quality After School Programs

SACRAMENTO, California — Far from being lost time, the hours after school and during summer can be opportunities for students to build on what they learn in the classroom, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said today as he released a new set of standards that define expectations for California's high-quality expanded learning programs.

Expanded learning refers to summer, intersession, and before and after school programs. Research on expanded learning programs shows a positive effect on student attendance at school, reduced high school dropout rates, reduced juvenile crime, and increased academic success for students. Shortly after taking office in 2011, Torlakson created an After School Division at the California Department of Education charged with improving and expanding these learning opportunities for students.

"Californians have always led the way in seeing the value of expanded learning and being willing to invest in giving our young people every opportunity to succeed," Torlakson said. "When I created the After School Division, it was to build on that support and momentum, in part by looking at the best programs and working to identify the keys to their success and replicate it."

The CDE After School Division worked with the California Afterschool Network, a coalition of experts and providers funded by foundations, to bring together a "Work Group on Quality Standards" through a competitive application process. Through research and feedback from stakeholders, the work group developed 12 standards for expanded learning programs. The full list of standards, along with additional information on their development and next steps, can be found on the California Afterschool Network  Web site.

Examples include:

• Youth voice and leadership (providing young people a meaningful role in program design and implementation, with ongoing access to leadership roles).
• Skill building (maintaining high expectations for all students, intentionally linking program goals, curricula, and activities with 21st-century skills).
• Sustainability (building lasting partnerships with the community and securing commitments for in-kind and monetary contributions).

Moving forward, these standards can be used to inform the After School Division's decision-making, such as in requests for applications; to guide program providers in assessing their own programs; or to help parents and students identify and choose good programs.

California's expanding learning programs reach about 4,400 schools around the state. They are in large part funded through voter-approved Proposition 49, which guarantees $550 million annually for the state's After School Education and Safety Program—more than all other states' spending combined. California administers another $120 million in federal after school program funds. Legislation Torlakson authored in the California State Assembly and Senate led to the creation and expansion of these programs.

"California's expanded learning programs are an integral part of young people's education, engaging them in year-round learning opportunities that prepare them for college, career, and life," Torlakson said.

For more information on the CDE After School Division, please visit A Vision for Expanded Learning in California – Strategic Plan: 2014-2016 (PDF; 2MB).

$20 million gift to support scholarships in three USC schools

California - A new $20 million gift from anonymous donors will endow student support in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the USC School of Social Work, and the USC Marshall School of Business. This is one of the largest individual gifts for student support in the university’s history.

The donors, a married couple and longtime USC supporters, have designated $8 million to the Dornsife Undergraduate Fellows Fund at the USC Dornsife College, $6 million to the General Scholarship Endowment Fund at the USC School of Social Work, and $6 million to the James G. Ellis Endowed Scholarship Fund at the USC Marshall School.

“Endowed scholarships remain a critical resource for attracting the highest quality students to our university, and the tremendous generosity of these donors will significantly advance USC’s efforts in this important area,” said USC President C. L. Max Nikias. “Their extraordinary gift will bring the dream of a USC education to deserving students for many generations to come.

The Dornsife Undergraduate Fellows Fund provides selected students in USC Dornsife College with grants ranging between $6,000 and $10,000 that can be used for international travel, field research, and service to various communities.

“Extracurricular learning experiences are a distinctive feature of USC Dornsife College,” said USC Dornsife Dean Steve A. Kay. “Thanks to this remarkable gift, even more USC Dornsife students will be able to extend their academic learning and develop skills and perspectives they need to succeed in their chosen fields.”

The General Scholarship Endowment Fund at the USC School of Social Work ensures that qualified students are not denied the opportunity of attending the school because of financial circumstances. The fund also provides merit-based scholarships that help the school attract students with exceptional potential to advance the field of social work through service, policy, and research.

“Increasing support for student scholars—our nation’s future social work practitioners, innovators, and leaders—is the USC School of Social Work’s top priority,” said Marilyn L. Flynn, dean of the School of Social Work. “This gift will touch the lives not only of our scholarship recipients but also countless individuals and families in the communities they serve.”

The James G. Ellis Endowed Scholarship Fund is a challenge fund established by Tyler Muse ’07 and his family and is named for the current dean of the USC Marshall School of Business. The fund provides tuition assistance for outstanding and deserving undergraduate students enrolled at the USC Marshall School.

“I am personally honored that the donors have chosen to generously contribute to this scholarship fund, which helps ensure that the best and brightest students have the opportunity to attend Marshall regardless of their financial situation,” said USC Marshall Dean James G. Ellis. “This gift will pay dividends far into the future as USC Marshall graduates distinguish themselves as global leaders.”

This anonymous gift is part of The Campaign for the University of Southern California, a multiyear effort to secure $6 billion or more in private philanthropy to advance USC’s academic priorities and expand its positive impact on the community and world. Last month, USC announced it had raised $3 billion just three years into the campaign. As part of the campaign, the university seeks to raise $1 billion for endowed student support and has raised $196.3 million toward that goal to date. Click here to learn more about the standout students that make up the most recent class of Trojan freshmen.

Highlights for November December 3-9, 2013

Winning Videos & Workplace Skills

San Francisco, California - Earlier this fall, SF District Attorney George Gascón called upon middle and high school students to once again get creative and make a video to show how teens can stop bullying, this year with a focus on cyberbullying. All three winning videos -- which will be distributed for educational purposes - were created by SFUSD students. A total of 40 entries were evaluated by a panel of judges including Renel Brooks-Moon, radio personality and public address announcer for the San Francisco Giants; Cheryl Jennings, news anchor for ABC 7 News; and SF School Board Commissioner Emily Murase, who will be making remarks at the event. The three videos will be shown for the first time at the event Tuesday.

When:   Tuesday, December 3 / 1:00-1:30 p.m.

Where: SF City Hall / Room 305

Career Technical Education (CTE) programs at SFUSD high schools provide opportunities for high school students to explore and gain access to high-wage, high-demand careers while preparing them for post-secondary education. Students who participate in CTE can learn to run a restaurant, design and code a social game or even work in a biotech lab, among many other opportunities. Once a year students and teachers from across the city come together with local businesses that support programs and offer paid internships. Superintendent Richard Carranza will talk about how vital these educational programs are to help students become college and career-ready in the 21st century. The showcase event is sponsored by Hyatt Regency San Francisco, which is providing the space, beverages and desserts free of charge to the CTE program.

When:   Wednesday, December 4 / 5:00- 7:00 p.m.

Where:   Hyatt Regency / 5 Embarcadero Center

Pretty Little Liars "Gamma Zeta Die!" Premieres Tonight July 9th

Fans of the hut ABC Family series "Pretty Little Liars" will be able to watch an all new episode entitled
"Gamma Zeta Die!" tonight at 8pm.

Spencer and Emily make a stop at a sorority party in "Gamma Zeta Die!," an all new episode of ABC Family's hit original series "Pretty Little Liars," airing Tuesday, July 9th  (8:00 - 9:00 PM ET/PT).

Spencer and Emily make plans to visit a nearby college, but they have very different agendas for their time spent on campus. Spencer's singular focus in figuring out Ali's apparent connection to the school contradicts Emily's real fears about her plans for after she graduates. And after a stinging attack by "A," Aria and her brother Mike don't see eye to eye regarding what's best for their parents.

Meanwhile, Hanna becomes increasingly frantic when she makes another horrifying discovery among her mom's things, leading her to make a desperate move - with disastrous results.

"Pretty Little Liars" is produced by Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television and is executive-produced by I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick, Leslie Morgenstein and Joseph Dougherty. The series stars Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Tyler Blackburn, Lucy Hale, Ian Harding, Laura Leighton, Shay Mitchell, Janel Parrish and Sasha Pieterse.

Photos Credit: ABC Family