November 19, 2018
EDCAL 3
CDE announces funding relief for schools closed by wildfires
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Tom Torlakson announced that assistance
is available for any schools forced to close as
a result of raging wildfires in Butte, Ventura,
and Los Angeles counties. Hundreds of
schools statewide have been impacted by
the recent wildfires.
“These fires have been tragic and dev-
astating. Lives have been lost, homes
destroyed, and communities devastated. I
extend my deepest sympathies for the fami-
lies, firefighters, first responders, communi-
ties, students, teachers and school districts
that have been affected.” Torlakson said.
“Safety is the absolute top priority for stu-
dents and their families, and I thank school
officials for acting quickly to close any
school sites due to evacuations or hazardous
air quality.”
High winds drove the Camp Fire from
Pulga into the town of Paradise. As of
press time for EdCal, the fire burned more
than 100,000 acres, destroyed nearly 7,000
structures – including Paradise Elementary
School – and forced tens of thousands of
people near the fire in Northern California
to evacuate. More than 55 people were
confirmed dead and a number firefighters
were injured. That number is certain to
rise. Many schools in the San Francisco
Bay Area were also forced to close to poor
air quality. Meanwhile, the Woolsey Fire
and Hill Fire have forced 88,000 evacua-
tions, dozens of school closures, and have
destroyed dozens of homes in both Ventura
and Los Angeles Counties.
The CDE has been activated at the State
Operations Center of the governor’s Office
of Emergency Services and is working
closely with school leaders in the impacted
counties to provide a range of supports.
State law allows local educational agen-
cies to apply for a waiver to hold them
harmless from the loss of Local Control
Funding Formula funding based on atten-
dance and state instructional time penalties,
if they have to close because of a natural
disaster such as floods, fires, or earthquakes.
Any impacted school or local education
agency can contact EmergencyServices@
cde.ca.gov to connect with the CDE team.
District expands theatre project to
include high school students
Lynwood Unified School District will
expand its theater program to include
Firebaugh High School students through
a master class that will give students the
opportunity to pursue their theatrical pas-
sions.
The Building Relationships and
Inspiring Dialogue through Global
Exchange (BRIDGE) Theatre Project was
previously limited to Lynwood USD stu-
dents in grades 4-8. The expansion will
give high school students access to a more
immersive theater experience, covering top-
ics like scene study, vocal technique, play-
writing, improvisation, and world theater
traditions.
The BRIDGE master class offers stu-
dents a more in-depth experience in the
world of theater arts, and is meant to intro-
duce students to how theater is performed
in other parts of the world while teaching
new and unique techniques.
“Offering the program to high school
students truly allows us to bridge the devel-
opment of young writers and performers
from elementary school until graduation,” said BRIDGE Theatre Co-founder Joe
Quintero. “We’re excited about helping
more students explore their creativity and
reach their potential.”
BRIDGE has partnered with Lynwood
for four years, teaching students to write
and perform plays and how to use theater as
a means to study other cultures. BRIDGE
has also offered mentorship opportunities
to Lynwood and Firebaugh high school stu-
dents, allowing them to earn up to 40 com-
munity service hours through stage man-
agement and backstage assistance, while
helping to lead younger student members.
This addition of the master class is
meant to complement the theater arts edu-
cation that high school students already
receive, and to give them the same oppor-
tunity as the elementary and middle school
students to become a part of the BRIDGE
community.
“The district is heavily invested in pro-
viding programs like this to stimulate stu-
dent participation and creativity, which we
know supports academic achievement,” said
Lynwood Unified Superintendent Gudiel Crosthwaite.
In July, former middle school students
Zion Bennett and Jose Laguna were the first Lynwood Unified students to travel outside
the U.S. as members of the BRIDGE
Theatre Project.
DUCHON same opportunity to be accepted at a UC or
CSU, my greatest dream would be fulfilled.
“This may sound a little cliched, but I
shake each student’s hand when they gradu-
ate and hope that I had at least a little part
in their education, and that I have served
them well,” he said.
Serving the Jurupa USD students is
made easier by the team Duchon has built –
one in which he is justifiably proud.
“I have been superintendent long enough
to have hand-picked each one – except our
Nutrition Services Director and I am proud
to have kept him,” Duchon said. “Each is
an amazing person, a talented administrator
and exhibits honesty, integrity and commit-
ment. We have always hired for the quality
of the person and their potential.”
When asked what ACSA has meant
to his career, Duchon shared a letter he
sent to ACSA Past President Ralph Porras
when Duchon was notified of being named recipient of the Ferd. Kiesel Memorial
Distinguished Service Award. The letter
said in part:
I joined ACSA in 1983. Since then, ACSA
has been the foundation of my professional
development and network. It has also been
an extraordinary source for member services.
I have had the opportunity to meet and learn
from hundreds of amazing administrators
across the state. I have been inspired by some of
the greatest leaders and finest people in public
education.
ACSA has had a significant hand in leg-
islation and policy from which the students of
Jurupa Unified School District have been the
beneficiaries. To name a few, ESSA, LCFF, the
push for flexible spending during the recession,
the State Accountability System, school facilities
and on and on. With ACSA’s help, we made it
through the recession and were able to rescind
all but one pink slip. ACSA’s undaunted and
sometimes lonely support of the LCFF and Accountability System has enabled our district
to truly meet the local needs of our students.
ACSA has consistently provided workshops
and resources on every matter of running a
district, and the most critical issues I have faced
over the years. I have had the opportunity to
meet and be in the room with giants.
ACSA has been the fairest, most honest
advocate and broker for students. In all my
years of advocacy with ACSA, we have always
put students first. We have never asked for
more concessions, perks or money for adminis-
trators. Quite the contrary, we have advocated
for solutions that might even make our jobs
more difficult, but would benefit and protect
our students. That has never been compromised.
due to her own personal experience.
“I didn’t learn to read until third grade
when my teacher, Mrs. Tan, decided
although I was a very nice girl it was time
for me to learn to read,” Bryant said. “She
had a ‘Come to Jesus’ meeting with my
mother and saved my life. I share this story
with administrators and teachers showing
them how important their work is and
reminding them not to give up on all the
Stacy Loves in their classroom.”
Bryant has a long list of career accom-
plishments, but one in which she takes
the most pride is being part of a team that
helped a school up from being low achiev-
ing to performing well.
“The work we did at Yucca Elementary,
turning that school around, is one of the
things I am most proud of,” Bryant said. “Six
years after we started that work the school is
thriving academically and the students have
great teachers that care deeply about them.
Its still a tough school – approximately
97 percent of the students are on free or
reduced lunch and their families are in a
constant state of stress and trauma. We still
must monitor the progress and take special care when assigning new administrators to
the site.”
Bryant said her career has benefit-
ted from the learning offered by ACSA
Academies.
“While assistant superintendent of
Human Resources, I attended the School
Business Academy,” she said. “Not only was
the information timely, the presenters were
or had been boots-on-the-ground recent
CBOs or superintendents. Their insights
to the big picture were invaluable. Same
for the Superintendents Academy. It was a
pleasure meeting aspiring superintendents
and cabinet level school employees from
around southern California. The stories
they shared informed my work.”
She doesn’t just “sit and get;” Bryant also
gives back to the profession.
“Currently I facilitate our local Women’s
Network Series – Lean In,” she said. “I am
inspired by the women in the Antelope
Valley who are moving through the ranks
towards cabinet positions. They are choos-
ing to collaborate and share innovative
strategies that work for them and the stu-
dents we all serve.” Almost all great leaders have someone in
their corner, inspiring them on, and Bryant
is no different.
“My current superintendent, Raul
Maldonado, allows me the freedom to
poke around and find new and different
ways to meet our goals,” Bryant said. “We
have our strategic plan called the Palmdale
PROMISE. The promise is who we are and
what we do. Every decision, every meeting,
and every move we make is taking us closer
to the fulfillment of our promise. In my
34 years in education I have never been a
part of or have seen a strategic plan that so
perfectly guides a district. Our community
knows what the promise is, our staff know
what the promise is, and our students know
what the promise is.
“We are able to dream big and now those
dreams are coming true.”
Bryant is willing to try new ideas, speak
out in the support of children, take risks
to improve educational opportunities, and
provide professional development for new
and inspiring administrators. A truly excep-
tional school leader.
Continued from page 1
rewarding. So, it was never so much a goal
to become a school leader, but the next way-
point. Because it turned out to be so fulfill-
ing, and so full of purpose, it was clearly the
place to be.”
Without wavering in his commitment to
education, Elliott continues to find inspira-
tion in trying to be the best superintendent
possible for the more than 19,000 students
in his district. He said he is driven by the
challenge to give each student the oppor-
tunity to succeed in living a fulfilling and
productive life.
“Eight out of 10 students in our district
are eligible for free and reduced lunch,”
Duchon said. “Their reality is very different
from their more affluent peers. If every stu-
dent starting kindergarten in Jurupa has the
BRYANT
Continued from page 1
administrator, but her leadership ability was
recognized by others.
“I was invited into the club – I never
really wanted to be an administrator,”
Bryant said.
At the time she was the head counselor
and a vice principal was out on leave. The
principal asked if she would take over and
she discovered that she could make a big-
ger difference making larger decisions and
better decisions if she gathered together
appropriate stakeholders.
As for where she draws her inspiration,
it comes from her students and colleagues.
“The children that come to school ready
to learn who have experience trauma and
stress in their daily lives inspire me each
day,” she said. “The administrators and
teachers who receive and teach them are my
heroes. It’s a tribute to our on-site staff that
our students learn and thrive at school.”
Bryant knows how valuable a good edu-
cator can be to students with challenges,
Lynwood Unified School District has expanded its Building Relationships and Inspiring Dialogue through Global
Exchange (BRIDGE) Theatre Project to serve high school students.
ACSA salutes Elliott Duchon, recipi-
ent of the 2018 Ferd. Kiesel Memorial
Distinguished Service Award.