December 3, 2018
EDCAL 3
a publication of acsa’s member services and
member assistance and legal support team | volume 40
Small school districts face unique challenges
According to data, nearly three quar-
ters of California’s 1,000 school districts
are defined as being small and having an
ADA of less than 2,500. In line with that
is ACSA’s membership, where a significant
amount of the regular members we serve
belong to small schools, which are often
found in rural and remote areas that isolate
them from the main stream. Because of
these conditions, intentional support for
the small school district leader is necessary.
That’s where ACSA’s committee for
Small School Districts comes in – a group
of educational leaders who come together
three times a year to discuss current and
potential challenges and brainstorm sup-
portive solutions that can be implemented
by the organization.
“As a small school district superinten-
dent, I face challenges that are unique and
apart from my peers in larger sized school
districts and this committee is focused on
providing the structure of support, net-
working and professional development for
leaders in the same position,” said Mary
McNeil, superintendent of Needles USD
and chair of ACSA’s Small School Districts
Committee. McNeil is also ACSA’s 2018
Superintendent of the Year.
ACSA’s Small School Districts Com-
mittee represents more than 600 small
schools in the state when it comes to issues
that relate to the uniqueness of their size.
“The SSDC has a strong relationship
with ACSA lobbyist Martha Alvarez, who
helps to weigh in and carry issues forward
that would have an adverse effect on small
school districts,” said Rich Malfatti, ACSA
staff liaison and a former small school
district superintendent himself.
“Our committee has developed rela-
tionships with ACSA Advocates to share
our unique perspectives with legislators
and elected officials so that there is an
understanding of our needs in Sacramento,”
McNeil said. “Committee members have
participated in hearings and discussions
with legislators and other government
officials on issues that most recently have
included the criteria for the acceptance of
out-of-state credentials and issues involved
with the CTC mandatory reporting of
misconduct for educators.”
ACSA’s Small School Districts Com-
mittee provides the pathway of opportunity
for our small school district leaders to
impact California policy and practice that
uniquely affect them, their students, their
families and their communities.
“One of the biggest achievements by the
committee was the influence it had on re-
shaping testing results and communicating
them to parents and community members,”
Malfatti said. “Having the advantage of
being able to use the many resources that
State ACSA has while being in the posi-
tion of small school district superintendent
is invaluable.”
The SSDC also provides valuable pro-
fessional development opportunities at the
annual ACSA Superintendents Symposium
by ensuring the inclusion of a small district
strand.
“These workshops provide an opportu-
nity to strategize and network with others
who “wear many hats” while completing
the same reports, meeting the same levels
of expectations and doing more with less,”
McNeil said.
Other noteworthy efforts of ACSA’s
SSDC include facilitating the relationship
between CSBA’s Small School District
Council and the Small School District
Association Executive Committee.
For more information about ACSA’s
Small School District Committee activities
and to reach committee representatives,
please go to our website at www.acsa.org/
About and select the tab for Committees
and Councils.
ACSA Ambassadors at work
ACSA Region 5 Ambassador Brian Lee,
right, paid a visit to Presidio Middle School
Assistant Principal Victor Small in SFUSD.
ACSA delivers
fire donations
ACSA members have once again
displayed their benevolence by helping Par-
adise, CA Camp Fire victims through the
co-branded ACSA-United Way Northern
California donation links. The Paradise
community was leveled by the fire and
reports say that 14,000 homes were inciner-
ated, including those of 5,500 students and
their families and nearly all the educators
residing in the area.
United Way Northern California De-
velopment Director Jacob Peterson states,
“Through the mobile cause platform, we
have been able to raise more than $87,000.”
A special ACSA link for donations
affecting members in the Ventura fire was
also distributed. All the donations will be
used to provide emergency cash assistance
to families who lost their homes.
ACSA’s United Way Links can be found
on our website home page at www.acsa.org
or you can text donations to the following:
Paradise Camp Fire: Text BUTTEFIRE
to 91999; Ventura Fire (ACSA Region 13
and 14): UWVCACSA to 41444.
Join ACSA’s Crisis Support Network
In addition, ACSA is also developing a
support group network for members who
have lost a home during any of the recent
disasters dating back to 2015. The goal
of the network is for members to be able
to share their experiences, ask each other
questions, and allow survivors to provide
any knowledge they may have about what
to expect next. Members interested in join-
ing the support group should fill out the
form found on the ACSA website at www.
acsa.org/MemberServices. The network is
for members only.
Update your profile
L-R, Rodriguez High School
Principal Clarence Isadore,
ACSA Senior Director of
Member Services Margarita
Cuizon-Armelino, and
Rodriguez HS Assistant
Principal Gary Hiner.
ACSA Region 15 Ambassador Lorraine King, back row
far left, posed with leaders from Castaic Union School
District and Castaic Middle School.
“I value my membership with ACSA, because I am able to
connect with other educational leaders who understand
my experiences from the classroom to the county office of
education. I have developed lifelong friendships I will value
for the rest of my life. ACSA provides professional learning,
which is my rejuvenation for the work I do every day.”
Gethsemane Moss
Senior Director, Community Engagement
Solano County Office of Education
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