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July 30 , 2018 EDCAL 5 |
BOWLING
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As the son of an elementary teacher in Eaton , OH , who put herself through night school , Bowling ’ s interest in education began early on .
“ My mother ’ s commitment to becoming an educator and her evident passion for the work , allowed me to see for myself what public service was all about ,” he said . “ The meager wage she earned in exchange for the days and hours of uncompensated time taught me that it takes more than money to enrich your life .”
Bowling ’ s work in administration began as the vice principal and then principal of a middle school in Arvin , a small town in the Central Valley .
“ My experiences in Arvin , a town with many disadvantaged children and families , truly changed my perspective of the profession ,” he said . “ It didn ’ t take long to understand how important the role of an
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administrator is to students , families and teachers . Adolescent transitional growth as a young adult must include positive social interactions and a school with an academic culture . The school must offer deep personal relationships with every individual in a child ’ s circle of support .
“ In small communities with extreme poverty and high English learner populations , parents need to know that you care about them and their circumstances personally and that you will offer them the time to work toward solutions ,” he said . “ Only through listening and not reacting ; holding optimism , not pessimism ; supporting service and not neglecting , can close personal connections be made in these circumstances .”
Bowling accepted a position at Wasco Union ESD in 2018 . Wasco is another small community with high numbers of low-socioeconomic students and English learners , requiring that educators be both innovative and proactive in responding to the issues their students face .
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“ The topic of ‘ Empowering Innovative Leadership ’ as this year ’ s Leadership Summit theme resonates strongly with me ,” Bowling said . “ Innovative leadership requires school administrators to be forward thinking and to use data to anticipate the needs , trends , and patterns of how students think and learn . Innovative leaders know that the economic engine of our county will continue to evolve , and we must meet students where they are to provide them with the skills they will need to navigate an extraordinarily dynamic and shifting workforce .
“ Education cannot afford to be 20 years behind the curve any longer .”
This is represented by many of the initiatives Bowling has led in Wasco Union , including one that allows 20 percent of the teaching staff to gain an Added Authorization in Reading and Literacy on the California teaching credential .
“ One hundred percent of students have access to their own classroom Chromebook and 100 percent of teachers are trained in integrating lessons using Google Classroom
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and other online resources to supplement core instruction ,” he said .
Bowling has appreciated the value of his ACSA membership , joining in 1998 and becoming a strong leader in Region 11 over the past two decades .
“ My involvement with the organization began as a social opportunity and quickly evolved into the realization that most everyone in the room had the same struggles and barriers at their school sites as did mine ,” he said . “ Before long , networking turned to friendships and confidants in what can be a very lonely profession . ACSA provides me with the job-alike connections and all the tools I need to build my professional skills .
“ My greatest accomplishments have come from [ my ] relationships , and hearing of student success stories makes my journey in education worth every ounce of my efforts ,” he said .
For those he has taught , mentored , supervised , collaborated with and influenced in his 25 years in education , Bowling ’ s positive impact will last long into the future .
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Schools recognized by special education learning award
Superintendent Tom Torlakson congratulated the La Sierra High School Adult Transition Program in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District on winning the 2018 Grazer Outstanding Achievement in Learning ( GOAL ) award , which recognizes outstanding programs in special education .
La Sierra High School Adult Transition Program is located on the California State Fullerton campus and provides community , vocational , and social opportunities to students ages 18 to 22 with moderate to severe support needs .
“ This program is a great example of how to prepare students to become selfreliant and self-sufficient ,” Torlakson said . “ Providing students with career training that can lead to a job , exposing them to real world social activities , and teaching them how to live independently will enable these students to become productive , contributing , and thriving young adults .”
La Sierra High School Adult Transition Program started in 2009 with one teacher serving 12 students at a single location and is now districtwide with over 100 students enrolled . The program ’ s innovative practices are based on a planning structure that exposes students to a vast array of vocational , social / recreational , and independent living experiences .
The goal of the program is for every graduating student to be engaged in meaningful , competitive integrated employment or continuing education or participation in adult programs one year after completion and beyond .
Since 2009 , the program has tripled its partnerships and collaboration with support agencies that assist students with placement to adult programs after graduation , offer paid work experience after graduation , and provide a variety of other supports .
In 2014 , the program started tracking student outcomes , and in four years , the percentage of students in educational , job , or adult programs one year after graduation has grown from 31 percent to 96 percent .
The support of the professional community is critical . Students rotate through 32 job training sites , including retail sales , food service , elder care , and child care to develop their career interests . Students also receive speech and language services to improve their communication skills in the workplace and the community .
The program has also incorporated a college pathway with the addition of an Adult Education Block Grant counselor . The counselor assists students who would like to take Career Technical Education courses at adult education and community colleges
while in the program and after completion .
Tom Adams , deputy superintendent of the California Department of Education ’ s Teaching and Learning Support Branch , presented the $ 5,000 GOAL award to representatives from the La Sierra High School Adult Transition Program during a June California Advisory Commission on Special Education meeting in Sacramento .
The GOAL award was established in the 2005-06 school year and was funded by Hollywood producer Brian Grazer ’ s family to recognize exemplary practices in special education and to celebrate programs that serve California youth with disabilities along with the professionals who provide them .
For more information about the GOAL award , visit the ACSE on the CDE GOAL Award web page at https :// www . cde . ca . gov / sp / se / as / acsegoalaward . asp .
For more information about the La Sierra High School Adult Transition Program , visit the Fullerton Joint Union High School District website at www . fjuhsd . org .
OPSC considering proposal to not accept any more facilities applications
The Office of Public School Construction recently held a meeting regarding a proposed regulation that would have them stop accepting any more district applications for construction once the State Allocation Board runs out of existing bond funds . ACSA stood with many other education groups in opposition to this proposal . Schools have been in dire need of facilities funding for many years . The problem has been exacerbated by Gov . Brown ’ s not approving the sale of facilities bonds that voters approved in 2016 . Brown had expressed opposition to the bond measure on the ballot .
ACSA and other education groups will continue to make known the need for school facilities funding and will keep ACSA members apprised as developments occur . professional development calendar www . acsa . org | 800.608 . ACSA
SAVE THE DATE !
ACSA 2018 PERSONNEL INSTITUTE OCTOBER 4-6 , 2018 | LONG BEACH
SEPTEMBER 26-28 , 2018 | ISLAND HOTEL | NEWPORT BEACH , CA
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ACSA ’ S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS , CALL 800.608.2272 . ACSA ’ S PD CALENDAR IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW . ACSA . ORG / CALENDAR