La voz august 2015 english

FA R M

August 2015

L A B O R

I N F O R M AT I O N

B U L L E T I N

Voice of the Fields California FREE

Back to School!

T

he school year starts soon−is your child ready?

Below are helpful tips to prepare your child for a successful school year.

Vaccinations

California State Law requires students to meet immunizations codes upon starting school. It is important that you check with your child’s health care provider prior to the start of the school year and ensure all of you child’s vaccinations are up-to-date. When your child receives vaccinations, it is important to keep all medical records as proof.

Currently, California State Law allows legal guardians to submit a form that exempts their student from immunizations based on personal belief or medical conditions, but exemption policies are set to change in the next year.

As of July 1, 2016 guardians will no longer be permitted to exempt their student from vaccine requirements unless there is a valid medical reason that is approved by a physician.

If guardians file an exemption form prior to January 1, 2016 that exemption will roll over until the next grade span is complete.

Continued on next page

Volume 25, Number 8

California Vaccination Requirements: Kindergarten-12th Grade Vaccine

Required Doses

Polio

4 doses at any age, but 3 doses meet requirement for ages 4-6 years if at least one was given on or after the 4th birthday; 3 doses meet requirement for ages 7–17 years if at least one was given on or after the 2nd birthday.

Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Hepatitis B Varicella Tdap Booster

(Tetanus, reduced diphtheria, and pertussis)

Age 6 years and under: DTP, DTaP or any combination of DTP or DTaP with DT (diphtheria and tetanus) 5 doses at any age, but 4 doses meet requirements for ages 4–6 years if at least one was on or after the 4th birthday.

Age 7 years and older: Tdap, Td, or DTP, DTaP or any combination of these 4 doses at any age, but 3 doses meet requirement for ages 7–17 years if at least one was on or after the 2nd birthday. If last dose was given before the 2nd birthday, one more (Tdap) dose is required.

Age 4-6 years (kindergarten and above): 2 doses either on or after 1st birthday.

7th grade: 2 doses either on or after 1st birthday.

Age 7-17 years and not entering or advancing into 7th grade: 1 dose on or after 1st birthday.

Age 4-6 years (kindergarten and above): 3 doses.

1 dose 7th grade: 1 dose on or after 7th birthday.

Adapted from the California Department of Public Health

Back to School Continued from previous page

Nutrition for a Healthy Mind

State Meal Program applications can be found at www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/ eligmaterials.asp. For further questions, contact the School Nutrition Program Unit at 1 (800) 952-5609.

In addition to the State Meal Program, the CalFresh Program also offers food assistance. The CalFresh Program issues monthly electronic benefits that serve to increase a family’s grocery budget.

Multiple studies have found that students who eat a nutritional diet and don’t skip breakfast perform better in school. If you are financially unable to provide your student with an adequate diet then you may qualify for the State Meal Program.

The State Meal Program is a youth nutrition program funded by the State of California. The program offers free or reduced priced meals to students that qualify. Meals are distributed discretely to prevent others from learning about at home financial hardships.

Eligibility Requirements: n Have lived in the country under legal status for at least 5 years, or n Are receiving disability benefits, or n Are under 18 years old and are a

lawfully-permitted resident To apply to the CalFresh Program, visit www.cdss.ca.gov. For more information about CalFresh or the California Food Assistance Program, a program that serves legal residents who do not meet the above criteria, call 1 (877) 847-3663.

School Attendance Attendance is vital for educational success. When students are chronically absent from school they fall dramatically behind, decreasing their chances of graduating or moving on to the next grade level. Having a strong attendance record is the founda-

State Meal Program Eligibility Guidelines for July 1, 2015- June 30, 2016 FREE Eligibility Scale forLunch, Breakfast, and Milk Household size

Year

Month

Twice per Month

Every Two Weeks

Week

REDUCED-PRICE Eligibility Scale for Lunch and Breakfast Year

Month

Twice per Month

Every Two Weeks

Week

1

$ 15,301

$ 1,276

$ 638

$ 589

$ 295

$ 21,775

$ 1,815

$ 908

$ 838

$ 419

2

20,709

1,726

863

797

399

29,471

2,456

1,228

1,134

567

3

26,117

2,177

1,089

1,005

503

37,167

3,098

1,549

1,430

715

4

31,525

2,628

1,314

1,213

607

44,863

3,739

1,870

1,726

863

5

36,933

3,078

1,539

1,421

711

52,559

4,380

2,190

2,022

1,011

6

42,341

3,529

1,765

1,629

815

60,255

5,022

2,511

2,318

1,159

7

47,749

3,980

1,990

1,837

919

67,951

5,663

2,832

2,614

1,307

8

53,157

4,430

2,215

2,045

1,023

75,647

6,304

3,152

2,910

1,455

$ 104

$ 7,696

$ 642

$ 321

$ 296

$ 148

For each additional family member, add: $5,408

$ 451

$ 226

$ 208

Adapted from the California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division

tion for academic success and a brighter future. Students with higher attendance rates are more likely to succeed on standardized tests, graduate from high school, and attend college.

In addition, California’s education law requires children between the ages of 6 to 18 years of age to attend school with a limited number of absences. A student without a valid excuse, who misses up to three full days of school within a year, or is tardy or absent from class for more than 30 minutes on three occasions in one school year, is considered “truant.” Once a student is “truant” state law requires schools, districts, counties and courts to intervene to ensure that the guardian and student receive services to assist them in complying with education attendance laws.

When these interventions fail, parents can face penalties, such as: community service time, mandatory parenting courses, counseling, fines or even jail time. These interventions and penalties exist to ensure that students remain in school.

Cyber Bullying Today, bullying doesn’t stop once the school day ends. Modern technology has allowed bullying to occur at anytime or place. It is important that you talk to your child about cyber bullying to ensure they are aware of the repercussions bullying can have on themselves and other students, and make sure your child knows who to talk to if they themselves fall victim to bullying.

Different forms of cyber bullying Talk to your child and ensure they

are aware that any photos or messages they send can be saved and easily shared.

Remind them it is important not to share any inappropriate photos or messages that they would not be ok with the whole world seeing. Too often children and teens abuse private messages, which once shared are often difficult or impossible to delete.

The facts about cyber bullying: n Cyber bullying messages and images can be posted anonymously. n Cyber bullying messages can be distributed rapidly to a wide audience. n Deleting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts, and pictures is extremely difficult once they have been posted or sent.

Who to contact about cyber bullying: n

n

CyberTipline offers services to address sexual exploitation cyberbullying.

CyberTipline can be reached at (800) 843-5678 Stop Bullying Now hotline offers services that addresses the warning signs of bullying, how to report bullies, and offers help hotline for victims.

Stop Bullying Now can be reached at 1 (800) 273-8255.

School Supplies Your child’s school may provide school supplies, but often times students are required to bring their own supplies, especially as they move higher up in grade level.

If your student’s teacher does not provide a course supplies list on the first day of

instruction, then you will want to purchase the following supplies for your student: n Backpack n No.2 pencils n Black or Blue Pens n Binder and/or folders n Binder paper and/or notebooks n Erasers If you need to financially plan out school supplies purchases, contact the teacher or school administration office asking for a materials list in advance. Local non-profits and organizations may also be able to assist you with obtaining school supplies for your child.

Voice of the Fields

California Circulation: 45,000 copies

www.LaCooperativa.org Published monthly by: La Cooperativa Campesina de California 1107 9th Street, Suite 420, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone 916.388.2220 Fax 916.388.2425

This product was funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.

The opinions expressed in this product are exclusive of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.

Eunice Gonzalez

E

unice Gonzalez is a second-generation American who was born and raised in Santa Maria, California. Her parents emigrated from a small pueblo near Ejutla de Crespo in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico and eventually moved to California where they tended to strawberry fields. As a child Gonzalez would wake up at sunrise, pack her lunch, and join her parents in the strawberry fields for twelve hours a day during the summer. Not only was Gonzalez a hard worker in the fields, she was also a dedicated student.

Despite Eunice’s challenging circumstances, she was able to graduate from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the nations top public schools.

Gonzalez knew funding her education was going to be difficult so she applied to over twenty scholarships, in which she was able to successfully earn a full ride scholarship to UCLA. Gonzalez graduated from UCLA debt free, meaning that upon her completion from college, she had no loans to pay back. She noted, “The most important advice I have is to apply, apply, apply! Scholarships are not going to fall on your lap if you’re not applying for them. I applied to over 20 scholarships and got some rejections, but nonetheless the few acceptances I got made all the difference. The reality is you’re not going to get all the scholarships you apply to, but if you apply to a plethora of them, you will get some.”

Not only was Gonzalez faced

with economic challenges, as a firstgeneration college student Gonzalez was not granted the essential knowledge to maneuver through the college application process. Eunice, like many second-generation citizens, was the first in her entire family to seek out a path towards education beyond high school. No one in her family was able to tell her about SAT and ACT tests, which are mandatory for college acceptance, or how taking Advance Placement (AP) courses and your high school grade point average (GPA) are important factors when applying for scholarship and universities.

Eunice, happy to share her experience and knowledge with others, stated “Some advice I have for students who are and/or have family working in the fields is to use that as your drive. While our family members may struggle in the work that they do, we have the privilege of being born into a family of warriors who fight

Photographed by Jorge Flores

LA VOZ SPOTLIGHT:

every day of their lives for what they have, we cannot take that for granted.

Their sacrifices and diligence should be motivation enough for us within our education trajectory. My advice is to seek out resources, seek out support, to ensure that your education is in your hands. If your counselor thinks you’re not good enough to take an AP course, prove them wrong. If you think you cannot afford college tuition, apply to scholarships. There is always a way to succeed in education so long as you’re willing to do the work to find resources and guidance.”

With dedication and hard work Eunice has been able to fulfill her educational goals and become the first in her family to graduate from college.

Eunice proudly graduated from UCLA June 2015, with a Bachelors of Science in Chicana/o Studies and minors in Labor & Workplace Studies and Gender Studies. Currently, her career goals are centered on advocating for social justice.

Migrant Education in California

T

he Migrant Education Program (MEP) is a federally operated program that attempts to improve the educational experience for migrant children that often repeatedly miss or switch schools.

ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS!

C

ollege applications are due this October-December. Make sure you check the application deadline for the college you plan to apply to. If your application requires essay responses, it is never too early to start writing – drafts are always changing.

Also, if you plan to apply to a four-year college make sure you take the SAT or ACT exam. Both the SAT and ACT are standardized exams that must be completed when applying to a four year college. The SAT and ACT exams, as well as college applications, cost money to complete. If exam fees or application fees are steering you away from applying then check and see if you qualify for a fee waiver.

It you are unsure how you will pay for college it is time to start applying for scholarships! You can find scholarships online, through your high school counselor, and through the college you are applying to. Not all scholarships are academic based. You can earn a scholarship for writing a poem, being short, having red hair, or playing a sport. Keep track of which scholarships you apply to and send a thank you email or note if you are granted a scholarship.

Currently, there are over 200,000 migrant students attending California schools during the regular academic year.

MEP is designed to support these students by providing them with a structured education program that ensures the children are appropriated the needed services and opportunities, and receive assistance with cultural and language barriers. Any other items that may hinder the child’s education transition are also addressed.

In order for a child to participate in the Migrant Education Program the parents or guardian must be a migrant worker in the agricultural, dairy, lumber, or fishing industry and the family must have moved once, at least to a new school district, within the preceding three years.

In addition, MEP assistance will be given to those students who meet the prior eligibility requirement and show signs of poor academic performance.

For further information on the MEP program visit California Department of Education online or call (916) 319-0851.

Agricultural Jobs available to U.S. workers under H-2A contract

You may apply for these jobs by phone or in person at your nearest Employment Development Department (EDD) field office Active

CalJobs Number

Job Title

Pay Rates

Contract Dates

Positions

City of Job

Employer’s County

EDD Workforce Service Site Office

1

14454886

Celery Harvest

$11.33

10/5/15 11/24/15

30

Salinas

Monterey

Salinas WS (831) 796-3600

2

14449444

Strawberry & Raspberry Plant Trimming

$11.33

10/03/15 10/31/15

24

Mcdoel

Siskiyou

Redding WS (530) 225-2185

3

14441065

Strawberry & Raspberry Plant Trimming

$11.33

9/23/15 11/07/15

531

Susanville

Lassen

Redding WS (530) 225-2185

4

14440587

Strawberry & Raspberry Plant Trimming

$11.33

9/25/15 11/14/15

611

Tulelake

Siskiyou

Redding WS (530) 225-2185

5

14437234

Tomato Pre/Harvest

$11.33

9/21/15 11/15/15

50

Oceanside

San Diego

Oceanside WS (760) 414-3582

6

14443762

Farmworkers Sheepherder

$1600.34 Mo.

on-going

299

California and Western States

California and Western States

Selected EDD WSB Offices

The H-2A temporary agricultural program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. The H-2A employers must demonstrate that qualified U.S. workers are not available for the job and the employment of temporary foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers similarly employed. Preference in hiring will be given to qualified U.S. workers before employers are allowed to bring in foreign workers under the program.

Furthering Your Career and Education as an Adult

I

n addition to educational programs offered by La Cooperativa Campesina de California member organizations, which include the Center for Employment Training (CET), the California Human Development (CHD), the Central Valley Opportunity Center (CVOC), Employers’ Training Resources (ETR) and Proteus Incorporated, the following organizations offer additional education and job training programs.

The Farmworker Institute of Education and Leadership Development (FIELD) FIELD is a non-profit organization based in California’s San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. FIELD offers English as a Second Language (ESL) and literacy courses to individuals 18 years of age and older. The English language is explored on a reading, writing, listening, and speaking level.

For more information about FIELD’s educational programs contact (661) 822-4381.

The Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF) MAOF is an organization based out of Los Angeles and Kern County, and also offers services in Monterey County. The Los Angeles Department supports a Senior Hispanic Information and Assistance (SHIAS)

La Cooperativa Campesina de California Member Organization

program that provides information and assistance services. Information is provided on topics including health, transportation, housing, employment, naturalization, hunger, document assistance and more. For further information on the SHIAS program contact the Program Director, Elizabeth Jimenez at (323) 278-3896.

MAOF also offers job training programs and financial education workshops. MAOF’s financial education workshops go over financial basics, how to set up monthly budgets, how to deal with loans and credit, and much more.

For more information on MAOF contact (323) 890-9600.

Office Location

Center for Employment Training (CET) www.cetweb.org

Coachella, Colton, El Centro, Oxnard, Sacramento, Salinas, San Diego, San Jose, San Maria, Soledad, and Watsonville

California Human Development (CHD) www.californiahumandevelopment.org

Olivehurst, Stockton, Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Lodi, Brentwood, Chico, Dixon, Lakeport, Napa, Ukiah, Sacramento, Woodland, Yuba City, Galt, Cresent, Kelseyville, Calistoga, Fairfield, and St. Helena

Central Valley Opportunity Center (CVOC) Modesto, Winton, Madera www.cvoc.org

General Number 1 (800) 533-2519 (707) 523-1155

(209) 357-0062

Employers’ Training Resource (ETR) www.etronline.com

Coachella, El Centro, Gilroy, Oxnard, Sacramento, Salinas, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Jose, Santa Maria, Soledad, Temecula and Watsonville

1 (800) 203-2623

Proteus Inc. www.proteusinc.org

Tulare, Kern, Fresno and Kings and Northern Los Angeles

1 (888) 776-9998

Please note that not all locations offer the same services. For additional information visit the organizations website or contact their general number.