Voice of the field august 2014

FA R M 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

August 2014

FREE

Back to School

W

ith summer coming to an end, a new school year will begin.

Here are some helpful tips to ensure that your student has a successful school year. your student(s) is protected from danImmunizations California State Law requires students to be vaccinated for various diseases. It is important to check with your health care provider prior to the start of the school year to ensure that

gerous diseases.

The law does allow legal guardians to submit an exemption form for immunization based on personal beliefs or medical conditions.

Volume 24, Number 8

Nutrition for a Healthy Mind

Another way to keep your student healthy is to ensure that he or she eats nutritional meals. If you are financially unable to provide your student with meals, you may qualify for the State Meal Program. This program is Continued on next page

Immunizations Required For School Entry: Grades K-12 Vaccine

Required Doses n 4 doses at any age.

Polio

n 3 doses meet requirement for ages 4–6 years if at least one was given on or after the 4th birthday. n 3 doses meet requirement for ages 7–17 years if at least one was given on or after the 2nd birthday. n Age 6 years and under: DTP, DTaP or any combination of DTP or DTaP with DT (diphtheria

and tetanus)

Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis

n 5 doses at any age.

n 4 doses meet requirements for ages 4–6 years if at least one was on or after the 4th birthday.

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

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)

n Age 4-6 years (kindergarten and above): 2 doses either on or after 1st birthday. n 7th grade: 2 doses either on or after 1st birthday.

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

Hepatitis B

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

Varicella

1 dose

Tdap Booster (Tetanus, reduced diphtheria, 7th grade: 1 dose on or after 7th birthday. and pertussis)

Back to School Continued from previous page

a student nutrition program funded by the State of California. It offers free or reduced price nutritional meals for students who qualify for such benefits. These meals are distributed in a way that doesn’t show others that the student is receiving free or reduced priced meals. To qualify for the State Meal Program complete and submit an application, which can be found at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/eligmaterials.asp. For further questions, contact the School Nutrition Program Unit at 800-952-5609.

The CalFresh Program also offers food assistance by adding to your food budget so you can put healthy and nutritious food on the table. The program issues monthly electronic benefits that can be used to buy most foods at various grocery stores. Certain non-citizens are eligible for CalFresh benefits. Eligible household members can receive CalFresh benefits even if other members in the household do not qualify. To apply to the program, visit www.benefitscal.com. For more information about eligibility requirements call 1-877-847-3663.

School Supplies

For your student to be prepared for the first day of school he or she should have items such as a backpack, No. 2 pencils, a pencil sharpener, pens, erasers, and binder paper or notebook.

Additional supplies may be necessary depending on your student’s courses.

Generally his or her teacher will distribute a list of necessary supplies on

the first day of instruction. If you need to financially plan out school supplies purchases, contact the teacher or school principal asking for a materials list in advance.

Throughout the school year, and during summer, many businesses within Sacramento hold school supply drives for families. Many of these drives provide children with backpacks, pencils, notebooks, and other various school supplies they need. Some even provide healthy snacks and food for students to have during the school year.

If you know you will not have money to allocate for school supplies try reaching out to local non-profits or your student’s school prior to the first day of class. Occasionally teachers will have extra supplies for your student to use.

School Attendance

It is important your student stays as healthy as possible so they may avoid too many school absences. Attendance is vital for educational success. When students are chronically absent, they are missing in-class assignments and will not be prepared to do their homework.

Homework teaches students the importance of responsibility and helps them fully understand the subjects they are learning in school. Homework is practice for students before tests, so if they are not turning in their assignments and are not in class then they will not do well in school. This creates a cycle for poor academic performance, because it is less likely that they will graduate or move onto the next grade. Having an

excellent attendance record is the foundation for success in school at any age.

Attending school everyday will help students succeed in their education and help them create a bright future.

California’s education laws require children between the ages of six and eighteen years of age to attend school, with a limited number of absences. Under state law, 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

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.

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 receives certain services to assist them in complying with education attendance laws. When these interventions fail, parents can face penalties, such as: community service time, parenting courses, counseling, jail or fines. These interventions and penalties exist to ensure that students remain in school.

According to The Importance of Being

in School: A Report on Absenteeism in the Nation’s Public Schools, absences can be separated into three categories —students who cannot attend school, students who will not attend school, and students who do not attend school. n Students who cannot attend school are absent because of illness, or family responsibilities. n Students who will not attend school are absent to escape bullying or embarrassment. n Students who do not attend school

are absent because they do not see the value of their education and choose to skip.

As a parent, it is important to make sure your child does not fall into these categories, especially the last one. Parents should always make sure their child is healthy enough to attend school, and talk to their children if they are experiencing social problems like bullying.

Students with higher attendance ratings are more likely to succeed on standardized tests, graduate from high school, and be admitted into college.

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 (for ECMS)

EDD Workforce Service Site Office

1

14164059

Farm Workers Strawberry/Raspberry

$11.01 HR

9/26/14 - 11/15/14

603

Tulelake

Siskiyou

Redding WS (530)225-2185

2

14166219

Farm Workers Strawberry/Raspberry

$11.01 HR

9/22/14 - 11/08/14

525

Susanville

Lassen

Redding WS (530)225-2186

3

14155683

Farm Workers Strawberry Packing

$11.01 HR

09/25/14-10/18/14

48

Macdoel

Siskiyou

Redding WS (530)2252185

4

14162930

Farm Workers Strawberry/Raspberry

$11.01 HR

10/15/14-09/15/15

30

Santa Maria

Santa Barbara

Santa Maria WS (805)614-1550

5

13898523

Farm Workers Sheepherder

$1600.74 Mo.

on-going

206

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.

Applying to College

I

f your student is entering their senior year of high school, it is important to note that college applications are due in the Fall. It does cost money to submit a college application, however you may qualify for an application fee waiver if you meet economic eligibility requirements.

The cost of education should not keep your student from applying for higher education.

In January, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) opens its application. It is important to submit your application as soon as possible to increase your chances of receiving aid for school. A FASFA application must be submited every year. If you are a US Citizen or “eligible noncitizen” you can apply to receive federal education aid by applying to FASFA at FASFA.edu.gov. You are considered an “eligible noncitizen” if you are a U.S. national, a U.S. permanent resi-

dent with a Form I-551(C) or I-151, hold a T-visa, are a batter immigrant-qualified alien, or if you have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services showing; “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Conditional Entrant,” or “Parolee”. A parent/guardian’s status does not affect a student’s eligibility for federal student aid.

Before entering information into the FASFA webpage check to make sure that you are visiting the “edu.gov” website.

There are fraudulent websites with similar web addresses. FASFA applications are completely free. If you are entering in your credit card information the site is mostly likely a scam.

If you do not meet FASFA eligibility requirements you can receive financial aid other ways. Check with your country’s embassy or a consulate here in the U.S. or with the appropriate government office back in your country to see if and how they can assist you. You can also apply to scholarships. The U.S. Department of Labor offers a free online scholarship search. Also, reach out to the college or career school you plan to attend and find out whether or not they offer any independent aid to non-U.S. citizen students.

Application Information for California Public Colleges: College

Application Period

Requirements

Application Site

California State Universities (CSU)

October 1st– November 30th

SAT or ACT test scores (unless you have a 3.0 or higher and are a California Resident) and a completed application.

csumentor.edu

Universities of California (UC)

August 1st– November 30th

SAT or ACT test scores, a completed application (which consists of essay prompts), and a 3.0 or higher GPA.

Admission. universityofcalifornia.edu

California Community Colleges

Application period may vary

A high school diploma or equivalent, or anyone over the age of 18.

cccapply.org