edUCatIon

By Rachelle Elledge Barkus / Senior Director, Educational Options/Modesto City Schools

Modesto City Schools is pleased to offer construction programs at three of our comprehensive sites; Downey, Modesto High, and a new program at Johansen High School. Our programs work with industry partners to identify and implement the skills for students to be successful in all phases of construction.

The Downey High school program has been in place for a number of years. The students have built houses and dog houses, and have learned everything from electrical to framing to finalizing the interior features. Each year, Downey High School students have built a house from the ground up and sold the home to a member of the community. Downey has a new teacher this year, Brian Fuller, who is coming from Sylvan Unified. We are excited to see Downey’s program continue to grow and thrive.

Modesto High school has a cabinet construction program that has a focus on woodworking. Ryan Poulsen has worked hard to develop a program that attracts students to the course. These classes are filled with students learning teamwork, safety, work ethic and the art of woodworking.

Johansen High school is launching their new construction program with a newly hired instructor. Mr. Nathan Schar, Principal of Johansen, has been wanting to start a construction program for quite some time. The student interest has been there, and now Modesto City has the ability to build this pathway. We are excited to implement the vision of the new program and provide skill-based instruction for our students.

Modesto City Schools is looking to engage with industry partners and future employers to ensure the content taught in the class translates to the world of work. In addition, we are building the workforce of the future and want to prepare our students for success as they seek a career. If interested in mentorship, guest speaking, or any other type of partnership, please contact:

Rachelle Barkus, Modesto City Schools Senior Director of Educational Options at barkus.r@monet.k12. ca.us.

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A MESSAGE FROM STANISLAUS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER DR. JULIE VAISHAMPAYAN

July 8th, 2020 I have received many questions regarding the opening of schools in Stanislaus County when the traditional school year begins in early August. Each of the school districts in our community have worked on opening plans that support a safe learning environment for students and staff. These plans are guided by public health standards and best practices at the local, state and national level. I have worked closely with School Superintendents throughout the COVID-19 emergency to inform their planning and help guide the actions of independent school districts. Much of this work is included in a report entitled “Stanislaus County 2020-2021 – School Year Planning: A Guide to Address the Challenges of COVID-19. ” This report and other reference materials are readily available through the Stanislaus County Office of Education at www.stancoe.org. As the Stanislaus County Public Health Officer, I have not issued any local orders or guidance at this time that place any further restrictions on school opening beyond the requirements established by the California Department of Public Health. All of the work I have done with school districts suggests they are well informed of the guidelines and doing everything they can to support the public health of our community. We have experienced a significant increase in the spread of COVID-19 and related hospitalizations in our community over the last several weeks. The impact has resulted in further restrictions, with many businesses having to close just after reopening. The trend in disease spread and hospitalizations should be a concern for us all. As this virus continues to spread and we learn more, we should expect the need to change our actions as individuals and as a community when needed. I will be working with school districts to monitor and respond to these developments in our local community for the next 4-5 weeks as school districts begin final preparation for the new school year. We will consider emerging data and evidence on the spread of COVID-19 in younger populations to ensure the appropriate balance of public health and childhood development. Although I recognize the strain of this uncertainty in our community, this same challenge is taking place throughout our state and many parts of our country as we are forced to respond to changing conditions on a daily basis. Thank you for your ongoing support of our local school districts and the challenging task of maintaining childhood education during the era of COVID-19. Sincerely,

Julie Vaishampayan, MD, MPH, FIDSA

UN MENSAJE DEL CONDADO DE STANISLAUSOFICIAL DE SALUD PÚBLICA DR. JULIE VAISHAMPAYAN

8 de Julio, 2020

Declaración sobre reapertura escolar He recibido muchas preguntas sobre la apertura de escuelas en el condado de Stanislaus cuando el año escolar tradicional comienza a principios de agosto. Cada uno de los distritos escolares de nuestra comunidad ha trabajado en planes de apertura que apoyan un ambiente de aprendizaje seguro para los estudiantes y el personal. Estos planes están guiados por estándares de salud pública y mejores prácticas a nivel local, estatal y nacional. He trabajado en estrecha colaboración con los superintendentes escolares durante la emergencia COVID-19 para informar su planificación y ayudar a guiar las acciones de los distritos escolares independientes.

Gran parte de este trabajo se incluye en un informe titulado "Condado de Stanislaus 2020-2021 Planificación del año escolar: una guía para abordar los desafíos de COVID-19" . Este informe y otros materiales de referencia están disponibles a través de la Oficina de Educación del Condado de Stanislaus en www.stancoe.org. Como Oficial de Salud Pública del Condado de Stanislaus, no he emitido ninguna orden u orientación local en este momento que imponga restricciones adicionales a la apertura de la escuela más allá de los requisitos establecidos por el Departamento de Salud Pública de California.

Todo el trabajo que he hecho con los distritos escolares sugiere que están bien informados sobre las reglas y están haciendo todo lo posible para apoyar la salud pública de nuestra comunidad. Hemos visto un aumento significativo en la propagación de COVID-19 y hospitalizaciones relacionadas en nuestra comunidad durante las últimas semanas. El impacto ha dado lugar a nuevas restricciones, y muchas empresas tienen que cerrar justo después de la reapertura. La tendencia en la propagación de enfermedades y hospitalizaciones debería ser una preocupación para todos nosotros.

A medida que este virus continúa propagándose y aprendemos más, debemos esperar la necesidad de cambiar nuestras acciones como individuos y como comunidad cuando sea necesario. Trabajaré con los distritos escolares para monitorear y responder a estos desarrollos en nuestra comunidad local durante las próximas 4-5 semanas a medida que los distritos escolares comiencen la preparación final para el nuevo año escolar. Consideraremos los datos emergentes y la evidencia sobre la propagación de COVID19 en poblaciones más jóvenes para garantizar el equilibrio adecuado de salud pública y desarrollo infantil.

Aunque reconozco la tensión de esta incertidumbre en nuestra comunidad, este mismo desafío se está produciendo en todo nuestro estado y en muchas partes de nuestro país, ya que nos vemos obligados a responder a las condiciones cambiantes a diario. Gracias por su continuo apoyo a nuestros distritos escolares locales y la difícil tarea de mantener la educación infantil durante la era de COVID-19.

Sinceramente

Julie Vaishampayan, MD, MPH, FIDSA Oficial de salud pública del condado de Stanislaus

It’s an exciting time at VOLT Institute. Two years of planning for scaled out manufacturing training is finally coming to fruition. New equipment is arriving and being assembled. Additional instructors are coming onboard. VOLT Institute’s motto is “By Business, For Business, At the Speed of Business” and the organization seeks to adjust and move forward quickly. This includes changes to allow for operations amidst a global pandemic.

While the debates over masks, indoor dining, and county by county guidelines continue, VOLT Institute never missed a beat. VOLT staff developed and implemented a comprehensive plan to keep students engaged and progressing toward in-demand careers in manufacturing with higher wages and job security. When school closures began in late March, VOLT had remote learning in place and students transitioned seamlessly. By April, other VOLT Institute training opportunities also moved into the virtual realm.

The Supervisor Development Academy operated in partnership with AgSafe began meeting online with workshops adjusted to two hour time blocks instead of four. Admittedly, there were concerns that this training for frontline supervisors to tackle real world situations while managing teams would not be as effective in a virtual space but AgSafe trainer Angelina Ceja reported that feedback from participants in this workshop remains positive.

VOLT Institute’s popular efficiency training, Career Accelerator Program (CAP), taught by Beaudette Consulting INC. was made available remotely as well. Student survey results indicated that the length of time for each of the online training sessions was appropriate and engaging and either met or exceeded expectations.

VOLT Institute campus reopened June 15 with strict COVID-19 protocols in place including mandatory wearing of masks. To ensure social distancing, students comfortable returning to the downtown Modesto campus continued their training by appointment. One on one instruction is being offered by VOLT instructors to help students make up time lost during the mandatory shutdown.

Through it all, VOLT administration continues developing new partnerships with regional manufacturers such as the new internship program with Flowers Baking Co. This partnership gives VOLT students an opportunity to receive valuable work experience. Recently, two VOLT graduates have been accepted into E. & J. Gallo Winery’s

maintenance apprenticeship program. Promotions in the workplace and wage increase reports from VOLT alumni are too numerous to list but VOLT is especially proud of its 96% job placement rate.

VOLT also partnered with Valley First Credit Union to provide loans to students. This allows students looking to improve their long-term wage outcomes to apply for funding with most payments deferrable until the program is complete. The application process is online and very user-friendly. In addition, students get to participate in financial wellness training. Before the availability of the loan program, some potential students were deterred by the cost, which is low compared to similar programs of VOLT’s caliber but still represented a modest financial investment in one’s future.

Finally, VOLT’s Senior Leadership Series in partnership with Next Gear Consulting is back. Applications for this series are now being accepted. The series is designed to teach top level manufacturing and other executives important skills in strategic planning, building a positive company culture, leadership, etc. Taught by Kristi Marsella, CEO of Next Gear Consulting, and former VP of Human Resources at G3 and E.&J. Gallo Winery, this series is a great opportunity to improve leadership skills. Applications can be found at voltinstitute.com.