February 2024

We are thrilled to announce a dynamic collaboration between Central Coast RTAC and Manuel Colon, an esteemed education expert from Inflexion. A proud alumnus of Stanford University and UCLA, Manuel has earned advanced degrees in education and school administration. His academic journey also led him to UC Santa Cruz, where he attained a degree in Language and Culture.

With an impressive track record spanning over 30 years in the education sector, Manuel has excelled as both a site and district office administrator. Notably, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Community School at Anaheim Union High School District. His innovative approach resulted in the creation of impactful family and community engagement programs, fostering collaborative partnerships with local business and nonprofit organizations.

For those eager to delve deeper into Manuel's rich background and contributions to the education sector, we invite you to explore his website. Gain insights into his transformative initiatives and discover the wealth of knowledge he brings to our partnership.

Central Coast RTAC is excited about the opportunities this collaboration brings, and we look forward to a future enriched with innovative educational solutions and community engagement.

Monterey County



North Monterey County Unified School District proudly announced three outstanding students from North Monterey County High School, Valentin Bautista (Grade 10), Brysma Ramirez (Grade 11), and Nancy Hernandez (Grade 10), have been selected to represent their community on the Statewide Student Advisory Board for the California Community Schools Initiative.

Valentin Bautista, a dynamic student leader and advocate, actively participates in the NMCUSD Youth Ambassadors Program and NMCHS ASB. Valentin is a dedicated advocate for his community, which faces unique challenges, and demonstrates ambition and a profound passion for community improvement.

Valentin expresses, “I feel like I am actually able to make an impact for the people in my community. Especially as the low socio-economic community that we are. I have been wanting to get involved in something bigger than me and help make an impact in my community. Representing NMCHS at a state level feels very fulfilling. It allows me to advocate for community schools, partake in policy changes, and make a positive impact on education. This role aligns with the passion I have for wanting a bigger change for our community.”

Brysma Ramirez, a youth leader in multiple clubs, stands out for her exceptional qualities showcased through her active involvement in community service initiatives. Serving as the district student Board Member, Brysma's resilience, discipline, and positive attitude makes her an ideal candidate to represent at the state level.

Brysma shares her excitement, stating, “I am prepared and excited to get the opportunity to advocate for my school and community and bring ideas to the table at a state level that will help North Monterey County in the future.”

Nancy Hernandez, known for her enthusiasm and commitment to positive impacts on education and community development, serves as a NMCUSD Youth Ambassador. Nancy is eager to bring more opportunities to her community and colleagues at NMCHS through her role on the Statewide Student Advisory Board.

Nancy expressed her gratitude, saying, “I am very thrilled to say that I have been selected to be a part of the Statewide Student Advisory Board for the California Community Schools Initiative. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to use my voice and ideas to make a positive change in our community and throughout schools in California.”

These three exemplary students, Valentin, Brysma, and Nancy, are proud to represent North Monterey County with distinction and contribute significantly to the 2024 Community Schools Summit. The district looks forward to their impactful contributions at the State level.

San Benito County



San Benito County Office of Education Mental Health coordinator, Ms. Adina Austin, has the creativity and passion for student wellness and has been instrumental in creating wellness centers and wellness corners at the county schools. While the first wellness center was implemented at the alternative education site, soon after, Ms. Austin was asked to create more centers for students. At the wellness center at Tres Pinos Elementary School (pictured above), students are provided with the Wellness Menu once they enter the center. The menu provides options for meditation (read, listen to calming sounds, etc), sensory (sand garden, kinetic sand, building blocks, fidgets, etc), & arts and crafts (mandala coloring, positive messages, and gratitude corner). Students are given 5-15 minutes depending on the activity they decide to choose. The center itself provides a calming atmosphere with many different activities. What makes this center different is the fact that Ms. Austin has provided a purpose statement for each activity which provides detailed information regarding how a certain activity provides wellness. For example, "Using fidgets can take your mind off your worries and help reduce stress." Students have been able to not only use the wellness center to improve their wellbeing but also have a better understanding of the logic behind each activity.

San Luis Obispo County

Shandon Joint Unified School District and San Miguel Joint Union School District have created a transformative partnership through Wheat 2 School Project. Being the first school districts in California to initiate the program, they have become exemplary for the rest of the nation. The purpose of the program is to obtain locally grown wheat from CA farmers, and to embrace whole grain at the school site. At Lillian Larsen Elementary School (pictured above), students are able to learn where wheat comes from, its life cycle, and nutritional value. Once the wheat is harvested, it is sent to Shandon where a stone mill is housed. Shandon is the first public school in the nation that has a mill on its site. Flour collected from the milling process is used in the cooking classes at Lillian Larsen Elementary School and cafeteria to make pizza dough, muffins, and pasta noodles. In fact, at Lillian Larsen, students enjoy food that is made from scratch from locally grown produce. Students are able to merge their understanding about wheat and agriculture from the gardens to their math, science, and history classes. The after school cooking classes provide opportunity for students to try new things and take their learning beyond their classroom to teach their parents and sibling about healthy eating habits and food waste. Therefore, Lillian Larsen has created a cycle of collaboration via their gardens, cafeteria, and classrooms that is transforming their community from the farmers to students to parents one person at a time.

Santa Barbara County



The Santa Barbara County Education Office team (SBCEO) presented at the November Central Coast RTAC virtual Community of Transformational Practice Session (CoTP). The topic for this session was Engagement. 

The SBCEO team consists of Director level team member support from their Curriculum and Instruction and Student and Community Services Departments. Team members (pictured above from left to right) include: Shawn Carey, Tiffany Carson, Noelle Barthel, Shannon Yorke, and Cristina Ortega. The team provides guidance to the 10 planning CCSPP grantees in their county.  

At the CoTP session, the SBCEO team shared their experience supporting the Community Schools work in their county. Some of the items they addressed included challenges they have faced, their process of engaging grantees, the benefit of collaborating with the LCAP reviewer, and creating a grantee roadmap for planning implementation.

Click here to review the recording. Thank you again SBCEO team for participating in this session!

Santa Cruz County

In the spotlight this month is the Live Oak School District in Santa Cruz County, demonstrating an incredible effort to provide extended learning time and opportunities for students. The district has a partnership with LifeLab, a collaboration that aims to cultivate children's love of learning, nourishing food, and a connection with nature through garden-based education. Live Oak School District's commitment to enhancing the educational experience through this innovative partnership is wonderful. They are fostering a learning environment focused on real-world learning with a deep appreciation for the world around them.

The Live Oak School District in Santa Cruz has embarked on an innovative journey by integrating student culinary education with the National School Lunch Program. LOSD upgraded its central kitchen to create a dedicated space for students to learn cooking skills and expand scratch-cooked options on all of LOSD's menus. This new initiative is a pilot program designed to provide practical culinary and nutrition education to students. Through hands-on experience in the kitchen, students not only learn valuable cooking skills but also gain insights into nutrition and healthy eating habits. The meals prepared by students as part of this program are served as part of the National School Lunch and National School Breakfast Programs, ensuring that all students have access to nutritious and delicious meals throughout the school day.

Fillmore High School Wellness

Piru Elementary School Wellness Center

Channel Islands High School Wellness Center

Ventura County



In the vibrant community of Ventura County, a commitment to wellness and inclusion is making strides with integrated student support. The wellness and inclusion centers have a comprehensive program covering screening, counseling, intervention, referrals, suicide prevention, and dropout prevention. This holistic approach reflects a dedication to prioritizing mental health and creating a community where every student is supported.

Maslow the Therapy Dog (pictured above) is a paw-sitive🐾 support to the Channel Island High School Wellness Center. Maslow, a lovable and gentle therapy dog, lends his furry support to students as they navigate the ups and downs of high school life. Research has shown that interactions with therapy animals can have numerous benefits for students, including reducing stress, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness, as well as promoting overall emotional well-being. Maslow was the highlight of the trip to Ventura.