May 2024

President's Message

Region 6 Leadership seeks input from all region administrators - WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO YOU

It is extremely important to our Region 6 Leadership to be responsive to our members as well as those administrators who have not chosen to be ACSA members.We are making a concerted effort to hear from school leaders in our region.

A survey on Google Form was disseminated through an ACSA leader in each of our region's 33 districts and county offices. The invitation and link were sent to ACSA as well as non-ACSA members. We need this input to craft our 2024-25 programs that would be relevant and supportive of all our members. We also want to hear from those administrators who are not ACSA members on their reasons for not being a member of their professional organization. In the past, we have not been able to reach out to the non-members. We also typically received very few responses from our members on these surveys.

We want to be an organization that you would be proud to be member. After all, ACSA's mission is to advocate in the best interests of students and to develop, empower and inspire equity-minded educational leaders.

If you are a not yet retired administrator and have not filled out this survey, please complete it at click here.

Feel free to share with colleagues in your school or district. We thank you for your time in sharing your thoughts.



Administrator of the Year Awards Celebration

Nearly 350 colleagues, friends, and family members celebrated our ACSA Region 6 Administrators of the Year on April 18 at the San Ramon Marriott! This event is always the highlight of the year for our Region when we gather to honor our own. We have so many outstanding leaders in our region!

The 2024-25 Awards season will open on August 1. Check the ACSA and Region 6 websites for more information as they become available.

Student musicians from San Leandro HS Advanced Jazz Ensemble performing at the pre-dinner reception

Attendees enjoying each other before the annual awards dinner

A reunion of MDUSD administrator alums excited to see each other again

R6 VP Programs Paulette Smith welcoming David Kumamoto, Elementary Principal from San Leandro USD

Excitement building up for the start of R6 Awards celebration

ACSA President Parvin Ahmadi and R6 President Raul Zamora remembering the late Dr. Frank Wells

The Diablo Valley Assistance League receiving Region 6's Partners in Educational Excellence Award

Diamond Partner Cindy Lawson helps to present the Superintendent of the Year Award to CJ Cammack

Efa Huckaby receiving the R6 Secondary Principal Award. He was also named as the ACSA Secondary Principal of the Year

Barbara Burg being honored as the R6 Retired Administrator of the Year

Liberty Union HSD team celebrating Efa Huckaby's award

MDUSD attendees celebrating their nominee and region winner Diablo Valley Assistance League

Past President Jacob Berg being honored as Past President (2nd stint)

Incoming R6 President Matt Chamberlain being congratulated by outgoing President Raul Zamora

Vice President Paulette Smith thanking Raul Zamora for his leadership as this year's Region 6 President

Region 6 Executive Committee members congratulating Jacob Berg, recipient of the R6 Frank Wells President's Award

Daryl Camp receiving the Nels Nelson Award from President Raul Zamora and last year's recipient Tracie Noriega

R6 Executive Director Rose Lock announcing the appointment of Jackie Kim as the new R6 Treasurer

Big turnout by the administrative team from Castro Valley USD

West Contra Costa administrators supporting their colleagues being recognized at celebration

Honored to have a large group from Region 6 partner AALRR celebrating with us

2024-25 Region 6 Executive Committee members were sworn in by ACSA President Parvin Ahmadi.

ACSA Legislative Action Days 2024

Legislative Action Days 2024

On April 28 and 29, more than 250 school leaders, including nearly 20 from Region 6, took time away from their schools or districts and travelled to Sacramento to advocate for our students in California.

ACSA Vice President of Legislative Action Gina Potter thanked participants at the Sunday welcome gathering. She told them, "There's no mightier voice for our students and for our state's education system than your voices as experienced and compassionate educational leaders."

This year's ACSA's legislative priorities include:

• Fully fund Prop 98 and LCFF
• Emergency school closure
• Reinstate transitional kindergarten funding commitment
• Safe and modern schools: School facilities bond
• Streamlined accountability
• Staffing solutions

For details of each of these priorities, click here.

This is the document ACSA teams left with legislators or their aides during their advocacy visits. Please share with your local legislators and community if you have a chance. Don't be complacent when we are now reading headlines like "Budget shortfall results in cuts." Challenges are ahead of us but you can make a difference by taking a stand and speaking out.

The following ACSA Region 6 members participated in the this year's Legislative Action Days: Parvin Ahmadi, Jacob Berg, Daryl Camp, Matt Chamberlain, Steve Collins, Efa Huckaby, Roberta Kreitz, Sonja Neely-Johnson, Kathy LaCome, James Parrish, Paulette Smith, David Thornley, Kimberly Valentino, Pam VandeKamp, Bethannee Witczak, Harvey Yurkovich, Raul Zamora. Our delegation was joined by representatives from UC Berkeley's Leadership Coaching Program: Alan Frishman, Eric Husted, Todd Irving, Gary McHenry, Yorda Weldeghiorgis, Marcie Plummer and Lihi Rosenthal.

Kimberly Valentino, Principal of Dayton Elementary School in San Lorenzo USD participated in her first LAD and shared the following thoughts:

"Participating in the Legislative Action Days was a great experience! I was able to learn more about the issues that affect education and our students. It felt good to be able to advocate for our needs and share my stories highlighting how my students at my school are being affected. Thank you for helping us all come together in the name of supporting our communities!"

ACSA Leaders gearing up for a productive day to make their voices heard

Legislative Action Days were well represented by Region 6 Board of Directors

R6 delegation including representatives from the UC Berkeley Leadership Program gathered on Sunday afternoon in preparation for Monday's visits with legislators at the Capitol.

R6 ACSA members met with Assemblymember Tim Grayson - Efa Huckaby, Harvey Yurkovich, Raul Zamora, Matt Chamberlain, and David Thornley

Region 6 Student Awards Reception

The Region 6 Student Awards Reception was held on April 8 at Back Forty BBQ in Pleasant Hill. 8 students were honored as Every Student Succeeding finalists. Adam Tobar, a fifth grader from San Leandro USD was selected as the R6 winner and received a $1000 award. The other finalists each received a $250 award. In the fall, Adam will be honored at the ACSA Leadership Summit in San Diego. Thank you to all the ACSA administrators who nominated students for the ESS Award and sharing their inspiring journeys.

8 students who are children of ACSA members were selected to receive the Bob Blackburn Student Scholarships. They were also honored at the R6 Student Awards Reception.

Congratulations to all of our outstanding students in Region 6!

Region 6 President Raul Zamora and Past President Jacob Berg presented awards to all of our student honorees

Student honorees included R6 Every Student Succeeding finalists and winner as well as scholarship recipients

ACSA Academies 2024-25

ACSA is Your Career Partner

The Association of California School Administrators provides a full range of academies, in 10 leadership specializations, to meet your needs as a school administrator, confidential employee or classified manager. Learn more about ACSA academies for 2024-25 on the ACSA website at this link. Registration online will begin on June 1.

Region 6, as well as ACSA, provides scholarships to its members for these academies. Check Region 6 website. Application will be posted in August. Information about ACSA scholarships can be found using the above link for ACSA.

Download 2024-2025 Academies at a Glance

From Your Region Executive Director

Are you retiring or know someone who is?

Do you know that your ACSA membership does not automatically continue after you retired. You must apply for Retiree membership. Stay connected with the education community and informed on educational issues. Apply for new retiree membership on ACSA website. This is a great way to transition into retirement!

The Region 6 Retiree Charter has nearly 250 members. They host 3 luncheon meetings during the year where members reconnect with other retired (some still working) administrators. These meetings often feature speakers on topics relevant to retired educators such as cyber security, STRS updates, current educational political landscape, ACSA advocacy efforts.

Here's the link to an article featured in an EdCal issue about staying with ACSA in retirement.

Region 6 Awarded 2 Mini-grants

Congratulations to Hilary Dito (Contra Costa County Office of Ed) and Nikky Washington (San Leandro USD)! Region 6 awarded each of these ACSA members $1000 to support the implementation of their projects.

Hilary's grant will support Contra Costa County ROP in hosting "Hack the Planet". This is a one day event that simulates real world work by identifying problems presented by the United Nations, then using Design Thinking to create viable solutions.

Nikki's grant will support the mental health awareness activities at Bancroft Middle School in San Leandro USD in this coming year.

California Association of Asian & Pasifika Leaders in Education (CAAPLE)

I recently had the pleasure of attending the 2nd annual conference of this new organization. It was a transformative experience for me, a retired AAPI educator with over 40 years of experience in California. I wished I had an experience like this when I started my educational career.

CAAPLE is a sister organization to CALSA (California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators) and CAAASA (California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators). Its mission is to ensure equity and address the needs of AAPI students by recruiting, growing, and connecting AAPI educators and leaders.

For more information about this new organization, check out their website at CAAPLE.org. Please share with AAPI educational leaders and allies. Representation Matters!

As another school year comes to a close, thank you for making a difference for your students and public education in California. Now is time to focus on yourself, at least for a few weeks! Enjoy the summer with family and friends. We look forward to connecting again for 2024-25.



Rose Lock, Region 6 Executive Director

Welcome to New ACSA Members

Region 6 welcomes the following new members in March and April:

Hayward USD

Candace Coifed

Mt. Diablo USD

Joanne Walther, Courtney Lyon

Pittsburg USD

Keeva Maxwell

San Lorenzo USD

Indira Kurmar

San Ramon Valley USD

Kate Bryzek, Kristen Berg

West Contra Costa USD

Matthew Shelton

Retirees

Patricio Urbi

CA Department of Education/ UC Berkeley

Lihi Rosenthal

Student

Pengpeng Jiang

Thank you to ACSA member for continuing to recruit new members!

Christina Filios, Rose Lock

Region 6 Partners Corner

Cindy Lawson with her colleague from Right At School, Katie Modesitt from ReThink Ed, and Josiah McPeak from Edmentum

Our Platinum partner Alameda County Office of Ed sharing their programs

Susan and Austin representing Equitable Advisors

Jesse Woodward sharing programs and products from Lego Education

Here are some reps from Atkinson Andelson Loya, Ruud & Romo, another long time ACSA partner

Josiah McPeak representing Edmentum meeting our dinner guests

Thank you to all our Region 6 partners for 2023-24!

A big shout-out to our Partners for their continuing support of our region's programs.Thank you especially to some of them for attending our biggest celebration of the year on April 18.

Our partners' sponsorships allow us to offer high quality professional development and other programs that serve our members. We are grateful for their support of public education leaders. Learn more about these partners on our website Partners page.

Region 6 Leadership

President: Raul Zamora

President-Elect: Matt Chamberlain

Past President: Jacob Berg

VP, Staff Development: Christina Filios

VP, Programs: Paulette Smith

VP, Legislative Action: Kathy LaCome

VP, Membership: Harvey Yurkovich

Secretary: Janet Gates

Treasurer: Annette Heldman

Equity Chair: Christy Glaser

Communication Chair: Pam VandeKamp

ACSA Board Director: Sonja Neely-Johnson

At-Large Representatives: Rochelle Hooks, Jenny Vargas, Efa Huckaby, Lynn Mackey

The mission of the Association of California School Administrators is to advocate in the best interests of students and to develop, empower and inspire equity-minded educational leaders.