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Superintendent's Community Message: Become a Substitute Today; Testing Available Monday, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; Scholarships and more

Hello WCCUSD Community,

Before we head into the three day weekend to honor and recognize Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – one of the greatest civil rights icons and activists who fought to change the trajectory of injustice and division in this country – I want to share another opportunity for us to come together as a community to support our students. Please click here or the image below to view my video message.

Testing Sites Open on Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, January 17

District schools and offices will be closed in recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. The district’s new COVID testing sites will be open for the holiday: the District Central Office, the Ohlone Elementary School campus, and the Alvarado Adult School site. Each testing site is open from 9 am - 5 pm. 

Please note that you must register and make an appointment to get tested at one of these sites. To register and schedule an appointment, please visit www.wccusd.net/covidtesting. Testing at these sites is for WCCUSD students, staff and parents only.

 

 

 

Students ages 5-11 can now upload vax cards to PowerSchool

Some parents have already noticed a new update in PowerSchool. Parents can now upload all eligible students' vaccination cards to PowerSchool  Parents with students ages 5 to 11 can complete the same form as the students ages 12 and older in the Parent/Student PowerSchool portal. Visit www.wccusd.net/vaccinemandate for more information.





 

 

 

 

 

Real World Science Skills Come to Life in Pathways

By: College & Career Team | Photo Credit: John Iwawaki

WCCUSD Career and Technical Education courses provide students with opportunities to learn technical skills that solve real world problems in high need, high wage industry sectors in our state and local region. 

As an example, Juniors in Mr. Heyward’s Principles of Biomedical Sciences class in the Health Pathway at Pinole Valley High School are learning gel electrophoresis: an important tool for use in Forensic Science. The gel separates particles into a matrix, which are then forced to move around by electricity, and get separated by size. Students practice first with colored dye, and then use actual DNA. Strands of DNA can be used to match DNA in a skeleton from known missing persons’ DNA. This is a part of a unit on Identity, focusing on molecules and tissues, using equipment kits from local industry partner Bio-Rad.

 

Pinole Valley High School Educator Named 2021 Top 10 Voices in Education

Pinole Valley High School Teacher Michele Lamons-Rayford for being selected to be a part of the 10 Voices in Education for 2021 from The Educator’s Room. In late November, The Educators Room released a survey to email subscribers to ask which voices in education they want to hear more from. Lamons-Raiford was one of the top 10 voices selected out of more than 1,000 submissions. Read the highlight from The Educator's Room

 

 

 

 

Hercules High Dance Production Holds Showcase in December

From The EdFund: Wondering what our Bradley Arts Grant awardees are doing? Check out these pictures from Hercules High's Dance Production Classes' December showcase! The program was provided a grant to help students get access to proper dancing shoes, as well as costumes and props. Thank you for supporting our arts grants so we can support these amazing dancers!💃🕺

Thank you to West Contra Costa Public Education Fund for their continued support for students in WCCUSD. And thank you to HHS dance teacher Emerald Levitt for sharing the highlight. We are proud of the great work that the Hercules High School students are doing. 

Congratulations and we look forward to seeing more!

Photo Credit: The EdFund

 

 

 

The Xi Gamma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. will be awarding scholarship ranging from $500 - $2000 to outstanding African American high school seniors.

Applications are available on the Xi Gamma Omega website at xigammaomega.com.

Questions about the Xi Gamma Omega scholarship can be emailed to XGOScholarship@gmail.com. 

 

 

 

Apply for the 2022 Chevron Black Employee Network Scholarship Program by January 17 

The Chevron Black Employee Network invites high school students in WCCUSD to participate in the 2021 Chevron Richmond Black History Awareness Committee Scholarship Program. Since 2004, the Chevron Richmond Black Employee Network (BEN) has awarded over 40 scholarships to deserving high school students from the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Funding for the scholarships is provided by Chevron Richmond’s Policy, Government & Public Affairs (PGPA) department in partnership with the Richmond Black History Awareness Committee (BHAC). The scholarship is given in honor of Dr. William F. King. Dr. King is a distinguished African American Chemical Engineer who retired from Chevron in 2003. 

The deadline to apply for the scholarship is January 17, 2022. All required documents must be received as requested.

Click here to read more and apply.

 

 

Healthy Richmond Hosts Community Buzz Cafe’s on Race Equity

Healthy Richmond partners and the Resident Ambassadors of the City of Richmond’s Race Equity Team will host a series of “Community Buzz Café Meetings on Race Equity” to engage with the community and talk about the City of Richmond’s race equity action plan. 

The virtual cafe’s will be held on the 4th Tuesday of every month via Zoom from 6pm - 7pm. Zoom details will be sent later this month. If there are any meeting changes, dates and times will be updated and the community will be notified through email.

Facilitators will present the Racial Equity Action Plan which has four goals: 

  1. City of Richmond employees understand and are committed to achieving racial equity.

  2. Every city department is governed by the principle of "Community Ownership", fostering democratic participation and equity through community-driven decision making.

  3. City of Richmond is a racially equitable employer and promotes racial equity in contracting and procurement.

  4. Healthy Life Outcomes - Healthy life outcomes increased and racial disproportionalities eliminated for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

Healthy Richmond partners and Resident Ambassadors want to hear from you. To join the meetings and stay updated, sign up by completing the interest form: tinyurl.com/REAtalks. Sign up today to learn more and give input on race equity in the community. 

 

In community,

Dr. Kenneth Chris Hurst
Superintendent