State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Releases Statement on Senate Bill 48
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today released the following statement on Senate Bill 48 (Mark Leno, D-San Francisco) that updates the California Education Code prohibiting discriminatory instruction and materials against certain categories of people from being adopted by the State Board of Education:
"I applaud Governor Brown’s decision to sign SB 48 into law, and I congratulate Senator Leno for authoring this important legislation. Our history is more complete when we recognize the contributions of people from all backgrounds and walks of life. As the result of ongoing budget reductions, the state process for the development and review of K-8 instructional materials is currently dormant, but the California Department of Education looks forward to curriculum that reflects the diversity of our state."
For more information on SB 48, please visit the Official California Legislative Information Web site at Senate Bill 48 (Outside Source).# # # #
State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Applauds
Passage of Whooping Cough Vaccine Extension Bill
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today praised the Legislature's swift passage of legislation to provide school districts an additional 30 days to verify that certain students are vaccinated against pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
"I'm grateful that the Legislature has recognized our schools need some extra time to meet the immunization deadline," Torlakson said. "We don't want to see students lose precious learning time or be turned away from classes at the start of school. I urge the Governor to sign this legislation, and continue to also urge parents to immunize their children as soon as possible, both to protect their health and to prevent the spread of this dangerous disease."
Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease that can be debilitating at any age and lethal to infants. California's current pertussis epidemic has killed 10 babies and stricken more than 11,000 people since last year. Pertussis got its nickname from the sound children make while gasping for air in-between coughs.
Legislation signed last year requires students entering or advancing to grades seven through twelve in the 2011–12 school year to be immunized with a pertussis vaccine booster called the tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine. That new requirement went into effect this month and affects all students—current, new, and transfers—in public and private schools.
Senate Bill 614 (Kehoe) would grant local educational agencies an extra 30 days after classes begin to verify vaccinations of all seventh through twelfth grade students in California.
For more information on pertussis and Tdap, please visit the California Department of Education's Web page at Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Vaccine Requirement - Health Services & School Nursing.
July 14, 2011
Dear County and District Superintendents:
INVITATION TO FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM WEBINARS
The Nutrition Services Division’s Food Distribution Program (FDP) has served districts operating the National School Lunch Program and Summer Food Service Program for over 60 years by providing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods and Department of Defense fresh fruit and vegetables. In an ongoing effort to continue providing excellent customer service to our agencies, we are conducting a series of Webinars which started in May 2011 and will continue through October 2011.
The next two Webinars introduce the avenues for recipient agencies to receive USDA Foods through the State Distribution Centers (SDCs). Specifically, we will describe how to participate as a Warehouse Agency or as a State Cooperative (Co-op) Member. The Webinars will provide a better understanding on how our cost-effective food distribution services can assist in stretching your valuable cafeteria funds. Please encourage your School Business Officials, Food Service Directors, and their staff to attend. To best fit your busy schedule, the FDP will offer each Webinar twice. The dates and times are:
Webinar Schedule
| Participating as a Warehouse Agency | Participating as a State Co-op Member | |
|---|---|---|
| Session I | Tuesday, August 30, 2011 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. | Tuesday, October 25, 2011 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. |
| Session II | Wednesday, August 31, 2011 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. | Wednesday, October 26, 2011 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. |
Please see the enclosed Webinar registration forms for details on how to register. Access instructions will be e-mailed one week prior to each Webinar.
If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact Sherry Tam, Child Nutrition Consultant, Commodity Distribution Unit, by phone at 916-324-9875 or by e-mail at stam@cde.ca.gov.
Sincerely,
Tom Torlakson
