Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Additional 2021 California Distinguished Schools + CA LSWP Webinar: SNPs and Student Mental Health - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

CA LSWP Webinar: SNPs and Student Mental Health - Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)
CA LSWP Webinar: SNPs and Student Mental Health




On Tuesday, May 18, at 10 a.m., the California (CA) Local School Wellness Policy (LSWP) Collaborative will discuss the important contributions of School Nutrition Programs (SNP) to improving student mental health and addressing food insecurity. Join us to learn more about how SNPs are essential supports for positive mental and physical growth and development in children.

The CA LSWP Collaborative hosts Winning at Wellness Webinars on the third Tuesday of every other month to inspire school communities and stakeholders to implement highly effective LSWPs in schools. For more information, visit the CA LSWP Collaborative web pageExternal link opens in new window or tab..

The Winning at Wellness Webinar on the Importance of SNPs to Student Mental Health will be presented by the co-chairs of the CA LSWP Collaborative. They will share how school wellness policy collaboratives provide the infrastructure needed to support youth wellness and share resources you can use for your school district school wellness policy work.

Presenters will include:

  • Shannan Young, Dairy Council of California
  • Crystal Young, California Department of Education

Audience

The audience includes all state and local school nutrition professionals, superintendents, school business officials, and community partners involved in school wellness policies.

Schedule

CA LSWP Collaborative Winning at Wellness Webinar

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

10–11 a.m.

This webinar is free to attend.

Please register in advance for the CA LSWP Collaborative Winning at Wellness WebinarExternal link opens in new window or tab..

After registering, you will see a screen that says Webinar Registration Approved with a link to the webinar. You will also receive several emails with the information about joining the webinar. First, you will receive confirmation the day you register and then you will receive two reminder emails: one day and one hour prior to the webinar. If for some reason you cannot find the email confirmation, or do not receive the reminders you can always reregister.

Audio only Connection Information

Dial by your location:

  • +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
  • +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
  • +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

Webinar ID: 883 2847 8587

Tip for Attendees

To save time before the meeting, please check your system to make sure it is ready to use Zoom.

If for some reason you receive an error message that the host has declined your webinar registration, try using an alternate email address. While not ideal, you may also join by phone if you have technical issues logging in from your computer.

Reasonable Accommodation

Pursuant to state and federal statutes, individuals with a disability may request reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in the CA LSWP Collaborative Winning at Wellness Webinar on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Requests for Sign Language Interpreters should be directed to the Crystal Young by email at cyoung@cde.ca.gov or the Department's Office of Equal Opportunity no later than seven business days prior to the scheduled event. Mailing address: 1430 N Street, Suite 4206; telephone:916-445-9174; fax:916-324-9818.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact Crystal Young, Nutrition Education Consultant, by email at cyoung@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609




SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today named an additional 121 schools as 2021 California Distinguished Schools.  In an announcement on March 18, the California Department of Education (CDE) awarded the honor to 102 schools and today that list has been broadened to include 120 additional California senior high schools and one more middle school.

The California Department of Education (CDE) identifies and awards eligible schools based on performance and progress on state indicators specified on the California School Dashboard, the state’s accountability and continuous improvement system. Indicators include test scores, suspension rates, and conditions and climate. After a review of the data, CDE identified these additional schools for this year’s honor.

“These additional high schools join the ranks of all 2021 California Distinguished Schools who are being recognized for this distinction because of their exceptional record to provide for all students and their commitment to data-driven efforts that prepare students for college and career,” Thurmond said. “Our thanks go to the entire communities surrounding these schools, including the teachers, administrators, and classified employees as well as the students and their families who, through teamwork, all accomplished this impressive achievement together.”

Sponsored by the CDE and presented by California Casualty, the Distinguished Schools Program recognizes schools for their excellent work in one of two categories: closing the achievement gap and achieving exceptional student performance. Elementary schools and middle and high schools are recognized in alternate years; therefore, awardees hold the title for two years. The list of additional schools is attached at the end of this press release.

Distinguished Schools represent examples of not just excellent teaching, learning, and collaboration, but also highly successful, data-driven school efforts ranging from professional development to positive behavior intervention.

To view the full list of 2021 California Distinguished Schools and for more program information, please visit the CDE California Distinguished Schools web page.

Additional 2021 California Distinguished Schools
CountyDistrictSchool
AlamedaAlameda UnifiedAlameda High
AlamedaAlameda UnifiedAlameda Science and Technology Institute
AlamedaFremont UnifiedJohn F. Kennedy High
AlamedaNew Haven UnifiedJames Logan High
AlamedaOakland UnifiedOakland School for the Arts
AlamedaOakland UnifiedOakland Unity High
AlamedaPleasanton UnifiedAmador Valley High
AlamedaPleasanton UnifiedFoothill High
Contra CostaAcalanes Union HighAcalanes High
Contra CostaAcalanes Union HighCampolindo High
Contra CostaAcalanes Union HighMiramonte High
Contra CostaJohn Swett UnifiedJohn Swett High
Contra CostaSan Ramon Valley UnifiedCalifornia High
Contra CostaSan Ramon Valley UnifiedDougherty Valley High
Contra CostaSan Ramon Valley UnifiedMonte Vista High
Contra CostaWest Contra Costa UnifiedMiddle College High
FresnoClovis UnifiedClovis North High
FresnoFresno UnifiedDesign Science Middle College High
FresnoFresno UnifiedPhillip J Patino School of Entrepreneurship
FresnoFresno UnifiedUniversity High
FresnoKings Canyon Joint UnifiedReedley High
FresnoKings Canyon Joint UnifiedReedley Middle College High
Los AngelesABC UnifiedRichard Gahr High
Los AngelesAlhambra UnifiedMark Keppel High
Los AngelesAlhambra UnifiedSan Gabriel High
Los AngelesAntelope Valley Union HighSOAR High (Students On Academic Rise)
Los AngelesCovina-Valley UnifiedSouth Hills High
Los AngelesEl Segundo UnifiedEl Segundo High
Los AngelesGlendale UnifiedAnderson W. Clark Magnet High
Los AngelesHawthorneHawthorne Math and Science Academy
Los AngelesLawndale ElementaryEnvironmental Charter High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedAlliance Collins Family College-Ready High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedAlliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Environmental Science High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedAlliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedAlliance Margaret M. Bloomfield Technology Academy High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedAlliance Tennenbaum Family Technology High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedDowntown Business High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedDr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedEdnovate - USC Hybrid High College Prep
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedFrancisco Bravo Medical Magnet High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedGranada Hills Charter High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedGrover Cleveland Charter High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedHigh Tech LA
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedJohn Marshall Senior High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedLinda Esperanza Marquez High A Huntington Park Institute of Applied Medicine
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedLos Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedMath and Science College Preparatory
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedMath, Science, & Technology Magnet Academy at Roosevelt High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedOrthopaedic Hospital
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedPUC Lakeview Charter High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedSocial Justice Leadership Academy at Esteban E. Torres High No. 5
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedSTEM Academy at Bernstein High
Los AngelesLos Angeles UnifiedTaft Charter High
Los AngelesPalos Verdes Peninsula UnifiedPalos Verdes Peninsula High
Los AngelesRowland UnifiedJohn A. Rowland High
Los AngelesTorrance UnifiedNorth High
Los AngelesTorrance UnifiedSouth High
Los AngelesWhittier Union HighLa Serna High
Los AngelesWhittier Union HighPioneer High
Los AngelesWilliam S. Hart Union HighAcademy of the Canyons
Los AngelesWilliam S. Hart Union HighGolden Valley High
Los AngelesWilliam S. Hart Union HighWest Ranch High
Los AngelesWilliam S. Hart Union HighWilliam S. Hart High
Los AngelesWiseburn UnifiedDa Vinci Science
MarinTamalpais Union HighTamalpais High
MontereyCarmel UnifiedCarmel High
NevadaNevada Joint Union HighWilliam & Marian Ghidotti High
OrangeAnaheim Union HighJohn F. Kennedy High
OrangeCapistrano UnifiedAliso Niguel High
OrangeFullerton Joint Union HighTroy High
OrangeGarden Grove UnifiedLa Quinta High
OrangeIrvine UnifiedNorthwood High
OrangeIrvine UnifiedUniversity High
OrangeNewport-Mesa UnifiedEarly College High
OrangeOcean ViewVista View Middle
OrangeSanta Ana UnifiedMiddle College High
OrangeTustin UnifiedArnold O. Beckman High
PlacerRocklin UnifiedWhitney High
PlacerRoseville Joint Union HighAntelope High
PlacerRoseville Joint Union HighGranite Bay High
PlacerRoseville Joint Union HighOakmont High
RiversideAlvord UnifiedHillcrest High
RiversideCorona-Norco UnifiedJohn F. Kennedy High
RiversideDesert Sands UnifiedPalm Desert High
RiversideLake Elsinore UnifiedTemescal Canyon High
RiversidePerris Union HighPaloma Valley High
SacramentoElk Grove UnifiedPleasant Grove High
SacramentoFolsom-Cordova UnifiedFolsom High
SacramentoFolsom-Cordova UnifiedVista del Lago High
SacramentoNatomas UnifiedNatomas Pacific Pathways Prep
SacramentoSacramento City UnifiedWest Campus
San BernardinoFontana UnifiedSummit High
San BernardinoRedlands UnifiedRedlands Senior High
San BernardinoSan Bernardino City UnifiedMiddle College High
San DiegoCarlsbad UnifiedSage Creek High
San DiegoEscondido Union HighClassical Academy High
San DiegoSan Diego UnifiedKearny Digital Media & Design
San DiegoSan Diego UnifiedMira Mesa High
San DiegoSan Diego UnifiedScripps Ranch High
San DiegoSan Dieguito Union HighCanyon Crest Academy
San DiegoSan Dieguito Union HighTorrey Pines High
San DiegoSan Marcos UnifiedMission Hills High
San DiegoSweetwater Union HighHilltop Senior High
San DiegoVista UnifiedMission Vista High
San FranciscoSan Francisco UnifiedLowell High
San JoaquinStockton UnifiedHealth Careers Academy
San JoaquinStockton UnifiedStockton Early College Academy
San JoaquinTracy Joint UnifiedMerrill F. West High
San MateoSequoia Union HighCarlmont High
Santa ClaraCampbell Union HighBranham High
Santa ClaraEast Side Union HighEvergreen Valley High
Santa ClaraEast Side Union HighKIPP San Jose Collegiate
Santa ClaraFremont Union HighCupertino High
Santa ClaraFremont Union HighMonta Vista High
Santa CruzSanta Cruz County Office of EducationPacific Collegiate Charter
ShastaAnderson Union HighWest Valley High
SolanoFairfield-Suisun UnifiedAngelo Rodriguez High
SonomaCotati-Rohnert Park UnifiedCredo High
TulareTulare County Office of EducationUniversity Preparatory High
VenturaOak Park UnifiedOak Park High
VenturaOxnard Union HighRancho Campana High

 

# # # #

Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100



On October 1, 2021, grains served as part of reimbursable meals and snacks must be credited as ounce equivalents (oz eq) in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

There are 14.75 grams of creditable grain in 1 slice or serving and 16 grams of creditable grain in 1.0 oz eq. Therefore, a larger amount of a grain product must be served to meet the minimum serving size listed in the CACFP meal patterns charts when crediting grains as oz eq.

The California Department of Education (CDE) developed web pages to assist CACFP Operators in understanding how to credit grains as oz eq to ensure they are providing the grain component in the minimum quantities required to meet the CACFP meal pattern requirements for each age group for all meals and snacks.

Additional resources on crediting grains as oz eq are available on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) CACFP Grains Oz Eq Resources web pageExternal link opens in new window or tab..

Please note: On April 20, 2021, the USDA issued policy memo, COVID-19 Child Nutrition Response #91: Nationwide Waiver to Allow Specific Meal Pattern Flexibility in the CACFP for School Year 2021–22External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF). Included in this waiver is the option, with state approval, to waive the requirement to credit grains using oz eq. This waiver is effective July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022. Additional guidance is forthcoming and will provide further details on the criteria to obtain approval and how to apply for the waiver.

Contact Information

If you have questions about the requirement to credit grains as oz eq, or need technical assistance to understand how to credit grains as oz eq, please contact the CDE CACFP Meal Patterns Team by email at CACFPmealpatterns@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609