School board members from every school district in Calaveras County gathered for two special events hosted by the Calaveras County Office of Education in September. The meetings focused on districts’ LCAPs (Local Control and Accountability Plans) and school safety.
On September 5, County Superintendent Scott Nanik hosted a Calaveras County School Board Dinner as an opportunity for Board members from across the county to network and learn. Thirty people attended the event at the Angels Camp Museum. Guest speaker Jannelle Kubinec of WestEd emphasized the importance and power of small districts.
On September 13, CCOE and the California School Board Association (CSBA) hosted a Rural County School Boards Association meeting on school safety. Board members from both Calaveras and Tuolumne counties attended. Guest speaker Matt Balzarini told the group that “school safety plans and policies must be living and breathing.” He also emphasized the need to keep plans super simple (KISS), Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Prevention-Mitigation. Mr. Balzarini provide many resources, including Community Emergency Response Team information, Department of Education Planning Information, and California Office of Emergency Management information.
“Matt’s presentation was extremely informative,” said Summerville High School District Superintendent Mike Merrill. Mr. Merrill continued by saying, “his vast experience in many areas of emergency protocols, specifically his focus on safety in our schools, is very important for all of us.”
“School board members are very important to our overall effort to create and sustain safe schools,” said Calaveras Unified School District Superintendent Mark Campbell. “The more we can engage them, and increase their awareness, and meaningfully solicit their involvement and feedback, the stronger we will be in this area.”
“I am very pleased with the turnout for both events,” said Superintendent Nanik. “Every district in our county was represented, and board members are working together to make our schools better and safer for all students.”