OCHO

I recently reread Simon Sinek’s book, Together is Better. It is filled with short, inspirational phrases that serve as a reminder of how we can contribute so much more towards the good of our nation if we only remembered our togetherness. Yes, we are in a highly charged political and societal climate, yet the vast majority of educators want the same thing - a learning environment for our students that inspires the learner and the teacher to thrive. As administrators, both active and retired, we are in a position to bring people together to achieve our mission for our students.

Let’s start by acknowledging the people and the work needed to facilitate learning for our students. Our ability to work together to craft culturally responsive lessons, expand student engagement activities, and create encouraging learning environments essential to the well- being of our kids. Collectively will advance and accelerate student learning and achievement for all students; especially our lowest performing students.

Each of us has been granted the gift of being administrators of learning for our students. We should continue to build our collective efficacy in order to eliminate achievement gaps, increase inclusivity, and create spaces for student agency. We have the ability to make this happen because together we are better!

Have a great year and Be Efficacious,

Eric Andrew

Executive Director; ACSA Region 8

Greeting Region 8 Colleagues,

I hope you’ve registered for the Fall Social on September 20th. We’re going to have great time! The Spring Membership event is planned for March 28th and the Summer Membership event is planned for June 20th. Announcements and registration information will be sent out a month prior to the event. Be sure to register early as space is limited.

These events are wonderful opportunities for our members to connect, network and meet new friends. Additionally, this is a wonderful opportunity to bring a new colleague or two into our community to learn more about the benefits of ACSA.

I am pleased to share that this last year we increased our membership by 32 new members. Great Job Region 8! This increase of 4% exceeded our State ACSA Challenge. This year our goal is to increase our membership by 5% which is at least 41 new colleagues! We can do this! Remember our theme for the year, We Are Better Together!

Here are a few Membership Resources to help you:

Join ACSA

Download the ACSA APP

Membership Login

To update your profile or renew your membership? Please contact Member Services @ 800-608-2272 or memberservices@acsa.org

If you have Region 8 Membership questions, please feel free to contact me @ dputney@sccoe.org

Thanks so much for your continued participation in ACSA Region 8 and for all you do on behalf of our students and community. We Are Better Together!

The ACSA Award Nomination due date is Thursday, January 16, 2025, 11:59 pm.

• We have many students and administrators that are deserving of recognition.

• Submit applications on the ACSA platform which is found in the links below.

• Nominees/potential recipients must be an ACSA member to receive the award.

Here are several links to help you.

• ACSA Awards Program

• List of all categories available

• Award Nomination Tips

• Video on How to submit on the online platform

• Sample Nomination Forms

If you have any questions email Joell jhanson@metroed.net or Maurissa at mkoide@musd.org. We are eager to help everyone!

Consider being a part of the 2025 Legislative Action day on March 17-18, 2025. Each year, approximately 400 education leaders throughout the state bring their regional teams to Sacramento to advocate for California’s 6.1 million students. ACSA staff, along with experts in the field, will provide members with briefings and guidance on current issues in education as well as offer the tools to directly lobby the legislature. Join us to hear our legislative priorities and advocate for leadership, equity, support and investment on behalf of California’s students and educators. No experience is necessary! We’ll ease you into the process so that everyone has an opportunity to comfortably participate. If you have any questions, please Heather Wellendorf at hwellendorf@campbellusd.org

Greetings ACSA leaders! Region 8 starts the school year on sound financial footing. Our most significant source of revenue is the rebate we receive from ACSA through membership sign-up fees. The ACSA Annual Awards Ceremony, Membership Events, Women's Leadership Network, and Leadership Forums are our largest projected expenses every year.

To maximize your membership experience with ACSA, we highly encourage members' participation in events that your Region 8 Executive Board puts out throughout the year. There are plenty of opportunities to learn, grow, bounce ideas, collaborate, and network with your Region 8 peers.

The Equity Committee has transitioned to the Council of Equity Leaders, a 20-year journey that began as a taskforce. The Council held a retreat September 11-12, 2024 during which we renewed our mission: Equity is the moral imperative to provide access and support for all marginalized persons to realize their personal best; liberating all through the eradication of- Ideological, Institutionalized, Interpersonal, and Internalized forms of oppression. Retreat topics included drafting Council bylaws and learning about a DEI audit underway within ACSA to explore inequities and inconsistencies and gather data to guide the organization’s path forward.

ACSA Executive Director Edgar Zazueta joined our discussion of by-laws and reinforced the importance of the change from committee to council and the ACSA staff positions and support: Senior Director of DEI & Professional Learning Tracie Noriega; Director of DEI Anthony Robinson; and DEI & Professional Learning Services Coordinator Crystal Flores Ulloa. Check out the ACSA DEI website to explore items such as the Equity Action Tool, Equity Action Protocol, Equity Resource Library, and explore the opportunity to join a networking group.

A legislative update was provided by Senior Director of State & Federal Governmental Relations Ivan Carrillo. Progress includes three new liaisons to the Legislative Policy Committee: CA Association of Asian and Pasifika Leaders in Education (CAAPLE), CA Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA) and CA Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA). ACSA is in the process of updating the One Voice for Students legislative platform, that guides advocacy, for 2024-25. Input may be provided to me to share with the Council as part of overall feedback.

Our next Council meeting will be held prior to the Leadership Summit. The ACSA Equity Institute will be held at the Double Tree Berkeley Marina from March 12-14, 2025. Regions 5, 7, and 8 agreed to merge their conference efforts into this opportunity. More information to come.

The 2025 ACSA Classified Educational Leaders Institute, will be held on February 26, 2025 - February 28, 2024, at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The Classified Educational Leaders Institute is an annual event designed for leaders in the area business/fiscal services, human resources/personnel, maintenance/operations, custodial, technology, facilities and student services/instructional, including confidential and administrative assistants. This three-day institute is an opportunity to get together, share information, and learn about current issues and trends. Presenters from various fields of expertise will share strategies and useful techniques to assist in providing all classified leaders with a first-class educational information. The CEL Institute Planning Committee is looking forward to seeing all classified and certificated leaders at this exciting event. More Information To Come!

The ACSA Region 8 Retiree Charter is off to an enthusiastic start for the 2024-2025 year with an amazing Executive Board team. With a current membership of 43, we are eager to welcome more retired administrators to our dynamic group of life long learners where we are committed to working together to support education - above and beyond limits. As retired administrators, we also cherish the time together at our in-person General Meetings. We host four General Meetings each year that include lunch, guest speakers, raffles, and lots of fun.

Our first General Meeting was held last week at the Sobrato Center. It was timely and informative, with over 30 members in attendance. We were honored to host the League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara, who delivered an enlightening presentation on "Making Democracy Work". Their nonpartisan stance and commitment to voter education and advocacy were very informative as we learned detailed information about two upcoming state propositions. Looking ahead, our next General Meeting is scheduled for November 12th at the Sobrato Center. Retired Administrators, join us for another opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. For those interested in learning more about the Retiree Charter and how to become a part of our vibrant community, please feel free to reach out to me.

Alicia Padilla
ACSA Region 8 Retiree Charter President
alipad10@comcast.net

We had a great start to the school year, focusing on importance of student engagement, incorporating the five dimensions of teaching and learning, analyzing data to identify trends and next steps, and building on our strengths as leaders using the Clifton strengths survey tool. We are continuing our work as a PLC.

Los Arboles Literacy and Technology School Makes Remarkable Gains in State Test Scores
The Franklin McKinley Charter is proud to highlight the work of the Los Arboles staff. Under the leadership of Principal Ms. Rochelle Espitia, Region 8’s Executive Board Secretary, Los Arboles Literacy and Technology School has made impressive strides in student achievement. Preliminary scores from the California Dashboard show a 32% increase in reading proficiency over the past two years. Once one of the lowest-performing schools in the Franklin McKinley School District since 2017, Los Arboles is now the second-highest-performing school in the district!

Principal Espitia credits opportunities through ACSA, including professional development and networking, as the most significant contributing factors to the school's success. These resources, combined with the hard work of the school’s team, have fostered collective teacher efficacy and enhanced reading instruction through cycles of inquiry. We are proud of their commitment to educational excellence!

The CUSD ACSA Charter kicked off the school year by hosting a social for all of our members at Gardino's Ristorante Italiano in Los Gatos. Our members enjoyed delicious appetizers, and watched a demonstration on how to make a Lemon Drop and a Cosmopolitan. Members went home with all of the ingredients to make their own Cosmopolitan! We are excited to serve our members this year!

OCHO is the quarterly online publication that serves as a tool for sharing information from Region 8 leadership and committees with the 20 local charters and over 850 Santa Clara County ACSA members. Our Region 8 leadership will contribute to each edition as will representatives from key Region 8 committees and the Presidents of the different charters. To find all Region 8 news, announcements, calendars of upcoming events, and past editions of OCHO, check out the ACSA Region 8 website.

The next regular edition of OCHO will be distributed in December. Please reach out if you have suggestions of how to better our Region 8 communications. bschmaedick19@gmail.com

“Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest.”

—Simon Sinek, Leaders Eat Last