March CTE Newsletter

METROPOLITAN EDUCATION DISTRICT

March 31, 2022

CTE Newsletter Vol. 8 Issue 5

Superintendent's Message

Hello,

Spring is officially here! It has been just over two years since COVID turned our lives upside down. We are slowly finding a new normal. We won't leave the virus behind; instead, we learn to live with it. Yet, like every year, spring has sprung, marking the equinox. The days are getting longer, and things are beginning to grow like grass, flowers, and new life. It's one of the most beautiful times of the year, and after what may seem like a long and tedious time, we can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.

As we approach the final two months of the school year, I look forward to the upcoming celebrations and events, including Adult Education Week, Teacher Appreciation Week, our fashion show, car show, SVCTE Awards night, and Adult Education graduation. In this newsletter, we highlight many of our students' success, open positions to join our team, and an announcement from the MetroED Foundation Board.

Stay safe and well,

Alyssa Lynch

Superintendent

Meet Our New Silicon Valley Adult Education Principal

Patricia Pottorff Croghan joined our team as the Silicon Valley Adult Education Principal on Wednesday, March 23.

Patricia comes to us with experience as an ESL supervisor and teacher, a middle school teacher and administrator, and a junior college professor. She worked at Santa Clara Adult Education and at Mountain View Los Altos Adult School. She holds a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Teacher Leadership, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Sociology, and Spanish Minor.

Staff Spotlight

SVAE Back Office MA Program Teacher, Maureen Miramontes, Makes A Difference

Jennifer Nguyen, a 2019 graduate, reached out to Silicon Valley Adult Education (SVAE) to thank the program. Jennifer says, "I found this program while shadowing a Stanford-trained physician assistant who completed this program with Maureen many years ago. She was a knowledgeable instructor; Maureen pushed the other students and me to become the best MAs- challenging our clinical/critical thinking skills and sharing her own life experiences. I am so thankful for having the opportunity to be taught by her because those early lessons are foundational to my skill set today. Specifically, thank you to Maureen.

Since graduating from MA school, I have worked at El Camino Hospital's outpatient clinics and Sutter Health-PAMF. There have been multiple instances where physicians and clinic managers ask me where I was trained or which program I attend because my skills are comparable to a seasoned MA. I proudly tell them about SVAE, Maureen, and my positive experience. I am also excited to share that I will be starting graduate school at UC Davis' Physician Assistant Program this June. I know that I would not be where I am today, and a big part of that is due to her.

The district is fortunate to have a phenomenal instructor who inspires her students to keep going! Thank you for all that you do for the students."

MetroED News and Highlights

MetroED Receives Statewide Honor for Communications

The California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA), a statewide organization that promotes better public understanding, commitment, and support of public education, is pleased to announce that Metropolitan Education District (MetroED) received an Award of Merit for MetroED Website Redesign in the Internet/Intranet/Website category. Read more

SVCTE’s 16th Annual Custom & Classic Car Show: May 6, 5 to 8:30 p.m.

SVCTE invites all classic car clubs, collectors, and car enthusiasts to the 16th Annual Custom and Classic Car Show. The car show grew steadily, with over 200 entries in 2019. Entries are a $20 donation to SkillsUSA. Raffle prizes are donated by vendors and the CTA. Live music is provided by Vital Sign. Food and drinks are available. Contact Bob McTaggart, at (408) 723-6563 with questions. Read more

Students Win 29 Medals at SkillsUSA Regional Leadership and Skills Competition

Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) students earned 29 medals at the SkillsUSA Regional Leadership and Skills Competition. Overall, based on the total points scored, the team earned 15 gold, ten silver, and four bronze. We are very proud of all 38 SVCTE students who participated. Fifteen will advance to the SkillsUSA California State Leadership and Skill Conference in Long Beach, CA, on April 21-24. Pictured is Bao Nguyen from Willow Glen High School in the San Jose Unified School District. Read more

Students Soar with HOSA Awards

Last week, 17 Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) HOSA students had the opportunity to attend the Cal-HOSA State Leadership Conference (SLC) in Long Beach, California. This year, there were 10,856 total competitors. SVCTE had seven students qualify for the second round at SLC (Only the top 25 in each competition progress to the second round). In addition, SVCTE had two students who take home the third-place finish.

Pictured is Rishitha Krishnakumar, Medical Assisting (Left) from Milpitas High School in the Milpitas Unified School District, and Jana Pasamonte, Pharmacy Science (Right) from Overfelt High School in the East Side Union High School District. Read More

Xiomara Saucedo Named ACSA Region 8 Every Student Succeeding Awardee

The Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 8 and its board members have announced Xiomara Saucedo as an Every Student Succeeding 2022 Awardee. Metropolitan Education District (MetroED) is honored to have a student from Silicon Valley Adult Education (SVAE) be commemorated for this award. Read more

SVAE Completes Federal Monitoring Review (FPM)

Federal and state laws require the California Department of Education (CDE) to monitor certain programs to ensure that they are spending their funding as required by law. FPM reviews consist of a combination of data and document reviews and onsite visits with a CDE program officer. At the end of the review, the state completes a report of findings.

The SVAE team provided the requirements and documentation to all ten program instruments and their subcategories for the 2021-22 year monitoring review and the result findings were none. A huge congratulations to our hard-working team!

Manufacture: San Jose Named ACSA Region 8 Partners in Excellence Award

The Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 8 and its board members have announced Manufacture: San Jose (MFG: SJ) as the 2022 Partners in Excellence Award. Metropolitan Education District (MetroED) has partnered with Manufacture: San Jose (MFG: SJ), and this award recognizes the significant contributions of partners across the region. Read more

Students In Action

In Construction

This past month SVCTE Construction Technology students helped renovate our Electrical Maintenance class. Rodolfo Torres from Silver Creek High School in the East Side Union High School District is pictured.

In Automotive Services

Click here to view SVCTE Automotive Services student video highlighting their class project: We are "Ready To Go" in Auto Services Electrical!

In Film and Video

SVCTE Film & Video Production students learn scriptwriting for television and film, storyboarding, directing, editing, and sound design engineering. Leandro Bilello from Gunderson High School in the San Jose Unified School District is pictured.

MetroED Foundation Board

As a CTE professional and former MetroED administrator, Peter Vrabel, Interim President, shares, " I know the value of Career Technical Education in Silicon Valley and what it will take for us to continue to implement our 5-year plan."

Our Foundation is always looking for visionary people that want to share their Time, Talents, and Treasures. We currently have the following volunteer positions available:

Treasurer/Bookkeeper
Fund Development/Events
Scholarships and Awards
Alumni Outreach Program

YOU can help us reach our goals by volunteering. Click here to contact us.

See you at the Car Show May 6!

Learn More

Vindicia Donates to SVAE

SVAE Student Lounge

The SVAE Student Lounge is now open! The Lounge is an open area for students to study, snack, and relax before and after class.

SVAE wants to thank Vindicia for their generous donation of comfortable seating and eating areas.

Join Our Team

Positions Available at MetroED!

We are currently seeking applicants that would be a great fit for our team.

Full health benefits are paid by the district for eligible employees and their dependents, including dental, vision, and an employee assistance program. Click below to learn more.