December 2022 CTE Newsletter

METROPOLITAN EDUCATION DISTRICT

December 15, 2022

CTE Newsletter Vol. 9 Issue 4

Superintendent's Message

Hello,

As 2022 comes to a close, I can’t help but reflect and be proud of the work we have done with businesses, community organizations, and our industry partners, all which continue propelling us in meeting and exceeding our mission: to prepare high school and adult students for future success in college and careers.

The fall brought many positive changes to Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) and Silicon Valley Adult Education (SVAE). There is much to look forward to in the months ahead.

Looking back, in November, we hosted a successful College and Career Fair with more than 30 partners for over 1,200 students. Partners included TESLA; Blach Construction; Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising; De Anza, Evergreen Valley, Foothill, Mission, San Jose City and West Valley community colleges; as well as military service options. Partners offered students important insight into real-world experiences.

We have been experiencing excessive requests for campus tours. Tours in the fall included Los Gatos Rotary Club, Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District counselors and administrators, and City of San Jose employees including City Manager Jennifer Maguire. Register here for a tour. Our outreach extends far beyond students who are regularly exposed to our programs. Recently our Automotive Services program hosted guest speakers from Del Grande Dealer Group, Ford, and Toyota.

In January 2023, we will offer a new Extended Learning Enrichment or Credit Recovery after school program for students in grades 10 to 12 from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. All six classes offerings are UC ‘a-g’ approved. Learn about the program here . Also new, beginning January 2023, we will offer opportunities for districts to enroll students that live outside our traditional six district area. For more information, contact kgrewal@metroed.net

For fall 2023, will offer two new programs: Electric Vehicles/Automotive Services, Nursing Careers, and Pharmacy Technician. We will also be reopening our popular Cybersecurity program. For SVAE, we have expanded our adult education CTE options to include Fashion, Textiles and Apparel; Google Workplace Essentials and Early Childhood Education. We have also restored classes such as Medical Assistant Back Office, Medical Terminology, and Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning. Click here for more course information .

Of course, this impact can also only continue with ongoing support from our districts and the community. Do you want to make a difference in the lives of our students? You can support the students and teachers of the district in many ways, including offering internships, job shadowing, and mentoring; donating equipment and funds; establishing a scholarship; and so much more. Check out all the ways you can help here.

With 2023 right around the corner, I can’t wait to see how our community helps our students grow and flourish in the year ahead. Until then, we express deep gratitude and wish everyone happy holidays and best wishes for 2023!

Alyssa Lynch

Superintendent

Students In Action

In College and Career Fair

No matter what program students are a part of here, a recent #studentsinaction featured everyone on campus! SVCTE was bustling with activity and wall-to-wall opportunities Nov. 18 in the student-run cafe The Hub where a College and Career Fair was held. Students made connections that will leave an indelible impact on their journey of college and career readiness.

Thank you to the more than 30 registered partners who made today a successful event, including TESLA; Blach Construction; Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising; De Anza, Evergreen Valley, Foothill, Mission, San Jose City and West Valley community colleges; as well as military service options, and more! For more pictures.

In Animation

Students in Eric Whitman’s Animation program with SVCTE put on their listening (mouse) ears during a virtual “snack-n-sketch” session on Nov. 18 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Mickey Mouse and release of the movie about the iconic figure: “Mickey: The Story of a Mouse.” Bret Iwan (the voice of Mickey Mouse for the last 13 years) and the film’s director Jeff Malmberg led the students and others in a livestream sketch tutorial of Mickey Mouse.

Ihor Khamushkin from Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District and Abigal Arellanes Aldaco from Willow Glen High School in San Jose Unified School District bring their versions of Mickey Mouse to life.

Eric said the event was meant to inspire his students. “I think more than anything it’s just a fun celebration of animation in general,” he said. For more information about the class, visit here. For more pictures.

In Pharmacy Technician

SVCTE teacher Helena Polanco’s Pharmacy Technician program is the balm. Students were recently learning measuring and ratios.They also learned the basics of compounding, which combines different medications to create a final product.

Helena and Bradley Tran from Piedmont Hills High School in East Side Union High School District watch the shea butter and beeswax melt down with the end result of compounding with essential oils and creating lip balm.

Helena’s hope is that her students understand how pharmacy technicians are a critical part of healthcare. “As more medication is put out to the market, people are living longer.” For more information about the class, visit here. For more pictures.

Instead of waiting until you receive this publication in your inbox, we recently launched a #studentsinaction social media campaign. Search this hashtag on our Facebook page to begin learning more about the wonderful opportunities that MetroED offers to its students year-round.

MetroED News and Highlights

San Jose City Manager Visits MetroED

San Jose City Manager Jennifer Maguire and some of her colleagues took a tour of Silicon Valley Career Technical Education on November 30 and learned about how we are creating upward mobility for our high school CTE students and those enrolled at Silicon Valley Adult Education. "This is an amazing program and I see lots of opportunities for the City of San Jose to work with," she said. "We're excited for the future." For more pictures.

MetroED Featured in CSBA Article

Last month, MetroED was featured in an article by the California School Boards Association (CSBA) about how we continue to transform education for our more than 100 years in existence.

"I have the unique privilege of being able to visit campuses and districts throughout my division, getting a first-hand look at some of the most dynamic and state-of-the-art programs for K-12 students in public schools. Out of the many programs I have seen or heard about through our board members, I had never seen a program such as what Superintendent Alyssa Lynch and her team are facilitating for high school students at MetroED." -Marty Fatooh, CSBA

Superintendent Alyssa Lynch Receives Profile in Leadership from ACSA Region 8 Women's Leadership Network

Metropolitan Education District (MetroED) Superintendent Alyssa Lynch is well known throughout the career technical education (CTE) community, and her passion for this work shows. That is why she was chosen as the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 8 Women’s Leadership Network November Profile in Leadership.

“Alyssa’s advocacy for high quality programming demonstrates a commitment to equity. Her leadership is inspiring others to expand CTE for our youth,” said Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools. Read more here.

Visit MetroED's Tree at Christmas in the Park

Christmas in the Park is a fun holiday tradition for so many families in our community. We are pleased to share that this year MetroED has a community-decorated tree. We invite you to visit our purple, orange, and silver MetroED tree located in the center aisle of the Enchanted Forest, with the Tech Museum in its background. Enjoy our SVAE and SVCTE student created ornaments to represent our programs.

Please stop by, take pictures, upload to Facebook, and be sure to tag #MetroED, #SVCTE, and/or #SVAE when you do, for your chance to be featured on our social media. Christmas in the Park is open now until January 1, from noon to 11:00 p.m. in downtown San Jose at Plaza de Cesar Chavez.

SVAE Students Write Seasonal Poems

Recently, Silicon Valley Adult Education English students in Marion Clark’s English as a Second Language class wrote seasonal poems. We will share them as the seasons change, first kicking off with the Fall.

THE FALL, Janes Goncalves

Fall is vibrant Ipe yellow.

The taste is like a cup of dark hot chocolate on a lazy Saturday morning.

The sound is like children's laughter dancing through the air at June parties.

The smell is like an explosion of cinnamon and chocolate coming from my mother's kitchen.

It looks like a Sunday lunch with the whole family together.

It makes me feel at peace and happy.

SVAE Student Promoted After Improving Her English

Former student Laura Castillo was recently promoted from finance analyst to head of finance at her job because she improved her English in two months at SVAE, where she was a student in ESL teacher Marion Clark’s class. Laura works for an international company and all employees communicate in English, the international language.

The class helped overcome her intimidation and build her confidence when speaking English to her customers. She also now feels comfortable considering living and working in her company's other offices in Europe or the United States.

“Laura was a joy to teach because she was engaged and eager to learn,” Marion said. Read more.

MetroED Foundation Board

As 2022 comes to a close and as the MetroED Foundation approaches the new year, we are pleased to introduce our new board members: Marinez Ruiz, marketing director; Yocelin Macias, alliance director; and Jessica Geary, secretary. Welcome to the team!

They join the Foundation in our efforts to support MetroED (formerly CCOC) in preparing high school and adult learners pursuing their future through career technical education.

We are grateful for the many donations from our wonderful community throughout the year and most recently during #GivingTuesday. Please consider supporting the Foundation by donating or becoming a volunteer.

Thank you,

Peter Vrabel

President

Join Our Team

Positions Available at MetroED!

We are currently seeking applicants that would be an excellent fit for our team. The district pays full health benefits to eligible employees and their dependents, including dental, vision, and an employee assistance program. Click below to learn more.

MetroED Current Openings

View our job listings

Schedule an Upcoming Visit

We invite you to come to visit the wonderful work that is being done at Metropolitan Education District's Silicon Valley Career Technical Education Center (SVCTE) and Silicon Valley Adult Education (SVAE) programs by scheduling a tour during one of the upcoming dates and times:

Jan. 20, 2023: 1-2:30 p.m.
March 10, 2023: 10-11:30 a.m.
April 21, 2023: 1-2:30 p.m.

To learn more about what you can expect to see on tour, watch this video. Click here for pictures of our tour on Oct. 21.

MetroED Governing Board Updates

MetroED Governing Board Meeting

To see past meeting minutes and agendas, please visit our Gamut online page. You can also view upcoming MetroED Governing Board meeting agendas and Governing Board Policies.

Next meeting: Wed., Jan. 18 at 6:00 p.m. | In-Person and via Zoom

Upcoming Dates