Teachers recognized by Office of Education
Three teachers in the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District were selected to receive a 2023 Special Teacher Recognition Award at the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s (SCCOE) annual Teacher Recognition Celebration on Oct. 23.
They are:
• Alex Czech, Los Gatos High School Graphics Design Teacher, for winning the 2023 Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union Arts Leadership Award
• Tiffany Hamm, Los Gatos High School English and Social Justice Teacher, for winning the 2023 Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union for Civic Engagement
• Audrey Warmuth, Saratoga High School Engineering Teacher, for winning the 2023 SCCOE Innovation in STEM, Perseverance category
An owner of a graphic design apparel brand, Czech has built a CTE (Career Technical Education) pathway for students that teaches them how to take their acquired design skills to the next level with entrepreneur and career-ready skills that focus on workplace expectations, organization and applicable advice and mentoring. Working hands-on with organizations such as Amazon, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, local realtors and more, students are often paired with internships and partnerships after high school that have led to careers in graphic design and art.
A Freedom Writer Foundation Award winner, Hamm challenges her students by opening their eyes to issues of public concern through books, field trips and real-world interactions, giving students an opportunity to make a difference through an annual civic-led community service project through the Stanford Design Project. Last school year, students worked together to develop their own curriculum on how to prevent gun violence and bullying in middle schools. Students created modules, conducted empathy interviews, and researched the topic as it applied directly to the Los Gatos community.
Warmuth was an integral part of launching Saratoga High School’s STEM and Engineering program, which has been developed into an interdisciplinary pathway that introduces and launches students into higher learning and careers in STEM. With each STEM project, the students have the opportunity to define the project and define what constitutes success for the outcome of the project.
Czech, Hamm and Warmuth were honored with Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District’s 2023 Teacher of the Year Shariliyn Anheier, a Los Gatos High School physics teacher.
Local school district ranked first in state for math scores
The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District (LGSUHSD) scores have outperformed both state and Santa Clara County averages, with the district ranking Number 1 in California in Mathematics for comprehensive public high school districts.
The scores were unveiled Oct. 18 for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) and California Science Test (CAST).
Taken by high school juniors this past spring, this annual assessment is given to public school students in California in grades 3-8, and again in grade 11. The district’s student assessment data for the 2022-2023 school year highlights the percentage of students who met or exceeded the state standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science.
“These results are just one of many indicators that we will use to help ensure our students are receiving the highest quality and most well-rounded education possible,” said Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson. “With the recent approval of our Strategic Plan, ‘We INSPIRE!,’ this assessment, along with our four focus areas, will work to ensure that our students are prepared to succeed in college, career and the global world.”
Individual student score reports with information about the student’s overall progress and achievement are available in Aeries. Parents may view the information by logging into Aeries and clicking “Test Scores” and “State Test Scores Reports.”
A full presentation on the district’s state assessment results will be given to the Board of Trustees at the Nov. 14 meeting.
Grant supports Making Homes Work program
Bay Area Housing Corporation (BAHC) has received a matching grant from Santa Clara County to support its Making Homes Work program. The program provides home modifications for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities, enabling them to stay in their homes as family support systems or their health care needs change.
“Making Homes Work removes housing barriers, literally and figuratively, for individuals in our I/DD community by allowing them to stay in the home they may have grown up in, and near their community of support,” said County Supervisor Joe Simitian, who proposed County support. “By making necessary modifications to a family home, families and caregivers can rest easier about their loved one’s future housing situation.”
Approximately 80% of Santa Clara County residents with I/DD live in their family homes. Those homes may no longer work for individuals’ daily lives as they age, but many with I/DD want to continue to live in their family’s home.
Physical modifications are often needed to make their home safe and comfortable. Examples of accessibility modifications include installing ramps, remodeling bathrooms, or improving wheelchair access by opening spaces, hallways or widening doors.
“We recognize that people with I/DD have few housing options,” said Kris McCann, executive director of Bay Area Housing Corporation. “The cost of housing in Santa Clara County for the size of a home required for a specialized licensed home averages $2.4 million. Once the costs of rehabilitation of the home and long-term maintenance are added, the expense for opening a new specialized residential home becomes prohibitive.”
The Making Homes Work program includes an intake evaluation of the home and a proposed scope of work; securing necessary approvals; gathering and evaluating estimates from vendors; determining who will pay for the modifications (family and/or landlord, San Andreas Regional Center, or BAHC’s Una Casa Mas Fund); formalizing the contract with selected vendors; and completing the work.
BAHC created the Una Casa Mas Fund to provide needs-based funding for the construction costs of the necessary accessibility modifications. In the last two years, BAHC has raised $160,000 for the Una Casa Mas Fund.
The County grant funding will be restricted to the Una Casa Mas Fund and require a 1:1 match, resulting in $500,000 in needs-based funding being made available and a minimum of 50 individuals with I/DD, their families, and caregivers in Santa Clara County receiving funds to make necessary accessibility modifications in their homes.
