Schools that plan to participate in a number of the large annual student events coordinated by the Tulare County Office of Education are invited to send their coaches to informational meetings beginning next month.

At the coaches’ meetings, event coordinators will cover the process for registering teams, any applicable state or national themes, and changes to rules and regulations. This year, there are three new events for middle school students: TCOE Esports League, Middle School Mock Trial, and Academic Pentathlon.

To attend one or more of the following information meetings, please contact the event coordinator listed. 

TCOE Esports League Informational Meeting (part of the Community of Practice meeting) (grades 6-8) New!
September 3, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
TCOE Doe Complex, Willow Room
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

Mock Trial Coaches' Meeting (grades 9-12)
September 11, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
TCOE Administration Building, Redwood D
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

Middle School Mock Trial Interest Meeting (grades 6-8) New!
September 18, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
TCOE Administration Building, Cedar
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

Academic Pentathlon Coaches' Meeting (grades 6-8) New!
September 23, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
TCOE Administration Building, Cedar Room
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

Poetry Live Informational Meeting (grades 6-12)
September 24, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Online - Zoom
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

Academic Decathlon Coaches' Meeting (grades 9-12)
September 25, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Online – Zoom
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

Reading Revolution Coaches' Meeting (grades 4-8)
September 26, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
TCOE Administration Building, Cedar Room
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

Science Olympiad BC Coaches' Meeting (grades 6-12)
October 7, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
TCOE Administration Building, Redwood CD
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

Young People’s Concerts (grades 3-5)
October 8, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Online Zoom meeting
Register for the meeting by October 1 at bit.ly/LinkUp2025-26
For information, contact Kate Stover at kate.stover@tcoe.org. 

Science & Engineering Fair Informational Meeting (grades 4-12)
October 9, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.TCOE Administration Building, Cedar Room
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

History Day Coaches' Meeting (grades 4-12)
October 14, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
TCOE Administration Building, Cedar Room
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

Science Olympiad A Coaches' Meeting (grades 4-6)
October 23, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
TCOE Administration Building, Cedar Room
For information, contact Paula Terrill at paula.terrill@tcoe.org

For the dates of these and other Student Future Ready Events, visit tcoe.org/StudentEvents.

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This fall, New Teacher & Leadership Development (NTLD) is promoting a new program for teachers to add a single subject teaching credential to an existing multiple or single subject credential in several short steps.

For teachers who possess a clear credential, the first step for adding an additional single subject credential is meeting content area subject-matter competency. This can be achieved by holding a degree in the subject, passing a CSET test, or having a subject matter review. Additionally, clear credential holders must complete a methodologies course, possess an English learner authorization by the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), and complete a CTC application.

Teachers who hold a preliminary credential must additionally complete coursework in developing English language skills and demonstrate knowledge of the principles and provisions of the U.S. Constitution. 

For school districts, having teachers add a new credential could help with increasing course offerings and solve master scheduling issues. It could also help teachers achieve the dream of teaching something new.

The annual Step Up Youth Challenge is a long-running school/community service program for teams of middle school and high school students. The program kicks off with an advisor training on September 23, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the TCOE Administration Building in Visalia.

Advisors are encouraged to register for the mandatory training by visiting tcoe.org/StepUp/advisor's-corner. Details on the student Youth Summit, community service project development and submission process, and the Red Carpet Awards ceremony will be shared at the advisor training. The deadline to register is September 17.

Continuing on November 19 and 20, advisors and their student team members will come together for full-day Youth Summits at McDermott X in Lindsay. The summits are designed to motivate and inspire students on their journeys to create impactful community service projects. Middle school teams will attend the November 19 training; high school teams will attend the training on November 20.

Last week, TCOE’s Special Services welcomed Cynthia Yoshida as a new program manager for Related Services, Speech & Assistive Technology.  

Yoshida brings over 15 years of experience in education, having served as an education specialist, vice principal, program manager, and director of special education. Her expertise lies in family engagement, fostering inclusion, and supporting children through a whole-child lens. In addition to her leadership roles, she teaches in the Education Specialist Program at New Teacher Leadership & Development, where she is passionate about mentoring and supporting new teachers as they embark on their professional journeys. Yoshida is currently pursuing her doctorate in educational leadership, further deepening her commitment to equity, excellence, and innovation in education.

In her role, Yoshida oversees Special Services’ Speech-Language Pathology department, as well as the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT) teams. She leads a multidisciplinary team that provides specialized services to students across the county. Her team works collaboratively to support students with complex communication needs by implementing innovative AAC and AT solutions.

Speech therapists help students improve their ability to speak clearly, understand and use language, and communicate socially. They may also support feeding or swallowing challenges. The AAC specialists provide tools and strategies like picture boards or speech-generating devices for students who have difficulty speaking or being understood. These specialists focus on identifying and implementing technology that helps students access learning, from simple supports like visual schedules to advanced tools like text-to-speech software or adapted keyboards. 

Editor: Robert Herman, Communications Director
Contributors: Nayirah Dosu, Jennifer Fisher, Jaime Burnitzki, Paula Terrill, Zoty Briceño, Kathleen Green-Martins, Cynthia Yoshida, Tammy Bradford

To receive the News Gallery Week, sign up here, or contact Jennifer Fisher at jenniferf@tcoe.org or (559) 733-6172.