FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Trinity County Office of Education Announces Inaugural “Excellence in Education” Gala; Nominations Now Open

WEAVERVILLE, CA – January 8, 2026 – The Trinity County Office of Education (TCOE) is proud to announce the launch of the first annual Excellence in Education Gala, a premier event dedicated to honoring the extraordinary educators and staff who shape the lives of students throughout the county.

The gala, scheduled for May 2, 2026, at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Weaverville, serves as a formal platform to recognize those who go above and beyond their defined roles. TCOE is currently seeking nominations from the community and colleagues to identify the "heroes" within the school system, including teachers, support staff, and administrators.

Celebrating Our Educational Community
The Excellence in Education Gala is designed as an intimate, private celebration for Trinity County school employees and invited guests. While the event itself is not open to the general public, TCOE encourages the community to participate by submitting nominations for those who have made a profound impact on local education.

"We are thrilled to launch this inaugural event," said County Superintendent of Schools Fabio Robles. "This gala is about shining a spotlight on the dedication and inspirational spirit that strengthens our community every day. We want to hear the stories of innovation and unwavering commitment that happen in our schools every single year."

Call for Nominations
Nominations are being accepted now through January 31, 2026. TCOE is looking for individuals who:
●      Consistently exceed the expectations of their role.
●      Embody innovation and exhibit dedication to student success.
●      Foster a positive and impactful learning environment.

Nomination Info
●      Nomination Deadline: January 31, 2026
●      Nomination Form: https://bit.ly/EducationAwardNomination-2025-2026
 
Event Details
●      Gala Date: May 2, 2026, by invitation only
●      Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
●      Location: Veterans Memorial Hall, Weaverville
●      Attendance: This is a private event for Trinity County school employees and honorees.

For more information regarding the nomination process or the Excellence in Education Gala, please contact comms@tcoek12.org.

Three Trinity County high school students recently traded their regular school day for clippers, color bowls, and a glimpse of their possible future. The outing was made possible by the WorkAbility I program, run through the Trinity County Office of Education and led by program coordinator Stephanie Rebelo, in collaboration with Joy Thompson and the Trinity Together: Cradle to Career Partnership. Together, these partners arranged a full-day career exploration field trip to the Shasta School of Cosmetology in Redding.

For many teens, choosing a career path can feel distant and abstract. WorkAbility I changes that by connecting students with real workplaces and real professionals. This field trip was a perfect example: a complete behind-the-scenes tour of one of Northern California’s top cosmetology programs, personally guided by the school’s lead instructor, Mr. Deazmond Paul Lerner.

From the moment the group walked through the doors, the energy was electric. Styling stations lined the walls, mannequins waited patiently for the next practice cut, and the hum of blow-dryers filled the air. Mr. Lerner, with his signature long hair, red smock, and welcoming smile, greeted the students like future colleagues. He didn’t just talk about cosmetology; he showed it.

The tour covered every corner of the facility:

• Professional salon chairs and mirrored workstations  
• Shelves stocked with professional-grade products and tools  
• Dedicated classrooms for theory and hands-on practice  
• A student clinic where learners serve real clients under supervision  

What made the visit even more relatable? The Trinity County students spotted familiar faces – former classmates from their own high school who are already enrolled and thriving in the program. Seeing peers they know succeeding in dual-enrollment courses turned “someday” into “this could be me right now.”

Mr. Lerner walked the group through the tools of the trade: shears, clippers, hot irons, color brushes, and the latest techniques in balayage, barbering, and esthetics. He explained how the school’s curriculum prepares students not just to pass the California State Board exam, but to walk straight into a salon chair and start earning the day they graduate.

For the WorkAbility I students, the trip was more than a tour; it was inspiration in action. 

“This is exactly why we do these experiences,” said Stephanie Rebelo, WorkAbility I coordinator with the Trinity County Office of Education. “When students can touch the tools, talk to the instructors, and see peers from their own community succeeding, the future stops feeling out of reach.”

Thanks to dedicated educators, the strong collaboration between Stephanie Rebelo’s WorkAbility I team and Joy Thompson of Trinity Together: Cradle to Career Partnership, and welcoming professionals like Mr. Lerner, Trinity County students aren’t just dreaming about their futures; they’re stepping right into them, one field trip at a time.

(Photos: Mr. Deazmond Lerner explains professional tools to WorkAbility I students while touring the Shasta School of Cosmetology in Redding.)

Effective January 1, 2025, Assembly Bill (AB) 3218 (Wood, Chapter 849, Statutes of 2024) and Senate (SB) 1230 (Rubio, Chapter 462, Statutes of 2024) strengthen California’s flavored tobacco laws, SB 793 & AB 935 , by:

• requiring the California Attorney General to create an Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL) of unflavored products legal for sale in California
• prohibiting online and delivery sales of illegal flavored tobacco products
• requiring tobacco sellers and deliverers to comply with all state and local tobacco laws that apply to local retailers where the products are shipped
• allowing the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) and other enforcing agencies to seize illegal flavored tobacco products found during inspections
• updating the definition of “characterizing flavor” to include products that produce a cooling sensation
• updating the definition of “nicotine” to include nicotine analogs  
• increasing penalties for noncompliant retailers
• updating penalties for retailers selling to minors.  

For more information about the Trinity County Office of Education's work in this area, visit our webpage or contact TUPE Coordinator Taylor Lerma at tlerma@tcoek12.org  (530) 623-2861 ext. 232.

TCOE Dispatch 2025-11 by Jeff Morris

California’s Standardized Test Results and the California Dashboard were recently released and include both academic indicators for public schools statewide, as well as indicators such as suspension, absenteeism, and college and career readiness. 

The statewide picture is well documented through several articles, including this piece by Cal Matters, “Has student improvement plateaued in California? New Dashboard shows modest gains.”

Overall, in Trinity County, the results are generally positive, with most districts either maintaining a well above-average level or showing a positive trend upwards from the previous year. Of the 14 counties in the two Northern California regions, Trinity County ranked first, with 43.97% of students testing at or above standard in Mathematics and 51.77% in English Language Arts. 

Standout scores by individual districts include:

• Hayfork High School: 70 % of last year’s 11th graders tested at or above state standards in Math 
• Burnt Ranch Elementary: 73.58 % of students testing at or above standard in English Language Arts. 

These test result statistics are available by county, by district at https://bit.ly/TCOE-CAASPP-2024-2025

For teachers and school staff, the website also offers deeper dive views into the individual components of each subject, breaking down the individual skills of student cohorts. 

California’s Dashboard (available at https://www.caschooldashboard.org/) offers a different view of these same test scores measuring the distance from standard and a comparison to the previous year with colors indicating improvement or decline. 

Similar to the CAASPP site, the dashboard also offers a deeper dive into the results by offering the “View Additional Reports” option to break down the % of students who participated in testing by district, results by individual student groups and other data visualizations.  

Our collective work is still in front of us to close the gap on those students “Close to Standard” and “Below Standard” but the trend is certainly positive. 

On Saturday, October 4th, over 20 local Trinity County educators attended a presentation by Dr. Brian Lindaman, a Chico State Professor and Writing Team Lead. He discussed the 2023 CA Math Framework and how to apply its ideas in the classroom.

Teachers tackled hands-on math problems and explored new strategies to spark student discussions about math. They also received tools for incorporating real-world applications and collaborative learning.

Joanne Tucker, Megan Rourke, and Corey Helgesen from the TCOE Ed Services team hosted the event.

Attendees walked through the “Big Ideas” in math. They learned how to connect these concepts across grade levels. Teachers gained strategies to motivate students that will help students engage in meaningful math conversations and while also improving classroom experiences.

For more information on the 2023 Math Framework, visit: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/