(SPEECH)
[MUSIC PLAYING]

(DESCRIPTION)
Logo: OTAN - A figure in a circle with one arm raised outside the circle. A circle of light traces upward on the arms and bursts outward. Text on slide is read.

(SPEECH)
SPEAKER: OTAN, Outreach and Technical Assistance Network.

(DESCRIPTION)
Logo: OTAN. Outreach and Technical Assistance Network. Text: LEADING ADULT EDUCATION THROUGH SUPPORT FOR AND THE EFFECTIVE APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY. Text around an expanded logo with faces around the figure on a rainbow of colors, surrounded by rays of light. Professional Development, News and Social Media, Teaching with Technology, Annual Technology and Distance Learning Symposium, OTAN Digests and Newsletters, Online Resources and Video Presentations. OTAN dot US. 916-228-2580.

Next slide. Logo: OTAN Online. Text: Digital Leadership Academy (DLAC) 2024, Final Project Report: Apple Valley Adult Education. Presenters: Adele Mcclain, Coordinator, Melina Bezada, Admin Clerk II, Claudia Escobar, School Office Coordinator. May 17, 2024.

(SPEECH)
CLAUDIA ESCOBAR: Good

(DESCRIPTION)
The presenter stands at a podium wearing a dark top with a white jacket, and wears glasses.

(SPEECH)
morning, guys. We're Apple Valley Adult School and we're going to be talking a little bit regarding our puzzle.

(DESCRIPTION)
Text against a background of graph paper: PIECING THE PUZZLE PIECES TO OUR ROADMAP. Apple Valley Adult School. Graphic: Four interlocked puzzle pieces. A line with markers goes from the upper left and zigzags to a target on the lower right.

(SPEECH)
I know we started with a roadmap, if everybody remembers, but we very much feel that we ended up with a puzzle throughout our journey. So that's why it's called "Piecing the Puzzle Pieces to our Roadmap."

So we're going to be introducing ourselves a little more detail who we are. I'm going to start just because I'm at the mic.

(DESCRIPTION)
Text: The Puzzle Solvers: D LAC Team. Photos of the three presenters, left to right: Adele Mcclain, Program Coordinator, Claudia Escobar, with a wide-brimmed hat, School Office Coordinator, Melina Bezada, Admin Clerk II,.

(SPEECH)
My name is Claudia Escobar, was born in Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Came when I was seven years old with my parents, like everybody knows, for a dream. My parents wanted the best for my brother and myself, and they came with a lot of hopes, and I hope I'm making them proud.

But came here when I was seven years old, had to learn the language, had my moments. I did attend Arizona State University and graduated with a bachelor's in Human Development and Family Studies. Believe it or not, I have 30 years in the education field, the last 12 being in adult education, and I think it's one of the best decisions I made, because I was given a choice at one point, if I wanted to stay in K-12 at the continuation school or if I wanted a transition and move on with my partner over here to adult ed.

And you know what, I felt in my heart that adult ed was where I needed to go, because I saw my parents in those adults, and I love that. So I'm going to have my partner come up and introduce herself.

ADELE MCCLAIN:

(DESCRIPTION)
The speaker stands to the left of the other two, wearing a blue top and black sweater, and holds a microphone.

(SPEECH)
Hi. My name is Adele McClain, and I have eight years as an administrator in the adult education world. I was not an administrator prior to that. I was a teacher for over 30 years. I actually started my journey as a teacher in ESL in Orlando, Florida, so I've come a long way.

I taught in Northern California. In Salinas. I was a migrant instructor, and then I found myself in the high desert. And I worked primarily with alternative ed, and ESL was an extra job. And to be honest with you, closer? Now, we got it.

(DESCRIPTION)
She holds the mic closer.

(SPEECH)
Claudia Escobar was put in charge as the administrative support for the adult school. She got four hours a week, and I got four hours a week as the teacher when she told her boss to select me for that program. And that was 2013.

And together, we've gone on a journey from serving 50 students at first to serving 610 this year.

AUDIENCE: Wow.

ADELE MCCLAIN: And now I want to introduce Melina Bezada.

(DESCRIPTION)
She hands Melina the mic. Melina wears a blue top and black sweater and has a big smile.

(SPEECH)
MELINA BEZADA: Hello, everyone. Melina Bezada. A little about my journey, because it all began here with adult ed. I am a single mother of two beautiful children, and I'm their role model because of adult ed, I have a girl-- sorry, I'm a little nervous at the University of Chico and a boy who is going to Victor Valley for aviation. So I've made a good impression on them, and I love that.

Let me see. I am not only a product of Apple Valley, but I will be graduating with my associates in sociology here come June 11. So very proud of that, from Victor Valley College.

AUDIENCE: Whew! I am also the O10 Success Student for 2022, and I am the representative for CCAE for DEI and for the Southern section. So I've moved a long way with adult ed, and that's why I'm a true believer that we're all going to make this happen. And that's who we are. That's our team.

CLAUDIA ESCOBAR:

(DESCRIPTION)
Slide: On the left, two interlocking puzzle pieces. The word "The" is above. The left piece says "Dream," and the right piece says "Team." On the right, a group photo of eight people, with group members who stand outside in front of a tree. Three hold paper signs that read: Love you MOM!! (Illegible) praying for you! And, You got this!!

(SPEECH)
And of course, with every team, we have other people behind us. We are not doing this puzzle all by ourselves. That's our dream team. That is our staff right there. So small but mighty. Small but mighty. And if you notice, there's only one male staff member, and he is the best, and he is very patient with all of us.

So we really want to give a shout out to our team back home who support us, who actually, open their hearts to what we're telling them, we're learning, and are willing to pretty much get on this train with us and tag along with us.

So Adele is going to tell us a little bit more, where are we, adult education. And if you guys want to visit, she's going to tell you why.

ADELE MCCLAIN:

(DESCRIPTION)
Slide: APPLE VALLEY ADULT EDUCATION SCHOOL. Rural Adult School in Apple Valley. 530 unduplicated students served in 2023. Received 3 promising practice awards, transitional education plan, regional graduation, E&E Surveys. 4 teacher adult education credentials in 2020, 1 Masters in TESOL. The highest graduation rate regionally. The lowest per pupil cost. Photo: From behind, a person holds up her arms as she faces the school.

(SPEECH)
I'm also going to go back to my dream team, because I'm really proud of Mr. Michael Wilks, because he'll be graduating right alongside Melina Bezada on June 12 at Victor Valley College.

So Apple Valley Adult School is a rural adult school in the high desert of San Bernardino County. Last year, we had 530 unduplicated student counts. And as I told you, this year, we are at 610. In our history, we've received the three promising practice awards, one for our transitional ed plan.

We've had a transitional ed plan since we started. As I had been formerly a bridge counselor, I thought it was very important that every student tell us their goals from day one. It helps us construct our puzzle piece pathway. And we tried to say puzzle piece because we have pathways going forwards, backwards, sideways. It is more like a puzzle. The student comes to us, tells us what they need, and we reach for our toolbox and try to build the pathway.

We also have Mrs. Sorto, who is in the last picture. She is the fabulous Miss O that got 100% on her employment earning surveys. I have slides that I can share with anyone that would like to see some of our ideas on how to do that. And we have a regional graduation that Victor Valley College affords us every year since 2018, where all four schools send about 400 graduates once a year, about 2,500 people in attendance, because that's all the gymnasium will hold.

We've had an assemblyman, a senator, and Carolyn Zachary as some of our esteemed speakers. This year we will have Assemblyman Juan Carrillo, who is himself a product of adult education and GED.

Let's see. Four teachers in adult education and in my program gained their adult ed credential in the pandemic. Most people decided not to move forward. I'm very lucky. My staff has a growth mindset. And in 2019, the hoped for adult ed credential that was being worked on with CALPRO didn't go through. So they said, how can we make this work, and they got their credentials.

And one of them went ahead and got her TESOL credential, which is really helping build my ESL and citizenship pathway. We have the highest graduation rate regionally and the lowest cost per pupil.

CLAUDIA ESCOBAR:

(DESCRIPTION)
HOW DID IDEAL 1O1 AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND COMPLETION OF A SITE PLAN HELP MEET YOUR PROGRAM AND D LAC GOALS? Team Building, Gallup Strengths: Balconies and Basements, Narrowing our focus on orientation, Site Plan: Identify resources and materials needed, Understand the value of our collective impact, Better communication, Expand Knowledge, Better internal organization, Orientation and Registration Days.

(SPEECH)
So we're all here for a reason. We came here trying to find help, find guidance, anything that we can to make our program better, to make us better, to help our students. Because they are the ones that inspire us. They're the reason we are here.

So Adele, I'm going to ask you a question. How has Ideal 101 and this development helped with the site plan? Because, you know, she's the creator. She dragged me, believe me. If you remember, I was on that side. I need details. I need to know why she just can't come up and just tell me we're going to do this. And I'd be like, OK, and what else? And who is it, and why, and how does it help us?

So there's many reasons, and she's going to explain a couple how this has helped us.

ADELE MCCLAIN: So I can't thank Dr. Porter enough. Learning our strengths helped us understand each other and helped us leverage what we have. Because while I got orange all over the place, there's a lot of things, I don't have. And my ladies bring it to the table, and I'm so grateful that they do.

We took the strength-building exercise back to our entire staff. I actually personally paid for them to have licenses because my district was like, I don't know if that's an allowable. I'm like, oh, yeah, it's going to be an allowable. We need this because, otherwise, we don't understand what other people's perspective are. So that was so, so helpful.

We also learned what our placements were because some of our strengths can be too strong. I could maybe be too inclusive sometimes. I didn't know that was a thing, but it is. During this process, we learned to narrow our focus towards the things that matter most. We focused on orientation, because that was really what our college partners needed to make this work.

I needed to know what paperwork was going to happen for whom, and we also learned to have grace for our partners. We learned that it's not always going to be an immediate answer that we want. We try both agencies now instead of saying who does what, what does the student need. What is the student asking me for. Then we figure out what we don't have and how to put it together to make it work for the student.

Let's see. We also cannot thank you enough for the site plan resources to help us build structure around the things that we needed to implement in order to be able to support our students. We understand the value of our collective impact now. We have better communication.

We have 15-minute staff meetings once a week, but we also understand what we need from each other. And then we try as much as we can on Fridays to meet with our partners. Again. It only has to be 15 minutes a week to make sure things are going smoothly.

We have better internal organization, and we also support orientation and registration days, not only for our K-12, but also, for the college. And sometimes it takes two or three days to get our college students ready for the next class they're in. And most of the college students are taking a class with me. So not only has the college gained in tremendous enrollment numbers, but so have I.

(DESCRIPTION)
Accomplishments. Three sets of interlocking puzzle pieces, each piece with text. Set one: orientation / transition process, and, increase classes for ESL learners. Set two: EKG ESL Cohort, and, L.O.I. Healthcare Pathway. Set three: Northstar Digital Literacy Pilot, and, Monthly citizenship clinics.

(SPEECH)
Accomplishments.

CLAUDIA ESCOBAR: And she transitioned great. You heard what we've been doing. I mean, our goal when we came here was to help more students that were coming to our school to continue on and also, to provide them with something that at that time our school didn't have. And we're front staff. So guess what? We're getting all those questions, we're getting the frustration, and we're the ones that feel bad when we said, I don't know where to send you, I'm not sure what to do. I don't know how to help you.

And we were blessed enough that Adele, hears us when I go, hey, what can we do? We don't have this. They're wanting this. They call me for this. And that's how a lot of stuff came into it, including the EKG, ESL cohort. We are getting a lot of questions regarding the medical field. Do we have this?

And it's great because that's something that DELAC helped us do, because now we're having a better communication with the college. We're working on that transition that started with ESL, how to get them into higher level classes. Now, we know what to do, and we're going to just move that on to our CTE courses. So that's why it's a puzzle and not a roadmap, because the roadmap, let me tell you, you'll see a picture. That was something else.

ADELE MCCLAIN: We've developed orientation and transition processes. We've increased classes for ESL in both institutions. The students actually created their own EKG cohorts coming right out of EBT levels 3 and 4. Oftentimes, they have a similar cultural background, but they've been very supportive of each other all the way to the hiring process.

And St. Mary's actually not only supports me, our hospital, by coming out and sometimes recruiting right out of my certificate class, which will take place on May 22. But also, my relationship with this helped Martha when she applied for the LLI funding for the health care pathways, which I'm very proud. We're the only ones that I know of in San Bernardino County that applied and got it. So hopefully, we will be building even more opportunity for students in the health care pathways.

We also are tremendously grateful for the North Star Digital Literacy process. Thank you, Ryan and your whole team, because we looked at what you were doing and we're like, why not? Because, you know, that's my motto. And my teachers said, why not? And so we rolled it out, and I think right now we have 63 students enrolled at various levels, and the students want more and more. We had to shut down enrollment until August.

We also have monthly citizenship classes because we realized that we needed that piece. So we've partnered with TODEC, and they come out and do citizenship labs, and we've had tremendous success with that.

(DESCRIPTION)
Putting the Skills to Use -- Three photos: Six women gathered around laptops, with the caption, Planned Professional Development Days. A group of people around a conference table, with laptops in front of them, with the caption, Collaboration Meetings, and two people at a table with a table drape for Victor Valley Adult Education Regional Consortium, at a fair, with the caption, Increase community outreach.

(SPEECH)
CLAUDIA ESCOBAR: So everything we learn we have to put into use, and I hope you guys have been too. You can't not leave this place and not put it to use. So we have been very happy putting all the stuff we've been learning here. Like she said, that Friday we had that meeting regarding our strengths, and it was not only enlightening, it was refreshing, liberating.

You learn to see your coworkers through a whole different lens, and then you start the, ah, now I understand. Maybe I shouldn't do it this way next time. Maybe I should repeat my question or approach this person at a different way, and you'll be surprised what big changes it happens.

So these are some of the things we did.

(DESCRIPTION)
Text against a background graphic of a man with an expression of angst holding two puzzle pieces: CHALLENGES, BARRIERS AND SETBACKS. Focus on a Specific Goal, Navigate 2 Systems, Buildings & facilities. A branched diagram and two photos: several women at a counter in a hallway, school buildings from the street.

(SPEECH)
We had collaboration meetings, like I said, and we also have planned professional development days that changed from what it used to be. Because it used to be pretty much for the credential staff, but now, it's including everybody, the whole staff, classifying credential.

And it makes a difference because now we all know what everybody is doing, and we support them a much better way. We support them with the students when they're not available, because sometimes teachers-- guess what, you're teaching. So they can't talk to you, but we can support and give them the information that we need. But we had challenges. There were problems, and these are some of them.

ADELE MCCLAIN: So in our PD, wanted to thank OTAN and CALPRO for coming to us. In our first PD, we had over. 32 teachers and classified. Some of them had not had PD in over 10 years. I saw the sign. So I think that is important to recognize, and I can't thank you enough for coming to our desert area. And I promise if you come back, we will fill the room again and again.

Some of the challenges and barriers that we have is navigating a two-system college and K-12. Another thing was building and facilities. I had to work some magic through HR, and I had to work some magic through building and facilities. We had during the pandemic, a facilities use agreement that we use to keep my construction class open. I used the college campus.

And I said, well, we need ESL classes. We don't have money. What if we flip the script? And I get a facilities use so that Martha can use my classrooms in the hours I'm not using them. So that was amazing.

(DESCRIPTION)
Text: MAKING CHANGES. (Quote) "If you don't like something change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." (Unquote) Maya Angelou. Changing our views and removing the wall, Changing personal & professional development, Changing orientation and registration options. Photo: The group of women around laptops.

(SPEECH)
CLAUDIA ESCOBAR: So making changes. Like I said, we're hoping that you guys are using all the information that we're getting here, but that you're making the changes. Don't be afraid to make those changes. Like it says right there in the quote that I put, "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."

And sometimes that's what stands in the way. It's our pride. It's our attitude. It's the way we perceive someone. So make the change because you are changing the lives of many. So those are a couple of things that we're going to move on to the next steps.

(DESCRIPTION)
Text: PIECE BY PIECE: NEXT STEPS. Planned Orientation & Registration Days, A.V.A.E.S. E.L. Level 1 Reading & Writing, and Listening & Speaking, Institutional M.O.U. to support CASAS data sharing, Expanding this process to our CTE anticipated healthcare pathways, Improve Faculty Engagement. Graphic: People put together puzzle pieces that say, Registration Days, A.V.A.E.S. E.L. Level1, Faculty, CASAS, And CTE.

(SPEECH)
What are we going to do next with all the information we got from DELAC? Adele?

ADELE MCCLAIN: We have planned orientation registration days. We offer the level 1 courses for the incoming students with an open entry, open exit, and then the college offers levels 2, 3, and 4. We are going to, in the future, do an institutional MOU to support CASAS data sharing, and this is to avoid student-- it's student test fatigue.

Now, they're learning using life and learning, and I'm using--

CLAUDIA ESCOBAR: Steps.

ADELE MCCLAIN: --Steps. But going forward, everybody will be using Steps, and it'll be easier to make this transition, because we didn't want them to change and lose data.

(DESCRIPTION)
HELP! More PD to work better with softwares like Google & Microsoft, Continue to build our Gallup strengths, Sharing data between institutes. Logos: Digital Leadership Academy, OTAN -- CALPRO, CASAS. Graphic: Hands hold puzzle pieces.

(SPEECH)
We're also going to have more PD to work better with software like Google, Microsoft, continuing to use our Gallup strengths and share data between institutions. I know that at least one of my staff members is going to be working with OTAN, volunteered to be on the board. And I'm trying to increase the knowledge and awareness of OTAN and CALPRO and CapeTap throughout our region so that other administrators in my area can tap into these valuable resources.

(DESCRIPTION)
Photo: A woman with glasses on top of her head looks off with a slight smile. Bertha Ayala, A.V.A.E.S. Graduate Class of 2022 & A.C.S.A. Every Student Succeeding Award Recipient.

(SPEECH)
CLAUDIA ESCOBAR: So here's your why. Here's your why, I hope. Everybody and their school, they have their why. And this is Bertha. She is one of those students that started with Apple Valley Adult School. She needed more, and we were able to help her transition to Victor Valley College.

And one of the things she says at the end that is very impactful that we want all our students to do is, she says, I want to learn more.

ADELE MCCLAIN: She earned high school diploma to the ESL classes and is now back in our EKG, or wanting to be.

(DESCRIPTION)
Thank you! CONTACT INFORMATION: Adele Mcclain - adele_mcclain@ a v u s d.org, Claudia Escobar - claudia_escobar@ a v u s d.org, Melina Bezada - melina_bezada@ a v u s d.org. Quote: Competition makes us Faster; Collaboration makes us Better." Photos of each presenter with another woman who holds what appears to be a certificate and smiles.

(SPEECH)
CLAUDIA ESCOBAR: Just because we're a little short in time. But yeah, Martha is a great lady and she really inspires everybody.

ADELE MCCLAIN: She's also the Student Success Award recipient for ACSA region 12, all of San Bernardino County. She is a student of the year and received a $1,000 scholarship.

CLAUDIA ESCOBAR: She did. And the thing that motivated us to continue was Adele put this in our midterm, "Competition makes us faster, collaboration makes us better." And we have learned that here with everybody, with OTAN, with all these schools, with your case studies, that was, I think, a great help. And of course, with our beautiful coach, who we think she's simply the best.

["SIMPLY THE BEST" PLAYING] Simply the best.

(DESCRIPTION)
One of the presenters blows her a kiss, Claudia gestures toward her.

(SPEECH)
Better than all the rest.

CLAUDIA ESCOBAR: Thank you, guys.

ADELE MCCLAIN: Thank you.

(DESCRIPTION)
Logo: OTAN Online. Text: Digital Leadership Academy (DLAC) 2024, Final Project Report: Apple Valley Adult Education. Presenters: Adele Mcclain, Coordinator, Melina Bezada, Admin Clerk II, Claudia Escobar, School Office Coordinator. May 17, 2024.

Logo, OTAN -- Outreach and Technical Assistance Network. Follow Us, Twitter logo, slash OTAN -- LinkedIn logo, slash company slash otan underscore 2. Like Us, Facebook logo, slash OTAN Serves Adult Education, Subscribe, YouTube logo, slash OTAN Serves Adult Education. Logo with faces around the figure, with text around on the right, Professional Development, News, Teach with Technology, Videos, TDLS, Online Resources. Text, OTAN dot US. 916-228-2580.