Back to School in Napa County

2016-2017
in Napa County
Calistoga Joint Unified
School District
Howell Mountain
Elementary School District
Napa County Office
of Education
NapaLearns
Napa Valley College Napa Valley Unified
School District
Pope Valley Union
School District
St. Helena Unified
School District
Back to School

A Message from Napa School Superintendents
W
e’ve heard many people say over
the years that education is the only
sector that hasn’t changed since
the days of the horse and buggy.
The story goes on to say that if time travelers from
1900 came back today, they wouldn’t begin to
understand modern communication, transportation,
manufacturing, or entertainment, but they would
feel perfectly at home in a classroom, because it
would be so similar to the ones in which they had
been educated.
To which we might say,“Come on in and see!”
In so many ways our schools have been transformed
into lively and exciting places where children
collaborate to solve real world problems, debate
ideas, consult with people from around the world
in real time, and explore history, science, geography,
and the universe through both virtual and
augmented reality. You might find students using
Google Cardboard to visit a museum, dive deep
under the sea, or look at an area of London today
overlaid with how it looked during World War II.
Students are programming robots, using 3D printers
to create actual tools they’ve designed, and making
their own movies. Even our preschool students
are navigating iPads and learning literacy skills by
interacting with engaging content that both inspires
and delights them.
More and more students are participating
in community service activities, internships,
outdoor education, and educational challenges
and competitions with students from around the
state and nation. High school students in auto and
culinary career pathways are running businesses.
Students at all grade levels are taking action
to improve their neighborhoods by contacting
elected officials and explaining the issues. We’ve
implemented the rigorous Common Core
Standards, which most adults find as challenging
as our students. We’re excited to see a renewed
focus on the arts, as well as on career and technical
education, and we’ve provided numerous additional
services to address the social, emotional, and mental
health needs that many of our children bring to
school with them.
Learning opportunities no longer stop when the
school bell rings at 3:00 p.m. After-school programs
provide a place for homework, tutoring, enriched
and expanded curriculum, as well as recreation
activities, and students are served a nutritious supper
while they are there. Five-week summer programs
served about 300 middle school students as well
as almost 1,000 elementary school students who
needed additional support. Parent Universities
provide parents the opportunities to improve their
literacy and computer skills, as well as learn how to
be their child’s best support and advocate.
As we begin the new school year we are excited
that graduation rates have gone up and Napa
County exceeds the state average, and suspensions
and expulsions have gone down. We appreciate
the financial support of the community through
the Vintner’s Strategic Initiative, NapaLearns, and
Festival Napa Valley. We are grateful to Community
Projects for the many grants they give to teachers for
special projects, and to the Education Foundations
in each district that provide extra services to our
students. If it takes a village, as the saying goes, then
we are in the right place.
The Superintendentsof Napa County
Barbara Nemko, Ph.D.
Napa County Superintendent of Schools
Napa County Office of Education
Cheryl Lynn de Werff, Ed.D., Superintendent
Howell Mt. Elementary School District
Esmeralda Mondragon, Ed.D., Superintendent
Calistoga Joint Unified School District
Ron Kraft, Ph.D., Superintendent/President
Napa Valley College
Patrick Sweeney, Ed.D., Superintendent
Napa Valley Unified School District
Ken J. Burkhart, Superintendent
Pope Valley Elementary School District
Marylou Wilson, Ed.D., Superintendent
St. Helena Unified School District

Your Partner for
Educational Excellence
… continued on next page
Barbara Nemko, Ph.D., Superintendent
2121 Imola Avenue, Napa, CA 94559
707-253-6810 • www.napacoe.org
Napa County Board of Education Trustees:
Ann Cash, Don Huffman, Jennifer Kresge, Lisa Lindsey,
Steve Orndorf, Janna Waldinger and one vacancy.
Free Bilingual e-Books and
Games for Preschoolers
In the U.S. 46% of children enter kindergarten
lacking essential early reading skills which are
critical to school success.
To address this issue, Napa County Office of
Education (NCOE) and NapaLearns have made
it a priority to increase early literacy opportunities
for every preschool age child in Napa County with
the Footsteps2Brilliance (F2B) bilingual early
literacy app.This valuable tool has been successfully
implemented in the state preschool classrooms
run by NCOE, and available to the community at
large, and teachers and parents are seeing dramatic
improvement in their students’readiness for
kindergarten.
All Napa County preschool age children have
access to the F2B app at no cost.The F2B library
includes the Academic Language Program for
Students series which consists of 18 illustrated
and animated eBooks in English and Spanish.
In addition, there is a bilingual non-fiction series
featuring 26 Alphabet Animal books, Nursery
Rhyme Karaoke, Aesop’s Fables and a phonics
series called Mega Mouth Decoders, along with
over 200 educational games related to the books.
The Footsteps2Brilliance app can be downloaded
on most any tablet or mobile device, and accessed
on a computer so that children are able to use the
program both in their preschool and at home.
Napa County parents and preschool teachers
interested in a login can register at myf2b.com/
parent/Napa. For more information contact Lori
Hill, lhill@napacoe.org, or visit napacoe.org/
footsteps-2-brilliance/.
Teaching Important Life Skills
NCOE’s Community Programs
Department implements the Botvin Life Skills
Training program in middle and high schools
in 107 classrooms reaching 2,864 students
each school year throughout Napa County.
Life Skills is a substance abuse and violence
prevention program based on more than 30
years of rigorous scientific research. In addition
to helping students resist drug, alcohol, and
tobacco use, the program also effectively
supports the reduction of violence and other
high-risk behaviors.
The program has three levels that support
students as they gain knowledge of the impacts
of substance use and the skills to resist peer
pressure and make healthy choices. Life Skills
provides a safe, non-judgmental environment for
students to have the courage to speak up, ask for
help, and take action towards getting support they
need. For more information visit napacoe.org/tupe/.
High Schoolers Thrive with
Super School Project
During the 2015-16 school year, the NCOE
Court and Community School program (CCS)
applied for the XQ Super School Challenge Grant
which could provide up to $10 million to develop an
entirely new approach to high school.The XQ team,
which includes school administrators, teaching
staff and community members, worked for several
months creating a blueprint which redesigns the
high school experience for the students. NCOE’s
proposal has been accepted and moved on to the
second round. CCS staff are committed to creating
more engaging and meaningful academic, social/
emotional, and vocational programs for the students.
In addition, in response to the interests of
students, parents and staff, the CCS launched an
arts exploration pilot program: 20 students visited
Nimbus Arts in St. Helena for four 3-hour sessions
to learn various artistic disciplines of the students’
choosing. Professional artists worked with the
students to sculpt, paint, weld, and practice digital
photography. Because the program was such a
success, in the upcoming school year every NCOE
student will be able to attend six 3-hour classes
at Nimbus Arts to explore the arts with local
professionals. NCOE thanks community member
Phil Lofaro for helping to arrange this opportunity
for students. Watch the students share their dreams
for school at tinyurl.com/xqschool.
Enjoy Working with Children?
We Have a Job for You
Did you know if you have a Bachelor’s degree,
it qualifies you to be a substitute teacher in Napa
County? Are you retired and looking for something

Your Partner for
to do? Substitute teaching can provide a flexible
work schedule ‐ you can work as little or as much
as you choose. It may just be the right job for you!
Substitutes are needed to start work immediately.
Please contact NCOE’s Credentials office at 253-
6825 or email mstornetta@napacoe.org.
Coloring Napa County History
For the past two years Napa County third-
graders have received A Napa Coloring Book from
Napa County
Landmarks (NCL),
a local organization
dedicated to
protecting,
educating and
advocating
for historic
preservation and
architectural
heritage. A Napa
Coloring Book is
a professionally
illustrated, bilingual
coloring
and activity
book that
promotes Napa’s history and cultural heritage
to local youth, Spanish speakers and families.
The coloring book was created by Marie
Dolcini, a writer and NCL board member,
and illustrated by Mary Ann Henderson, a
Bay Area artist.
The 36-page book spans pre-history to
the present day in a compelling introductory
format that’s appealing to all ages.
Copies are available for sale on the
NCL website at a cover price of $10. Funds
raised will go toward reprinting subsequent
editions.
Those interested in purchasing a copy
of A Napa Coloring Book, or carrying
them for sale, can contact NCL at info@
napacountylandmarks.org, 707-255-1836,
www.napacountylandmarks.org.
You Can Make a Difference
Today with AmeriCorps
Each year, NCOE welcomes over 200
AmeriCorps members from all over the country
to serve in schools and non-profit organizations
in Napa County and throughout the state of
California.
AmeriCorps members commit to a year of
service, where they make a vital difference in the
lives of children and families as mentors, tutors, and
community leaders.
AmeriCorps members receive professional
development and valuable coaching from
community mentors as well as an educational
award to pay for future education or student
loans. Members begin their service in August and
September, 2016.
If you know of someone who wants to make
a difference and would make a great AmeriCorps
member,please contact americorps@napacoe.org.
SpecialRecognition
NCOE received the Collaboration
Nation Grand Prize of $50,000 in
technology in 2015. Awarded by the
tech company CDW-G, in partnership
with eSchool News, NCOE was
recognized for its dedication to student
success, collaboration and innovative
use of education technology.
The White House Initiative on
Educational Excellence for Hispanics
announced in 2015 that NCOE had
been named one of the Bright Spots
in Hispanic Education.
NCOE was awarded a 2015 Golden
Bell Award by the California School
Boards Association for the Digital
Early Learning program.
NCOE’s Digital Early Learning
program, supported by NapaLearns,
received the Partners in Educational
Excellence award in 2016 from
the Association of California School
Administrators.
Teacher Externships Keeps
Skills Top Notch
Through the CA Career Pathways Trust grant,
Career Technical Education teachers, along with
core academic teachers, have the opportunity
to participate in summer externships with local
employers and industry members. A teacher
externship is a type of professional development that
allows teachers to learn, through direct experience,

Your Partner for
the most up-to-date workplace practices, skills
and technologies used in industry.Teachers learn
information about the trends, skill requirements
and career opportunities in industries related to
their content area.They are then able to bring real
examples about the kind of teamwork, problem
solving, communication and creativity used in the
workplace back to their classrooms in order to
prepare students for the world they are about to
enter.
Summer of 2016 externships included American
Canyon High biotechnology and math instructors at
Bio-Rad, the Napa High medical science instructor
at Collabria, and culinary instructors from St.
Helena and Vintage High at the Culinary Institute
of America and Family Farmers.
Businesses interested in hosting an externship
can contact Gillie Miller, College and Career
Readiness Director, 253-6830.
Teachers and Classified Staff
Honored
Five exceptional teachers have been selected
as the Napa County Teachers of the Year 2017:
Jennifer Ellison, Phillips Elementary, Denise Keller,
American Canyon Middle School,Tom Lewis,
Harvest Middle School, Suzanne Morgan, Shearer
Elementary School and Dana Simon, Robert
Louis Stevenson Middle School. Ellison will also
be considered for California Teacher of the Year.
The public is invited to a Napa County Board of
Education meeting celebrating the Teachers of the
Year on September 6, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. at the Napa
County Office of Education.
The Napa County Classified School Employee
of the Year program highlights the contributions of
classified school employees to support the education
of California’s public school students.The 2016
Napa County Classified School Employees of the
Year are Ashley Bradford, Calistoga JUSD (child
nutrition), Margarita Rodriguez, St. Helena High
School (office & technical), and Therese Skjold-
Jesch, Vintage High School (paraeducator). Debbie
Raines of Vintage High School was also selected
and honored as the California Classified School
Employee of the Year in the area of support services
and security.
Improving Reading Skills for
Middle School Students
Project READ for Middle Schools is an
intensive five-year program dedicated to increasing
the reading and English language arts proficiency
and outcomes of all students— including
students with disabilities, English learners, and
socioeconomically disadvantaged students— in a
selected group of California middle schools.
Project READ focuses on training teachers to
incorporate reading strategies in their content area
instruction, supporting school-level implementation
teams and leaders in guiding process, providing
coaching and an online community for building
skills, and involving parents and family in their
students’reading achievement.
READ is a special project of the California
Department of Education, funded by a grant from
the federal Office of Special Education Programs
and housed at NCOE’s Research and Professional
Development Center.
Currently in its fourth year, the project will also
begin identifying exemplary sites to share their
success with other schools across the state.
Visit caspdg.org to learn more about Project
READ and the evidence-based practices used by
participating middle schools.
Meet the Napa County Board
of Education
The Trustees of the Napa County Board of
Education provide leadership to support the success
of public education.They collaborate with the
County Superintendent of Schools to govern the
County Office.
Their responsibilities include approving the
office’s budget, assuring appropriate educational
environments and curricula for students, determining
the salary of the County Superintendent of Schools,
and serving as an appellate panel in areas such as
denials of student inter-district transfers, expulsions,
and denials of charter school petitions.
They also serve as the County Committee on
School District Reorganization with approval
authority in respect to all proposed changes of school
district boundaries.
Regular board meetings are held on the first
Tuesday of each month at 3:00 p.m. and are open
to the public. Members of the public are invited to
speak on any topic during public comment, or to
address an item on the agenda. Please call to verify
time and location, 253-6810.
Debbie Raines, center, California Classified
School Employee of the Year, with Dr. Barbara
Nemko, Napa County Superintendent of
Schools, and Mike Pearson, Principal of
Vintage High School
American Canyon High School teachers
Elizabeth Hawkins, left, and Y Vu, learned
to make cheese through their externship at
Achadinha Cheese Factory in Petaluma.

New School Years Brings a
Fresh New Start!
We are excited to welcome our staff, students,
and parents back to the 2016-17 school year! A new
school year brings a fresh new start and we are eager
to get back into the swing of things.
I am proud of the work being done to increase
opportunities for our students
to cultivate their skills and
expand their knowledge.
Our district’s priority is to
continue the work toward
improved student achievement,
conditions of learning, building
capacity as well as having high
standards of performance. We
recognize how critical it is to
think outside the box, retool,
reevaluate, and refine practices
and programs with the purpose
of meeting the needs of our
students.
We have continued to
provide students and staff
with cutting-edge technology,
providing high-speed internet
access, Google Docs, Office 365,
and online digital curriculums.This integration of
technology and the way students and staff utilize
these resources assists in advancing their education
and abilities.
We have also continued to invest in our facilities
which helps create a healthy and safe learning
environment for our students. In our district, we
are fortunate enough to be part of a community
that values education and wants what is best for our
students.
We appreciate the partnership with community
organizations and recognize that noteworthy
achievements have been a team effort. We are
thankful for the dedicated teachers and staff for
their continuous efforts and are proud of our
committed students for their many achievements
and determination.
- Esmeralda Mondragon, Ed.D.
Elementary Teachers Focus on
Innovative Approaches
Calistoga Elementary School is proud to be
recognized as both a California Distinguished and
a National Blue Ribbon school.These honors are
testament to staff efforts in providing access to a
rigorous, 21st Century education.
With
the shifts in
Common Core
State Standards,
teachers focus
on innovative
approaches to
prepare our
students to be
21st Century
citizens. Students
are provided
one-to-one
devices to support
project based
learning and
differentiation.
Technology
applications support
intervention,
acceleration, and enrichment.Through the use of
digital curriculum, both students and teachers have
access to the most current content. In addition to
cutting-edge curriculum, Calistoga Elementary is
pleased to offer music and art classes.
Calistoga Elementary School has embraced
Building Effective Schools Together (BEST),
a program in which students are celebrated for
demonstrating safe, respectful, and responsible
behavior. A schoolwide committee coordinates events,
instruction, and assemblies. Additionally, students
participate in three academic awards assemblies per
year.
At the core of Calistoga Elementary is
community, which includes partnerships with the
Boys and Girls Club and the Up Valley Family
Center.These partnerships offer us the opportunity
to provide wrap around services and parent trainings
that engage both our families and students.
Preparing Students for College
and Career Readiness
Calistoga Junior/Senior High School continues
to support student achievement in college and career
readiness through many initiatives including AVID
strategies and practices, Advanced Placement (AP)
courses, and Career Technical Education (CTE).
Tools like organized binders,Cornell notes,and
Academic Language Scripts help students develop
strong academic organization skills across their classes.
The school has also adopted a new bell schedule
and multi-grade classes that give students more time
to explore topics in greater depth.
1520 Lake Street, Calistoga, CA 94515
707-942-4703 • www.calistogaschools.org
Calistoga Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees:
Marco DiGiulio, Julie Elkeshen, Marty Hunt, Indira Lopez,
and Jeff Maxfield.
A Calistoga High School student teaches a
science lesson to elementary students as part of
the La Promesa Future Educator class.
Calistoga Senior High School’s CTE Culinary
Arts class, gives students a hands-on approach
in the kitchen and prepares them for a career
in the food industry.

Four new AP classes have been added to
provide students with more choices for advanced
study.These include: AP Chemistry, AP Computer
Science and Programming, AP French, and AP
Spanish Language. Our other Advanced Placement
classes are: AP English Literature, AP English
Language, AP US History, AP World History, AP
Calculus AB and the second year AP Calculus BC,
AP Statistics, AP Studio Art, and AP Biology.
CTE classes provide real world learning and
career exploration opportunities. Our courses
include Introduction to Construction, where
students learn about plumbing, heating, and air
conditioning, surveying, electrical, and general
framing construction.The class puts these skills
together by building a Tiny House as a capstone
project.
Our future educators gain experience in teaching
through the La Promesa program; Students teach
science lessons at Calistoga Elementary while
exploring the field of education.These students also
receive college credit from Napa Valley College and
from Sonoma State University. After one year in
our La Promesa class, students have the potential of
earning six college credits.
Other CTE pathways being offered at
Calistoga Jr./Sr. High include Biotechnology,
Chemistry of Alternative Energy, Culinary Arts,
Physics of Alternative Energy, World Geography,
and Introduction to Computer Science and
Programming.
Palisades School Expands
Opportunities for Students
Palisades Continuation High School looks
forward to introducing our students to new
experiences such as our visit to Sonoma Valley
Hospital to watch a surgery and learn about all
aspects of working in a hospital.
In addition, we will continue to offer art through
the Calistoga Art Center. Our goal is to offer
extended learning opportunities for our students.
Calistoga Unified Quick Facts
Calistoga Elementary School
2014 California Distinguished School
2014 National Blue Ribbon School
1:1 Instructional Technology
Average Class size is 22
Calistoga Junior/Senior High
School
2005 and 2011 California
Distinguished School
1:1 Instructional Technology
Career Technical Education expansion
includes Tiny House, La Promesa,
Coding, Culinary Arts, and Journalism
Average Class Size is 19
Welcome!
George Valenzuela, Calistoga
Elementary School Vice Principal
Capital Improvements
Upgrades to fire lane, ball walls, and the
playground at Calistoga Elementary
School
Site Administrators
Nicole Lamare, Calistoga Elementary
School Principal
David Kumamoto,Calistoga Junior High
and Palisades High School Principal
Craig Wycoff, Calistoga High School
Principal
1520 Lake Street, Calistoga, CA 94515
707-942-4703 • www.calistogaschools.org
Calistoga Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees:
Marco DiGiulio, Julie Elkeshen, Marty Hunt, Indira Lopez,
and Jeff Maxfield.
Introduction to Construction students learn the
skills needed to build a Tiny House.
Calistoga High School’s Engineering Club
participated in the Tech Challenge at the San
Jose Tech Museum on April 24. Students built
a trigger-activated launcher that released a
glider at a zero degree angle and, without
any propulsion, the glider had to fly over a
mountain range, around a pylon and then land
six ping pong balls on a target.

Howell Mountain Elementary School District
Wonderful Things Are
Happening on the Mountain!
(HMESD) is saying good-bye to Superintendent
Dr. Cheryl Lynn de Werff as she retires in August
after 42 years in education and welcoming Interim
Superintendent Bob Ferguson and Interim Principal
Jenny Latona as the district’s administrative team.
Mr. Ferguson is an experienced superintendent
who just recently served Sausalito Marin City
School District. Mr. Ferguson was also the Interim
Superintendent in St. Helena USD from March –
June 2014. HMESD feels very fortunate to have
such an experienced superintendent join our district.
Principal Latona grew up in Sonoma. She earned
BS Degrees
in Elementary
Education and
Communication
Disorders as well
as a MS Degree
in Education all
from University
of Cincinnati.
Mrs. Latona has
been a teacher
at HMS for 12
years and she
looks forward to
being a principal
and teaching
grades 1/2 on
Mondays to stay
connected to the
classroom.
HMS also welcomes Mr. Andrew Vance, the
new 7/8 grade teacher, an experienced middle school
teacher from the Lake County International Charter
School in Middletown. We have eight classroom
teachers this year with 50% male and 50% female.
We believe this is a first for HMS.
For 140 years, Howell Mountain School (HMS)
has served the children of Angwin, providing them
with a solid elementary education and preparing
them for high school and college. Our school on the
hill turned a corner by shifting our focus from what
students learn to how students learn.The results
are young adults who are better prepared for the
demands of a 21st Century workplace, who excel in
their studies, and contribute positively to our society.
We recently dedicated our library to the Randy
Dunn Family.The Dunn Family has been great
supporters and through their generous donations the
school has been able to help fund being a New Tech
School and provide the arts to our students.The
school is proud to name our favorite facility after the
Dunn Family. Students can find over 8,000 books in
the Dunn Family Library.
Wolf Country: Where
Education Is a Partnership!
HMS in partnership with education groups
such as NapaLearns,
Howell Mountain
Education
Foundation, and
the Napa County
Office of Education,
will grow students
capable of meeting
the demands of
tomorrow’s business
world.Together,
success is not only
within our grasp, it’s
inevitable!
The HMS mascot,
the wolf, spearheaded
and began organizing
a parent group that
would help vault our
school to the successes
we seek both in and out of the classroom! The goal
of the PTO Wolf Pack is to establish classroom
parent leaders, organize specialty days and help raise
money to fund needed programs for our students.
PTO and SSC are currently planning a September 9
Color Run for the school. Mark your calendars! The
PTO Co-Presidents are Rachel Davies and Claire
McConnell.
You cannot be an effective school in the 21st
Century without the technology to go with it.
Thanks to our partners, HMS has this area covered!
Wherever you look on our campus, you can see
the integration of technology and the various
ways students use these resources to advance their
education. From iPads to desktops to laptops, every
student at HMS has access to a device to call their
own to access high-speed Internet, various online
intervention solutions and digital curriculum
supports. Our students are on the cutting edge
of leveraging their tech access to ensure they are
college and career-ready for greater lifetime success.
Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Is More Than Projects
Howell Mountain School is entering its third
year as a New Tech School.The research-based
model used by the New Tech Network fosters
campus-wide collaboration, integrates project-based
learning spanning most disciplines, and enhances
student ownership for their education.
The HMS students have been busy all year
doing PBL. One fun and valued unit that the third
and fourth-graders did was entitled “How Can We
Help Save the Honeybees?” They kicked off the unit
with classroom dad, Caleb Duckett, coming in his
beekeeping suit and giving valuable information
Bob Ferguson, Interim Superintendent
525 White Cottage Road North, Angwin, CA 94508
707-965-2423 • www.hmesd.org
Howell Mountain Elementary School District Board of Education:
Sharee Bramham, Anna Carmichael, Doug Ermshar,
Ada Funes-Rusch, and Dr. Lorna Turner.
School spirit and friendship were the ultimate goals of our
soccer team.
The Buzz at HMS is about saving the
honeybees. Community member Mark Griffin
extracts honey from a honey comb to share
with third and fourth graders.

about bees and their decline. Community member
Mark Griffin came in as an expert sharing his
knowledge as a beekeeper.The highlight of this visit
was getting to taste fresh local honey straight off of
the frame. Wrapping the unit up, the students were
excited to plant their own pollinator garden. At an
assembly, students presented a video of facts and
information on how everyone can help.
This unit was just the beginning of a school-
wide change to bettering our campus, caring for the
world around us and going green. We are looking at
growing our own food for lunches using our gardens
and harvesting our school orchard. We thank
grandfather David Davies for his time caring for our
orchard and gardens.
Kids don’t have to be lonely at recess anymore
thanks to our kindergarten class and their Project-
Based Learning Buddy Bench unit. If a child is
sitting on the bench alone during recess, it is a signal
to the other kids on the playground to ask him/her
to play.The Kindergarten class designed the Buddy
Bench for the playground by stenciling positive
caring words and painting it with bright colors.
Students don’t worry about having others to play
with at recess now.
Howell Mountain Elementary
School District has implemented
many new curriculum and
program changes. Our school is
enjoying using My Math (K–5)
and California Math (6–8) by
McGraw Hill. We recently adopted
the Reading Wonders (K-6) and
StudySync (7–8) Language Arts
programs from McGraw Hill. Lexia
Core5 is our school-wide online
Reading Intervention program.
This year we will be implementing
the Lucy Calkins Writing program,
TK–8. Last year Howell Mountain
School began using Positive
Behavior Intervention and Support
(PBIS) to enhance our school and
learning environment for better
learning. PBIS is a proactive
approach to establishing behavioral
supports and social culture.
We Offer Art, Music, PE and
Sports, After School Support,
and More!
Howell Mountain School has spent years
building enrichment programs such as art and
music. Whether it is recorder or ukulele in the
classroom, singing, band, or art on Fridays, teachers
and parents alike are very aware of how attention to
the arts enhances core subject learning on multiple
levels.The district is expanding choral and band
instruction time, and increasing the diversity of
the offerings for this year.The school purchased an
instrument for all students, grades 5–8, thanks to the
Howell Mountain Education Foundation.
HMS provides a specialized P.E. teacher weekly
in addition to the daily P.E. with the classroom
teacher. P.E. Friday allows students the opportunity
to work toward the goals of the Presidential Fitness
Test, build endurance and strength through drills
and exercises, and learn the importance we all place
on living a fit lifestyle. Students also spend time
practicing for seasonal competitive sports with other
schools.
Our After School Program (ASP) runs every day
from the final bell until 6:00 p.m. We offer students
classes such as academic support, fencing, band,
filmmaking, art, video editing, cooking, sports, and a
newly expanded Teen Center facility. We make sure
that enrichment continues even when class isn’t in
session. ASP students enjoyed a successful Harvest Fair
in 2015 and are excited to plan another one this fall.
Howell Mt. Quick Facts
The annual auction brings in tens of
thousands of dollars from the Howell
Mountain Education Foundation for
program enrichment every year.
Howell Mountain School is proud to be
the first K-8 New Tech Network school
in the nation.
HMS provides a musical instrument for
every student, grades 5–8.
Howell Mountain School will celebrate
its 140th birthday this school year.
Bob Ferguson, Interim Superintendent
525 White Cottage Rd. N., Angwin, CA 94508
707-965-2423 • www.hmesd.org
Howell Mountain Elementary School District Board of Education:
Sharee Bramham, Anna Carmichael, Doug Ermshar,
Ada Funes-Rusch, and Dr. Lorna Turner.
Building and designing this Buddy Bench also built lasting
friendships between these kindergartners.
Studying music creates a harmony when
learning other subjects.

A Message from Dr. Sweeney
Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year! This is
an exciting time in education, as together we work
to inspire what learning can be in the 21st century.
Students’exposure to real world experiences and
the 6 C’s (creativity, communication, collaboration,
critical thinking, character and citizenship) are
supported by technology in our classrooms to
prepare our students for their futures. I invite you to
join us.
We Have Three Goals
Our Vision: We are committed to transform
lives by instilling 21st century skills and inspire
lifelong learning in every student.
To work toward
that vision, the
Board of Trustees
established three
goals.
First, we want to
ensure that all our
graduates are college-
and career-ready
by graduation.That
means when students
leave our campuses,
they are prepared
to be successful at
a two- or four-year
college, at a technical
or trade school, in
the military or in the workforce.They know how to
think critically; how to use creativity to approach
their work; how to communicate clearly in speaking
and writing; how to collaborate with others; and
how to bring character and citizenship to their
interactions with their world (the 6 C’s).
Second, we want to provide all our students
with equitable access and opportunities to close the
achievement gap.
It’s a fact. Students with better access to support
systems and resources do better in school. And some
students need more support than others. We want
to be certain that within our sphere of influence,
we provide the appropriate level of support for each
student to be successful.
Third, we want our students to master 21st
century skills, including the 6 C’s, in engaging
experiences and technology-rich environments.
Applying these goals to real world experiences
will develop future citizens who will continue to
learn and contribute back to their communities.
Open Enrollment for 2017-18
Starts Oct. 3!
As the 2015-2016 year begins, we are already
thinking about NEXT year, 2017-2018. If you will
be registering a kindergartner or applying to attend
a school other than your neighborhood school, you
should be thinking about next year, too.
Open Enrollment for 2017-2018 begins Oct.
3, 2016, and ends
Nov. 30, 2016. You
can enroll online at
nvusd.org starting
Oct. 3.
We are extremely
proud of all our
schools and
programs, but not all
schools are identical,
and schools attract
different families.
Some students are
more comfortable at
smaller schools. Some
families are attracted
to schools with a
theme, such as science, technology and engineering,
language, or international studies. For these families,
informed choice is important:
• Alta Heights Magnet offers Math, Science and
Technology in K-5.
• Bel Aire Park Magnet and Mt. George
Elementary are International Baccalaureate (IB)
World Schools serving K-5.
• Napa Valley Language Academy and Pueblo
Vista Magnet offer bilingual English-Spanish
immersion.
• Pueblo Vista Magnet also emphasizes
Environmental Sciences.
• Salvador Magnet Elementary is an arts
integration school.
• Napa Junction Magnet Elementary offers
Science,Technology, Engineering and Math
(STEM) K-5.
• Harvest Magnet Middle is an IB World School
and an English-Spanish Dual Immersion school
Transitional Kindergarten open enrollment
options are available at the elementary magnet
school sites.
Something for Everyone at
NVUSD
Our 18,000 students are all individuals, with
their own talents, interests, needs and goals.
That means that we nurture and challenge
advanced learners, who want to expand their
learning horizons, as well as students who have
physical, emotional or cognitive challenges that
require more support.
We offer rigorous academic courses, robust
Career Technical Education options and diverse
extracurricular and athletic programs. Our students
can learn in traditional neighborhood schools,
magnet schools, independent study, dual immersion
English-Spanish programs, online options and
more.
We provide support for our students’emotional
and social needs, as well, with the implementation
of our Wellness Policy for students and staff. Our
positive behavior intervention programs have
contributed to a greatly reduced suspension rate,
and last school year, we opened our first Wellness
Centers at two middle schools, where students can
Patrick J. Sweeney, Ed.D., Superintendent
2425 Jefferson St., Napa, CA 94558
707-253-3715 • www.nvusd.org
Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education: Helen Busby,
Robb Felder, Carlos Hagedorn, Jose Hurtado, Thomas Kensok,
Frances Ortiz-Chavez and Joe Schunk

receive counseling, support and more.
To find out more about our diverse offerings,
visit nvusd.org and pull down the Student and
Parent Information tab. Find out more about each
of our schools by pulling down the Our Schools tab.
If you’d like to talk with an elementary or
secondary school expert about education options,
call the Department of Instruction at 253-3815.
We’re Building Our Future
Over the next 10 years, we will:
• Complete seismic safety upgrades at 11 schools,
to meet new State earthquake safety standards
• Rebuild or relocate three 1950s-era schools that
are on or near active earthquake fault lines
• Replace aging roofs, windows, plumbing, heating,
lighting and electrical systems with more
efficient and sustainable systems to save money
and protect the environment
• Improve school safety, including campus fencing,
video cameras, and fire and security alarms
• Modernize aging classrooms, science labs, and
technology infrastructure to keep pace with 21st
century teaching and learning
• Upgrade classrooms and training facilities to
vocational and Career Technology Education
• Build new, flexible classrooms to relieve
overcrowding in the southern part of the district
In June, Napa County voters passed Measure H,
a local bond measure to help us fund our Facilities
Master Plan, which details the projects needed to
ensure that our students are able to learn in safe,
high-quality school facilities. You can see the Plan at
nvusd.org; search Facilities Master Plan.
Parents and Families Are Key
to Success
It takes a team to ensure your student is as
successful in school as he or she can be.That team
includes the student, the school and you - the parent
or guardian.
Studies show that students do better when
parents are engaged in and supportive of their
education. We encourage you to:
• Meet your student’s teachers, either
at Back-to-School night or by calling
or e-mailing.
• Get to know who is who at the school.The
administrators, counselors, teachers, aides and
others all play a role in your student’s success.
• Track your child’s progress online through parent
portals; frequently check in verbally with your
student’s teachers.
• If you think your student needs extra services,
ask for an evaluation.
• Set aside a designated time and space to do
homework, and ask every night if your student
has work to complete.
• If you have time, volunteer at school and/or join
the parent-teacher organization.
• Be an advocate. Ask questions, both of your
student and the school, and voice concerns early
with the appropriate person (teacher first, then
principal).
• Demonstrate a positive attitude in your home
about education.
• Monitor screen time.
• Encourage your student to read for pleasure.
• Talk with your student about the school day.
Napa Valley Unified Quick Facts*
95.2% attendance rate**
92% of our students graduate from high
school**
71% of our graduates enter two- or four-
year colleges**
30 great schools, including six magnet
schools, with International Baccalaureate;
Environmental Studies/Dual Language
Immersion; Performing Arts; MAST
(Math/Art/Science/Technology);
and STEM (Science/Technology/
Engineering/Math) programs
Award-winning GATE/ALPS program
for advanced learners
Honors and advanced placement courses
98 Career Technical Education courses
woven into 20 pathways, each A-G;
articulated with Napa Valley College
or Solano Community College; dual-
enrolled or have an entrepreneurship
component.
Award-winning athletic, choir, band, art
and dance programs
Pre-school, transitional kindergarten
and after-school child care programs to
support our students and families
* Data from 2014-2015 school year
** Above California average
Patrick J. Sweeney, Ed.D., Superintendent
2425 Jefferson St., Napa, CA 94558
707-253-3715 • www.nvusd.org
Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education: Helen Busby,
Robb Felder, Carlos Hagedorn, Jose Hurtado, Thomas Kensok,
Frances Ortiz-Chavez and Joe Schunk

P
ope Valley Elementary School is the
smallest and most isolated school in Napa
County. It is a single-school district whose
board consists of local volunteers, three of
whom also volunteer for the local fire department.
Pope Valley Elementary School serves about 60
students from kindergarten to the eighth grade.
While students typically matriculate to St. Helena
High School, students may attend any high school
when leaving Pope Valley.
The students at Pope Valley Elementary School
are taught in four classes with experienced and
highly-qualified teachers, instructional aides, and a
dedicated support staff. One of the aides manages
the after school program while the other is one of
two bus drivers.The school’s 5th-8th grade language
arts and social studies teacher also serves as principal
and superintendent.
This year the school is proud to announce the
expansion of the Learning Center to three days
with support for students in a variety of areas.
Additionally, the after school program is being
completely revamped to include services every day
and until 5 p.m.
Finally, the school is very excited to announce a
new partnership with the Napa County Library and
the opening of an “outpost”of the library on campus
on August 24.The outpost library will be open to
the public three days a week, tentatively scheduled
for Tuesday and Thursdays from 3-6 p.m. and
Saturdays 11-2 p.m.
Students
Access Current
Technology
and Updated
Curriculum
Students at Pope Valley
have access to one-on-one
Chromebooks with iPads for
small group use as needed.
The school has integrated
technology use into everyday
instruction and students
use a variety of services and
applications to assist with
their learning and research.
Reading and math assessment, a
reading incentive program, and
a math and English/language
arts program are all supported
through technology.
Project-based learning
will be an increasing focus
in the 2016-2017 school year to increase higher-
level thinking skills.This focus will be supported
through a new high-speed fiber optic Internet
connection supported by the California Broadband
Infrastructure Improvement Grant.The school’s
increased Internet capacity will allows for virtual
field trips, multimedia research and presentations,
and increased availability to the Smarter Balanced
Assessment.
While technology is used with current
curriculum, the school uses updated California
Standards (Common Core) as the base to engage
in 21st Century Learning. For the 2016-2017 year,
Pope Valley Elementary has adopted new language
arts curriculum and will be researching and piloting
new science curriculum; all of which meets the new
California Standards.
We Believe in Character
Development Education
Pope Valley Elementary School will be
expanding its focus on character development
education during the 2016-2017 school year.The
school has adopted the Six Pillars of Character
and the Character Counts! program. Students
in all grades will learn about the six traits:
Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness,
Caring, and Citizenship.They will learn how their
actions and words affect others and how having a
strong character leads to success.
Pope Valley Union Elementary School District
6200 Pope Valley Road, Pope Valley, CA 94567
707-965-2402 • www.pvk8.org
Pope Valley Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees:
Christopher Thompson, Alejandro Maldonado, Mike Damonte,
Paul Kimsey, and Joe Mosley.
Last bus run for Mrs. Hardin on June 9, 2016. The Pope Valley
Volunteer Fire Department welcomed her back with a traditional
water salute.
The newest location of the Napa County
library system! Pope Valley UESD and Napa
County entered into an agreement to operate
an outpost of the library system at Pope Valley
School three days a week. The Ribbon Cutting
Ceremony is scheduled for August 24.

Students, staff, parents, and community will be
working together throughout the year, including:
community service-learning projects, and research
on local geography, history, agriculture and industry,
people, and resources. In addition to the character
education, this year teachers will begin a new focus
on developing clear expectations and procedures
for students that in turn will increase student
achievement.
We’re Proud of Our
Dedicated Staff
Pope Valley Elementary School is very proud
of its experienced and dedicated staff, most of
whom live in the Pope Valley community.The
five classroom and learning center teachers have a
combined experience of about 80 years.
The support staff also has extensive experience.
The custodial/maintenance staff
have been with the school for
about 16 years, the instructional
aides over 25 years, facilities
coordinator six years, and the
secretary about 16 years.The
staff will be collaborating with
Calistoga Unified for staff
development in the newly
adopted language arts curriculum.
The staff at Pope Valley
Elementary School is extremely
dedicated, often staying well
past six in the evening.The staff
all work together extremely well
and are often viewed of as a
large family.The students are the
primary focus of all the staff with
all considering the profession of
education as a calling, not just a
job. Several members of the staff
are fluent in Spanish, while all
the others having had Spanish
education.
Students Have
Afterschool, Extracurricular,
and Field Trip Experiences
The school is proud to announce the newly
redesigned after school program with daily
homework help, a snack, and activities. Students
will be able to stay after school with supervision and
activities daily until 5 p.m.
The school fully funds numerous field trip
experiences for students with both school-wide
and individual class opportunities varying from
ice-skating to performances to camping.The
seventh and eighth-graders spent a week last
year in Los Angeles learning about geography,
culture, art, history, and diversity. Additional field
trip experiences are always appreciated and the
community is invited and encouraged to provide
invitations to various venues.
Pope Valley Union Quick Facts
58 students
Four classrooms
Experience teaching staff (minimum of
six years, average of 16 years)
One-to-one devices for all grades
Propane-fueled buses
After school program five days a week
Set in a beautiful valley, Pope Valley Elementary School is
surrounded by hills, vineyards, and ranches. It maintains its own
pond for water supplies. With passage of Measure A, the school
has plans for remodeling and expansion over the next few years.
Facilities Coordinator, Ben Casas, and
Maintenance and Groundskeeper Tomás
Ramirez dug trenches for installation of fiber
optic cabling. Installation of the fiber optic
line brought the school gigabit speed Internet
access in the Spring of 2016.
6200 Pope Valley Road, Pope Valley, CA 94567
707-965-2402 • www.pvk8.org
Pope Valley Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees:
Christopher Thompson, Alejandro Maldonado, Mike Damonte,
Paul Kimsey, and Joe Mosley.

St. Helena Primary is Golden!
The St. Helena Primary School (SHPS)
staff believe in the value of community, unity,
cooperation, and sharing.
They also know the following:
• What you help a child to love can be more
important than
what you help
him to learn.
• The child’s
first and most
influential teacher
is the parent.
• A child’s
ideas about
education and its
significance begin
with the parent.
• Effective
home-school
partnerships
are critical for
promoting
long-term school
success.
Therefore, under
the leadership of
Principal Tamara Sanguinetti, the SHPS staff
embarked upon a robust campaign to increase
meaningful parent involvement in the learning of
their children.
The kick off event was a Town Hall Meeting
that was attended by parents, staff, and community
members. Over 100 people of varying demographics
and stakeholder groups participated. Led by the
leadership students from St. Helena High School
this group developed consensus around school
culture, climate and expected student outcomes.
These efforts paid off! All stakeholders agree that
SHPS has an exceptional school climate, parents are
very involved, and as a result, academic outcomes for
students have increased dramatically.
In fact, in the spring, over 94% of second grade
students were at or above grade level in reading
and 92% were at or above math fluency levels.
It is these successes that ultimately led to SHPS
receiving a Gold Ribbon Award from the California
Department of Education!
Student Leaders Shine Bright
St. Helena High School provides a safe school
climate, excels in academics, and incorporates a wide
range of school activities.
As student
leaders, we
have had the
opportunity to
represent a diverse
student body in
positions that
allowed us to
improve as leaders
and enjoy our time
here at school.
This year we
are proud of our
accomplishments.
A significant
accomplishment
was the
assemblance of
the Green Team
to ensure an eco-
friendly future for
our school and community. We also participated
as student ambassadors in the St. Helena Primary
School’s Town Hall Meeting in October. We led
a large event, accompanied by our peers as table
leaders, to further establish a more comprehensive
vision for our future students.
Our student body has grown in leaps and bounds
this school year. We are proud to be an invested
student body in areas such as academics, sports,
agriculture and student leadership. As the year
progressed, we developed into individuals that our
community and younger generations can observe
with pride.
— Isabelle Smith, ASB President, and Cristian
Maldonado, ASB Board Representative
We Are Future Ready
St. Helena Unified has been part of the Future
Ready initiative for two years. We are committed
to ensuring all of our students and teachers have
access daily to devices and information.Technology
continues to play an integral part of instruction
in St. Helena Unified. As a Google Apps for
Education district, our students actively use Google
applications to create, save, collaborate and share
work with their teachers and peers. Every student,
grades TK-12, has their own device that enables
them to maximize time spent at home and school
on blended learning curriculum that support the
new California Standards. Students receive direct
instruction in the classroom that reinforce and
expand their skills using web-based software.
St. Helena Unified embraces new and innovative
technology movements in education. Makers Spaces
at the elementary school ignite students’creativity
and problem solving skills. Career and Technical
Education courses at the middle and high school
offer students unique learning opportunities in
coding, video production and computer-aided
design. 3-D printing and virtual reality devices are
on the horizon for St. Helena Unified.
Our teachers recognize that technology plays
an important role in the life of a student. By using
devices as a tool to engage and stimulate, teachers
in St. Helena create a learning environment
that encourages exploration and offers students
opportunities to produce and present knowledge in
a variety of ways.
Marylou K. Wilson, Ed.D., Superintendent
465 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574
707-967-2708 • www.sthelenaunified.org
St. Helena Unified School District Board of Trustees:
Jeff Conwell, Maria Haug, Jeannie Kerr, Alex Shantz,
and Cynthia Smith.
First-graders love having their very own “Hungry Caterpillar”
(aka Literacy Specialist Mrs. Smith)

One of America’s Best High
Schools
For the second year in a row, St. Helena High
School (SHHS) has secured a Silver Ranking by
U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s Best
High Schools. Previously ranked #286 in California
for 2015, SHHS vaulted to #85 in California and
#506 nationally.The method used to determine the
ranking is based on two key principles: a great high
school must serve ALL of its students well, not just
those who are college bound, and it must be able to
produce measurable academic outcomes to show it
is successfully educating its student body across a
range of performance indicators.
Additionally, St. Helena Unified School District
and SHHS recently earned a spot as one of 425
school districts in the U.S. and Canada being
honored by the College Board with placement
on the 6th Annual AP® District Honor Roll for
increasing access to Advanced Placement (AP)
course work while simultaneously maintaining or
increasing the percentage of students earning scores
of 3 or higher on AP Exams. Reaching these goals
indicates that a district is successfully identifying
motivated, academically prepared students who are
ready for the opportunity of AP.
The SHHS school community is proud to be
recognized for its tremendous work on behalf of
ALL students.
Measures B and C: Building
and Improving Our Facilities
Several exciting facilities projects are scheduled
for completion during the Summer of 2016! The St.
Helena Performing Arts Center, funded through
our Measure B and C Bond Program with a budget
of $14.6 million, will provide our students with a
new 350-seat theater and drama room outfitted with
state-of-the-art acoustics and lighting.
SHHS Athletics Facilities will receive some
upgrades this summer (also funded through
our bond program), with new turf installed on
our softball and baseball fields, and renovations
scheduled for the tennis courts.The total amount
budgeted for these renovations is $5.35 million.
The new SHES play structure is also currently
being installed.This project was funded by generous
community donations, in addition to $425,000 in
Measure B and C bond dollars and district set-
asides previously earmarked for the playground.The
total budget for this project is $701,000.
District-wide technology infrastructure upgrades
will provide students with improved Internet access,
with a budget of $3.96 million. A roof/HVAC
restoration project (total budget of $3.6 million) is
also planned this summer, for the high school and
middle school.
Thank you, St. Helena, on behalf of our students
for supporting our school facilities projects through
Measures B and C!
St. Helena Unified Quick Facts
Small campuses
Small class sizes
State-of-the-art facilities
Napa County Classified Employee of the
Year – Margarita Rodriguez
After school enrichment programs are
provided for all K-5 students
2016 & 2015 US News & World Report
Silver Ranking as one of America’s Best
Schools, #85 in CA and #506 Nationally
2016 Newsweek’s one of America’s Best
High Schools
2016 CA Gold Ribbon School, St.
Helena Primary School
Expansive Advanced Placement program:
11 course offerings
School Climate Index in the 99
percentile: a measure of positive
climate and high supports and student
engagement
100% Graduation Rate
91% College Admission and estimated
Attendance Rate (44% for 4-year
colleges, 47% for 2-year colleges)
Marylou K. Wilson, Ed.D., Superintendent
465 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574
707-967-2708 • www.sthelenaunified.org
St. Helena Unified School District Board of Trustees:
Jeff Conwell, Maria Haug, Jeannie Kerr, Alex Shantz,
and Cynthia Smith.

Napa Valley College
Number One Pathway to
Future Success
Napa Valley College, which has developed a 74-
year reputation for preparing students for evolving
roles in a diverse, dynamic and interdependent
world, is recognized for superior learning as one
of the top all-around colleges in the 113-campus
California Community College system and is
ranked as the #1 two-year college in California by
BestColleges.com.
A fully-accredited, open-access, degree- and
certificate-granting institution, Napa Valley College
is committed to student achievement through
high-quality programs, outstanding instruction
and student advisory services that are continuously
evaluated and improved.
This track record of success has been proven
year after year, as NVC students transfer to four-
year degree programs at Cal State, UC and excel
at private four-year colleges such as Stanford
University, USC, St. Mary’s College and California
College of the Arts.
Napa Valley College career technical education
programs provide exemplary workforce training
opportunities in vital professions and industries
throughout Napa County. In 2011, for example,
Napa Valley College was certified as a Hispanic
Serving Institution (HSI) by the U. S. Department
of Education and made eligible for federal grants
specifically supporting HSIs, benefiting the entire
diverse population of students at NVC. Napa Valley
College currently administers a $3.1 million HSI
grant for Science,Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics education at NVC.
In addition, the college offers students more
focused instruction through small class sizes, highly
accomplished and dedicated faculty, responsive and
caring counselors and outstanding campus facilities
and opportunities, including the state-of-the-art
McCarthy Library and Learning Resource Center,
the Performing Arts Center and a culinary academy
in the college’s Upper Valley Campus (UVC) in St.
Helena. Community education and credit classes are
also offered in Calistoga, St. Helena and American
Canyon.
Napa Valley College Is Affordable
Credit class fees are $46 per unit (High school
students pay $0. See website, napavalley.edu for
updates).
Financial Aid information online and in-person
assistance is easily attainable at the NVC Financial
Aid/EOPS Office, Building 1100, or by calling
256-7300.
Non-credit, community education classes,
including Trips & Travel and Food Enthusiast
classes, follow a different fee schedule and calendar,
which is available at NVC’s Upper Valley Campus in
St. Helena. Call 967-2900 or visit napavalley.edu for
a current schedule of community education classes.
Culinary Arts and Hospitality Career
Development
The acclaimed Napa Valley Cooking School,
which attracts students from all over the nation,
is led by chef Barbara Alexander.The Napa
Valley Cooking School, is a highly respected,
financially affordable two-year culinary academy
at NVC’s Upper Valley Campus in St. Helena, and
features small class sizes, and excellent externship
opportunities among leading restaurants throughout
the Napa Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area, and
the world.This fast-track pathway to an exciting
career in the culinary arts is accepting applications
for the next session beginning in September 2016.
For information call 707-967-2930 or see www.
napavalley.edu.
Viticulture and Winemaking
Interested in learning more about the grapes
and wine that has made Napa Valley famous
throughout the world? Napa Valley College holds
the distinction of offering the largest wine program
in the U.S. – a comprehensive grape-to-table, two-
year academic degree program in which students
from across the country grow, harvest, produce,
bottle, market, and sell award-winning Napa Valley
College Estate Winery wines.The program features
a six-acre Napa Valley appellation vineyard, located
on the main campus.
Public Safety & Community Well-being
Students are prepared for careers in law
enforcement through the Criminal Justice Training
Center, including the Napa Valley College Police
Academy. Visit www.nvccjtc.com for upcoming
Police Academy Entrance Exam dates.
Students are also prepared for high-in-
demand careers in Health Occupations, including
Respiratory Therapy, Nursing and Psychiatric
Technician training. Students also receive training
to become an Emergency Medical Technician or
Paramedic. A new Paramedic class will start in the
fall of 2016.
Napa Valley College
Napa Valley College Board of Trustees: Dan Digardi, Board Chair, JoAnn
Busenbark, Michael Baldini, Rafael Rios, Mary Ann Mancuso, Kyle Iverson,
Amy Martenson, Gabriel Sanchez, Jr. (Student Trustee)
Ron Kraft, Ph.D. Superintendent/
President
2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy.
Napa, CA 94558
707-256-7000 • 800-826-1077
www.napavalley.edu
Upper Valley Campus
1088 College Ave.
St. Helena, CA 94574
707-967-2901
Napa Valley College Small Business
Development Centers (SBDC)
Napa SBDC: 707-253-3210
www.napasbdc.org
Sonoma SBDC: 707-595-0060
www.sonomasbdc.org

Napa Valley College
Napa Valley College
Serving Returning Military Veterans
Military veterans have the highest priority
in registering for classes at Napa Valley College,
which actively supports veterans as they return to
civilian life and seek career and higher-education
opportunities. Opened in fall 2013, the NVC
Student Veterans Resource Center provides
student-veterans with a physical space on campus
to find fellowship with each other in a veteran-
centered environment while receiving individualized
academic and financial aid counseling from NVC
and Veterans Administration staff.
In addition, Napa Valley College is partnering
with therapists with The Pathway Home and the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to help treat
veterans suffering from the aftereffects of war.The
veterans will to split their time between Pathway
and NVC’s existing veterans’support programs to
help them stay on course toward schooling, jobs and
stable lives.
Outstanding Teaching and Learning
With support from the Napa Valley College
Foundation, individual members of NVC’s 300
outstanding full-time and part-time faculty
are recognized annually to receive McPherson
Distinguished Teaching Awards.The honor is
bestowed annually to teachers who honor the
tradition of excellence started by college founder,
Harry McPherson, in 1947.
Student Learning Outcomes
Napa Valley College is committed to making
sure its students succeed in academics and in life,
communities and careers.The college is committed to
making sure that, upon completion of an organized
program of study, NVC students will be able to:
• Communicate ideas clearly and concisely in
written, oral and other forms, using a variety of
media.
• Acquire and critically evaluate information, solve
complex problems, and make informed decisions.
• Demonstrate interpersonal skills by collaborating
with others and working effectively with people
from diverse backgrounds while respecting their
viewpoints.
• Set goals and develop a plan to achieve those
goals.
• Acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities that
are specific to a discipline or career and adapt to
an ever-changing workforce by managing their
own learning.
• Act responsibly and ethically as community
members, with an understanding of local, state,
national and global issues.
Recognizing Student Excellence
The California Community College League of
the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recognized
Napa Valley College students Serina Hartinger,
right, and Jessica Bennett-Roberts, left, for
outstanding academics as well as community
involvement at the state capital in March for their
placement on the All-California First Academic
Team.They are pictured here with Dr. Ronald Kraft,
president of the college.
In 2016, more than $250,000 was awarded
to nearly 200 outstanding incoming, continuing
and transferring NVC students by the Napa
Valley College Foundation in recognition of
community service and the academic and personal
accomplishments of NVC students.
Fall Classes Start August 15
Fall 2016 credit classes start Monday, August
15. New students can enroll through the college
website, napavalley.edu. A printed fall schedule of
courses has been distributed in all Napa County
newspapers and is also available on campus at
student services, the library, the campus bookstore
and the financial aid office. More information is
available at 256-7201.
Online Degrees
Napa Valley College offers many online courses.
Students can earn a business degree online and
many NVC courses utilize hybridized online
instruction method involving classroom meetings
combined with online components. See the college
website, napavalley.edu, for more information.
Start or Grow Your Own Business
The Napa/Sonoma Small Business Development
Center (SBDC) offers advisory services and evening
classes in Napa and Sonoma Counties to help
entrepreneurs start or expand their own businesses.
Contact 253-3210 or napasbdc.org for details.
Napa Valley College Quick Facts
1,396 degrees and certificates awarded to 913
graduates in May 2016
Cost per unit of study: $46, set by the
California State Legislature
Specific units required for completion of
Associate Degree: 60
NVC is fully accredited and in good standing.
Fall 2016 registration begins August 15.
Apply for admissions online at napavalley.edu
Visit the Welcome Center, Student Support
Services Bldg. 1300, or call 256-7201 with
questions about your online application.
Napa Valley College Board of Trustees: Dan Digardi, Board Chair, JoAnn
Busenbark, Michael Baldini, Rafael Rios, Mary Ann Mancuso, Kyle Iverson,
Amy Martenson, Gabriel Sanchez, Jr. (Student Trustee)
Ron Kraft, Ph.D. Superintendent/
President
2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy.
Napa, CA 94558
707-256-7000 • 800-826-1077
www.napavalley.edu
Upper Valley Campus
1088 College Ave.
St. Helena, CA 94574
707-967-2901
Napa Valley College Small Business
Development Centers (SBDC)
Napa SBDC: 707-253-3210
www.napasbdc.org
Sonoma SBDC: 707-595-0060
www.sonomasbdc.org

NapaLearns
NapaLearns
Peg Maddocks, Ph.D., Executive Director
707-265-2712 • www.NapaLearns.org
NapaLearns was founded in 2010 to provide
funding and technology expertise to the five school
districts in Napa County and the County Office
of Education as they set out to transform every
classroom into a 21st Century learning environment.
Our goal is to prepare all students to become
successful in college, careers, and our community by
equipping them with engaging learning experiences
powered by technology and guided by energized
teachers.
The NapaLearns Model:
Investing in Innovation
Our partnership model is to seed-fund
innovations with pioneer teachers, measure the
impact, and then replicate successful innovations
with a larger group of early adopter teachers while
continuing to evaluate results, and finally to hand
successful initiatives off to districts to continue to
scale and sustain. Essentially, NapaLearns helps
by accelerating the adoption of new teaching and
learning practices that leverage technology. For
example:
The Digital Early Learning Initiative, started
in 2011 with 17 preschoolers who used iPads and
apps, was jointly funded by Calistoga Joint Unified,
NCOE and NapaLearns. With co-funding from
the districts, the program grew countywide to 650
kindergarten students within two years.Today, all
Napa County pre-K to 2nd grade students are fully
immersed in district funded digital early learning
with enthusiastic, well-prepared teachers.
Project-based Learning expanded in 2012
from a single school, New Tech High, to four
schools with NapaLearns funding for professional
development and digital devices. In 2013, we
funded six additional schools with a three-year
commitment. In 2016-17 Napa Valley Unified will
fund the early adopter schools, while NapaLearns
will provide funding for two additional schools, for a
total of 14 New Tech Network schools!
Professional Development & Technology
NapaLearns has supported several hundred teachers
who attended educational technology training and
infused over 3,500 iPads and Chromebooks into our
schools from 2012-2014 to accelerate technology
adoption. By 2015, districts were self-funding tech
training and devices, while NapaLearns continued
to fund new professional development and
technology opportunities.
Impressive Results
Thanks to many generous donors, particularly
Auction Napa Valley, our investment of $5.2 million
over the past six years is paying off with impressive
results:
• Tech-infused Project-based Learning has
successfully expanded to 14 schools, 8,030 students,
and 340 teachers countywide. Every day students
are engaged in critical thinking, analytical
writing and communication, collaborating
with others, and solving problems, while
learning subject area content. New Tech and
American Canyon High seniors consistently
outscore comparison students on a national test of
critical thinking skills.
• The Napa County Office of Education
and NapaLearns co-sponsor licenses for
Footsteps2Brilliance, an award-winning mobile
app that provides exposure to the 1,000 key words
needed for success in kindergarten. In 18 months,
2,500 Napa County children have experienced over
32 million words in stories and games.
• Since 2011, with an investment of $406,000, our
NapaLearns Fellows program provided 50%
tuition reimbursement for teachers seeking master’s
degrees to 100 Napa County teachers impacting
over 8,500 students per year. Five years later, 35%
of those teachers are now in leadership positions.
“ NapaLearns has been amazing in Napa
County. We have a digital early literacy
preschool program, which is closing the
30 million word gap and the achievement
gap at the same time. We never could have
done it if NapaLearns hadn’t partnered
with us.”
Barbara Nemko, Ph.D. Superintendent, NCOE
“ Napa County has achieved something
rare in education.The innovative learning
ecosystem blossoming in Napa provides
districts and counties across the country
and the world a much needed model.”
Bernie Trilling, co-author, 21st Century Skills
Learning for Life in Our Time

Your Partner for
Attention Napa Students:
Don’t Miss the Fun!
North Bay Science Discovery Day (October
29, 2016): To stimulate the excitement of learning
Science,Technology, Engineering, and Math
(STEM), don’t miss this event at the Sonoma
County Fairgrounds. Info at northbayscience.org.
Learnstorm Math Contest (January 2017):
Students can sign up and work on the Khan
Academy website to get better at math and learn
new skills.They will see their progress add up
toward personal goals. Participants can earn rewards
and recognition including a chance to attend an
epic, in-person final event. Ask your child’s teacher
to sign-up for the Kahn Academy Learnstorm Math
Contest, or your student can sign up on their own.
Contact Seana Wagner at swagner@napacoe.org,
265-2351 to learn more.
Are You Ready for the 5th Grade
Challenge? (March 2017): Watch local celebrity
grown-ups challenge some of Napa’s finest 5th
graders on questions from the Common Core. As an
audience member you will also get to play, too.
If you are interested in joining the fun, or know
a 5th grader who would love to play, contact Seana
Wagner at swagner@napacoe.org, 265-2351 to learn
more.
Reach Higher National College Signing
Day (April 26, 2017): School sites and community
supporters celebrate College Signing Day by
wearing their favorite college gear and sharing why a
postsecondary degree is important to them on social
media using the hashtag #ReachHigher. For more
information visit whitehouse.gov/reach-higher.
Expanded Learning Rocks!
NCOE’s Community Programs Department
provides before, after, and summer school
programs to upwards of 4,000 elementary and
middle school students through the COOL
School and ACE programs.
These programs offer safe and inclusive
learning environments that foster positive
relationships and
remove barriers to
learning.
The program
offers a range of
engaging activities
including art,
science, sports,
technology, and
other project-based
learning activities
to participating
students.
Students who
aren’t working
at grade level
have access to
individualized
tutoring through
these programs to
support academic success.
Students are at the heart of our work and
our dedicated staff provides students positive,
adult role models who provide targeted academic
support as well as mentoring support to build
resiliency and encourage 21st Century Skills.
Vintage High School Boasts
Top Student Chefs!
Eight students from four high school
culinary programs competed in the
third annual Northern California High
School Cook-off on May 14, 2016 in St.
Helena High School’s culinary kitchen.
The team from Vintage High School
took home the trophy.

Back to School in Napa County was produced as a public service by the Napa County Office of Education and distributed in August 2016. Graphic design and production
services were provided by Sheldon J. Reber, Pepper Tree Communications, sheldon.reber@gmail.com. Special thanks to Seana Wagner, Director of Communications,
Napa County Office of Education. Photos provided by the Napa County Office of Education, Napa County school districts and NapaLearns.
Your Partner for
How to Submit
Your Anonymous
Safety Tip:
1. Text to TIP411
2. Start your message
with: 707SAFE
3. Your anonymous
tip is important and
will be handled
immediately.
Napa County Reads
Celebrates The Outsiders
with Macchio and Coppola
“Stay Gold, Ponyboy”conjures images of one
of the most beloved
books and movies
in American
Literature, The
Outsiders by
S.E. Hinton.
The
Napa
County
Reads
Committee
invites the
community
to a special
presentation
celebrating this classic
coming of age tale. The Outsiders director Francis
Ford Coppola and star Ralph Macchio will discuss
their experience making this beloved film at The
Napa Valley Performing
Arts Center at the
Lincoln Theater
on November
4, 2016 at
7:00 p.m.
The event
will also
feature art
and drama
by local
students
inspired by
the story.
Middle
school students
around Napa County will
be reading The Outsiders in the fall in preparation
for this event.The community is invited to join
local students in reading the book as a community-
wide book club. Napa County Reads is a coalition
of educators and community members dedicated
to improving the reading experiences of students
throughout Napa County with an emphasis on
middle schools.
Tickets are available now from the Lincoln
Theater, lincolntheater.org.The cost is $15 for adults,
students are free. Get your tickets early – this event
is expected to sell out. Visit napacoe.org/napa-
county-reads/ or call NCOE at 253-6999 for more
information.
Report Bullying Anonymously
Tip411 is a program that provides a simple and
anonymous way for students to report incidents of
bullying and cyberbullying, as well as other risky
behaviors such as drugs, alcohol, suicide threats and
weapons.
Stay Connected with NCOE
NCOE Quick Facts
Provides fiscal oversight and critical business
services to the five Napa school districts.
Operates 23 preschool classrooms to help
students succeed in Kindergarten and beyond.
Delivers educational services to over 350 infants
and toddlers with disabilities.
Provides before school, after school, summer
school, and tutoring programs to 4,000
students.
Offers Community School programs serving
150 middle and high school students who face
serious life challenges.
Provides leadership for a countywide college
and career readiness program serving over
1,600 students.
Manages the Napa County Teacher Induction
Program, a two-year professional development
experience for first- and second-year teachers.
Operates the Research and Professional
Development Center managing multiple
programs for educational professionals through
the California Department of Education.

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