Adelante Newsletter
February 18, 2022
Dear Santa Paula Highest Quality Early Childhood Education Steering Committee,
I’m even more convinced that early intervention with High Quality, Early Childhood Education (HQ ECE) can prevent a host of educational problems … and can radically change the way we think about educational goals and processes. Learning is not simply filling a child’s head with facts and information “tabula rasa style” and to learn basic literacy, numeracy, and language skills. Neither is learning restricted to schools and classrooms.
Now we know that we need to address the developmental and socio-emotional characteristics of learners, as well as issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We’ve also learned that our SPECE initiative must consider the ecosystemic contexts of learning, which include the school, the home, and the community. Only then will we harness the enormous learning potential available during the first few years of life.
Neurological studies have now shown the tremendous exponential development of a child’s brain, which has been a lost learning opportunity. This loss has been particularly detrimental for minorities and other marginalized populations. So here we are in Santa Paula, planning to ameliorate educational conditions and practices that have not served us well. Yes, it will take a village!
Preschool programs that recognize families as partners in education are aware that most families want to participate in their children’s education, and collaborative efforts pay off. Schools are a site of learning, but not the only site. Much learning occurs in homes and communities, and children learn best when there are consistent expectations across settings. Not only will we develop child readiness, but also family readiness for learning through high school and beyond. And, the results can impact the total community in other ways.
Notwithstanding the superior benefits of universal ECE, we recognize that investment in this form of early education makes economic sense when placed in the context of long-term academic and employment success. Presently, low levels of academic achievement data do not bode well for having a future educated workforce that can compete in today’s global economy. Thus, universal ECE as a means of elevating academic and developmental outcomes for all children makes sense in both academic and economic contexts.
So, how will we recognize student success? What will success look like for children in Santa Paula?
Thank you for joining together to leverage our collective talents to answer these questions as thoughtfully as possible. We are grateful to you for your service and dedication to this historic effort.
My best to you,
Dr. Gabino Aguirre Co-Chair, SP-ECE
Our Fabulous Five Co-Chairs
Dr. Mari Estrada
Consultant & Higher Education Faculty California State University, Channel Islands
Martin Erickson has been executive director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission since January 2022. He joined VCTC in 2016 as director of public transit. Erickson has more than 25 years of public transit and transportation experience, including as manager of government affairs at the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District and deputy city manager for the City of Oxnard, where his responsibilities included management of the city’s transit services program.
Dr. Gabino Aguirre
Consultant Ventura County Community Foundation
As the Managing Director—Branch Manager in the Valley Market for Wells Fargo, Scott Hansen has the honor of leading three financial advisor branches in Westlake Village, Woodland Hills and Encino. He also leads their High-Net-Worth Private Wealth Advisor Team which operates out of Private Banking offices in Santa Barbara, Westlake Village, Encino and Pasadena. He has been in the banking and financial services industry for 30 years.
Mr. Hansen earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of California, Santa Barbara. Scott resides in Ventura with his wife of 25 years and their three children. He volunteers in the community with various organizations including Women’s Economic Ventures, California State University Channel Islands, and Ventura Foothill Little League Baseball.
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PM-07042025-6198663.1.1
Jeffrey Weinstein
Superintendent Santa Paula Unified School District
Rick MacLennan, Ed.D., was selected by the Board of Trustees to serve as Chancellor beginning July 2022. He has more than 30 years of experience in educational leadership at community colleges in Idaho, Maryland, and Washington.
Dr. MacLennan is dedicated to supporting Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura colleges and the District Office in providing equitable, student-centered access to quality and relevant educational programs and support services. He is committed to the community colleges’ missions of access and opportunity and believes that students are unique individuals with meaningful differences in their learning styles and abilities, attitudes toward learning and life, past educational experiences, culturally based values, and interests and goals.
Through meaningful engagement with the community, Dr. MacLennan believes that by reducing barriers to education and by strengthening partnerships with high schools, business and industry, and social service agencies, communities and their members thrive. Throughout his career, Dr. MacLennan has been deeply engaged in his communities, serving in leadership roles for regional economic development efforts, higher education policy and planning, local nonprofit boards, and community foundations.
A Southern California native, Dr. MacLennan’s path to higher education began as an adult learner after serving in the U.S. Army as an enlisted infantry soldier. Dr. MacLennan earned bachelor’s degrees in communications and general studies from Portland State University and a master’s in college student services administration from Oregon State University. He graduated with distinction as the outstanding doctoral student from Wilmington College (now University), New Castle, Delaware, with a doctor of education in educational innovation and leadership.
Clay McCarter
Chief Executive Officer Child Development Resources of Ventura County, Inc.
Clay McCarter serves the County of Ventura in the County Executive Office where he focuses on capital projects, the County Budget, community development, and economic development. He has over 15 years of public sector experience and previously was a policy advisor to the Los Angeles City Council. He has degrees from UCLA and the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Elvia Hernandez
Esperanza Project Coordinator Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Santa Paula
Dr. Morales is currently the Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. He also served as a
District Superintendent in the Oxnard School District. He held leadership roles in the Lawndale and Lennox School Districts in Los Angeles County.
Dr. Morales leads VCOE, which employs nearly 1,000 people and provides teacher training and administrative support services to all the County’s 20 school districts. VCOE also operates schools for students with special needs, at-promise students and provides career education for students countywide.
Dr. Morales received his Doctor of Education degree from UCLA and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Loyola Marymount University. Dr. Morales serves on a number of local nonprofit boards, including the First 5 Ventura County Commission and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin’s Education Advisory Committee. He is also a past President of the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators. Dr. Morales was the recipient of the El Concilio Latino Leadership Award and was named a “Leader to Learn From” by Education Week magazine. His areas of expertise include all aspects of public school management. He has gained recognition locally and statewide for his leadership on critical issues.
Recordings from Retreat Day 1
Watch the Day 1 recording from the Adelante por los Niños de Santa Paula retreat.
Day 1 Speakers: Dr. Gabino Aguirre, Mayor Jenny Crosswhite, Andy Sobel, John Marquez, Dr. Mari Estrada, Dr. Cesar Morales, Jeffrey Weinstein
