In brief: Contra Costa teachers of the year announced
PLEASANT HILL
Lynn Mackey, Contra Costa County’s superintendent of schools, has announced that teachers Chavonta Edington of Diablo Vista Middle School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District) and Natasha Paul of Mount Diablo High School (Mount Diablo Unified School District) were named the 2022-2023 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year.
Edington has been teaching for 23 years and has been in her current position at Diablo Vista Middle School for 16 years. She teaches instrumental music (band, jazz band and orchestra) to sixth- through eighth-graders and is her school’s performing arts lead teacher. A guest lecturer at the University of the Pacific and keynote speaker at several conferences, Edington is a 2021 recipient of the “Beyond the Baton” award for reaching her students beyond the music classroom.
Paul is a 19-year teaching veteran, spending the last 16 years teaching English at Mount Diablo High. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers (NCTE), California Teachers Association (CTA), California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) and a board member of a Curriculum Study Commission for whom she helps plan and implement an annual conference for English and English literacy development teachers in Asilomar (Monterey County).
Edington and Paul were selected as winners from four finalists announced this past spring, who were in turn picked from 19 district teachers of the year representing 16 county school districts, the county office and community college district. They will represent the county at the California State Teacher of the Year competition, the winners of which are expected to be announced in mid-October. The county teacher of the year program is coordinated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE). For more information, visit bayareane.ws/cccteachersofyear22-23 online.
— CCCOE
LAFAYETTE
Garden Club meeting happening Oct. 13 in Veterans Hall
The Lafayette Garden Club (LGC) monthly meeting will start at 10 a.m. Oct. 13 in Veterans Hall at 3780 Mount Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette, featuring guest speaker Shawna Anderson. Anderson is an advanced certified nursery professional and certified horticulturist for Orchard Nursery in Lafayette, where she has worked since 2004.
Her passion for gardening began when she was growing up in Kenwood (Sonoma County) and helping her father in his 1-acre vegetable garden and in her mother’s flower beds. She is the owner of “Thrillers, Fillers and Spillers” and has written many garden articles and taught numerous gardening classes. For those interested in attending the free meeting, email LGCMembershipCommittee@gmail.com.
— LGC
CONCORD
City welcomes Bethge as its new assistant city attorney
Concord City Attorney Susanne Brown announced the hiring of Michelle Bethge as assistant city attorney, effective earlier this month. Since 2014, Bethge has served as an attorney for the California Department of Industrial Relations, most recently for Cal/OSHA.
In her role at Cal/OSHA, she represented the organization at administrative hearings and guided enforcement staff on how to apply regulations to issues arising during health and safety inspections at worksites. She also assisted employers in developing environmental health and safety programs.
In her new role with the city of Concord, Bethge will focus on risk management and procurement, assisting all departments in analyzing and approving contracts, and she will manage complex Public Records Act requests. Bethge received her law degree from Golden Gate University and bachelor’s degrees in law and society and in English from UC Santa Barbara.
— city of Concord
WALNUT CREEK
Garden Club meeting scheduled for Oct. 10 in Elks Lodge
The Walnut Creek Garden Club (WCGC) will hold its monthly meeting on Oct. 10 in the Elks Lodge at 1475 Creekside Drive in Walnut Creek. Registration will start at 9:30 a.m., followed by a brief business meeting, social time and an educational program.
The meeting’s speaker will be one of the club’s members, Cora Metivier (pinterest.com/corametivier), who will discuss ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangements. Metivier has developed her skills creating ikebana arrangements and will generously share her talent and passion with the club. The club welcomes the public to visit their meetings and become members. For more information, visit walnutcreekgardenclub.org online.
— WCGC
Break a Sweat for Education 5K to benefit kids in need
The 2022 Yours Humanly Break a Sweat for Education 5K Run & Walk and free Kids Fun Run, presented by Pacific Service Credit Union, will be held on Oct. 1 at Walnut Creek’s Heather Farm Park.
Funds raised by this popular family-friendly event support local and global programs of Yours Humanly, a Northern California-based nonprofit that transforms the lives of children in need around the world by providing access to quality education and equitable resources. Yours Humanly is again partnering with the Mount Diablo Education Foundation, which serves students of the Mount Diablo Unified School District, for this event.
More than an athletic event, this eighth annual 5K fundraiser is a fun way for people to make a profound difference in the lives of children in need, helping them receive the education and enriching school experiences they deserve. Heather Farm Park is at 301 N. San Carlos Drive in Walnut Creek. For event details, a course map and registration, visit BreakASweat.run online. Supporters can also register online as virtual participants.
— Yours Humanly
BETHEL ISLAND
Health, safety fair set for Oct. 1
The Bethel Island Health & Safety Fair will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 1 at Scout Hall (3090 Ranch Lane) on Bethel Island. More than 30 providers of services for seniors, adults, veterans, the disabled, children and pets will attend.
Services will include flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, free COVID test kits, hepatitic C and HIV screening, vision, memory and blood pressure screenings, proper car seat installation and pet licensing and vaccine vouchers. For more information, call 925-351-3759 or visit facebook.com/EastCountySeniors or eastcountyseniors.org online.
— East County Senior Coalition
BRENTWOOD
Big Pop Up Book Sale on library’s second floor Oct. 1
Find lots of children’s books for $1 or less at the Big Pop Up Book Sale from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 1 in the Brentwood Library at 104 Oak St.
The sale will feature popular current titles as well as some old favorites, all sure to engage children. The sale, organized by the Friends of the Brentwood Library (FBL), will be on the library’s second floor.
— FBL
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