Daily Archives: May 20, 2022

COVID-19 Updates

UPDATED DIRECTIVE FOR COVID-19 ISOLATION/EXPOSURE/QUARANTINE PROCEDURES 

The health guidance for exposure procedures and isolation directives have been modified to align with updated San Mateo County procedures. Key updates include:

 

Exposure to Confirmed COVID-19 Positive Individual (Close Contact)  

  • Quarantine is not required for individuals, regardless of vaccination status.
  • A close contact must monitor for symptoms for 14 days and take a COVID test 3-5 days following exposure.

To help explain the impact of this change on the District’s processes, the District’s COVID-19 Health Officer, Ray Hernandez, shares updates about the District’s Isolation/Exposure/Quarantine Decision Tree in this video. You can also read the latest changes by clicking here.

 

COVID-19 RAPID TESTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE 

At-home COVID-19 test kits will only be available through the campus public safety offices or Bookstores. 

 

COVID-19 Testing Resources: 

B.S. Respiratory Care Final Capstone Project Presentation May 23-25

You are cordially invited to attend the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care (BSRC) Final Capstone Project Presentation on Monday, May 23, 2022 through Wednesday, May 25, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m..  Graduating  BSRC students will be presenting their culminating project to the Respiratory Care community and Skyline College.

 

Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care (BSRC) Final Capstone Project Presentation

Date: May 23 – 25, 2022

Time: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Via Zoom

Webinar Zoom link: https://smccd.zoom.us/s/85709734138

or bit.ly/bsrc-capstone

Solar Boat Team Competes Again

Skyline Solar Boat Team 2022: Logan Chan, Marlon Villalobos, Thomas Toy, Ned Bitar, Paul-Frederik Schubert, Madeleine McSwain, Valeria Zarco, Emma Mayoral, (not pictured) Jonathan Mariano-Smith

For the 4th time, the Skyline College Solar Boat Team joins the SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District)  California Solar Regatta competition held on May 13, 2022 at Rancho Seco recreational area in Herald, CA. It was the 9th time this state-wide event took place and the first time after the pandemic.

Due to safety restrictions, the number of teams was limited to 10 by SMUD, down from more than 20. Even so, everyone was happy to be back in person after waiting two years.

It was a nice, warm, and sunny day at Rancho Seco Lake. The lake is the old emergency cooling pond of the former nuclear power plant on the site, of which buildings are still standing. The main reactor building and the twin cooling towers can still be seen over the lake, making a scenic background to the competition.

The group photo is of our nine participating student team members, their red shirts matching their overhauled solar boat, who were eager to compete against other schools. Because of the pandemic, it was the first time for all of them to participate in the race. Some of these students will be returning next year to support and lead next year’s team. We hope to gain more traction to better prepare for next year’s race.

It turned out the strongest adversary wasn’t one of the other boats; it was the gusty winds which blew over the lake from time to time. The motor of the boat wasn’t able to fight against this natural hurdle. After a couple races, Skyline’s boat suffered an electronic failure and the team’s boat had to be towed off the lake. This was not unusual, with many of the other teams struggling with wind and equipment technicalities in their first race after the long downtime due to the pandemic.

Overall, it was a great experience and everyone enjoyed the supportive and collaborative atmosphere among the participants and the organizer of SMUD. Students were able to communicate and connect with other students at different schools, problem solve, and learn from each other’s boat builds. Thank you SMUD, for hosting such a great event again and giving students a great learning experience!

The club would like to extend a big thank you to Marco Wehrfritz (Physics) for supporting the team throughout the process, Dr. Susanne Schubert (Chemistry) for coming and cheering the team, and Dr. Emilie Hein (Physics, MESA) and Dr. Nick Kapp (Biology) for driving the students and equipment to Rancho Seco on Friday night, providing logistics for the overnight stay, camping with the team till the dawn of the race, and driving them safely back to Skyline!

To get involved or for more information, contact Engineering and Robotics Club (ERC) advisor, Marco Wehrfritz (wehrfritzm@smccd.edu).

Article by Marco Wehrfritz, Nick Kapp, and Kaileiani Louie | Photo by Susanne Schubert

 

 

 

Tamara Perkins Film Premier at Human Rights Watch Festival

“No matter what your zip code is, no matter what school you sign up to, every single child deserves to have the same quality education.” – Clarissa Doutherd

Clarissa’s Battle “A single mother’s fight for child care for all” World Premiere at Human Rights Watch Festival Directed by Skyline College Film Professor Tamara Perkins

Clarissa’s Battle tells the story of single mother, caregiver, essential worker, and social justice warrior Clarissa Doutherd’s fight for the dignity of all parents and children. She builds a powerful coalition to illuminate the lack of childcare, exacerbated by the global pandemic. They struggle for the rights of millions impacted globally, especially women of color. The film follows Clarissa’s journey from Oakland to Washington D.C. as she battles for childcare and early childhood education, sparked by her own loss of childcare and housing. Equally riveting is the film’s portrayal of the mental and physical health tolls paid by working mothers and the ways in which lockdown intensified their already desperate circumstances.

In her latest documentary premiering in May at the Human Rights Watch Festival at NYC’s Lincoln Center, Director|Producer and Skyline College Film Professor Tamara Perkins, asks the question – why do people fight so hard against funding resources that will allow parents to work, keep families off the streets, give children a chance at a productive future, and thus ultimately benefit every citizen in a community?

 

WHERE TO SEE CLARISSA’S BATTLE

 Human Rights Watch Festival

Playing at NYC’s Lincoln Center and on the festival’s digital platform:

Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 5:15 p.m.

BUY TICKETS HERE

 

21st San Francisco Documentary Film Festival

Playing at SF’s Roxie Theater House 1 and on the festival’s digital platform:

Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 4:15 p.m.

Available online June 1, 2022 at 12:00 a.m.

BUY TICKETS HERE

 

Tamara Perkins is an award-winning filmmaker and changemaker focused on documentaries that inspire transformative change through dialogue, healing, and advocacy through her company Apple of Discord Productions. Perkins’ films (Life After Life (2018), Rebound (2021), Clarissa’s Battle) were each inspired by a personal connection to the subject matter and provide an often over looked proximity in storytelling. As a national speaker, Perkins’ repertoire spans from filmmaking to prison reform and human rights. She is a recipient of Evident Change’s Media fora Just Society Award. Perkins’ work has become a catalyst for change, learning and advocacy for some of our nation’s most misunderstood and overlooked issues.

 

If you are interested in taking a summer class with Professor Perkins, check out:

Film 100 – Introduction to Film – https://webschedule.smccd.edu/course/202205/56150

Film 123 – Documentary Film: Studies and Practice – https://webschedule.smccd.edu/course/202205/55991

 

Sara Maamouri is the film’s Editor|Producer and was a panelist at the 2021 Stories of Transformation Film Festival. Sara is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker and editor who has explored a diverse range of topics for over 20 years. Her work touches on social, educational, and political issues, from a teacher and students performing under extraordinary circumstance. Her most recent films include We Are Not Princesses (2018) and the Peabody Award-winning film The Judge (2017) both of which were featured at the 2021 Skyline College Stories of Transformation Film Festival.

 

Clarissa Doutherd (Protagonist, Advisor) is the executive director of Parent Voices Oakland, a chapter of Parent Voices California. Clarissa has been a strong advocate for mothers like herself who were caught in the crosshairs of ineffective public policy. As a collaborative movement builder, Clarissa has forged deep partnerships with large local government agencies including the Alameda County Social Services Agency, Public Health, and Behavioral Health Services. After stepping into leadership as the co-chair on the Alameda County Early Childhood Policy Committee with First 5of Alameda County, Clarissa led efforts to refocus the group to become a cross-sector collaborative, connecting community-based organizations, parents and service providers to advance innovative strategies for county-wide system change. As a leader and mentor, Clarissa works to elevate parent leadership in public policy.

 

Interested in Film? Find out more at:  skylinecollege.edu/film

ISP Hosts Recognition Ceremony to Celebrate International Students!

The International Student Program (ISP) hosted its Recognition Ceremony in-person after two years of virtual end-of-year celebrations! On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, ISP students, their family members, administrators, as well as staff and faculty members from both Skyline College and the District Office came together in the picturesque Farallon Room for the celebration.

The event began with an engaging welcome speech from the College President, Melissa Moreno, followed by congratulatory remarks from the Interim Vice President of Instruction, Danni Redding-Lapuz and Dean of Global Learning Programs and Services, Russell Waldon. Throughout the event, guests enjoyed live music provided by Coyote Creates, a Bay Area native musician, a Boho-themed buffet, and a photo booth where students could try on graduation gowns and ISP stoles.

The highlight of the afternoon was hearing remarks from three transferring/graduating ISP students; Da Wang from China, Win Yu San from Myanmar and Vivian Marcos from Guatemala.

In his speech, Da Wang, expressed how community college was a great start for his educational journey, helping him pave the way to top universities. As a Global Online Learning (GOL) student, Da Wang completed three semesters entirely online and only came to the U.S. for his last semester. He is now headed to UC Berkeley as an Art History major.

Win Yu San agreed that Skyline College has always provided encouragement and supported her success. Sure enough, Win Yu has admissions offers from UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz (with a $15,000 scholarship), San Francisco State, Cal Poly Pomona, & Cal Poly San Luis Obispo!

Vivian Marcos, graduating with a Certificate of Achievement in Business Administration, sent us a heartfelt video message. She was unable to attend the event in person as she now holds a full-time position with American Airlines! In her video message, Vivian encouraged fellow international students to “do the best with your classes, but also get involved with everything you can”. Originally from Guatemala, Vivian started her first semester in the middle of the Pandemic and completed her program of study last fall.

Felicia Mazzi, ESOL faculty member who attended the ceremony, commented “my current students who attended (the event) were clearly inspired by hearing and seeing those who were ready to transfer and move on”.

It was a beautiful moment to honor and acknowledge the hard work and accomplishments of our resilient and dedicated international students. ISP is grateful for the support of the entire Skyline College community as well as the District International Education team. It truly takes a village to build a supportive community for our international students!

ISP provides services and programs for international students and the entire Skyline College community. If you are interested in learning more about future ISP programs and events, contact the ISP office at skyinternational@smccd.edu.

 

Article by Chikako Walker | Photo by Chris Woo