Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/166026
editor's Note INTRODUCING Know&Tell Know & Tell introduces useful and fun tips and provides the latest on scholarships, grants and resources. Perspectives Perspectives amplifies members' voices and includes the ever-popular Point/Counterpoint series, plus guest columns, and book and movie reviews. Advocacy Advocacy showcases the great work of CTA members in the bargaining, member rights and legislative arenas. Learning Learning highlights members' best practices and practical advice and showcases education trends. CTA&You CTA & You covers all things CTA, including events such as State Council, trainings and conferences, plus member benefits and services. Welcome to your new California Educator! Remember that student who left school for summer break only to return "all grown up" in the fall? Well, the California Educator magazine has done a little changing over the summer, too. OK, we've changed a lot. So let me introduce you to your new California Educator. For this issue, our cover story makes the case for bringing back arts programs across California. Having been hard hit by budget cuts through the years, which have disproportionately harmed lower-income schools, members and students join us on page 9, and lend their voices and insight into why arts programs are so important to overall student success. We also heard about a school with a different educational vibe, and we had to make a visit. So, follow along as we take a closer look at why Goleta Family School is so groovy on page 55. Our last feature follows admitted pack rat Steve Dillon, one brave member who lets us into his classroom and in on his desire to be clutter-free. Fellow member and author of The Uncluttered Teacher Tammy Duggan shows Steve how to achieve his goal in four simple steps. These tips will work for you too, and they start on page 40. We're launching five new departments to help make all of the content easy to navigate. Take a look at what you can expect each issue. Your voice, challenges, accomplishments, ideas and perspectives are what fill these pages, but this magazine could not happen without the dedicated staff that brings the California Educator to life. At the helm of the daily operations is our editor in chief, Cyndi Menzel. She works with a team of writers, researchers, photographers, illustrators, designers, proofreaders, etc. You get the idea — it takes a village. Altogether, our little community of communications experts has more than 250 years of experience in the industry. As you flip through these pages, I know you will see their hard work shine as it amplifies the hard work of CTA members all across the state. Our goal in this magazine is the same as in any California classroom. We want to encourage you, help you learn something new, broaden your perspective, and once in a while, hopefully, make you laugh. I hope you enjoy your new California Educator. Jonathan Goldman MANAGING EDITOR Introducing: The California Educator Blog Go behind the scenes as lead writer Sherry Posnick-Goodwin shares the back story of her visits to schools across California as she writes feature articles for this magazine. Click on the California Educator link at blog.cta.org. 8 Educator 09 Sep 2013 v3.6 int.indd 8 S E P T E M B E R 2013 9/3/13 2:25 PM