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GFSF Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary

The Get Focused, Stay Focused nonprofit celebrated its 10th anniversary in December 2024. Founded to provide support to teachers, schools, and colleges implementing the Get Focused, Stay Focused curriculum and to ensure high school students have time for annual career exploration and planning, it has expanded to support teachers of the middle school career curriculum and teachers of adult learners.

Supporting Career Planning and Training for Adult Learners

Starting in 2023, the Get Focused, Stay Focused nonprofit began an expansion of its work by acting as fiscal agent on a number of collaborative state and federal grants supporting members of our community experiencing the most barriers to gainful employment, initially in the Central Valley of California.

These grants use the GFSF career curriculum as a foundation for program participants and then provide skills training, work-based learning, and job placement.

One of the grant programs is at Porterville Adult School where English Language Learners take fast-track industry certificates combining skills development and English language learning. See below for a spotlight article on a student in the school’s Residential Care Technician program.

Employment Development Department’s English Language Learner Integrated Education and Training Grant

What are the well-paying careers specific to my area? Find Out Through GFSF Labor Market Webinars

“Many of my graduating seniors were able to use the data collected to make educated decisions related to their future plans. Some changed where they were moving, while others changed the job market they were planning to pursue.”

Jake Evers, Teacher at Imbler High School, Oregon
(webinar provided by funding from Walmart)

One of the important jobs of the GFSF nonprofit is to provide information on local high-wage, high-demand jobs to teachers so they can embed that information into the career exploration curriculum. These webinars can be regional, or labor market information can be provided to specific schools when we have grant funding to do so, such as the information provided to Imbler High School in Oregon.

Please let us know if you would like to be included in grant proposals in your area to bring information on your
regional high-wage, high-demand jobs to your school. Email karen@getfocusedstayfocused.org to be added to our list.

Paint and Sip Fundraiser Event

On May 31st, 2025 from 1:00–3:00 PM, we will be holding our second Paint and Sip fundraiser event in Santa Barbara at the lovely home of our Board member Dr. Robert Bronfman and his wife Fern. There are a limited number of seats for this enjoyable afternoon art class with wine and appetizers included in the ticket price.

No painting experience is necessary. The teacher will take you step-by-step through the process of creating your unique work of art. We will be holding a silent auction and a raffle as part of the entertainment. If you live in the Santa Barbara area and would like to attend, secure your spot by registering online at getfocusedstayfocused.org/paint-and-sip or emailing Dr. Karen Miles at karen@getfocusedstayfocused.org. Your $125 donation includes all required materials.

Professional Learning Communities

“The work that Dr. Miles and I did together saved me a great deal of time and reduced my overall workload while creating a more enjoyable learning experience for my students. Dr. Miles showed me examples of creative activities that other teachers have developed to enhance the curriculum. This gave me the confidence to put my own spin on things, customizing the materials to suit the individual needs of my students. The PLC helped to reduce anxiety and allowed me to present new material with
confidence.”

Lisa Giacalone, Teacher at Simi Valley High School
(PLC provided by grant funding from Limoneira)

Although initial professional development is available for teachers launching into the middle school or high school curriculum for the first time, most teachers have not taught a specific career exploration and planning class before, and they find it helpful to meet periodically one-on-one or as a team to dig into the curriculum a little more––usually in their first semester or year of teaching.

The GFSF nonprofit continued to offer PLCs throughout 2024 for high school teachers in Ventura County at
Simi Valley High School and Nordhoff High School, and also in the Central Valley of California for middle school teachers at Vineland Elementary School, Haven Drive Middle School, and schools in Manteca USD.

If you are a new teacher who would like this type of support, please reach out to Dr. Karen Miles at karen@getfocusedstayfocused.org.

Karen Miles, Ed.D., Executive Director
The Get Focused, Stay Focused Nonprofit
karen@getfocusedstayfocused.org or (805) 558-2866
Supporting students from a dream, to a direction, to a destination