Sierra K16 Collaborative

02/27/2026

ROUND 3 FUNDING PROPOSALS- Applcations now Open

The Sierra K16 Collaborative is offering Technical Assistance for the Application process of the Call for Round 3 Project Proposals

TWO OPTIONS for Round 3 Application Technical Assistance will be Available for MARCH 10th. Please REGISTER FOR ONE OF THE SESSIONS BELOW:

Tuesday March 10th 9:30am-10:30am REGISTER

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/d4Zt3uqbQbeR58YEk_H3iA

Tuesday March 10th 4:00pm-5:00pm REGISTER

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/L8i9DZmiQymt7xcCMRY_NQ

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Sierra K16 Round 2 Technical Assistance for Applications (2nd option). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

01/15/2026

On December 5th, 2025 we celebrated the achievements of the healthcare students at Columbia College Sonora YCCD completing the Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, and Patient Access Representative certfificates! Check it out!

Congratulations to the Healthcare Students of Columbia College! Highlights from the 2026 Pinning Ceremony. https://gocolumbia.edu/career_technical/

11/24/2025

Sierra K16: Sierra Connect Summit 2025

Columbia College and other K-16 institutions came together on October 1-2, 2025 for the Sierra Connect K16 Summit at the Chicken Ranch Casino in Tuolumne Cou...

10/03/2025

Thank you to all the educators, students, and community partners who joined us for the Sierra Connect Summit!🙌🏻

Your time, insights, and collaboration made this two-day event a true success. We are especially grateful to our partners and supporters who helped make it possible.

Together, we’re building stronger, more equitable education-to-career pathways for our region and this summit was an important step foward.

09/30/2025

⏰This is your final opportunity to register for the Sierra K16 Summit. Don’t miss the chance to join leaders, educators, and community members in shaping the future of our region. Join us at the Sierra Connect Summit, presented by the Sierra K16 Collaborative.

📅 October 1–2, 2025
📍 Chicken Ranch Casino Resort, Jamestown, CA
👉 Register now at k-16sierra.org



Chicken Ranch Casino Resort Sierra K16 Collaborative

09/24/2025

09/23/2025

Your nursing career starts here! 🩺✨

Join us at Columbia College on October 10th for a free info session with two time options: 10 AM & 3 PM.

Learn the steps to a rewarding future in nursing. Sign up with the QR code!

09/15/2025

https://www.mtwain.k12.ca.us/
K-16 Fund Impact: STEPS Project and MTUESD Student Success
The K-16 Collaborative Fund has already begun showing a strong impact in the region. One example is the partnership with Mark Twain Elementary School in Calaveras County through the Steps to Educational Pathway Success Project (STEPS).
The project has two interconnected components:
• Academic Intervention – targeted support to strengthen reading and math skills.
• Peer Tutoring – a Peer Tutor Core from Bret Harte High School works alongside the intervention teacher at Mark Twain Elementary, providing mentorship and reinforcing key skills.
This collaborative approach is already producing noticeable results. While the State of California typically expects student performance to increase by about three points per year in each subject area, Mother Lode Union Elementary School District (MTUESD) far exceeded those benchmarks in 2024-25:
• English Language Arts (ELA): +34 points
• Math: +18 points
• Science: +6 points
These impressive gains reflect a strong commitment from teachers, students, and families. By fostering a culture that takes learning and testing seriously, the MTUESD community has strengthened not only academic performance but also community pride and confidence in local schools.
District leaders credit this success to the collective effort of educators and parents who held students accountable to high standards. The results place MTUESD among the ranks of high-performing districts and highlight the power of strong community support for education.
As one outside observer recently noted:
“I enjoy reading your district weekly updates! You’ve got the surrounding counties talking about the great changes you’ve made.”
K-16 is working. The combination of innovative projects like STEPS and strong district leadership is helping shape not only higher test scores, but also future leaders.

09/12/2025

The Sierra Connect Summit is dedicated to creating stronger connections between education, workforce, and community.

Our goals for this year’s summit:
✅ Strengthen pathways from education to career
✅ Empower students to discover purpose and pathways
✅ Strengthen partnerships between schools, businesses, and organizations
✅ Build a culture of collaboration that lasts beyond the even
Together, we’re laying the foundation for a brighter future.

Join us at the Sierra Connect Summit, presented by the Sierra K16 Collaborative.
📅 October 1–2, 2025
📍 Chicken Ranch Casino Resort, Jamestown, CA
👉 Register now at k-16sierra.org

Chicken Ranch Casino Resort

Sierra K16 Collaborative

09/08/2025

The Sierra Connect Summit is excited to welcome Mark C. Perna, International Speaker, Bestselling Author, and CEO of TFS Results, as this year’s keynote speaker!

🎤 His keynote, “Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations,” will challenge us to rethink how we engage students and connect education with the workforce.

📖 Author of Answering Why, Mark shares: “We must shift the paradigm and truly connect education with workforce to empower the next generation.”

Join us at the Sierra Connect Summit, presented by the Sierra K16 Collaborative.
📅 October 1–2, 2025
📍Chicken Ranch Casino Resort, Jamestown, CA
👉 Register now at k-16sierra.org