In the 2024/2025 school year, the SAWS Water Education Program was offered in the four school districts served by SAWS, including all elementary schools in the Stockton and Lincoln Unified School Districts, Lodi USD elementary schools south of Eight Mile Road, and Manteca USD elementary schools in and north of French Camp.
SAWS also offers a virtual program through an online platform called Padlet. The SAWS Padlet is a virtual/online bulletin board application that offers teachers a collection of videos and links that can be used for pre-teaching or review of the SAWS presentations and resources for student projects. The SAWS Padlet Board can be viewed here:
https://padlet.com/dashboard?mobile_page=Collection&filter=all In 2024, the SAWS staff produced a video entitled “Where Does My Water Come From?” The fourminute video traces the journey of Stockton’s drinking water from source to tap and is available on the SAWS Padlet. SAWS presenters show this video upon arrival for in-class presentations in grades 2-6.
Showing the video at the beginning of these presentations gives students a preview of the program’s content and allows time for the SAWS presenter to set up. When the presentation commences, the message in the video is reinforced with grade appropriate curriculum and hands-on activities that are a EXHIBIT 1
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4 part of each presentation. The SAWS “Where Does My Water Come From?” video may be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGiurIHz0nI
2024/2025 Program Highlights:
In the 2024/2025 school year, the SAWS Water Education Program offered six grade-level specific inclass presentations and participated in a variety of Stockton area youth-oriented events. • The program served 55 schools and venues, providing supplies and materials for 8,883 students in 327 classrooms through the in-class program, and 10,450 students at seven youthoriented events, for a total of 19,333 students. A breakdown into specific categories (presentation type, grade level, school district and water provider) is presented in the “Program Stats” section of this report.
• The coordinator attended a variety of on-line meetings and seminars, including DWR’s Water Education Committee meetings. The coordinator is also a member of the San Joaquin County Office of Education’s Community Partners for Environmental Literacy (CPEL), a collaboration of local educators working toward effective environmental outreach, both physical and virtual.
• The coordinator continues to attend DWR Water Education Committee Meetings, which are held both in-person and virtually throughout the year. This group usually meets in person biannually to share outreach methods and strategies intended to promote collaborative and coordinated water education outreach throughout the State of California.
Factors Influencing Program Stats
As compared to the outreach numbers in the 23/24 school year, the SAWS Water Education Program outreach numbers declined by approximately six percent in 24/25. Two main factors influenced this decline:
• The Grade 4 “California Water” presentation is being phased out. We have determined that fourth grade reading and comprehension skills are not strong enough for the curriculum in that program. A similar presentation has been developed and is being offered to sixth grade classrooms in the 25/26 school year, but it may take time to make teachers aware of the program’s availability and restore that headcount. We are developing a new presentation for EXHIBIT 1
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5 Grade 4 using Ag in the Classroom curriculum and expect to offer that to teachers for the 26/27 school year.
• The SAWS Water Education Program lost a presenter in 2024. Training new personnel results in fewer presentations because the new presenter must accompany an experienced presenter in the classroom until they know the scripts and feel comfortable presenting solo, and training can only take place when school is in session. The program is experiencing this again, as last year’s new hire left in June and was replaced in August. This year’s new hire is currently training and should be working solo by November.
Other factors can influence outreach numbers as well. We cannot control the grade levels requesting a visit from the SAWS Water Education Program; teachers and administrators contact the coordinator to schedule presentations, and our K, 1 and 2 programs are very popular. If we do more lower elementary school presentations, we will see a drop in headcounts because lower grades have fewer students per classroom.
For a complete breakdown of the 2024/2025 SAWS Water Education Program outreach statistics, please turn to the “Program Stats” tab in this report.
Looking Ahead: The 2025/2026 School Year
Most Stockton area elementary school campuses began the school year in late July 2025. The SAWS Water Education Program staff has met all requirements and been approved for admission to school campuses by the four school districts served by the Stockton Area Water Suppliers. The SAWS Water Education Program began its regular schedule for the 2025/2026 school year on September 2, 2025.
In May 2025, the coordinator sent broadcast invitations to hundreds of teachers and administrators in schools served by the SAWS Water Education Program. The response was enthusiastic; our calendar is full for in-class presentations and youth-oriented events for the 2025/2026 school year.
Miss Sue (Sue Daugherty) has signed on for another year of SAWS Water Education Program classroom presentations. Mrs. To-Cowell left our staff to return to the Lodi Unified School District in the capacity of Vice Principal. Our newest presenter, Ms. Nicole Songer, has been training with Mrs.
Coon and Miss Sue, and will be on her own in the classroom by November. Mrs. Coon will continue to provide backup for classroom presentations while managing the SAWS Water Education Program, EXHIBIT 1
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6 including further program development and implementation as well supplemental outreach, scheduling and working with SEWD, the Urban Contractors, schools and other water agencies to disseminate effective water education to Stockton area schools and communities.
The SAWS Water Education Program is entering its 21st year serving Stockton area schools. The program has developed a devoted following among teachers in the four school districts we serve.
Educators often design lesson plans that coordinate with our presentations, which focus on water science, water awareness and conservation. In pursuit of these goals, the coordinator will continue to work with staff, the Department of Water Resources, SJCOE/CPEL and other outreach organizations to integrate Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and content standards relating to water into our presentations. Resources and materials will continue to be available to teachers; the SAWS Water Education Program uses both physical and virtual educational tools to reinforce our message through pre and post teaching, classroom programs, and outreach at events. This includes videos, digital links and narrated water education vignettes and clips that can be inserted into or used in conjunction with teachers’ lesson plans. The SAWS Water Education Program also supplies valuable classroom materials for teachers who utilize the program. Each child receives a grade appropriate, lesson-related workbook and coloring/work sheet, a sharpened pencil and/or a box of crayons, and each teacher receives a package containing white board markers, magnet clips, rain gauges, hand sanitizers, and other items they can use in the classroom.
California continues to contend with serious water issues; the state’s water shortages are due to many factors. SAWS Water Education Program presentations will continue to stress conservation and new water storage along with raising awareness of water issues in Stockton, San Joaquin County and California. We have found that elementary school age children are very effective messengers, as they are likely to discuss what they learn in school with parents and family.
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8 THE SAWS WATER EDUCATION PROGRAM
What We Do and How We Do It
Effectively Promoting Water Awareness and Conservation
It is well known that measuring the success of water conservation/education outreach is difficult. How much did the target audience learn? How many will actually embrace the message and act on it? Who will share the information with family and friends? Will those who participate make water conservation a life-long habit? Quantifying the results of these queries is nearly impossible, and under normal circumstances, water providers can only hope these efforts are making a difference. But in recent years California’s response to prolonged drought produced evidence that water conservation education raises awareness and promotes wise water use, resulting in substantial, quantifiable water savings throughout the state. Water conservation education in the primary grades certainly plays a major role in these results, as it teaches conservation concepts as students are forming lifelong habits.
The SAWS Water Education Program strives to make students aware that wise water use must be practiced daily, helping them understand that a banner rainfall year, or even two, will not remedy California’s water dilemma. Through our outreach, we hope to make our future citizens and leaders understand that, due to our dry climate, storage issues and population growth, water will continue to be a very important issue in California, and we must all be prepared to make water conservation a way of life.
During earlier extreme drought years, state outreach and media messaging put an emphasis on water conservation in California, and that emphasis provided rare, tangible evidence of the effectiveness of outreach programs like The SAWS Water Education Program. Stockton was one of the most successful cities in the state when it came to implementing conservation measures during the last drought, reducing water use by nearly 30 percent. Since its inception, the Stockton Area Water Suppliers (SAWS) alliance has funded multi-faceted outreach in our communities, reaching thousands of students and citizens every year; the program has reached over 450,000 people through classroom presentations and public, youthoriented events since 2005. Many of the students we have worked with over the years are now adult citizens of Stockton with a heightened awareness of the importance of our water resources because they participated in our programs when they were forming life-long habits in their youth. These are the EXHIBIT 1
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9 people who have and will continue to practice conservation measures to aid in dealing with California’s water issues.
We have found that the students and teachers we visit are drought aware. Even primary grade students can define the meaning of the word “drought” and the source of the problem. While media messaging may be responsible for heightened water awareness in our communities, our presentations take students to the next level, reinforcing the conservation message and providing insight into the reasons behind it.
Our programs address the learning standards that relate to water for every grade level: the water cycle, weather, ecosystems, water’s three states of matter, the scientific properties of water, current and historic water use in California, farming issues and ag water, water conveyance and distribution systems, groundwater, and the conservation concepts that relate to all these topics. We enhance learning with a variety of hands-on activities that make the lessons fun and memorable.
The SAWS In-Class Presentation Program is in High Demand The SAWS in-class presentations continue to be in high demand in Stockton area schools. Invitations to book presentations for the 2024/2025 school year were sent to teachers and administrators via email in early May 2024. The presentation calendar was full by the time school began in late July.
The final headcount for the 2024/2025 school year was 19,333 students/citizens.
The SAWS Water Education Program has developed a devoted following among Stockton teachers.
Those familiar with the program often design their lesson plans with the SAWS Water Education Program in mind; the colorful visuals and hand-on activities featured in our presentations can bring these lessons to life for students. Often, one teacher or administrator takes the lead to schedule multiple presentations for the entire grade level. Many teachers coordinate our grade-specific presentations with established curriculum and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), inviting the program to their classrooms in conjunction with units specifically related to water. Some schools even plan field trips that coordinate with our programs; St. Luke, Tully Knoles Elementary, John McCandless STEM, and several other schools often coordinate our “California Water” presentation with field trips to Columbia State Park. Fifth grade teachers are encouraged to book a water treatment plant tour/field trip in conjunction with our Grade 5 “Water Cycle: The Incredible Journey” presentation.
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10 In-Class Presentations Meet Grade-Specific Standards Every presentation offered by the SAWS Water Education Program is designed to meet standards specific to certain grade levels. Teachers know that our presentations can address multiple content /NGSS standards in 60-90 minutes with little or no teacher prep; we provide an excellent introduction or follow up to standard curriculum involving water for every elementary and middle school grade level.
Kindergarten and Grade 1 teachers can use our popular
“Water Cycle Story” presentation to reinforce lessons and meet standards involving weather, states of matter, and forming and testing a hypothesis.
Grade 2 teachers often coordinate their lesson plans
with our “H20 to Go!” presentation to reinforce
standards related to gravity, motion and machines as
students track water’s journey from source to tap using a variety of fun and exciting hands-on pumping activities.
The “H20 to Go!” presentation reinforces
second grade standards related to gravity,
motion and machines through fun, handson activities
SAWS presenter explains how water is conveyed from the water treatment plant to water storage tanks and finally to our homes EXHIBIT 1
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11 Teachers of Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 can use the “Water Matters” and “Water Cycle: The Incredible Journey” programs to target physical and life science content standards. The two presentations are similar but have been adapted for content/NGSS standards specific to each grade level. Both programs focus on the water cycle and water treatment and distribution,
addressing a variety of science standards through
fascinating facts and figures and a demonstration of
the ratio of fresh to salt water on earth. During the
“Water Matters” program, students perform a handson “scientific experiment” that demonstrates the properties of surface tension and cohesion, as well as
concepts related to food chains and webs and
environmental issues in our communities, standards
specific to Grades 3 and 4. The “Incredible Journey”
program addresses similar science standards for grades
5 and 6; after a refresher on the water cycle, students participate in an active, social game from Project
WET, embarking on the “Incredible Journey” of a
water molecule in the water cycle, evaporating,
condensing and precipitating around the room as they
make a beaded bracelet, with each bead representing a component and process of the water cycle. Both “Water Matters” and “Incredible Journey” also include a comprehensive “Source to Tap” diagram depicting how water travels from the water cycle to Stockton’s water faucets. A scale model sand and gravel water filter demonstration gives students a glimpse of the processes involved in water treatment and distribution and provides information about local water sources and the agencies that sponsor the SAWS Water Education Program. Drought, conservation, agricultural and state water issues are also discussed.
Students become water molecules moving
through the water cycle in the “Incredible
Journey” hands-on activity
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12 The “California Water” presentation, which covers the history, use and distribution of water in the State of California, is responsive to both fourth and sixth grade content standards and features a variety of hands-on activities, including map interpretation and a role-playing game designed to introduce students to the concepts of water rights and legislation relating to agriculture and allocation of our natural
resources. Students learn how water is distributed
throughout the state via the State Water Project, working collaboratively to find water bodies, cities, and landmarks on topographical maps. This program is offered to Grades 4 and 6, adjusted for grade level.
The SAWS Water Education Program only distributes
promotional items that are practical and useful in the classroom.
Every student in every classroom we visit receives a pre-sharpened water-saver pencil and an ageappropriate workbook with information and activities pertaining to water conservation and awareness.
As a thank you for inviting us to present, participating teachers receive a variety of gifts, that may include tote bags, magnetic clips, seed packets, water activity guides, sponges, pocket hand sanitizers, white board markers, rain gauges, crayon packs and other items.
These items are of great value in the
classroom, as teachers often supply these
items at their own expense. There is
evidence that as Stockton’s educational
resources have diminished, our water
education presentations have steadily
gained favor. Teachers find value in our
ability to connect content/NGSS standards
to water resources, the environment,
conservation/drought and water legislation
in California. The combination of education
and entertainment we provide makes learning
Our message is reinforced through the use of colorful
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13 exciting and fun for students. We like to remind teachers that, despite budget cuts, students can still experience the benefit of community learning because SAWS sponsors in-class programs that “bring the field trip to the classroom.”
Water Treatment Plant Tours
When the SAWS Water Education Program visits
middle/ high school and college classrooms (Grade
5 and up), we encourage teachers to schedule a visit
to the Dr. Joe Waidhofer Drinking Water
Treatment Plant for a facility tour. When
elementary and middle-school classes visit, we ask
that the groups include at least one parent/adult
chaperon for every five students. While the main
purpose for this request is crowd control, we have
found that parents touring the plant often learn
more than their children do and invariably leave with
a greater appreciation for their community’s water
resources. College classes and community groups are
fascinated by and impressed with our facilities and the treatment process; most citizens never take the time to consider the source and systems that provide them with drinking water. While school districts often lack funding for field trip transportation, some public and private schools are able to visit by using adult/parent chauffeurs and chaperons. Facility tours are valuable in raising public awareness and can provide an enlightening experience for students and community members, as well as those looking for career path opportunities.
Plant Supervisor Jim Wunderlich explains the water
treatment process to fifth grade students during a
tour of the Dr. Joe Waidhofer Drinking Water
Treatment Plant
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14 Event/After School Program
The “H20lympics” program is offered to any school
with a Stockton address and can serve as an afterschool program, a booth at school festivals and events, or as a hands-on activity presentation to serve an entire grade level. The program features a series of fun, hands-on water activities or “experiments” that
demonstrate scientific properties of water, including
cohesion, adhesion and surface tension. This
encourages contemplation of the scientific principles
behind the activities: How many water drops can I fit on the head of a penny? Why does the paperclip float? Can
I keep my water drop intact while guiding it through a
laminated maze?
The format of the H20lympics program allows students to have fun while learning in a relaxed, nonclassroom atmosphere. As with other SAWS Water Education Programs, we have incorporated a drought/conservation/groundwater discussion into the
“H20lympics” program format, and, depending on the
venue, sometimes include a prize wheel or “water saver” button-making activity.
Benefits of the SAWS H20lympics Programs include:
Hands-on activities educate and entertain
Format holds students’ attention because it provides
an alternative to classroom learning structure
Students are likely to take message home
Parents often show up at after school programs and
may even participate
Broad outreach to multiple grade levels (K-8):
maximum contacts in minimum amount of time
Use of upper elementary and middle school helpers allows older students to work with/teach younger students: excellent learning environment for all Provides teachers, facilitators and activities coordinators with free, appropriate educational activities SAWS presenter explains surface tension to fourthgrade students at Tully Knoles Elementary during a hands-on activity included in the “SAWS
H20lympics” after school presentation.
Third grade students and their teacher learn about
the cohesive properties of water during an
“H2Olympics” presentation at the Great Valley
Elementary School Farm Day Event
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15 AgVenture
Every third grader in San Joaquin County is
eligible to participate in this innovative
program sponsored by San Joaquin Farm
Bureau and Select San Joaquin Foundation.
AgVenture participants enjoy a day of fun
while learning about the vast diversity of
agriculture in San Joaquin County. This
event exposes students to important concepts
during their “day on the farm,” including
nutritional values, agronomics, marketing,
farm and crop production, the value of locally
grown products and the role that producers,
vendors and the purveyors of our natural
resources play in bringing these commodities to
the community.
AgVenture’s unique format offers a meaningful
and memorable experience for students and a
special opportunity for the agricultural
community to reach out to some of our most
impressionable citizens. SAWS participation in
these events allows us to promote our in-class, after school and assembly programs while sharing our message of water awareness and conservation with thousands of third graders and their teachers. Each of the three San Joaquin County AgVenture events hosts approximately 3,500 third graders.
Since 2010, the Stockton Area Water Suppliers alliance, through SEWD, has donated $1,000 annually to AgVenture to help sustain this valuable program.
As part of the SAWS Water Education Program activities at AgVenture, students make personalized “I’m a Water Saver!” buttons EXHIBIT 1
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16 The SAWS “Conservation Cottage” Exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Stockton The Children’s Museum of Stockton is currently operating under the management of its Board of Directors. The SAWS exhibit was funded by a grant from the State of California in 2005.
SAWS Water Education Program and the Community
The SAWS Water Education Program participates in and supplies hand-outs and materials for numerous community gatherings and other special activities and events in Stockton. The following is a list of some of the community events the SAWS Water Education Program participates in regularly:
San Joaquin County AgVentures (South County, Stockton & Lodi)
The SAWS Water Education Program has participated in
AgVenture since 2005. SAWS staffs a booth featuring hands-on activities and a prize wheel.
Our participation in AgVenture allows us to promote SAWS sponsored in-class, after school and assembly programs while sharing our message of water/drought awareness and conservation with thousands of third grade students and their teachers. Each AgVenture event hosts approximately 3,500 third graders. Besides staffing a booth at each event, SAWS/SEWD supports AgVenture with a $1,000 annual donation. The SAWS Water Education Program participated in all three Stockton area AgVentures in the 2024/2025 school year. In previous years, the coordinator submitted a water science/conservation video that was used during virtual AgVenture. The video is still available online at https://www.sjcagventure.com/
The “Waterburger” at
the Children’s Museum
SAWS Staff at the Stockton AgVenture
January 2025
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17 Rotary Read-In: The SAWS Water Education Program participates in this annual event. Lincoln USD “Window on Your Future”: The coordinator participates in this event annually, wherein mock job interviews designed to prepare Lincoln High School students for entry into the job market are conducted by members of the business community. This event presents an opportunity for staff to share career path outreach with potential job seekers.
Manteca Unified School District’s Farm Days: The SAWS Water Education Program staffs H20lympics booths at these MUSD Farm Day events. Stockton’s Earth Day Festival: SAWS is a main sponsor of this popular annual festival at Victory Park in Stockton. The Coordinator staffed a booth at the event on April 27, 2025. Water Treatment Plant Tours: The SAWS Water Education Program and SEWD staff offer tours of the Dr. Joe Waidhofer Drinking Water Treatment Plant for Grade 5 and above. Community Based Programs: Upon request, SAWS supplies water conservation materials for Special Day and science classrooms at local middle and high schools as well as for programs for developmentally disabled adults, regional pre-school programs, and other community programs requesting materials and resources.
DWR Water Education Committee: The coordinator attends both virtual and in-person DWR Water Education Committee meetings, joining water educators from all over California to share resources and ideas for water conservation education and outreach. CPEL: The Coordinator participates in the San Joaquin County Office of Education’s (SJCOE) formation of the Community Partners for Environmental Literacy (CPEL), a collaboration of local educators working toward effective environmental outreach.
CPEL/SJCOE often sponsors virtual seminars to share learning tools and methods with environmental educators and promote networking among environmental educators in San Joaquin County.
Coordinator
Kristin Coon
hosted the
SAWS Booth at
the 2025
Stockton Earth
Day Festival
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18 Program Administration
Kristin Coon (Kristin Coon Consulting) is responsible for administration of the SAWS Water Education Program. This includes hiring and supervision of employees, payroll, payroll taxes, worker’s compensation and liability insurance, subcontractor negotiations/compensation, scheduling and all other aspects of program operations, including implementation of in-class and virtual learning programs. The approved program budget for 2025/2026 went into effect on April 1, 2025, and the contract between SEWD and Kristin Coon Consulting is currently in effect from August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2026.
Staffing
In the 2024/2025 school year, under the supervision of Kristin Coon Consulting, the SAWS Water Education Program continued to serve the SAWS alliance, providing in-class water education presentations in Stockton area schools and outreach at various youth-oriented events.
When the statewide shutdown of schools occurred in mid-March 2020 and all scheduled presentations were cancelled, Kristin Coon Consulting continued to pay classroom instructors based on an average of the previous year’s compensation. This was necessary to retain instructors and prepare for resumption of the in-class program. In 2021, coordinator Kristin Coon developed a virtual outreach program, offered the program to teachers and administrators, organized, prepared, scheduled and delivered virtual learning supplies and supporting materials to Stockton area schools, and managed the day-to-day business of the Water Education Program.
In the 2022/2023 school year, after the COVID pandemic, most Stockton area schools returned to normal operations and the SAWS educators resumed a regular presentation schedule. This continued into the 23/24 and the 24/25 school years. Sue Daugherty (“Miss Sue”) and Van Ha To-Cowell (“Mrs.
To-Cowell”) shared instructor duties for the entire school year, backed by Mrs. Coon, who also tended to administrative tasks and prepared for and hosted events. Our team received rave reviews from teachers and administrators (see “Feedback” section). At the end of the school year, Miss Sue signed on for another year, but Mrs. To-Cowell gave notice after returning to the Lodi Unified School District as a part-time administrator. In June 2025, Nicole Songer (“Miss Nicole”) joined the SAWS staff to replace Mrs. To-Cowell. As of this writing, the SAWS Water Education Program is fully staffed, and Miss Sue and Miss Nicole have committed to the SAWS Water Education Program through June 2026.
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19 Looking Ahead: The Coming School Year
At this writing, the SAWS Water Education Program calendar is fully booked through late May 2026 for classroom presentations and youth-oriented events, and a presentation waiting list has been established.
Mrs. Coon is working to implement a new closing review document for each presentation offered by SAWS to insure student understanding of our message. The SAWS Water Education Program began inclass presenting on September 2, 2025. Miss Nicole has been training with both Miss Sue and Mrs.
Coon in September, and is expected to be on her own in the classroom by October 1. Mrs. Coon will continue to provide backup for classroom presentations while managing the SAWS Water Education Program, including further program development as well supplemental outreach, scheduling and working with SEWD, the Urban Contractors, schools and other water agencies to disseminate effective water education to Stockton area schools and communities.
Conclusion
As we embark upon our 21st year serving SAWS and Stockton area schools, the SAWS Water Education Program staff is proud to say that our outreach programs are well-known and respected in the community. Our presentations reach significant numbers of students and community members with a variety of programs, and we participate in many high-profile youth oriented local events.
In the 2023/2024 school year, the SAWS Water Education reached 19,333 students through in-class and special event programs. The feedback from teachers and administrators is testament to the fact that we have excellent presenters who are adept at sharing knowledge of and enthusiasm for our water resources; we are invited back to schools and events year after year because the programs we offer are a valuable resource for Stockton area schools and the community.
The SAWS Water Education Program is endorsed and approved by the Stockton, Lincoln, Lodi and Manteca school districts as well as a variety of charter and private schools in the Stockton metropolitan area. The program is also sanctioned by the San Joaquin County Office of Education. Our success is evidenced by the numbers: teachers participate enthusiastically year after year and demand for presentations exceeds availability. The most effective tool for program sustainability remains teacher-toteacher recommendations; we continue to visit new teachers and schools each year, and our loyal followers recommend us to their colleagues and take us along when they move to a new school.
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20 Teachers often coordinate our presentations with their lesson plans and many use our outreach programs to enhance field trip experiences. This promotes a comprehensive learning approach, which is a major component of the overall plan: when we make multiple contacts, seeing students year after year, we are building a broad knowledge base that will make water conservation and awareness second nature for those residing in our communities, ultimately helping us achieve our goal of promoting effective, community-wide water awareness and conservation practices. Evaluations from both teachers and students are always enthusiastic and positive (see Feedback section), and support for the program remains strong because it reinforces grade specific content/NGSS standards, coordinates seamlessly with curriculum, and provides a hands-on, memorable learning experience for students.
Teacher feedback and student comments and illustrations are provided in the Feedback section of this report.
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21 Classroom Kits Supplied by SAWS
Teachers participating in the SAWS Water
Education Program receive a “bag of
goodies,” supplies and materials to share
with students that complement the videos
and activities on the SAWS Padlets, along
with items for their classroom. The
Coordinator and Water Education Instructors
deliver the materials and supplies to each
classroom we visit.
Sue Daugherty, Kristin Coon, Van Ha To-Cowell, Blair Baker SAWS Water Education Program Staff, 2024-2025
The water education staff for the 2024-2025
school year consisted of Sue Daugherty, Blair
Baker and Kristin Coon. Miss Blair left the
program in May 2024 for a full-time position with
AVID Water. Miss Blair’s replacement, Ms. Van
Ha To-Cowell, joined our staff in April 2024 and
left the program at the end of May 2025 to take a
part-time administrative position with Lodi USD.
Ms. To-Cowel was replaced by Miss Nicole
Songer in June 2025.
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23 Teacher and Student Feedback on the SAWS Water Education Program Teacher Feedback is key to enhancing and improving our programs The presentation aligns perfectly with our science curriculum. The hands-on activities enhance and reinforce the concepts presented.
Grade 1 Teacher, Henry Elementary
***
The presenter was very knowledgeable and the students were very engaged with her lessons. I liked that the students were able to look at and touch a topographical map and given the opportunity to find California waterways and landmarks.
Grade 6 Teacher, San Joaquin Elementary
***
Such a fun way to cover our science standards!
Grade 3 Teacher, Tully C. Knoles Elementary
***
I teach at a Title 1 school, so we are not able to go on many field trips – but SAWS brought the field trip to us! Thank you for a wonderful presentation!
Grade 2 Teacher, Sutherland Elementary
***
Our presenter was wonderful! The information she provided was educational and inspiring for my students. Every year I learn something new from this program.
Grade 3 Teacher, Aspire Port City Academy
***
Both my students and I really enjoyed the water filtration demonstration and the experiment with surface tension and cohesion.
Grade 3 Teacher, Kennedy Elementary
***
The “Incredible Journey” activity really illustrated how water continuously moves through the water cycle.
Grade 5 Teacher, Elkhorn Elementary
***
My students were very involved and entertained throughout the presentation. I love that it brings science to our classroom!
Grade 4 Teacher, Hazelton Elementary
***
The instructor was amazing – kind, respectful and the rapport with my students was great! I like the visuals and realia used during the presentation.
Kindergarten Teacher, Pittman Charter School
***
You teach the material in an engaging manner and connect it to students’ real lives. A wonderful program!
Grade 5 Teacher, Mable Barron Elementary
***
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24 There were hands-on activities, singing, and movement. Every child got to participate. AND…they learned about the water cycle!
Kinder Teacher, Ansel Adams Elementary
***
It’s amazing how much students learn! My students were engaged the whole time. Thank you for the supplies (crayons, activity books, coloring materials) and the teacher gifts. Please come back soon!
Kindergarten Teacher, Don Riggio Elementary
***
This program fits with science, math, and language arts (reading, listening, speaking skills) requirements. Add in the hands-on activities, and it’s a perfect fit for this grade level! Grade 5 Teacher, Clairmont Elementary
***
This program presents an engaging topic students don’t know much about. Thank you for coming to our classroom!
Grade 3 Teacher, Manlio Silva Elementary
***
We loved the new video! It presents the topic at the beginning, and the rest of the presentation builds and enhances that knowledge and the Padlet is also very useful. Every component of the presentation was terrific and interactive! Keep up the cool work! Grade 2 Teacher, Podesta Ranch Elementary
***
I love everything about this program! Scheduling was very accommodating. The materials provided are very popular with the kids, and teachers love the visuals. Our presenter was outstanding! She was energetic, comical and relatable to the students, who were highly engaged.
The presentation really shows students the importance of water, rather than just telling them.
Grade 5 Teacher, John Muir Elementary
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ATTACHMENT M: CLASSROOM AQUARIUM EDUCATION
PROGRAM SLIDES
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Classroom Aquarium Education Program (CAEP)
Water Advisory Group
April 2, 2025
Agenda Item No. 25-0410
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Overview
•The Classroom Aquarium
Education Program (CAEP)
provides teachers and
students with hands-on
learning opportunities to
study aquatic ecosystems,
particularly salmon,
through classroom
aquariums and field trips.
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History
•“Fish in the Classroom” program originated in British Columbia as part of the “environmental movement” of the 1970s.
•Educators established the first programs in California in the 1980s.
•Since 2000, the program has been administered by the
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and is offered statewide in partnership with regionally-based
community organizations.
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Program Goals
•Promote public awareness of the need to maintain and protect aquatic environments.
•Give students and teachers ‘ownership’ of the natural resource. •Demonstrate how individual actions can either have a positive or negative impact on our natural resources.
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How It Works
New Teacher
Training
CDFW Form
772 (Permit
Application)
Deadline
Fish tank up
and running at
least 10 days
before egg
delivery
Sponsors deliver
35 Chinook
salmon eggs to
classrooms
Fish released into
source river
October December Before winter
holiday break
January 8, 2025 Eight weeks from
egg delivery date
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Mokelumne River Hatchery
• Local salmon eggs come from the Mokelumne River Hatchery downstream of Camanche Reservoir.
• The Mokelumne River Hatchery was built in 1963 to offset the loss of fish spawning habitat due to the construction of Camanche Dam by East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD).
EXHIBIT 1
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Salmon in Stockton Classrooms
•City of Stockton MUD
became a sponsor in the
2022 salmon season.
•18 local schools sponsored to
date, K-12.
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2348
Salmon in Stockton Classrooms
Anunciation Catholic First Baptist Christian John Muir Elementary Brookside Elementary Franklin High School Lincoln High School CBK Alpine Grunsky Elementary One. Frontier
Christa McAuliffe Middle Hazelton Elementary Podesta Ranch Elementary Don Riggio School Henry Elementary Pulliam Elementary
Fillmore Elementary John McCandless STEM
Charter
St. Luke Catholic Elementary
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Salmon in Stockton Classrooms
•Sponsors may provide a salmon kit to
first-time teachers, including:
Fish tank or mini refrigerator
Airline tubing
Air pump
Fish net
Turkey baster
Aquarium thermometer
Ammonia and pH detector
EXHIBIT 1
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Salmon in Stockton Classrooms
Students raise Chinook salmon in classroom aquariums,
observing their development from the eyed-egg stage to
alevin and young fry.
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Salmon in Stockton Classrooms
•The program culminates in a field trip to a local stream or river where students release the fry.
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Salmon in Stockton Classrooms
•CAEP lessons plans correlate with the California Science Education Standards
EXHIBIT 1
2353
Questions
EXHIBIT 1
2354
ATTACHMENT N: NOTIFICATION LETTERS TO CITIES AND
COUNTIES
EXHIBIT 1
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CITY OF STOC KT ON
MUNJCIPAL UTILITIES • 2500 Navy Drive • Stockton, CA 95206 • 209-937-8700 www.stocktonca.gov
March 13, 2026
PREPARATION OF 2025 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
This letter serves as formal notice that the City of Stockton, through its Municipal Utilities Department (COSMUD), is preparing its 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) in accordance with the Urban Water Management Planning Act (California Water Code §§10610-10645). The California Water Code requires every urban water supplier providing water for municipal purposes, either directly or indirectly, to more than 3,000 customers or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually, to prepare and adopt an UWMP and update that plan at least every five years.
The UWMP is a long-range planning document that evaluates existing and projected water supplies, water demands, water use efficiency measures, and water supply reliability over a 25-year planning horizon. The 2025 UWMP will update COSMUD's previously adopted 2020 UWMP and will be submitted to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) by the statutory deadline of July 1, 2026.
Pursuant to California Water Code §10620(b), COSMUD is notifying neighboring cities and counties of the preparation of the 2025 UWMP and providing an opportunity to coordinate, comment, or provide relevant planning information that may be applicable to regional water supply planning efforts.
A draft UWMP will be made available for public review and comment prior to adoption by the Stockton City Council. Information regarding public review availability, hearing dates, and document access will be provided once scheduled.
If you wish to contact COSMUD about its review process, you may do so by writing to the undersigned or by email to [email protected]
C. MEL LYTLE, Ph.D.
DIRECTOR OF MUNICIPAL UTILITIES
~ TRAVIS SMALL
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WATER RESOURCES
CML:TS:jdc
EXHIBIT 1
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CITY O F
~ STO C KTON
MUNICIPAL UTILlTIES • 2500 Navy Drive • Stockton, CA 95206 • 209-937-8700 www.slocktonca.gov
March 13, 2026
PREPARATION OF THE WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN
This letter serves as formal notice that the City of Stockton, through its Municipal Utilities Department (COSMUD), is preparing its 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP).
The WSCP is being updated concurrently with COSMUD's 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and will be submitted to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) as required by the Urban Water Management Planning Act.
The 2025 WSCP establishes a comprehensive framework for preparing for and responding to potential water supply shortages affecting COSMUD's municipal water system. The plan identifies defined water shortage stages and corresponding response actions intended to minimize service disruptions, protect public health and safety, and ensure regulatory compliance during drought conditions, infrastructure limitations, regulatory constraints, or emergency events.
In coordination with regional and local agencies, COSMUD is providing this notice to neighboring cities and counties to support consistency in regional water planning efforts and to provide an opportunity for coordination and input.
The draft WSCP will be made available for public review prior to adoption by the Stockton City Council, consistent with City procedures for public participation and plan adoption.
Information regarding document availability, public review periods, and hearing dates will be provided once scheduled.
If you wish to contact COSMUD about its review process, you may do so by writing to the undersigned or by email to [email protected]
C. MEL LYTLE, Ph.D.
DIRECTOR OF MUNICIPAL UTILITIES
TRAVIS SMALL
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WATER RESOURCES
CML:TS:jdc
EXHIBIT 1
2357
City of Stockton
Legislation Text
File #: 26-0657, Version: 1
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION
Number of Cases: Two
Name of Case: City of Fresno, et al. v. Noem et al (United States District Court - Northern District of California, Case No. 3:25-cv-07070-RS)
Name of Case: City of Fresno, et al. v. Turner, et al. (United States District Court - Northern District of California, Case No. 3:26-cv-01535)
This Closed Session is authorized pursuant to section 54956.9(d)(1) of the Government Code.
City of Stockton Page 1 of 1 Printed on 6/5/2026
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City of Stockton
Legislation Text
File #: 26-0520, Version: 1
COUNCIL COMMITTEE/BOARD AND COMMISSION MINUTES
RECOMMENDATION
Information item only. No action required.
City of Stockton Page 1 of 1 Printed on 6/5/2026
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