Our hearts are broken by the tragic news of today’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. We send our sincerest sympathies to the families whose lives have been forever shattered. School shootings are a plague on our society that have been happening for far too long. I call on decision-makers at every level of government to take all necessary measures to put an end to these senseless acts of violence in our schools. Dr. César MoralesVentura County Superinten...

Teachers from throughout Ventura County are being honored with $16,000 in grants for developing innovative lessons for their students. At a ceremony tonight in Camarillo, the Ventura County Office of Education will present 11 IMPACT II grants to 16 teachers. The grants are funded by local businesses and organizations that wish to promote unique and creative teaching practices The winning entries cover a variety of subject matters, including history, language arts and social s...

Students graduating this year have had more than half of their high school experience impacted by the pandemic. In addition to the regular pressures of adolescence, they’ve experienced the stresses associated with school closures and quarantines, and the debates over masking and vaccinations. They’ve also missed out on all types of activities, from dances to sporting events to school plays.

Beth Bowers, a dedicated and innovative teacher who has spent much of her career serving students with disabilities, has been named the 2022 Teacher of the Year for schools and programs operated by the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE). Bowers will now be in the running for the Ventura County Teacher of the Year award, which is open to all teachers countywide.After a career in banking and becoming the mother of a son with Down syndrome, Ms. Bowers joined VCOE in 2012 as a paraeducator, p...

Math Week • Environmental Education Exhibition • Dual Language Immersion Programs • State Delays Student Vaccine Mandate • Special Populations Student Forum • Teacher of the Year Nominations Due May 6

On April 14, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced that a statewide requirement for K-12 students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 will be delayed at least until the 2023-24 school year. California had initially intended to require student vaccinations for the 2022-23 school year, but that was contingent on the FDA fully approving the vaccine for most students. Since it’s not known when the FDA will grant full approval, CDPH says health officials and schools wi...

The ability to speak more than one language is an invaluable skill that can open doors both personally and professionally throughout a student’s lifetime. There are schools throughout Ventura County that do an amazing job teaching this skill using “Dual Language Immersion” programs or DLI. Some of the students in these programs are native English speakers, and others are still learning English. They all receive instruction in both English and Spanish. Students end up becoming proficient in bo...

Science Fair Winners Headed to State • Students Dive into Tech at "Hackathon" • Inclusion for Students with Disabilities • Giving All Students the Chance to Succeed in School • Teens Fight Vaping and Smoking • More COVID-19 Test Kits for Schools • Gateway Students Prep for College • Oak Park High Goes to State Mock Trial

Do tortoises have a favorite color? Is car exhaust damaging to plants? Do insects get lonely? These are some of the intriguing questions explored by students who entered the 67th annual Ventura County Science Fair.  The Science Fair was held virtually last Friday, with 230 students from 17 local middle and high schools presenting their projects to volunteer judges via online video. The 35 projects that received the highest scores will go on to represent Ventura County in the California Scie...

There are 130,000 students in Ventura County public schools, and every one of them is unique. They come from all types of backgrounds that represent a huge diversity of ethnicities, cultures and family structures. Some are from families that are financially secure, while others struggle to put food on the table. Some grew up speaking English, and others are still learning the language. Some have parents who know all about the college admissions process, but others have to figure it out on their ...