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Bilingual report — Ventura County Office of Education — Summer Reading, Constitution Day, Civic Tours, and More

by Community Contributor • July 8, 2026 • Comments Off

Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools

July 2026

Para leer en español, haga clic aquí.

Focus on Education provides news about Ventura County public schools for families and educators. It is published by the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE).

Summer Reading Extravaganza

Get fun summer reading ideas, activities, and more from the VCOE Library’s Summer Reading Extravaganza. Click here to check out local libraries’ summer reading programs and get online access to free full-length young adult novels. Also, find out how summer readers can earn free ride tickets for the Ventura County Fair.

Educators Invited to Constitution Day

Join us for the 22nd Annual Constitution Day Mini-Conference on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum in Simi Valley. Ventura County K–12 educators may register at no cost and learn about the role we play in preparing students to be informed citizens and active participants in our democracy. Get more information in the flyer and click here to register.

Constitution Day Student Art Contest

Students can get involved in Constitution Day by participating in the Student Arts Competition, which is open to Southern California students in grades 3 through 12. Winning entries will be displayed at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. This year’s theme is “America at 250: Honoring Our Past, Inspiring Our Future.” The entry deadline is August 14, and all the details about how to enter are available here.

Two New Ventura County Civic Tours

Students will have the chance to learn about the inner workings of local government in the 2026-27 Ventura County Civic Tour Series. Participants will visit iconic locations, including city halls and cultural centers. It’s also a great way for students to find mentors and data for their Civic Action Projects.

These full-day field trips are scheduled for November 18, 2026, and February 3, 2027. Educators who would like their students to participate can click here to register and direct any questions to James Koenig at jkoenig@vcoe.org.

Oxnard Students Win Civics Contest

VCOE is excited to share that two students from Rio Mesa High School in the Oxnard Union High School District have won Teach Democracy’s statewide Civic Action Project multimedia contest. Their winning project is called “Engaging in our Community – Through Tennis.” Another local student from Hueneme High School earned an honorable mention with their project, “Enforcing Heat Protection for Outdoor Workers”. You can view both winning projects at this link.

Welcome Binational Guest Teachers

Four guest teachers from the Mexican states of Michoacán and Jalisco recently arrived in Ventura County as part of an international teacher exchange program. VCOE would like to give a warm welcome to Arelí Nefthalí López, Hector Ulises Gabino Martinez, Ximena Ruiz Tenorio, and Jesús Alejandro Santos López.

They’ll be teaching summer educational and cultural enrichment programs at school at Haycox Elementary School and Lemonwood Elementary School in Oxnard and Glen City Elementary School in Santa Paula.

Help Stuff the Bus for Students in Need

Now is your chance to make a difference for local students who are experiencing homelessness. You can help by donating new school supplies as part of the United Way’s annual Stuff the Bus campaign. Donations are being accepted until July 15 at the VCOE offices at 5100 Adolfo Road in Camarillo. You can also make a donation online by clicking here.

Get more info in this video featuring VCOE Homeless Education Coordinator Cathi Nye and Andrew Huizar, who will take the reins from Cathi when she retires this November.

Local Teachers Honored for Innovation

VCOE is proud to honor twelve Ventura County teachers with Impact on Education awards totaling $5,500. The following teachers were recognized for their creative approaches to getting students engaged in learning:

Nicole Griffin and Michelle Anderson – Glen City Global STEAM Academy
Maria Geib and Alli Quiroz – Junipero Serra Elementary School
Jennifer Butler – Ventura Charter School
Jennifer Epley – Isbell Middle School
Kelsey Campbell and Kendra Westfall – Grace Thille Elementary School
Emily Noel – Ventura Charter School
Hannah Robinson, Susan Allen, and Samantha Spitzer – Oak View High School

Much appreciation to our sponsors, Amgen, California Credit Union, and SAGE Corwin Publications. You can see the winning lesson plans here and a photo gallery from the event at this link. Any teachers who would like to apply for next year’s grants can find more information here.

Congrats to the VCOE Class of 2026

The Ventura County Office of Education is extremely proud of our students who recently celebrated their commencements, graduations, and promotions as part of the Class of 2026. The achievements are especially meaningful for the students we serve, many of whom have each overcome significant challenges on their educational journey.

They couldn’t have gotten here without the boundless love and support they receive from our amazing teachers, paraeducators, and staff. We are so grateful for their commitment and dedication to student well-being and success.

Igniting the Welding Industry

We want to take a moment to recognize the achievements of the welding students at the VCOE Career Education Center, who recently earned the following:

• 30 students earned their OSHA 10-hour training certificates

• 29 students were recognized for American Welding Society (AWS) welder certifications

Two students have already landed jobs in the welding industry:

• Brady Moses – WeldLogic (Newbury Park), specializing in advanced applications like orbital laser welding.

• Samuel Zarate – Valex (Ventura), specializing in Stainless Steel distribution (piping) systems.

Learn about the training and certification opportunities provided by the VCOE Welding and Testing Center at www.vcoe.org/welding.

Inaugural VCOE Welding Competition

Aspiring welders put their skills to the test as they worked to earn their certification at the VCOE Welding and Testing Center’s inaugural welding competition. The event included students from Ventura, Buena, Fillmore, and Channel Islands High Schools, as well as from the VCOE Career Education Center. These top four welders went home with bragging rights and brand-new welding helmets.

Overall Champion: James Jones, CEC
1st Place: Andres Montero, CEC
2nd Place: Adrian Rincon, CEC
3rd Place: Dylan Barajas, Buena High School

Batalla de los Libros Sets a Record

A record number of students participated in the Spanish-language version of the VCOE Battle of the Books competition, Batalla de los Libros. Teams of 4th through 6th-graders raced to answer trivia questions based on a series of books they had read in Spanish. We’d like to congratulate the following teams, who took the top three spots:

1st: Los Tigres, Mesa Union School
2nd: Tigres de Tierra Vista, Tierra Vista Elementary School
3rd: Lectores de la Isla, Anacapa Middle School

International Honors for Science Star

Congratulations to Olivia Johnson from Thousand Oaks High School, who represented Ventura County at the prestigious International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix (ISEF). She received a special $5,000 award from the Drug, Chemical and Associated Technologies Association for outstanding research by a high school ISEF finalist.

Click here to learn more about her winning project, titled “Investigating the Synergistic Effect of Ivermectin and C-Phycocyanin on Cell Viability and Clonogenic Capacity in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.”

See the Impact of Community Schools

VCOE is working hard to support the growing Community Schools movement in Ventura County. It’s an initiative that aims to transform schools into neighborhood hubs for health and social services in addition to academics. Learn more about recent progress toward creating local community schools in this article by VCOE Community Schools Coordinator Cynthia Salas.

Read the Article

Upcoming Events and Workshops

The Ventura County Office of Education and its partners present a wide variety of workshops and events for educators, families, and community members. Some upcoming offerings are below, and you can browse our full calendar of events at vcoe.k12oms.org.