New research on sea urchins challenges long-held assumptions about marine reserves.
Category: Education
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Free Webinar Schedule
THE FUTURE OF TRADE- INTERNET TRADE FINANCE: EUCP & EURC
February 25 @ 10:00 am
Presenters John Dunlop, ITFGlobal Limited, and Simona Racek, EDC SBDC advisor, will discuss important information about trade finance documentary letters of credit that have gone digital and the new guidelines that were issued by the International Chamber of Commerce to supplement the UCP 600 for credits and URC 522 or collections, which have sped up collection time and will improve your cash flow.
More Elementary Schools Permitted to Reopen as Educator Vaccinations are Set to Begin
Ventura County has reached a COVID-19 case rate that allows all elementary schools to resume in-person instruction as early as today if they choose to do so and have taken required safety measures. At the same time, the County of Ventura will begin vaccinating teachers starting next Monday. “These two developments are encouraging steps in the effort to safely bring more students and teachers back to the classroom,” said Dr. Cesar Morales, Deputy Superintendent for the Ventura County Office of Education.
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — State Aid for Businesses, Individuals and Families Impacted by COVID-19
On February 17, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom reached an agreement on a package of immediate actions that will speed needed relief to individuals, families and businesses facing significant economic hardship from the COVID-19 Recession. The items detailed below are a part of the Immediate Action Agreement. Please note that many details on how these resources will be rolled out are still being developed.
Magana Education and the Ventura County Office of Education Announce New CyberLeader Lab
Breakthrough, peer-reviewed research from Dr. Sonny Magana was shown to double student learning productivity regardless of grade band or content area. The Ventura County Office of Education has partnered with Magana Education to expand their highly successful CyberTeacher training system with the new CyberLeader Lab.
Bilingual report — A Threat to California Citrus
California is one of the nation’s leading providers of fresh citrus fruit, including oranges, mandarins and lemons. The California citrus industry is worth $3.4 billion and provides 22,000 jobs. However, our backyard citrus trees and the citrus industry as a whole are currently under threat by a devastating disease called Huanglongbing (HLB).
VCCCD Issues Statement Regarding Video of Faculty Member. Please see related stories
The Ventura County Community College District is deeply troubled by the behavior seen in a video posted on social media by students on Feb. 18, showing an interaction between a student who is hard-of-hearing and an Oxnard College faculty member.
“The Ventura County Community College District is opposed to any language or behavior which is offensive or harmful to anyone based on gender, ethnicity, religion, sex orientation, age or disability,” stated Board Chair Joshua Chancer. “Comments in the video do not reflect the District’s values of integrity and honesty in action and word, respect and the constant pursuit of excellence.”
CLU School of Management Community Newsletter
Even in these unusual times, California Lutheran University’s School of Management continues to provide a stimulating environment for our learners and the community around us. Today, we are once again happy to share a selection of exciting news, updates, and upcoming events to our communities in Southern California and beyond.
If you want to stay current on what is going on at the School of Management, please follow our Showcase page on LinkedIn.
Bilingual report — El Concilio Family Services — If you are a Legal Permanent Resident, you may qualify to become a U.S. Citizen
Santa Maria HS FCCLA take part in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) during FCCLA Week
The Santa Maria High School FCCLA recently joined more than 182,000 members across the nation in raising awareness of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and advocating for Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) during FCCLA Week.
Held annually during the second week of February in conjunction with Career and Technical Education Month, FCCLA Week celebrates the accomplishments of FCCLA and the positive impact FCS has on our society, according to Saint Teacher and Advisor Nicki Pedeliski.
SBCC Vocational Nursing program ranked in Top 10 in western U.S.
After closely evaluating 423 Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs across the western United States, NursingProcess.org has ranked Santa Barbara City College’s Vocational Nursing program No. 10 for 2021. Programs were ranked based on four important factors: National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) pass rates, academic quality, the nursing school’s reputation, and affordability.
SBCC’s three-semester Vocational Nursing program prepares students to practice as competent, compassionate and ethical Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) in homes, clinics, extended care, sub-acute care units, surgery centers, and hospices. Classroom and laboratory courses include the foundation of nursing practice, nutrition and care for patients with gastrointestinal problems, administration of therapeutic agents, maternal and child nursing, pharmacology and medical-surgical nursing.
Four Pioneer Valley High School Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) taking part in annual annual FCCLA competitions
Four PVHS Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) members are competing in this year’s annual FCCLA competitions, with hopes they will place at region and move on to the state level where scholarships, prizes and awards can be earned.
Once students created their projects and the supplemental materials, they had to record a video of themselves as if they were presenting to a panel of judges. Results will be shared during this year’s virtual State Leadership Meeting in March.
UCSB — The Current — ‘The Past Through Pinnipeds’ and more news
New analysis finds that the Tongva people of Catalina Island hunted sea lions over 1,000 years ago and likely transported meat by plank canoes.
United Way of Ventura County — ‘Giving our children the smiles they deserve’ and more news
February is National Children’s Dental Health month. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease and unmet need of children in California. More than 50% of California’s kindergartners have a history of dental decay. Nearly 25% of California’s children, ages 0-11, have never been to a dentist. When children don’t get the care they need, there are costs to taxpayers and families – the cost of emergency room visits for preventable dental problems and missed school days resulting in a loss of attendance-based school district funding.
Through the Building Healthy Smiles Initiative, United Way and its partners work to reduce dental disease in Ventura County through education, care coordination, and advocacy. Our goal is to eliminate untreated tooth decay for children in Ventura County. Pre-pandemic, over 2,500 children received oral health assessments in 2019 alone.
Improving COVID-19 Case Rates Could Soon Allow More Elementary Schools to Reopen
Declining COVID-19 case rates could soon remove a roadblock that has been preventing some Ventura County elementary schools from reopening for in-person instruction. Several local school districts already reopened their elementary schools when Ventura County was in the red tier on the state’s coronavirus watch list or by receiving waivers while the County is in the more restrictive purple tier.
Channel Islands Maritime Museum Sponsors Whale Coloring Page Contest as Part of its Ongoing 30th Anniversary Celebrations
The Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) is happy to announce its March activity in celebration of its 30th anniversary year. Local artist Brett Bednorz has created a wonderful whale “totem” coloring page for the Museum in honor of the magnificent animals that are so often seen off the local coast. Coloring contest participants are invited to let their creativity and imagination run wild. There will be four age categories, Adults? 18 years and up, Teens ? 13?17 years, Kids – 7?12 years, and Kids ? 6 years and under. One coloring winner will be selected in each age group.
Santa Maria High School breaks ground on new classroom/administration building
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Board of Education and district officials on Feb. 16 held a groundbreaking for the Santa Maria High School 50 classroom/administration building that is projected to be completed in April 2023.
The new building will help ease the congestion on Camino Colegio, that small dead-end street, now the front entrance. It will also create permanent classrooms and eliminate nearly all portable classrooms.
Santa Maria High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) members shine at the Virtual Gold Coast Section Competitive Event Conference
Fourteen Santa Maria High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) members recently shined at the Virtual Gold Coast Section Competitive Event Conference.
The students participated in various business & financial, entrepreneurship and software systems development career paths to qualify for the FBLA State Leadership Conference in April. The Saints Zoomed through the exams in professional business attire and captured several top awards.
VCCCD Receives Statewide CISOA Technology Excellence Team Award
When the COVID-19 pandemic required Ventura County Community College District’s employees to transition to remote work in March, the District’s information technology team faced a challenge. They needed to provide over 500 employees with an immediate, reliable secure process for accessing their core applications and files. A transition process that historically would take six to 10 weeks, the IT team did in 10 days. They accomplished this feat by evaluating, selecting and implementing Amazon AppStream 2.0, a fully managed application and desktop streaming service built on Amazon Web Services.
Studies show CSUCI’s early shift to virtual instruction helped prevent further COVID infections in the county
Two national studies about college campuses and COVID-19 suggest that the California State University’s (CSU) early decision to pivot all 23 of the CSU campuses to virtual instruction went a long way toward keeping communities safer throughout the state.
“Both reports carried a similar message that campuses can be super-spreaders of the virus,” said Vice Chair of the CSUCI Academic Senate and Professor of Mathematics Jason Miller, Ph.D., who reviewed the two studies and extrapolated the results for CSUCI.
Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — Virtual Blood Drive | February 14 – March 26, 2021
MCASB is happy to be part of this wonderful team of Museums and
Cultural Organizations, sponsoring a Virtual Blood Drive in Santa Barbara.
Click the link below to schedule a time and location that works for you!
LEON surprises seniors with gifts, Valentine’s Day message
Yesterday, the Latino Elder Outreach Network (LEON) surprised 400 isolated seniors in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Isla Visa, Santa Maria, and Lompoc with goodie bags and Valentine’s Day cards to share a message of support during the pandemic. LEON is exploring the expansion of its network to North County and used the opportunity to introduce itself to seniors and organizations in Lompoc and Santa Maria.
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Free Weekly Webinar Schedule
The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our no-cost webinars. Space is limited. Register today!
COVID-19 Business Resources – EIDL, PPP, UI and Grants
Alternating Wednesdays & Fridays @ 12:00 pm
Next Webinar: February 19, 2021
The EDC invites you to join our webinar series on alternative Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:00 pm to answer questions about EIDL, PPP, UI, Grants and all currently available COVID-19 related business resources. Please register in advance. Space is limited.
Ventura County Civic Alliance — Livable Communities Newsletter
Welcome to Our Winter 2021 Livable Communities Newsletter
As we recognized last quarter, COVID-19 is not only still with us, but it also casts a shadow over everything we think we know, including our understanding of the 3 Es that are the foundation of the Ventura County Civic Alliance: Economy, Environment, and Equity.
Therefore, it is still fitting that this quarter’s Livable Communities Newsletter explores different aspects of the 3 Es and Livable Communities in a COVID-19 world
Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — Introducing Collectors Series
Have you ever questioned what it means to be a collector?
In our new series we will be sitting down with artists and collectors for an in-depth conversation on the subject! This Thursday, February 18, 2021 kicks off the first installment of Collectors Series, a behind-the-scenes dive into what it means to collect contemporary art.
Dianne McKay named Education Leader of the Year
Mustang Marketing President Dianne McKay has been named Educational Leader of the Year by Ventura County Leadership Academy. McKay is currently serving in her third term as an elected trustee for the Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD).
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District celebrates National School Counseling and Guidance Week
National School Counseling and Guidance Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), was celebrated from Feb. 1-5 at the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.
This week focused public attention on the unique contributions of school counselors and guidance & support professionals within U.S. school systems and highlights the tremendous impact they can have in helping students achieve success and plan for a career.
SBCC’s Promise Program exemplifies Dr. Jill Biden’s goal of free community college for all and more news
With its honored “Promise Program,” SBCC is ready to help First Lady Dr. Jill Biden in her efforts to offer free community college education nationwide. The SBCC Promise Program provides two years of free books and tuition to high school students who graduate in the Community College district stretching from Carpinteria to Gaviota.
Dr. Biden has been a strong supporter of the concept for years, dating back to the Obama administration. Earlier this week she made a speech to relaunch her commitment with the American Association of Community Colleges.
Santa Maria High School to increase number of Saints applying for financial aid
Santa Maria High School officials this month will increase the of number Saints applying for financial aid by helping them complete either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADA), with a goal of 100 percent participation.
Adventure Awaits: Summer Day Camp Registration Underway At Southeast Ventura County YMCA Branches
The three branches of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA are taking early registrations for their summer day camps. Camps are from June 14 through August 13 at the Conejo Valley YMCA and Yarrow Family YMCA and from June 7 through August 6 at the Simi Valley Family YMCA. Discounted pricing will be in effect until April 1.
Campers can attend full time (five days a week) or part time (three days a week) for all nine weeks or selected weeks. At Simi Valley YMCA, summer camp is offered to K-5th graders and teen camp (Leadership-In-Training) is offered to 6th – 8th graders. At Yarrow Family YMCA and Conejo Valley YMCA, summer camp is offered to TK -5th graders and teen camp is offered to 5th – 8th graders.
Ventura College Foundation’s Weekend Marketplace Returns To East Parking Lot
VENTURA — Ventura College Foundation’s Weekend Marketplace, which temporarily moved to the West Parking Lot on the Ventura College campus while solar panels were installed at its home on the East Parking Lot, will return to its permanent location on…
Museum of Ventura County — Grab ‘n Go Bags + New Architectural Driving Tour + More!
You’re invited to join us on Zoom on Thursday, February 25, 2021 @ 6:30pm—7:30pm for the next installment of Ivor Davis: Up Close & Personal with “multi-talented Renaissance woman” Miriam Arichea.
Arichea will share the amazing story of how she has juggled all her careers: appeals court lawyer, concert pianist with symphony orchestras including CHICO (Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra) and the director of Rubicon Theatre Harmonix children’s choir. She also found time to become a credentialed teacher at Ventura High School, where she leads the mock trial and academic decathlon teams.
SBMA Receives Charity Navigator’s Four Star Rating for Sixth Consecutive Year
For the sixth time in consecutive years, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) has been recognized as a “Four Star Charity” by top non-profit evaluator Charity Navigator.
Achieving a Four Star rating—the organization’s highest rating— in consecutive years is also deemed as highly significant. In a letter sent to SBMA, Michael Thatcher, Charity Navigator President and CEO, writes, “Only 11% of the charities we evaluate have received at least 6 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Santa Barbara Museum of Art outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets Santa Barbara Museum of Art apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.”
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Grant Opportunities
The application window for Round 2 of the CA Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program closed yesterday, February 8th, 2021 at 6:00 pm.
If you have already uploaded all required documentation, no further action is required. If you still need to upload your Entity Documents (tax returns, ID and/or application certification) please finish uploading all documents by February 11, 2021.
Volunteers in Ventura County Help Those with Low-Moderate Incomes File for Available Tax Credits Through VITA Programs
Tax season is upon us and low- to moderate-income Ventura County residents are encouraged to take advantage of ways to put more money back in their pocket with the help of United Way of Ventura County’s (UWVC) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA).
Throughout February to April 30, 2021, trained VITA volunteer tax preparers will help working families and individuals file their state and federal tax return and access the tax credits to which they are eligible. Households earning up to $57,000 in 2020 are eligible to use the free services.
UCSB — The Current — ‘A Surprising Cycle’ and more news
Pioneer Valley High School Panthers take part in workshops for State FFA Degrees
During the last two months, PVHS students have had the opportunity to engage in on-campus and virtual workshops to aid in the completion of their State FFA Degree’s, the highest honor given to students while enrolled in high school agriculture classes.
Pioneer Valley FFA had 31 students apply and receive this award, providing them with a golden FFA emblem pin, graduation sash, letterman’s embroidered “FFA” letter for their jacket, and eligibility to apply for millions of dollars in FFA scholarships. Collectively, these students have productively invested over $186,000 in their Supervised Agricultural Education projects over the last four years.
Bilingual report — El Concilio Family Services — You May be Eligible for FREE Processing including USCIS Fee!
Right now is the time to apply for your Naturalization. The USCIS application processing fees may be going up soon so don’t delay. We currently have a grant from the state of California which may cover your service. In addition, we may be able to assist you with USCIS fee waiver application which would make your processing completely free of charge. This is a limited time offer please call to inquire.
Santa Paula Art Museum — Our New Exhibit Has a Lot of HeART
We’re swinging into this weekend with huge smiles on our faces because we know you’re going to love the Museum’s newest virtual exhibit! Newbury Park artist Anette Power’s Silver Linings: Journey of Light is now online. Power’s exhibit is over two years in the making, and is a love letter to living even in the midst of great change and challenges.
Click here to enjoy the online exhibit. All of the artworks in the exhibit are available for purchase. Silver Linings will also be on view at the Santa Paula Art Museum when Ventura County museums are able to reopen to the public.*
VCCCD Districtwide Virtual Events in Honor of Black History Month
In observance of Black History Month, Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges are presenting a wide range of free virtual events for students and the community. The events are open to students districtwide.
Spring II 2021 Virtual Classes begin March 22 at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU Channel Islands
Spring II 2021 Virtual Classes begin March 22 at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU Channel Islands. Registration begins March 1.
OLLI at CSUCI brings the excitement and stimulation of college learning to area adults (50 or better!) who wish to extend their learning experiences in a university atmosphere.
OLLI members take university-level courses without the distraction of grading, preparing for a career, or meeting degree requirements. OLLI is learning for the joy of learning!
UCSB — The Current — ‘A Richness of Consequences’ and more news
Shuji Nakamura has received the 2021 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering for his development of LED lighting.
Bilingual report — County of Ventura COVID-19 Update for Feb. 3 — Vaccine Progress
The COVID-19 vaccine dashboard was launched last Friday to keep the community informed on the progress of administering COVID-19 vaccines. The dashboard is updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The data shows that in very simple terms “when we get it, we give it”. We want you to receive the vaccine as soon as possible. When we receive the vaccines, we open appointments and administer them.
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — No-Cost Mental Health Resources for Business Owners
The EDC has assisted thousands of business owners the past few years through multiple disruptions and disasters. We know the pain and frustration that many of you have faced. We are in this with you.
If you or a loved one are experiencing anxiety, depression or just fear of the unknown, we encourage you to reach out to the following organizations to help assist during this time.
Ventura College Art Dept. Receives $50,000 Donation From Carnegie Art Cornerstones
The Ventura College Art Department received a $50,000 endowment from Carnegie Art Cornerstones. The donation was coordinated by the Ventura College Foundation. The money will be used to establish a fund to provide support to the college’s visual arts gallery/exhibition program and to help foster the education and artistic growth of up and coming student artists.
“Providing a gallery exhibition experience for our students gives them the opportunity to be recognized for their talent and to build their artistic resume,” says Jesse Groves, Ventura College’s gallery director and curator. “Right now, there are minimal platforms for students to show their work. These exhibits also serve as a way to bring culture to the community.”
America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College — A Re-Opening Fit For A King
America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College will re-open Saturday, Feb. 6 just in time to celebrate the 7th birthday of Ira the lion, King of the Campus.
The community is invited to celebrate with Ira in-person or virtually. Ira’s birthday party will be live streamed from noon to 12:30 p.m. so people at home won’t miss a thing as in-person guests visit Ira in his new home, appropriately named “Ira’s Kingdom.”
Museum of Ventura County — How Can MVC Serve and Support You?
Will you please help us by sharing your thoughts about how the Museum of Ventura County, and museums broadly, can better support and engage you in 2021? Please take our survey today.?
SBCC ranked among best colleges for an associate degree by Salary Score
On Jan. 28, 2020, Optimal (formerly the SR Education Group) released “GradReports,” comparing the salaries of over 4.6 million college graduates to determine Salary Scores for more than 885 college degrees. Scores were then used to rank the best colleges in the U.S. for 2021 at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels. Santa Barbara City College is pleased to announce that it ranked No. 11 in the category of “Best Associate Degrees.”
CSUCI Business faculty research suggests engineers negotiate differently
When you drive over a bridge, use a computer, watch TV or turn on your garbage disposal, thank an engineer.
Engineer jokes abound, but engineers are critical to 21st century society. They “invent, design, build, analyze and test the machinery and systems that make society operate,” wrote CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Management Dylan Cooper, Ph.D. in a research project called “An exploration of whether engineers differ from non-engineers in their approach to negotiation.”
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program application deadline is Feb. 8
Round 2 for the CA Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program will be opening tomorrow, February 2nd, 2021 at 8:00 am and will close February 8, 2021 at 6:00 pm.
Important Reminders:
This is NOT a first-come, first-serve application process or rolling approval process- all eligible applicants will be considered for the grant at the close of Round 2 on February 8, 2021 at 6:00 pm and not before.