Reflections on the New School Year from the Superintendent

The first day of school is always special, but this year it held even deeper meaning for obvious reasons. It was a real pleasure for me to visit some of our local schools as students arrived for the start of the new school year. You could feel the joy and excitement as students were welcomed back by their teachers from Ojai to Oxnard to Westlake and everywhere in between.

Getting to this point hasn’t been easy. The rise of the Delta variant and a slew of new pandemic-related state laws and regulations that came at the end of the summer left school leaders scrambling.

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Emotional Wellbeing Conference for Parents and Educators

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there’s been much well-deserved attention to the emotional impact the pandemic is having on children. It’s also vital that we recognize the ways it’s affecting us as adults. That’s why the Ventura County Office of Education is presenting our first-ever Social and Emotional Learning Conference for adults.

There will be a full week of sessions geared toward teachers and school employees from September 20-24 and a special session for parents and caregivers on Saturday, September 25. You can learn more and reserve your spot at www.vcoe.org/health.

VCOE to Host COVID-19 Testing Site in Camarillo

Free COVID-19 testing will soon be available at a mobile minibus at the Ventura County Office of Education conference center in Camarillo. The site will be open every Wednesday starting September 15 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 5100 Adolfo Rd.

It’s one of five new mobile test sites that will soon be open throughout Ventura County. The complete list of locations and other local testing options are available at this link.

New High Tech Lab to Become a Field Trip Destination

Students from throughout Ventura County will soon have the opportunity to learn technology skills at a new lab located at the Ventura County Office of Education in Camarillo. It’s called the LMNOP Lab, which stands for Learning Makes New Opportunities Possible. It’s outfitted with large interactive displays and all of the tools students need to complete various technology-oriented projects.

Over the summer, students from Somis School were the first to experience the new lab. They enjoyed a full week of interactive learning about computer coding, robotics, electronic music, and website design. Plans are in the works to make the lab a field trip destination for local students from all grade levels. You can read more about the lab at this link and watch a video about it here.

Get Involved with VEX Robotics,

Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial, and the Science Fair

Every school year, the Ventura County Office of Education presents a popular series of academic competitions. They’re open to students from throughout Ventura County and provide a fantastic opportunity to learn while having fun.

Due to continuing concerns about the pandemic, all of this year’s competitions will be held virtually, except for VEX Robotics, which is scheduled to take place in person. To learn more about how students can participate and how to serve as a volunteer, please click the links below.

• VEX Robotics – Nov. 6, 2021
• Academic Decathlon – Jan. 8, 2022 to Feb. 5, 2022
• Mock Trial – Feb. 14-17, 2022
• Science Fair – March 18, 2022

Logo Artwork Contest

Students are also invited to participate in the logo design contests for Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial and Science Fair. Information about how to enter is available at:

• Academic Decathlon Logo Contest
• Mock Trial Logo Contest
• Science Fair Logo Contest

Job Openings at the Ventura County Office of Education

The Ventura County Office of Education is seeking motivated people who are passionate about education to join our team. We have a variety of opportunities now available at our main office in Camarillo and our schools located throughout Ventura County. You can find all of our current openings and apply online at www.edjoin.org/vcoe. You can also sign up to receive our job opportunities by email by clicking here.