Across the country and here in Ventura County, schools are seeing a concerning increase in students making inappropriate and potentially dangerous posts to social media, particularly on Instagram. These posts have included threats of violence and embarrassing pictures of students and staff members who didn’t know they were being photographed. In some cases, students create accounts that fraudulently appear to represent their school.
Focus on Education provides news and updates about K-12 public schools for families and educators in Ventura County. It is published by the Ventura County Office of Education.
The Ventura County Office of Education is presenting two free, virtual conferences to help address the emotional toll the COVID-19 pandemic is taking on parents, caregivers and school employees. Entitled “Living Well: Healthy Children Need Healthy Adults,” the conferences will give attendees strategies and tools to use every day to increase resiliency, manage stress and improve overall wellness.
“Over the past year and a half, there’s been much well-deserved attention to the emotional impact the pandemic is having on children,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “It’s also vital that we recognize the ways it’s affecting us as adults. When we take the time to improve our own wellbeing, we’re better able to meet the needs of our kids as educators and parents.”
From COVID-19 safety to student mental health, there are many questions about the new school year that is now getting underway in Ventura County. Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, will address some of these pressing questions in a live virtual Q&A on Monday, August 16 at 6:00 PM.
Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, (on Aug. 11) applauded a new move by the State of California to require all school employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing. “With the continuing spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, this is a commonsense step that will help ensure the safety of students and employees as schools reopen for the new year,” said Dr. Morales. “Most school employees are already vaccinated, and I’m confident others will now follow suit.”
The Ventura County Office of Education has launched a new website called The Triple Threat to Teen Health that’s aimed at combatting the serious problem of teen vaping. The website is available in English and Spanish at vaping.vcoe.org. “While many may think vaping is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, the most popular vaping products all contain nicotine and have a high potential for addiction,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “This new website gives parents, guardians, students and educators an important tool to learn about the real risks that vaping poses to our students,” he said.
After an entire school year in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Last year’s drive-through graduation events are being replaced with in-person ceremonies – some of them even held indoors.
Like the class of 2020 before them, high school students in the graduating class of 2021 have shown incredible resilience and perseverance throughout the pandemic. They’ve adapted to distance learning and social distancing and the strange realities of returning to school during a global health emergency.
In a new sign of progress in the battle against the coronavirus, health officials have reduced the minimum required distance between students in a classroom from six feet to three feet. The change came quickly after the CDC announced the new three foot guidelines last Friday. The California Department of Public Health, which sets the baseline rules that Ventura County schools must follow, soon followed suit. Ventura County Public Health, which has the authority to impose stricter rules than the state, also adopted the three foot distancing guideline. Studies show the reduced distancing between students in class does not significantly increase the risk of virus spread as long as students and staff are all correctly wearing masks on a consistent basis. The rules still require six foot distancing between students and staff members.
More public schools will be reopening to in-person instruction now that Ventura County is moving to the less restrictive red tier in the State’s coronavirus monitoring system. The move from the purple to the red tier will take effect this Wednesday as COVID-19 rates decline in Ventura County and after the State eased the threshold to switch tiers because of increasing vaccination levels.
The change opens the door for schools that had not reopened the last time the County was in the red tier to do so at all grade levels, including middle and high school. Most schools that open to in-person instruction use hybrid schedules that include some time on distance learning. This is necessary because social distancing requirements prevent many schools from bringing all students back to class in-person full time.
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.
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.
The State of California’s new regional Stay Home Order takes effect on Sunday, December 6 at 11:59 PM in Ventura County and in all counties in Southern California. Here’s what that means for Ventura County schools: Schools at all grade…
In response to a statewide spike in new coronavirus infections, Ventura County and 28 other counties were suddenly moved back to the most restrictive purple tier of California’s color-coded tracking system on Monday, November 16. Facing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, Governor Gavin Newsom said he was “pulling an emergency brake.”
Now that Ventura County is back in the purple tier, schools and districts that had already reopened are permitted to continue with in-person instruction according to state and local regulations. However, individual schools that have not yet reopened will need to wait until the County moves back to the less restrictive red tier and stays there for 14 days.
Some Ventura County schools could have to delay their plans to resume in-person instruction if the County falls back to the most restrictive level – the purple tier – on the state’s coronavirus watch list, which is looking increasingly likely. Due to a growing number of COVID-19 cases, County health officials anticipate the move back to the purple tier could happen as early as next Tuesday, November 17, but is most likely to occur a week after that on Tuesday, November 24.
VENTURA COUNTY — The effort to expand environmental education for Ventura County students is getting a boost from the national AmeriCorps volunteer program. Kate Bilse has joined the Ventura County Office of Education as an AmeriCorps volunteer for the 2020-21…
Ventura County (on Oct. 6) moved off the most restrictive tier of the state’s COVID-19 watch list, which means schools could soon have the option of reopening for in-person instruction at all grade levels. If Ventura County maintains its status for two additional weeks, schools may choose to reopen as early as Wednesday, October 21. However, it will be up to each individual school district to determine exactly when they can safely begin welcoming students back to class. Some schools may choose to reopen their campuses later than October 21 for a variety of reasons.
The prospect of students returning to their classrooms is getting closer to reality as the coronavirus situation in Ventura County starts to improve. Before schools are allowed to reopen to all students, Ventura County must move off the most restrictive level – the purple tier – on the state’s coronavirus watch list and stay off of it for two weeks.
Two Ventura County Schools have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2020 by the U.S. Department of Education. The schools were selected based on or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. The Ventura County winners are among 367 public and private schools to be selected nationwide. The local honorees are:
Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School in Thousand Oaks
Charter school authorized by the Ventura County Office of Education
Weathersfield Elementary School in Thousand Oaks
Conejo Valley Unified School District
Following the release of new state guidelines announced (on July 17) by Governor Gavin Newsom, all Ventura County school districts and charter schools will begin the new school year using distance learning without bringing students back to their campuses. The new guidance comes a day after most Ventura County schools had already committed to beginning the year with distance learning in support of the effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
With cases of COVID-19 surging in Ventura County and throughout California, most local school districts and charter schools have decided to begin the 2020-2021 school year entirely using distance learning without bringing students back to campuses.
The Ventura County Office of Education on July 10 released a document intended to help local public schools prepare for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The Framework for Reopening Ventura County Schools was prepared by the Ventura County Office of Education in consultation with Ventura County Public Health and the county’s school districts and charter schools.
It’s safe to say there has never been a senior year quite like this one. In March, the coronavirus crisis abruptly forced students from their schools and into a strange new world of distance learning. Then at the end of May, the death of George Floyd and resulting protests threw important and difficult issues of racism and equity into the spotlight in a way most students have never experienced.
This is the time of year when graduating seniors are usually celebrating with friends, attending proms and receiving their hard-earned diplomas in front of crowds of beaming family and friends. Instead, they are participating in car caravans, watching virtual graduations and contemplating an unsettled world where our economy, our social fabric, even our basic health and safety seem far from secure.
Against this backdrop, I am proud to introduce you to some remarkable Ventura County graduates who aren’t letting the difficulties of our current moment extinguish their spirit or stop them from pursuing their dreams. Among them are students who have personally felt the sting of social inequity and found the inner strength to rise above.
The California Department of Education on April 29 announced it is studying options for reopening school campuses after Governor Newsom suggested they could open as early as July or August. Many questions remain about the safety, fiscal and labor implications of reopening campuses before the traditional start of the next school year. For now, there has been no alteration to existing school calendars.
Distance Learning and School Meals Will Continue VENTURA COUNTY — All Ventura County School Districts today agreed to keep their campuses closed through the end of the school year in support of the coronavirus mitigation effort. The decision was made…
VENTURA COUNTY — Because of the continued risk to public health posed by the coronavirus, all school districts in Ventura County have extended their closures at least through Friday, May 1, 2020. The new target date to reopen is Monday, May…
IMPACT II Grant Applications Due April 2, 2020 Teachers in Ventura County are invited to apply for a share of $10,500 in grants that reward innovative teaching methods. The IMPACT II grant program is accepting applications through April 2, 2020.…
VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Office of Education is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Ventura County Academic Decathlon, which was held in Oxnard over the past two Saturdays. Calabasas High School won both first and second place…
VENTURA COUNTY — Nine Ventura County elementary schools are being honored as 2020 California Distinguished Schools by the California Department of Education. Schools are awarded for their work toward closing the achievement gap and for achieving exceptional student performance. Schools that…
Santa Presents the Toys in Surprise Visit SANTA PAULA — Watching a toy come to life when it’s turned on is a delight for any child. But for kids with developmental disabilities, something as simple as pressing a button to activate…
VENTURA COUNTY — A wealth of data about the performance of Ventura County schools and districts is now available in the 2019 California School Dashboard, which was released today by the California Department of Education (CDE). In addition to reporting on…
Fall 2019 Stanley C. Mantooth, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools 20 School Districts – Each as Unique as Ventura County Ventura County is home to twenty different school districts, each one as diverse as the students they serve. The…
VENTURA COUNTY — Dr. Cesar Morales, Associate Superintendent of Student Services at the Ventura County Office of Education, is one of just 17 educators nationwide to receive the 2019 Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from the University Council for Educational Administration…
VENTURA COUNTY —The Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) is pleased to announce that Jan-Erik Sand of Isbell Middle School in the Santa Paula Unified School District (SPUSD) is the 2019 Ventura County Teacher of the Year. Sand and his…
VENTURA COUNTY — Teachers from throughout Ventura County are being honored with $10,000 in grants for developing innovative lessons for their students. At a ceremony May 8 in Oxnard, the Ventura County Office of Education presented 14 IMPACT II grants to 23…
Former County Superintendent Served for 24 Years VENTURA COUNTY — Dr. James Cowan, who served as Ventura County Superintendent of Schools for 24 years and left an indelible mark on Ventura County education, has passed away at the age of 87.…
Public Invited as Competition Continues Tonight and Tomorrow The eight high school teams that will advance to the semifinals of the 2019 Ventura County Mock Trial were announced Feb. 27 by the Ventura County Office of Education. The semifinalists received…
A redesigned and expanded California School Dashboard is now available to the public at www.caschooldashboard.org. The Dashboard, which debuted in 2017, has a new look that makes it easier to see how individual schools and districts are performing in six…
VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County students maintained their scores on the statewide California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) test, according to new data released by the California Department of Education. The percentage of Ventura County students who met…
County’s Dropout Rate also Better than State VENTURA COUNTY — Nearly 86 percent of Ventura County high school students graduated in the 2016-17 school year, which is better than the statewide graduation rate of 82.7 percent for the same period.…
CAMARILLO — About 60 students with autism began summer school July 16 at the brand new campus of Triton Academy, located at 550 Airport Way near the Camarillo Airport. The campus was built from the ground up in just seven…
Summer 2018 Stanley C. Mantooth, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Graduating seniors inspire hope in uncertain times As thousands of Ventura County high school students don their caps and gowns and receive their diplomas this year, they’re graduating into a…
CAMARILLO — VC Innovates 2018 Pathfinder Awards on May 10 were presented to this year’s most innovative educators, business and community partners for their support of Career and Technical Education. Twenty-five award recipients selected by each of the education partner school…
VENTURA COUNTY — Teachers from throughout Ventura County are being honored with $13,000 in grants for developing innovative lessons for their students. At a ceremony tonight in Oxnard, the Ventura County Office of Education presented 22 IMPACT II grants to 30 teachers from 12…
VENTURA COUNTY — Two Ventura County Office of Education administrators are being honored for their leadership by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 13. Dr. Tiffany Morse, Executive Director of Career Education and Kenny Loo, Principal of Court and…
Spring 2018 Stanley C. Mantooth, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools The Big Ways that Big Data is Reshaping Education In the business world, it’s often said that measuring something is the first step to improving it, and the same holds…
VENTURA COUNTY — Three Ventura County elementary schools are being honored as 2018 California Distinguished Schools by the California Department of Education. Schools that applied were eligible based on their performance and progress on the state indicators as described on…
VENTURA COUNTY — The following Ventura County public schools and districts have announced they will reopen for normal operation on Friday, March 23: Santa Paula Unified School District Ventura High School, DATA Middle School and Loma Vista Elementary School Ojai Unified School District Briggs…
VENTURA COUNTY — Due to the potential for debris flows, road closures, flooding and other storm-related issues, the following Ventura County public schools and districts will be closed on Wednesday, March 22 as a precautionary measure: Santa Paula Unified School…
CAMARILLO — Special needs students at the Phoenix-Los Nogales School in Camarillo got a big holiday surprise today when members of the Oxnard Police Department SWAT team arrived to present them with holiday gifts. The gifts included new shoes donated by…
VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Office of Education has been notified by the Santa Clara Elementary School District that Santa Clara School will be closed today, Monday, December 11, because of increasingly smoky conditions due to the Thomas fire.…
VENTURA COUNTY — Many Ventura County school districts are planning to be open on Monday, December 11. However, some that have been more severely impacted by the Thomas fire will remain closed. The list below reflects the latest information we have…
VENTURA COUNTY —Due to the ongoing fire emergency, several Ventura County school districts will be closed for the remainder of this week. The current list of closures is below. The latest updates will be posted at www.vcoe.org. The following districts will…
