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Ventura County Office of Education — 2026 Teacher of the Year, Battle of the Books Winners, and more!

by Community Contributor • May 13, 2026 • Comments Off

Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools

May 2026

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).

2026 Ventura County Teacher of the Year

John Beck from Pacifica High School in Oxnard

The Ventura County Office of Education is thrilled to announce that John Beck, an English teacher from Pacifica High School in the Oxnard Union High School District, is the 2026 Ventura County Teacher of the Year! Mr. Beck received the news this week when his family members joined representatives from VCOE and OUHSD in a surprise visit to his classroom.

Mr. Beck has been teaching for 21 years and has been at Pacifica for 13. His classroom is known for a positive atmosphere where students feel comfortable and confident in themselves as they engage in academic discussions.

“In a diverse community like ours, where students bring a wide range of experiences, languages, and aspirations into the classroom, my goal is to create an environment where every student sees themselves as a capable reader, writer, and thinker,” Mr. Beck said. His program is built to ensure equitable access to engaging, rigorous learning experiences that prepare students for success inside and outside the classroom.

Learn More about Mr. Beck

Teacher of the Year for VCOE Schools

The Ventura County Office of Education has also named the Teacher of the Year for schools operated by our office. This year, the honor goes to Mackenzie Holland from Dorothy Boswell School in Ventura.

Ms. Holland started working for VCOE nearly 16 years ago as a substitute paraeducator. After three years, she advanced to her current position as a special education teacher.

Boswell Principal Dr. Amy Stencler says Ms. Holland has built a student-centered educational program that emphasizes independence and has helped to create a collaborative school culture. “The impact of her work is evident not only in student outcomes, but in the culture of dignity, respect, and opportunity she cultivates every day.”

Congratulations, Mackenzie, and thank you for your care and dedication that’s making a world of difference in the lives of students!

Learn More about Ms. Holland

Battle of the Book is Better than Ever

It began four years ago as a single-day event for elementary school students to answer trivia questions about books they had read in a fast-paced educational competition. Fast forward to 2026, and Battle of the Books now includes two days of elementary school competition, a new division for middle school students and the Batalla de los Libros, which is entirely in Spanish. In all, nearly 600 students across the county are participating.

Big congratulations to this year’s Battle of the Books winners. Vista Elementary in Simi Valley won first place on day one of the elementary competition, and Mesa Union School won first place on day two. Las Colinas Middle School came in first in the middle school division.

This wonderful student event wouldn’t be possible without the support of the coaches and volunteers from VCOE and throughout the community. We’re especially grateful to VCOE Library and Literacy Coordinator Ashleee Nishiya, who serves as our amazing host and has made this one of our signature student competitions. The fun continues with Batalla de los Libros on May 18.

First-Ever State Middle School Mock Trial

Four years ago, the Ventura County Office of Education became one of the first in the state to expand the popular Mock Trial competition to include middle school students. And for the first time this year, a statewide competition was held for middle school Mock Trial teams who won at the county level.

This year’s top-ranked Ventura County team, Mesa Union School, had the honor of representing us at the state event, which was held in April at the UCLA School of Law. Congratulations to these Mesa students who came home with these awards.

Elias Felix – 1st place, Courtroom Clerk
Antonella Garcia – 1st place, Courtroom Artist
Steven Romero – 3rd place, Outstanding Defense Attorney
Jenneva Stocker – 1st place, Outstanding Prosecution Attorney

Event Highlights Student Innovation

Students from across the county displayed their product design talents recently at the VCOE Industry and Education Summit: Student Project Showcase. They showed off amazing creations that used their skills in design, project management and communications. Congratulations to these top-scoring teams:

1st: Ventura High School
2nd: Simi Valley High School
3rd: Adolfo Camarillo High School
Student Choice: Simi Valley High School

Big thanks to VCOE’s industry partners who contributed their time and expertise to bring this wonderful opportunity to our students!

Tech Whizzes Impress at Hackathon

Congratulations to Team Loki Legion – with students from Augora, Oak Park, and Westlake High Schools – on their first-place victory at last month’s Hackathon by the Sea Showdown at VCOE! During this fun, educational event, students presented their solutions for a high-tech emergency communication system. Thank you to all of the volunteer mentors and judges who made this such a memorable educational experience.

Migrant Ed Students Shine at State

Every year, the VCOE Migrant Education Program holds a Speech and Debate Tournament where students show off their oratory skills in English and Spanish. Our local team recently had the honor of traveling to Monterey for the state competition. They did an outstanding job, earning the following awards:

Rio Mesa High School – 2nd Place: Spanish Debate
Oxnard High School – 2nd Place: Spanish Speech
De Anza Academy – 3rd Place: English Speech

This week, the students were honored by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors for their achievements. Click here to see a video of Ventura County students receiving their awards.

A Full Brain Workout for the Mathletes

Now in its third year, the Mathlete Challenge, held recently at the Ventura County Office of Education, was bigger and better than ever. Twelve districts and 34 schools participated in this full-day competition, in which 4th- and 5th-grade students put their math skills to the test. We’re tremendously grateful to the Ventura County Math Council for presenting this fun opportunity for students to get excited about learning math.

Free Biotech Tools for Science Teachers

The Amgen Biotech Experience is a remarkable program that provides equipment and training to help high school science teachers bring state-of-the-art biotechnology lessons to students in Ventura County and around the world. This incredible opportunity is available to local science teachers at no charge.

Learn all about it from Oak Park High School biology teacher Winnie Sloan, who is our guest on the latest episode of the VCOE Focus on Education podcast.

Watch the Podcast

Tech, Innovation, & Data in Education

Local educators had the opportunity to use technology to drive meaningful change at the first-ever Technology, Innovation & Data in Education (TIDE) Conference at VCOE this month. Our Technology Services team presented sessions on AI, cybersecurity, student information systems, and more. The event featured industry partners such as Apple, Canva and QSIS, and included a keynote address from FBI Special Agent Justin Vallese.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to remember that help is available for anyone struggling with mental health issues.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has compiled an extensive list of resources, which you can access here.

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.