OCDE Education in the News

Friday, January 27, 2023

OCDE NEWSROOM

Here’s how OC schools and districts celebrated the Lunar New Year

Students, educators and community members across Orange County began the Lunar New Year by participating in cultural performances, playing games and sharing meals. Lunar New Year starts with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and is recognized by many countries in East Asia including China, Vietnam and Korea. This year marks the Year of the Rabbit — or the Year of the Cat, depending on cultural traditions — which is believed to symbolize longevity, peace and prosperity.

https://newsroom.ocde.us/heres-how-oc-schools-and-districts-celebrated-the-lunar-new-year/

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Firing of an O.C. school superintendent sets the stage for a conservative agenda

Madison Klovstad Miner ran for the Orange Unified school board with financial backing from conservative groups, signaling her ideology with phrases like “parent first” and “education fundamentals.” Earlier this month, in her second meeting after narrowly beating an incumbent Democrat, Miner voted with three colleagues to fire the district’s superintendent. The board’s new conservative majority has not stated a reason for the move, which was opposed by many parents and teachers. But it appeared to be the opening salvo in an effort to bring what is taught in the district’s classrooms in line with conservative values.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-01-27/an-o-c-school-board-fired-its-superintendent-a-move-seen-as-a-right-wing-power-play

CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

Actress Kyla Stone Credits Marco Forster Experiences with Fueling Her Theatrical Dream

If you go to see a performance of The Secret Garden in Los Angeles soon, you’ll witness actress Kyla Stone perform on stage. Stone has local roots. The Anaheim-born thespian went to school at Ambuehl Elementary School and Marco Forster Middle School in San Juan Capistrano before heading off to the South Orange County School of the Arts at Dana Hills High School. Stone always loved theater and the arts growing up, a fascination that was nurtured at Ambuehl and Marco Forster through supportive teachers who let her sing in class.

https://www.thecapistranodispatch.com/actress-kyla-stone-credits-marco-forster-experiences-with-fueling-her-theatrical-dream/

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

Bay Area students account for over half the state’s candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program

Nearly 150 Bay Area students have been selected as candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, one of the country’s highest honors for graduating high school seniors. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the awards highlight “excellence in education and the promise of greatness in America’s youth.” Students are selected based on their academic achievement, including scores on the SAT or ACT exams, talent in the visual, creative and performing arts, and skills in the career and technical education fields.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/01/26/these-bay-area-students-are-candidates-for-the-prestigious-u-s-presidential-scholars-program/

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

California colleges consider overhauling grading system for freshmen to ease transition to higher learning

Supporters say ‘ungrading’ could result in less stress and a more level playing field for students from less rigorous high schools.

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/01/27/colleges-consider-overhauling-grading-system-for-freshmen-to-ease-transition-to-higher-learning/

EDSOURCE

California teachers call on their districts for contractual commitment to community schools

As California dishes out $4.1 billion to school districts through 2031 to transform thousands of campuses into full-service community schools, teachers are demanding that parents, community leaders as well as educators have a say in how a district’s allocation is spent and that the initiative is sustainable in the long-term.

https://edsource.org/2023/california-teachers-call-on-their-districts-for-contractual-commitment-to-community-schools/684861

OTHER NEWS OUTLETS

Manhattan Beach Unified poised to become first No Place for Hate district in SoCal

Students sat on the playground at Grand View Elementary School, where they took part in a recent anti-bullying assembly. It’s a joint effort with the Anti-Defamation League’s No Place for Hate program. The speaker explained to the student that a bystander is anyone who witnesses bullying happening either in person or online. “It is kind of embarrassing to stand up and to tell a teacher because it’s like, ‘you’re a snitch.’ That shouldn’t be a bad thing. You’re defending yourself and you should be proud of that, that you stood up,” said fifth grader Valeria Garcia.

https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/orange-county/inside-the-issues/2023/01/27/mbusd-poised-to-become--no-place-for-hate--district

Pandemic, culture wars revive ‘school choice’ policy push

Nichole Mason first became concerned when she learned administrators at her children’s public school were allowing transgender students to use girls’ bathrooms. Her frustrations mounted when she felt her children’s next school went too far with how they enforced COVID regulations during the pandemic.

https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8

Novato teachers ratify contract with 13.26% raise

Teachers in the Novato Unified School District have ratified a one-year contract with a 13.26% pay bump for the current school year, officials said. The contract is retroactive to July 1.

https://www.marinij.com/2023/01/26/novato-teachers-ratify-contract-with-13-26-raise/

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