OCDE Education in the News

Monday, October 25, 2021

OCDE NEWSROOM

VIDEO: WellSpace openings celebrated in Los Alamitos Unified

Los Alamitos Unified School District officials recently gathered with representatives from the Orange County Department of Education, CHOC and the Los Alamitos Education Foundation to formally dedicate new WellSpace centers at McAuliffe and Oak middle schools. There are now five WellSpace centers at middle and high school campuses in Orange County through a partnership involving OCDE and CHOC. The initiative kicked off in Los Alamitos during the last school year with the goal of improving mental health by creating spaces of calm for students to reset and learn about mindfulness strategies with support from school counselors.

https://newsroom.ocde.us/video-los-alamitos-unified-celebrates-new-wellspace-centers/

COVID-19 update: State to continue school mask requirement beyond Nov. 1

Calling for continued vigilance to prevent COVID-19 transmission in schools, California health officials announced this week that the indoor mask mandate for students and staff will remain in place as the state monitors conditions through the winter.

https://newsroom.ocde.us/coronavirus-update/

SACRAMENTO BEE

Don’t like your kid’s school? Initiative would give parents power to sue for change

The initiative, backed by longtime education reform advocates, could set up legal battles with the state’s teachers unions and school districts. It would give parents more power to challenge policies they regard as problematic for the kids’ schooling.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article255155727.html#storylink=cpy

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

S.F. voters to decide fate of 3 school board members in first city recall election in nearly 40 years

San Francisco election officials have confirmed voters will decide whether to recall three school board members in an election set for Feb. 16.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/S-F-voters-to-decide-fate-of-3-school-board-16543096.php

Is bird-watching the antidote to the pandemic? S.F. high school pushes passion projects

For students at Independence High School, an alternative public school, bird-watching, weaving, soap making and other passion projects are heavenly after 18 months in distance-learning isolation.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Is-bird-watching-the-antidote-to-the-pandemic-16538865.php

INLAND VALLEY DAILY BULLETIN

Despite outcries, armed officers maintain presence at Southern California schools

Armed officers remain entrenched at school campuses across Southern California despite public outcry in the wake of a fatal shooting in Long Beach by a school safety officer and opposition unleashed by the 2020 killing of George Floyd. School districts in Los Angeles, Baldwin Park and Claremont have acquiesced to demands from protesters to remove police from campuses, but activists remain unsatisfied. Fretful parents, meanwhile, worry about violence at unprotected schools and demand that officers stay.

https://www.dailybulletin.com/2021/10/24/despite-outcries-armed-officers-maintain-presence-at-southern-california-schools/

Pomona Unified to consider bringing police back to schools

Three months after Pomona Unified School District leaders voted to remove dedicated police officers from campuses, the school board is now reconsidering the move on the heels of a shooting near a high school. Superintendent Richard Martinez has announced the board will have a special meeting to vote on whether the district should enter into a service agreement with the Pomona Police Department for two community school resource officers. That vote will take place Nov. 1 or Nov. 3, Martinez said Wednesday, Oct. 20.

https://www.dailybulletin.com/2021/10/22/pomona-unified-to-consider-bringing-police-back-to-schools/

FRESNO BEE

Clovis school board promises ‘change’ after adults bully student during public meeting

Clovis Unified School Board President Steven Fogg said he would work to ensure all speakers at school board meetings feel safe, following an incident Wednesday when adults in the crowd booed a high school student.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/education-lab/article255217406.html#storylink=cpy

EDSOURCE

For months, California private schools have been waiting for 'emergency' Covid aid

Recognizing that all schools were struggling with Covid, Congress offered help this year for private along with public schools. The $5.5 billion for non-public schools was small compared with the $230 billion in pandemic relief for public schools since March 2020, but nonetheless an unprecedented amount.

https://edsource.org/2021/for-months-california-private-schools-have-been-waiting-for-emergency-covid-aid/662776

BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN

KCSO doesn't have enough deputies to staff school resource officers

Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said the Kern County Sheriff's Office has requested to cancel its contracts with school districts where deputies serve as school resource officers due to understaffing.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/article_70442e24-3382-11ec-b4e8-7779a93f2e8d.html

LAGUNA BEACH INDEPENDENT

Laguna Beach High School students present authentic research proposals

Laguna Beach High School’s Authentic Exploratory Research (AER) Program students presented their project proposals during a special class session on Oct. 13. Teachers and students of the Palo Alto Unified School District’s Advanced Authentic Research program and their mentors joined the class via Zoom to collaborate and offer feedback. High school students gave a two-minute elevator pitch of their projects. This unique opportunity allowed the students to give feedback that helped streamline their research questions.

https://www.lagunabeachindy.com/laguna-beach-high-school-students-present-authentic-research-proposals/

HuffPost

What Every Parent Needs To Know About Kids And Suicidal Thoughts

Kids' mental health is in crisis, experts say. Here’s how to talk to them about suicide.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/suicidal-ideation-children-what-to-know_l_6172cb24e4b066de4f61cf40

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