OCDE Education in the News

Monday, May 23, 2022

OCDE NEWSROOM

Garden Grove Unified announces new program to bring support dogs to schools

On Monday, May 16, the Garden Grove Unified School District and the Garden Grove Police Department announced the launch of a new program that will bring trained police support dogs to schools to provide an extra layer of social-emotional support for students. The program was announced to fourth- through sixth-graders at Mitchell Elementary School during a mental health assembly.

https://newsroom.ocde.us/garden-grove-unified-announces-new-program-to-bring-support-dogs-to-schools/

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Elections 2022: 9 candidates, different goals in Orange County Board of Education races

Big money is pouring into the OCBE races, with the California Charter Schools Association contributing $225,000 so far to the three incumbents.

https://www.ocregister.com/2022/05/23/elections-2022-9-candidates-different-goals-in-orange-county-board-of-education-races/

LOS ANGELES TIMES

DAILY PILOT

TeWinkle Middle School will switch to 7-period days, giving kids more elective choices

A change in hours and the shortening of classes will give kids one more period to fill, while new offerings will bring more foreign languages, art and design to the Costa Mesa campus.

https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2022-05-20/tewinkle-middle-school-will-switch-to-7-period-day-giving-kids-more-one-more-elective

SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE

San Marcos Unified opens Future Centers to help students plan for life beyond high school

San Marcos high schoolers are getting a leg up on planning their futures, as they celebrate the opening of Future Centers on campuses across the district. The San Marcos Promise nonprofit organization, in collaboration with the San Marcos Unified School District, is opening three new centers on each of the district’s high school campuses. The centers are a one-stop-shop for future planning, where students can take career assessments, get help creating resumes, learn financial literacy skills, browse through a closet of professional attire, and get connected with opportunities and resources both on campus and in the community.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2022-05-20/san-marcos-unified-future-centers

VOICE OF SAN DIEGO

Growing Tensions at Del Mar Union Have Spurred Calls for Investigation into Staff Dismissals

Parents and former faculty members of the Del Mar Union School District have packed school board meetings for weeks about apparent tensions between staff and administrators. Outspoken school community members are calling for an internal investigation after a string of abrupt staff dismissals.

https://voiceofsandiego.org/2022/05/23/growing-tensions-at-del-mar-union-have-spurred-calls-for-investigation-into-staff-dismissals/

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Berkeley Unified tells students, staff to mask up again amid COVID surge

More than two months after state officials lifted an indoor mask mandate for public school students, Berkeley Unified leaders will require students to mask up again for the last two weeks of the academic year amid a surge of COVID cases.

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/05/21/berkeley-unified-tells-students-staff-to-mask-up-again-amid-covid-surge/

FRESNO BEE

Fresno teachers want millions in new student and staff investments. Can FUSD afford it?

Last month, the Fresno Teachers Association presented Fresno Unified district leaders with a set of proposed investments, many of which focused on student well-being outside of the classroom.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/education-lab/article261536622.html#storylink=cpy

MODESTO BEE

Modesto City Schools may ask voters to approve $198M bond for high school upgrades

Modesto City Schools may ask its voters in November to approve a roughly $198 million bond to pay for repairs, upgrades and other improvements at the district’s eight high schools.

https://www.modbee.com/news/local/education/article261607192.html#storylink=cpy

Why high school days in Modesto will not only start later but be longer

Next academic year, students across California will have a later start to their school day. In Modesto, high-schoolers will have a longer one, too. And some Modesto City Schools families and district employees see the approximately one-hour longer day as bad news for some students.

https://www.modbee.com/news/local/education/article261560632.html

OTHER NEWS OUTLETS

As absenteeism skyrockets, schools get creative about luring back lost students

Sliding off their backpacks as they come through the front door of the local Boys and Girls Club, a group of students grab pool cues. Outside, children laugh as they bat around a beach ball on the lawn. But the upbeat mood belies the more serious reason that brings many of them here: They’re missing too much school. A short distance from southern California’s famous theme parks, the bright blue stucco building has become an extension of the Buena Park School District’s response to soaring absenteeism.

https://laschoolreport.com/as-absenteeism-skyrockets-schools-get-creative-about-luring-back-lost-students/

DISCLAIMER: This Internet site contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for your convenience. The Orange County Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of links to particular items in hypertext are not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed or products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.