Almost one year after a 17-year-old student died after being stabbed at Aptos High School, the family has filed a lawsuit against the Pajaro Valley Unified School District and Aptos High officials, alleging negligence and wrongful death.
K-12 Education
Posted inK-12 Education
Meet the Watsonville 8-year-old behind ‘D’ shoes, an award-winning invention for people facing dementia
Kristopher Bayog’s “D” shoes were born out of his concern for his grandmother, who is facing dementia. His invention helps people find lost loved ones by activating an alarm system housed in the sole of the sneakers. Why the “D” shoe? For detectives who are on the case for grandma, of course.
Posted inK-12 Education
Santa Cruz school districts’ transitional kindergarten plans taking shape, but much still left to do
While summer is just now officially kicking off, the school year already feels around the corner for Santa Cruz County school districts preparing to add a new grade level to their campuses: transitional kindergarten for 4-year-olds. Several districts have already submitted their TK plans — to meet a June 30 deadline — to the California Department of Education.
Posted inK-12 Education
Petition in hand, Soquel Union Elementary School District parents confront issues of low teacher pay, high turnover
A group of about 30 parents in the Soquel Union Elementary School District has taken action — confronting longstanding funding problems in the small district. A petition with more than 600 signatures asks for a reckoning on teacher pay in a district paying among the least in Santa Cruz County.
Posted inK-12 Education
Spending spree: Oversight scarce as billions in COVID aid poured into California schools
A CalMatters investigation found that schools had wildly different approaches to stimulus spending — from laptops to shade structures to an ice cream truck. No centralized database exists to show the public exactly where the money went.
Posted inK-12 Education
COVID, mental health and security challenges: School superintendent Faris Sabbah reflects and looks ahead to next four years
Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah will get a second four-year term leading the Santa Cruz County Office of Education after winning an unopposed election Tuesday. COVID-19 threw him a curveball, and now school security and generational funding challenges mean anything but education business as usual.
Posted inK-12 Education
PVUSD renews SRO program in wake of Aptos High stabbing nine months ago
Santa Cruz County’s largest school district has renewed what has been a controversial policing presence at its high schools. Pajaro Valley Unified School District and law enforcement officials say it’s too soon to know its overall impact on student safety and preventing incidents, but early surveys find support for the program.
Posted inK-12 Education
What has Tony Thurmond done as California schools chief?
Tony Thurmond faces little opposition for a second term as California schools superintendent, but critics question how much he has accomplished. He points to task forces that are influencing education policy and says he wants to help public schools rebound from the pandemic.