California’s top education policy making body voted Thursday to adopt a model curriculum in ethnic studies, ending a years-long and tortuous debate over the content and place of such coursework in public education in the state.
COVID K-12
Posted inK-12 Education
Parents call for commitment, clearer path to full reopening of Santa Cruz County schools
Newly formed parent group Families for Santa Cruz County Schools is urging districts to solidify plans for a full-time reopening of classrooms in the fall — and give parents more of a seat at the table.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Upon further review: No COVID testing will be necessary for football, county school officials determine
On Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education took its interpretation of the state guidance one step further and clarified that testing would not be necessary for football as long as positivity rates continued to plummet.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Prep football community seeks answers on testing guidelines as weekend games, scrimmages get postponed
Amid confusion by sports league officials and parents over testing requirements and who is supposed to interpret them, Santa Cruz County health officials are saying they have “no oversight or orders related to return-to-play issues for high school sports.”
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Thursday Night (Pandemic) Lights: High School football returns with an eerie sense of promise
Thursday night marked the first night of high school football action in California in 15 months. At Santa Cruz County’s first game, there was plenty of rust on the field and plenty of oddities elsewhere — such as the empty stands where only a few crafty volunteer parents had a live view of the action.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
‘Roomers & Zoomers’: Gault Elementary set for the hybrid test as youngest students to return to campus Monday
Kindergarteners are set to return to Gault Elementary on Monday to begin their hybrid in-person and remote learning, followed by older students the next week. They’ll be met by excited teachers, and a number of new protocols.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Into the ‘red’ again: Santa Cruz County’s reemergence from COVID restrictions takes big step forward
Tuesday marked the latest tier shift for Santa Cruz County, as COVID data pushed things back into the red. Beginning Wednesday, restaurants and theaters can reopen indoor service at 25% capacity, gyms at 10%. Other reappearances looming include high school football and live music.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Obstacles remain in new guidelines for indoor high school sports to begin
While the state has settled a lawsuit that seeks a return of indoor sports, schools need to follow testing and procedures similar to college sports.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
California school reopening plan gets final OK, though some lawmakers wanted more
The legislation, which Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to sign on Friday, is the most far-reaching effort by legislators in more than six months to address the educational challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
‘Singing the same tune’: Return plans for middle and high schools quickly taking shape in Santa Cruz County
Five of six districts with secondary schools are gearing up to begin hybrid in-person and remote instruction in March and April — so long as the county moves to the red tier of California’s reopening framework, as expected. The sixth is strongly considering accelerating secondary reopening plans.
