Young people are experiencing an alarming increase in mental health challenges, the U.S. surgeon general has said. Here’s what you should know.
COVID K-12
Posted inCOVID 2022
Santa Cruz County COVID-19 update: Infections, hospitalizations, deaths and demographic data
New Leaf Community Markets brand manager Lindsay Gizdich said the store is moving from Pacific Avenue in order to have…
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Surgeon general warns of emerging youth mental health crisis in rare public advisory
With symptoms of depression and anxiety having doubled during the pandemic, the advisory is to call attention to a “youth mental health crisis” and recommend resources to call on and actions to take.
Posted inK-12 Education
New-look school safety programs off and running: Aptos, Watsonville piloting SRO-mental clinician pairing
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District is moving forward with the implementation of its school policing pilot program, which pairs a mental health clinician with a school resource officer at Watsonville and Aptos high schools. At its regular meeting on Wednesday, the district’s board of trustees is slated to discuss what metrics should be recorded and used to measure the program’s success.
Posted inK-12 Education
A computer science call to action: National education week kicks off in Santa Cruz County
The Santa Cruz County Office of Education is bringing a week of activities and guest speakers for the region’s educators, students and families in an effort to encourage young people to learn computer science. Educators say they hope it will both spark interest in computer science jobs as well as encourage the innovative and analytical skills that come with the subject.
Posted inK-12 Education
‘So much hope, so much participation’: County parents lining up young ones for COVID-19 shots
Since the launch of COVID-19 vaccination clinics in schools across the county last week through the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, 2,858 students ages 5 to 11 have been vaccinated and more than 1,000 are scheduled to receive vaccines in the next few weeks.
Posted inK-12 Education
‘We’re going to do our part’: Gault Elementary holds its first vaccine clinic for elementary students
Santa Cruz County’s Office of Education and Behavioral Health Division received a $4 million grant to improve access to…
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Faced with soaring Ds and Fs, schools are ditching the old way of grading
Pandemic-forced school closures revealed how grade-point systems hurt disadvantaged children, prompting educators to look for ways to bring equity to grading.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Court order reinstates distance learning for group of disabled students; broad implications
The students had trouble receiving schooling and other needed services if they chose not to return to in-person classes.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
‘Not quite on board’: Parents proving a tough sell on COVID vax for teens
California offers a lens on the challenges officials face in persuading parents to embrace COVID shots for young children. While the state has a strong showing in overall vaccination rates, just 59% of kids 12 to 17 — eligible for a shot since May — are fully vaccinated.