After a lengthy and thorough review and testing process, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is now available for children as young as five years old. Whether you plan to be among the first to get your kids vaccinated or still have reservations, there are some important things to know about this latest tool in the battle against the coronavirus and what it means for Ventura County schools.

Veteran educator Rob Collins has announced his resignation from the Ventura County Board of Education. Collins was elected to the board in 2018 for the second time. He had previously served as a board trustee from 2002 to 2004. He also served for twelve years as a trustee for the Simi Valley Unified School District Board of Education and has many years of experience as a classroom teacher and school administrator. Collins was honored as the Simi Valley Teacher of the Year in 1998. Collins s...

The Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) is increasing the daily pay rate for substitute teachers who work at its schools. Effective October 11, 2021, the daily rate for the first ten days of substitute teaching increased from $135 to $200. For day 11 onward, the rate went up from $155 to $220. VCOE operates special education schools throughout Ventura County that serve students with disabilities and behavioral issues. Anyone interested in working as a substitute at one of our schools shoul...

Reflections on the New School Year from the Superintendent • Emotional Wellbeing Conference for Parents and Educators • Get Involved with VEX Robotics, Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial, and the Science Fair • New High Tech Lab to Become a Field Trip Destination

The first day of school is always special, but this year it held even deeper meaning for obvious reasons. It was a real pleasure for me to visit some of our local schools as students arrived for the start of the new school year. You could feel the joy and excitement as students were welcomed back by their teachers from Ojai to Oxnard to Westlake and everywhere in between.

In its most recent communication on August 9, 2021, Ventura County Public Health (VCPH) addressed “new testing requirements” with a reference to guidance from California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on June 16, 2021, which indicated: “Testing is one layer in a multi-layered approach to COVID-19 prevention, in addition to other key measures such as vaccination, mask wearing, improved ventilation, physical distancing, and respiratory and hand hygiene.”VCPH’s gui...

From masks and vaccinations to remote learning, there are many questions about the new school year that is now getting underway in Ventura County. Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, addressed some of these pressing questions in a live virtual Q&A presented by the Ventura County Star that was held on Monday, August 16. A video recording of the event is now available to watch at the link below. Watch it in EnglishVerlo en español 

From COVID-19 safety to student mental health, there are many questions about the new school year that is now getting underway in Ventura County. Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, will address some of these pressing questions in a live virtual Q&A on Monday, August 16 at 6:00 PM.  WHAT: Live Back to School Q&A WHO: Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools WHEN: Monday, August 16, 2021, at 6:00 PM HOW TO WATCH...

Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, today applauded a new move by the State of California to require all school employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing. “With the continuing spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, this is a commonsense step that will help ensure the safety of students and employees as schools reopen for the new year,” said Dr. Morales. “Most school employees are already vaccinated, and I&rsquo...

Very soon, Ventura County students will begin heading back to class for the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Students in the Oak Park Unified School District are the first to return on August 9 and will be followed by their peers in the county’s 19 other school districts over the next few weeks.To say there is an unusual amount of excitement and anxiety over the start of this school year is an understatement. We’ve all been on an emotional rollercoaster since the pandemic started....