Dear Members of the Senior Class of 2018: This month thousands of you have crossed the threshold from high school to adulthood as you gather your diplomas and your many years of hard work and move on to your future. It’s an amazing accomplishment and one for which you should feel deep pride. You are well aware of the dedication and hard work it took to earn your diploma. Many of you juggled extracurricular activities, family obligations, volunteer work and part-time jobs while complet...

She lost her home to the Thomas Fire in the middle of her senior year, but it didn't stop her from achieving her dreams. He's a competitive snowboarder who's part of the first graduating class of Ventura County's newest high school. They're just two of the graduating seniors we're proud to introduce you to in this edition of Focus on Education.

Today in Camarillo, VC Innovates 2018 Pathfinder Awards were presented to this year’s most innovative educators, business and community partners for their support of Career and Technical Education. Twenty-five award recipients selected by each of the education partner school districts as well as thirteen business and community partners were recognized at a luncheon at the Spanish Hills Country Club. All of the honorees have played a pivotal role in bringing career and technical education o...

Teachers from throughout Ventura County are being honored with $13,000 in grants for developing innovative lessons for their students. At a ceremony tonight in Oxnard, the Ventura County Office of Education presented 22 IMPACT II grants to 30 teachers from 12 schools in eight local districts. The grants are funded by local businesses and organizations that wish to promote unique and creative teaching practices.The winners were selected by judging teams comprised of educators and c...

The Ventura County Office of Education is pleased to announce that Kirsten Barajas of Juan Soria Elementary School in the Oxnard School District is the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year. Barajas and her students found out about the honor today when her family, local dignitaries and members of the media made a surprise visit to her classroom.See Video and Photos of the Surprise AnnouncementBarajas is in her 19th year as an educator in the Oxnard School District. She currently teaches sixth ...

Dr. Roger Rice, Deputy Superintendent for Student Services at the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE), was honored today by the Ventura County Leadership Academy (VCLA) as its Educational Leader of the Year. Dr. Rice received his award today at the VCLA Journey to Leadership Awards Luncheon, which is the premier event in the county recognizing leaders who have made an exceptional impact in our community.“I can think of no one more deserving of this honor,” said Stan Mantooth, V...

More than ever before, we have the tools to measure and analyze the performance of our students and schools at an extraordinary level of detail. Here in Ventura County, several initiatives are harnessing the power of information to benefit students starting in preschool and continuing through higher education. In this edition of Focus on Education, find out how Ventura County educators are putting the education data revolution to work for our students. Read it below on your computer or tap ...

Now is your chance to have a say in setting goals and funding priorities for the next school year. The Ventura County Office of Education is seeking your input as we create a plan that will serve as an education road map for the future. It's called the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and it will help ensure that funding for VCOE-operated schools gets to where it's needed most. Community input is a key part of the plan, so please take a few moments to complete the brief ...

Three Ventura County elementary schools are being honored as 2018 California Distinguished Schools by the California Department of Education. Schools that applied were eligible based on their performance and progress on the state indicators as described on the California School Dashboard. Indicators include test scores, suspension rates and English learner progress.The local schools being honored are:• Sycamore Canyon (Conejo Valley Unified School District)• Walnut Canyon Elementary (M...

The winners of the 2018 Ventura County Science Fair were announced at an awards ceremony this evening at the VCOE Conference and Educational Services Center in Camarillo. At tonight’s ceremony, awards were presented in 14 scientific categories including microbiology, engineering and chemistry. In addition, local companies and organizations selected winners in 11 special categories. The winning entries were chosen by local science, engineering and industry professionals who v...