California Program Debuts Fully Inclusive Playground – National Head Start Association - Staff at the Camerado Springs Middle School (CSMS) Head Start in Cameron Park, California debuted their new fully inclusive playground ahead of the new program year. CSMS Head Start is home to a fully inclusive preschool classroom that provides services to children with special needs. The fully inclusive playground is engineered for children with varied disabilities and has fully accessible ramps and walkways.

Lake Tahoe Unified School District starts process of hiring new superintendent – South Tahoe Now - The Board of Trustees from the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) heard a presentation Tuesday about searching for the next superintendent… Rich Fischer, former LTUSD superintendent and current El Dorado County Board of Education (EDCOE) trustee, outlined what the LTUSD board members could expect about the process most of them are facing for the first time… “The El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) believes that the selection of the Superintendent will be the most important decision of the Board. EDCOE fully supports the decision of the LTUSD Board to identify the best strategy to recruit the highest quality candidates and future leader of LTUSD.” Dr. Ed Manansala, County Superintendent of Schools

Crews working to get Sierra House Elementary open by start of school – South Tahoe Now - …With the beginning of school just around the corner, crews have been beefed up and are working overtime to try and get the doors open for all students on August 26.…"In catastrophes like this you see strength come out of it, the teachers and kids were phenomenal," said Superintendent Dr. Jim Tarwater. "I am very proud of both the kids and teachers [of the moves to STMS and Al Tahoe]," added Tarwater. "I know where they wanted to be, but they adapted. They kept their focus." He said test scores actually increased this past year though exact details have not yet been released. He also said he appreciated the support of the community during this process and said the school's principal Karin Holmes did a "superb job."

Boys & Girls Club proposes idea of new home to LTUSD – South Tahoe Now - What is currently six portable buildings at the Al Tahoe school site could be a new home for the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe (BGCLT). That is the idea Jude Wood presented to the school board Tuesday night.,, Al Tahoe, which closed as an elementary school in 2004 due to declining enrollment, reopened shortly afterward as home to several non-profits and agencies as well as BGCLT. The District wants to slowly reopen classrooms there that will focus on robotics and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art/design, and math). They began the new focus this year with daycare facilities for children of their employees.

Pleasant Grove welcomes new principal – Mountain Democrat/Village Life - Pleasant Grove Middle School in Rescue just got itself a new principal. Meet Principal Vera Morris, who told Cameron Park Life she “loves middle school.” “It’s such an in-between part of kids’ lives. They don’t know who they are but they think they do,” she explained. Growing up in Pollock Pines and Cameron Park, where Morris currently resides, she already has a connection to the community… Rescue Union Superintendent Cheryl Olson added, “We are very excited to have her join our team. She comes with great experience at the middle school level, she has a deep love and passion for middle school students and she is very excited to give back to the community in which she lives.”

Good to know

Local

Marshall Medical Center reports community benefit report – Mountain Democrat - Living out its mission to improve health in El Dorado County, Marshall Medical Center has invested in community benefit programs to enhance access to behavioral health services, prevent and better manage chronic disease and increase primary care access. These actions were based on the findings of a Community Health Needs Assessment conducted in 2016.

State

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Efforts Underway to Make Major Revisions to Improve Ethnic Studies Curriculum Draft – CDE Press Release - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond joined with leaders of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus at a special news conference today to address concerns and talk about revisions to the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Thurmond stated in the meeting that greater balance was needed in the curriculum to more accurately reflect the experience and contributions of Jewish Americans and to address anti-Semitism that has existed historically and that continues to persist in modern-day times.

Criticism of draft curriculum for ethnic studies in California intensifies – EdSource - California lawmakers will decide this month whether to make ethnic studies a high school graduation requirement. Yet the first draft of a proposed ethnic studies curriculum has drawn strong criticism from top state education leaders, as well as some ethnic organizations that say their stories are mischaracterized, underplayed or ignored. Thursday is the final day for the public to comment on the proposed curriculum that already has drawn more than 5,000 responses, mostly from critics who describe the 350-page document as politically slanted and insensitive to Jews and other groups.

Students return to dramatically different Paradise – EdSource - Schools reopen in Paradise today, but nothing is the same. The Camp Fire changed everything nine months ago when it roared through the town and neighboring communities, killing 86 people, destroying thousands of homes and four schools. Many of the 1,000 students who are expected to return — about a third of the student population of a year ago — will be coming on buses from their new homes in Oroville, Chico and Durham. Many of their former classmates and teachers have moved away.

Federal government to restrict green cards for immigrants who could use food stamps or other aid in future – EdSource - Low-income immigrants will not be able to get green cards if government officials believe they might use food stamps, public health insurance or public housing in the future, after a new rule goes into effect in October. The Trump administration had originally proposed this change last fall, spurring opposition from numerous nonprofit organizations and individuals, who submitted comments opposing the policy change.

New push in California for later middle, high school start times – EdSource - fter former Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill last year that proposed starting middle and high school times later to give teens more time to sleep, the bill’s author started working to bring it back again this year. Although the bill originally banned both middle and high schools from starting before 8:30 a.m., Sen. Anthony Portantino, D-San Fernando Valley, agreed to amendments in May that would allow middle schools to start at 8 a.m. while keeping high school start times at 8:30 a.m., to give districts more flexibility in scheduling buses.

Nationwide project provides free science materials to meet California’s new standards – EdSource - While California students began taking a new statewide science test this past spring, school districts were still struggling to get teaching materials aligned to the state’s new science standards into classrooms. A new nationwide effort is trying to speed up that process by offering free, open source science materials to teachers and schools.

California Program Debuts Fully Inclusive Playground – National Head Start Association - Staff at the Camerado Springs Middle School (CSMS) Head Start in Cameron Park, California debuted their new fully inclusive playground ahead of the new program year. CSMS Head Start is home to a fully inclusive preschool classroom that provides services to children with special needs. The fully inclusive playground is engineered for children with varied disabilities and has fully accessible ramps and walkways.

Lake Tahoe Unified School District starts process of hiring new superintendent – South Tahoe Now - The Board of Trustees from the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) heard a presentation Tuesday about searching for the next superintendent… Rich Fischer, former LTUSD superintendent and current El Dorado County Board of Education (EDCOE) trustee, outlined what the LTUSD board members could expect about the process most of them are facing for the first time… “The El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) believes that the selection of the Superintendent will be the most important decision of the Board. EDCOE fully supports the decision of the LTUSD Board to identify the best strategy to recruit the highest quality candidates and future leader of LTUSD.” Dr. Ed Manansala, County Superintendent of Schools

Crews working to get Sierra House Elementary open by start of school – South Tahoe Now - …With the beginning of school just around the corner, crews have been beefed up and are working overtime to try and get the doors open for all students on August 26.…"In catastrophes like this you see strength come out of it, the teachers and kids were phenomenal," said Superintendent Dr. Jim Tarwater. "I am very proud of both the kids and teachers [of the moves to STMS and Al Tahoe]," added Tarwater. "I know where they wanted to be, but they adapted. They kept their focus." He said test scores actually increased this past year though exact details have not yet been released. He also said he appreciated the support of the community during this process and said the school's principal Karin Holmes did a "superb job."

Boys & Girls Club proposes idea of new home to LTUSD – South Tahoe Now - What is currently six portable buildings at the Al Tahoe school site could be a new home for the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe (BGCLT). That is the idea Jude Wood presented to the school board Tuesday night.,, Al Tahoe, which closed as an elementary school in 2004 due to declining enrollment, reopened shortly afterward as home to several non-profits and agencies as well as BGCLT. The District wants to slowly reopen classrooms there that will focus on robotics and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art/design, and math). They began the new focus this year with daycare facilities for children of their employees.

Pleasant Grove welcomes new principal – Mountain Democrat/Village Life - Pleasant Grove Middle School in Rescue just got itself a new principal. Meet Principal Vera Morris, who told Cameron Park Life she “loves middle school.” “It’s such an in-between part of kids’ lives. They don’t know who they are but they think they do,” she explained. Growing up in Pollock Pines and Cameron Park, where Morris currently resides, she already has a connection to the community… Rescue Union Superintendent Cheryl Olson added, “We are very excited to have her join our team. She comes with great experience at the middle school level, she has a deep love and passion for middle school students and she is very excited to give back to the community in which she lives.”

Good to know

Local

Marshall Medical Center reports community benefit report – Mountain Democrat - Living out its mission to improve health in El Dorado County, Marshall Medical Center has invested in community benefit programs to enhance access to behavioral health services, prevent and better manage chronic disease and increase primary care access. These actions were based on the findings of a Community Health Needs Assessment conducted in 2016.

State

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Efforts Underway to Make Major Revisions to Improve Ethnic Studies Curriculum Draft – CDE Press Release - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond joined with leaders of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus at a special news conference today to address concerns and talk about revisions to the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Thurmond stated in the meeting that greater balance was needed in the curriculum to more accurately reflect the experience and contributions of Jewish Americans and to address anti-Semitism that has existed historically and that continues to persist in modern-day times.

Criticism of draft curriculum for ethnic studies in California intensifies – EdSource - California lawmakers will decide this month whether to make ethnic studies a high school graduation requirement. Yet the first draft of a proposed ethnic studies curriculum has drawn strong criticism from top state education leaders, as well as some ethnic organizations that say their stories are mischaracterized, underplayed or ignored. Thursday is the final day for the public to comment on the proposed curriculum that already has drawn more than 5,000 responses, mostly from critics who describe the 350-page document as politically slanted and insensitive to Jews and other groups.

Students return to dramatically different Paradise – EdSource - Schools reopen in Paradise today, but nothing is the same. The Camp Fire changed everything nine months ago when it roared through the town and neighboring communities, killing 86 people, destroying thousands of homes and four schools. Many of the 1,000 students who are expected to return — about a third of the student population of a year ago — will be coming on buses from their new homes in Oroville, Chico and Durham. Many of their former classmates and teachers have moved away.

Federal government to restrict green cards for immigrants who could use food stamps or other aid in future – EdSource - Low-income immigrants will not be able to get green cards if government officials believe they might use food stamps, public health insurance or public housing in the future, after a new rule goes into effect in October. The Trump administration had originally proposed this change last fall, spurring opposition from numerous nonprofit organizations and individuals, who submitted comments opposing the policy change.

New push in California for later middle, high school start times – EdSource - fter former Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill last year that proposed starting middle and high school times later to give teens more time to sleep, the bill’s author started working to bring it back again this year. Although the bill originally banned both middle and high schools from starting before 8:30 a.m., Sen. Anthony Portantino, D-San Fernando Valley, agreed to amendments in May that would allow middle schools to start at 8 a.m. while keeping high school start times at 8:30 a.m., to give districts more flexibility in scheduling buses.

Nationwide project provides free science materials to meet California’s new standards – EdSource - While California students began taking a new statewide science test this past spring, school districts were still struggling to get teaching materials aligned to the state’s new science standards into classrooms. A new nationwide effort is trying to speed up that process by offering free, open source science materials to teachers and schools.

LTUSD takes advantage of bond market and saves taxpayers $6M over next 10 years – South Tahoe Now - A move on Wednesday as interest rates in the bond markets dropped saved South Lake Tahoe taxpayers over $6 million over the next ten years. Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) refinanced some of its general obligation bonds to take advantage of low-interest rates in the municipal market and lock in savings for taxpayers. LTUSD refinanced approximately $24 million of outstanding bonds and the financing will close on August 28, 2019. The bonds were issued with a combined interest cost of approximately 1.3 percent, which was achieved due to demand for the LTUSD bonds and their strong credit rating (A1 from Moody’s Investor Services).

Backpack giveaway to 80 TRiO ETS students at STMS Kickstart Day – South Tahoe Now - Backpacks stuffed with needed supplies will be given away to the first 80 students to turn in a completed application for the first time with TRiO ETS in grades six to eight at South Tahoe Middle School. This 2nd annual Backpack Giveaway is on Thursday, August 22 during the school's Kickstart day from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. During Kickstart, students will also be getting their class schedules, class pictures, photo I.D. and much more. The Backpack Giveaway is hosted by Gladys Garcia, student advisor of the TRiO Educational Talent Search Program (ETS), at South Tahoe Middle School.

School district strives for appealing food options – Mountain Democrat - The El Dorado Union High School District Nutrition Services Department wants to give students options. Gone are the days where students have just a couple of choices. This year, students will have about 28 options each day. Almost the entire menu will be the same each day, however, each day of the week will also have at least one different item on it. At a professional standards training for workers in the high school district and other schools in El Dorado County nutrition services employees learned how much food a student needs, how being nice to a student can be what the student needs and how to properly cut foods during the day-long seminar.

Foster Youth summer program empowers youth – Mountain Democrat - This summer 12 high school foster youth gained professional skills and hands-on experience during an innovative internship program through the El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE). Initiated in 2009, this annual program provides at-risk youth with meaningful guidance, training and employment opportunities…. Outstandingly, 11 interns completed the program this summer using the professional and soft skills they learned along the way.

Ponderosa High School grad’s art makes a statement, wins award – Mountain Democrat (attached) – Sometimes you never know what fortuitous event will take your life im a completely different direction. It was a fluke on Gary Gorans’ part when he brought home a welding tool – nobody in his family knew how to use it. One day his son Daniel decided to give it a try, teaching himself the basics of welding by watching YouTube videos… Daniel’s sculpture is on display at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento.

Welcome Back Students of Georgetown Divide – Georgetown Gazette (attached) -  On Wednesday, August 14, the Black Oak Mine Unified School District welcomed welcomed back students to all six district schools. This marks over 75 years of educational service to the families of the Georgetown Divide, a unique rural area where approximately 1275 Students travel throughout 412 square miles to reach their neighborhood schools. Yellow school buses, driven by CHP certified drivers, were out on roadways as far north as Volcanoville, south as Kelsey, and as far west as Pilot Hill and Coll early on Wednesday.

First Day of Fun (Photo Gallery) – Village Life (attached) – Parents rejoiced and students were all smiles (well, mostly) at the first day of school. Principal Arron Palm greets students on the first day at Oak Ridge High School. Classes started August 12. Oak Meadow Elementary School kindergarten teacher Chris Nyquist greets incoming kindergartener Lyaaz Akhunzada, who offers a small grin during his first day photo shoot.

Good to know

Local

10 years of hope: Run with 3Strands Global Foundation to save a life – Mountain Democrat - Over a decade ago a 17-year-old Ponderosa High School student was taken from the El Dorado Hills Safeway parking lot and trafficked for eight days. Her family and friends, one of whom was Ashlie Bryant, mobilized immediately. This September the community has a chance to prevent tragedies like this from happening around the nation by participating in the 10th annual Break Free run…The Break Free 5K and 10K Run/Walk will be held Sept. 28, starting at 8 a.m. in Folsom. To register for the Break Free Run or for more information text BFR19 to 41411 or visit 3SGF.org.

State

California may tighten background checks, credentials for charter school teachers – EdSource - California charter school teachers don’t always have a teaching credential or the federal background checks required of teachers in traditional public schools. Currently, 1,118 California charter school teachers do not have any type of teaching credential or permit, including a Certificate of Clearance, according to the California Department of Education… A new bill making its way through the Legislature, Assembly Bill 1505, would set restrictions on the approval process for new charter schools. 

Gender, name changes could be required on California high school diplomas after graduation – EdSource - California school districts could soon be required to update records if graduates have changed their name or gender since leaving high school. Introduced by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, AB 711 would ensure that transgender and nonbinary individuals who are no longer in school can have their legal name reflected on school documents such as high school diplomas and transcripts. Nonbinary individuals are those whose gender identity is not strictly male or female.

National

Support grows nationwide for paying teachers more – EdSource - Most Americans believe that K-12 schools deserve more money, the federal government should chip in a bigger share of education costs and a college education — especially at community colleges — should be tuition-free, according a nationwide education poll released Tuesday. The annual poll by Education Next, an education journal that encourages school choice and charter schools, found a record level of bipartisan support for higher pay for teachers.

LTUSD takes advantage of bond market and saves taxpayers $6M over next 10 years – South Tahoe Now - A move on Wednesday as interest rates in the bond markets dropped saved South Lake Tahoe taxpayers over $6 million over the next ten years. Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) refinanced some of its general obligation bonds to take advantage of low-interest rates in the municipal market and lock in savings for taxpayers. LTUSD refinanced approximately $24 million of outstanding bonds and the financing will close on August 28, 2019. The bonds were issued with a combined interest cost of approximately 1.3 percent, which was achieved due to demand for the LTUSD bonds and their strong credit rating (A1 from Moody’s Investor Services).

Backpack giveaway to 80 TRiO ETS students at STMS Kickstart Day – South Tahoe Now - Backpacks stuffed with needed supplies will be given away to the first 80 students to turn in a completed application for the first time with TRiO ETS in grades six to eight at South Tahoe Middle School. This 2nd annual Backpack Giveaway is on Thursday, August 22 during the school's Kickstart day from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. During Kickstart, students will also be getting their class schedules, class pictures, photo I.D. and much more. The Backpack Giveaway is hosted by Gladys Garcia, student advisor of the TRiO Educational Talent Search Program (ETS), at South Tahoe Middle School.

School district strives for appealing food options – Mountain Democrat - The El Dorado Union High School District Nutrition Services Department wants to give students options. Gone are the days where students have just a couple of choices. This year, students will have about 28 options each day. Almost the entire menu will be the same each day, however, each day of the week will also have at least one different item on it. At a professional standards training for workers in the high school district and other schools in El Dorado County nutrition services employees learned how much food a student needs, how being nice to a student can be what the student needs and how to properly cut foods during the day-long seminar.

Foster Youth summer program empowers youth – Mountain Democrat - This summer 12 high school foster youth gained professional skills and hands-on experience during an innovative internship program through the El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE). Initiated in 2009, this annual program provides at-risk youth with meaningful guidance, training and employment opportunities…. Outstandingly, 11 interns completed the program this summer using the professional and soft skills they learned along the way.

Ponderosa High School grad’s art makes a statement, wins award – Mountain Democrat (attached) – Sometimes you never know what fortuitous event will take your life im a completely different direction. It was a fluke on Gary Gorans’ part when he brought home a welding tool – nobody in his family knew how to use it. One day his son Daniel decided to give it a try, teaching himself the basics of welding by watching YouTube videos… Daniel’s sculpture is on display at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento.

Welcome Back Students of Georgetown Divide – Georgetown Gazette (attached) -  On Wednesday, August 14, the Black Oak Mine Unified School District welcomed welcomed back students to all six district schools. This marks over 75 years of educational service to the families of the Georgetown Divide, a unique rural area where approximately 1275 Students travel throughout 412 square miles to reach their neighborhood schools. Yellow school buses, driven by CHP certified drivers, were out on roadways as far north as Volcanoville, south as Kelsey, and as far west as Pilot Hill and Coll early on Wednesday.

First Day of Fun (Photo Gallery) – Village Life (attached) – Parents rejoiced and students were all smiles (well, mostly) at the first day of school. Principal Arron Palm greets students on the first day at Oak Ridge High School. Classes started August 12. Oak Meadow Elementary School kindergarten teacher Chris Nyquist greets incoming kindergartener Lyaaz Akhunzada, who offers a small grin during his first day photo shoot.

Good to know

Local

10 years of hope: Run with 3Strands Global Foundation to save a life – Mountain Democrat - Over a decade ago a 17-year-old Ponderosa High School student was taken from the El Dorado Hills Safeway parking lot and trafficked for eight days. Her family and friends, one of whom was Ashlie Bryant, mobilized immediately. This September the community has a chance to prevent tragedies like this from happening around the nation by participating in the 10th annual Break Free run…The Break Free 5K and 10K Run/Walk will be held Sept. 28, starting at 8 a.m. in Folsom. To register for the Break Free Run or for more information text BFR19 to 41411 or visit 3SGF.org.

State

California may tighten background checks, credentials for charter school teachers – EdSource - California charter school teachers don’t always have a teaching credential or the federal background checks required of teachers in traditional public schools. Currently, 1,118 California charter school teachers do not have any type of teaching credential or permit, including a Certificate of Clearance, according to the California Department of Education… A new bill making its way through the Legislature, Assembly Bill 1505, would set restrictions on the approval process for new charter schools. 

Gender, name changes could be required on California high school diplomas after graduation – EdSource - California school districts could soon be required to update records if graduates have changed their name or gender since leaving high school. Introduced by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, AB 711 would ensure that transgender and nonbinary individuals who are no longer in school can have their legal name reflected on school documents such as high school diplomas and transcripts. Nonbinary individuals are those whose gender identity is not strictly male or female.

National

Support grows nationwide for paying teachers more – EdSource - Most Americans believe that K-12 schools deserve more money, the federal government should chip in a bigger share of education costs and a college education — especially at community colleges — should be tuition-free, according a nationwide education poll released Tuesday. The annual poll by Education Next, an education journal that encourages school choice and charter schools, found a record level of bipartisan support for higher pay for teachers.

EDC school leaders educate Gov. Newsom on PSPS impacts – South Tahoe Now/Placerville News Wire – On Thursday, October 31, Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond visited El Dorado County and Blue Oak Elementary School to learn about the impacts of the recent PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Gov. Newsom and Superintendent Thurmond met with El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala, Buckeye Union School District (BUSD) Superintendent Dr. David Roth, and several BUSD officials to hear first-hand about the challenges that school officials encounter when making decisions regarding school closures.

Just 6,700 PG&E customers still in the dark. ‘We are turning the corner,’ Gov. Newsom says – Sacramento Bee - The lights were on this week at Blue Oak Elementary School in Shingle Springs. But the students and staff didn’t have Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to thank. Blue Oak Elementary was opened with the help of a custodian who brought a generator from home to help bring power to the school on Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond visited the school Thursday to meet with administrators, staff and students who lost power due to PG&E’s power shutoff.

Viking Corner: This Week at South Tahoe High – South Tahoe Now - This week at South Tahoe High School, students dressed up for Spirit week and seniors on the volleyball and soccer teams played their last home games. To celebrate Halloween, the STHS Leadership and Yearbook groups created a Spirit week, where students dressed up in different themes, including angels versus devils, 80’s day, E-boy/girl versus VSCO girl, Halloween costumes, and blue-and-gold gear. Points for dressing up increased this week compared to previous Spirit weeks, which helped drive up participation.

Get ready to race at Apple Hill Harvest Run – Mountain Democrat - What’s a better way to reward yourself after a race than to treat yourself to seasonal goodies from the farms of Apple Hill? The Apple Hill Growers Association is encouraging runners, walkers and anyone who enjoys fall in the foothills to come out and support the Camino Union School District at the 40th annual Apple Hill Harvest Run on Sunday, Nov. 3. “The Apple Hill Growers have supported the Apple Hill Harvest Run since it started back in 1979 and we are excited to be able to help benefit Camino School and the community we’ve been a part of for more than five decades,” said Chris Delfino of Delfino Farms and president of the Apple Hill Growers Association.

Students learn about fire safety planning – Mountain Democrat – Pioneer Elementary School District began its Fire Prevention Week projects at the start of October. The projects were chosen to correlate with this year’s theme “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” Under the supervision of Mountain Creek Middle School Science and Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher, Amanda Eskildsen, the middle school students assisted the Pioneer Elementary School students with fire prevention projects. Fourth- and fifth-grade students in Alyson Huston’s class made plan your escape house plans with escape routes.

Local students monitor high-country watershed – Mountain Democrat – For the past 22 years the Watershed Education Summit has brought together students and teachers from local high schools with resource specialists in an extensive watershed monitoring project in the Crystal Basin Recreation Area of the Eldorado National Forest. El Dorado, Ponderosa, Union Mine, Foresthill and Golden Sierra students set out for the forest on Sept. 25 and spent three nights under the stars. “We’ve been collecting data for over 22 years,” explained Golden Sierra High School’s Brad Mason. “Not only is that an amazing amount of information but it’s also had an amazing impacted on a lot of kids.”

School dazed — lights go out in local classrooms – Mountain Democrat - The El Dorado County Office of Education has been coping with PG&E power shut-downs. Many local schools were closed this week as outages persisted with strong winds forecasted for the foothills. “The superintendents of the county’s 15 school districts are diligently managing these power shutoffs, including working at all hours of the weekends and I applaud their dedication and steadfast leadership,” said County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala. “These are uncertain circumstances and our educational leaders provide anchors that our communities may count on.”

Student of the Year: Caleigh Crisafulli – Village Life – There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when the Rotary Club of El Dorado Hills honored Caleigh Crisafulli as the Rolling Hills Middle School Student of the Year last Wednesday. Standing at the podium after receiving the award, the eighth-grader tearfully thanked her mother for all her support and sacrifices. Just a few feet away — though thousands of miles away — was Caleigh’s father … watching via FaceTime. He was recently deployed to Iraq. Caleigh’s younger brother and sister also attended the breakfast event. Rolling Hills Principal Debbie Bowers commended Caleigh for her commitment to the school and her community, calling her a kind young woman. Caleigh received an illustrated dictionary, plaque and $50.

EDCOE Bigs Make A Difference – The Windfall – El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) team members are volunteering their time to make a positive impact through Big Brothers Big Sisters of El Dorado County (BBBS). In September, six Indian Creek Elementary School students walked across the street to EDCOE, located on Green Valley Road in Placerville, and enjoyed lunch with six EDCOE Big Brothers and Big Sisters. After eating, the matched pairs participated in fun activities and games until their lunch break ended, and they returned to school.

Boys and Girls Club opens in Georgetown – Georgetown Gazette (attached) – On Oct. 14 the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado County Western Slope held the official ribbon cutting for the new facility, opening the 5,000 square foot club at Georgetown Elementary School. The Club currently serves 75 youths a day, and the new facility with have a capacity for 150 children with morning programs available.

Good to know

State

As fires rage, pressure mounts to train California’s next generation of forest stewards – EdSource - While some California schools shut their doors in October during a blackout intended to prevent wildfires, lessons continued outdoors for a group of students tucked away high in the Santa Cruz mountains. There, high school students from Sacramento to Los Angeles gathered at Forestry Challenge, a statewide program and competition that aims to train students in technical forest skills and management.

Shorter, clearer (but maybe not more transparent) school accountability plan coming – EdSource - With marching orders from the Legislature to create a parent-friendly document, the California Department of Education is in the final throes of designing another version — its fourth in 6 years — of the form that districts must use to explain how they’ll use funding from the Local Control Funding Formula. The formula covers about 80 percent of money they get from the state.

Reading scores drop in California, most states in much-watched national test – EdSource - In 2017, California education leaders heralded the significant increase in the state’s 8th-grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress as a sign that the state’s investment in education and its adoption of the Common Core standards had taken hold.

In-school suspensions the answer to school discipline? Not necessarily, experts say – EdSource - More California schools are allowing disruptive students to serve suspensions on campus instead of sending them home. But experts said educators need to provide those students with high-quality behavior counseling for that approach to be successful.

Mandating later school start times in California impinges on local control – EdSource - Under California’s system of local control of its schools, when to start the school day seems like a basic decision that should be left to local school boards and superintendents.

The value of social and emotional learning; Q&A with Tim Shriver – EdSource - Tim Shriver, a leading figure for three decades in social and emotional learning, is optimistic about the burgeoning interest in the field. “This is the most opportune time I’ve seen for us as educators to make significant improvements in the quality of life for children and the quality of learning outcomes for all children,” he said in an interview with EdSource.

California Teachers Association posts membership decline of about 15,000 – EdSource - he membership of California’s largest teachers’ union, and by far the largest state-level teachers’ union in the nation, has declined by about 15,000.

California rural schools struggling to hire teachers could get help from $9.4 million in grants – EdSource - Two federal grants totaling over $9.4 million will help California recruit teachers and mental health professionals to rural schools.

EDC school leaders educate Gov. Newsom on PSPS impacts – South Tahoe Now/Placerville News Wire – On Thursday, October 31, Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond visited El Dorado County and Blue Oak Elementary School to learn about the impacts of the recent PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Gov. Newsom and Superintendent Thurmond met with El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala, Buckeye Union School District (BUSD) Superintendent Dr. David Roth, and several BUSD officials to hear first-hand about the challenges that school officials encounter when making decisions regarding school closures.

Just 6,700 PG&E customers still in the dark. ‘We are turning the corner,’ Gov. Newsom says – Sacramento Bee - The lights were on this week at Blue Oak Elementary School in Shingle Springs. But the students and staff didn’t have Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to thank. Blue Oak Elementary was opened with the help of a custodian who brought a generator from home to help bring power to the school on Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond visited the school Thursday to meet with administrators, staff and students who lost power due to PG&E’s power shutoff.

Viking Corner: This Week at South Tahoe High – South Tahoe Now - This week at South Tahoe High School, students dressed up for Spirit week and seniors on the volleyball and soccer teams played their last home games. To celebrate Halloween, the STHS Leadership and Yearbook groups created a Spirit week, where students dressed up in different themes, including angels versus devils, 80’s day, E-boy/girl versus VSCO girl, Halloween costumes, and blue-and-gold gear. Points for dressing up increased this week compared to previous Spirit weeks, which helped drive up participation.

Get ready to race at Apple Hill Harvest Run – Mountain Democrat - What’s a better way to reward yourself after a race than to treat yourself to seasonal goodies from the farms of Apple Hill? The Apple Hill Growers Association is encouraging runners, walkers and anyone who enjoys fall in the foothills to come out and support the Camino Union School District at the 40th annual Apple Hill Harvest Run on Sunday, Nov. 3. “The Apple Hill Growers have supported the Apple Hill Harvest Run since it started back in 1979 and we are excited to be able to help benefit Camino School and the community we’ve been a part of for more than five decades,” said Chris Delfino of Delfino Farms and president of the Apple Hill Growers Association.

Students learn about fire safety planning – Mountain Democrat – Pioneer Elementary School District began its Fire Prevention Week projects at the start of October. The projects were chosen to correlate with this year’s theme “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” Under the supervision of Mountain Creek Middle School Science and Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher, Amanda Eskildsen, the middle school students assisted the Pioneer Elementary School students with fire prevention projects. Fourth- and fifth-grade students in Alyson Huston’s class made plan your escape house plans with escape routes.

Local students monitor high-country watershed – Mountain Democrat – For the past 22 years the Watershed Education Summit has brought together students and teachers from local high schools with resource specialists in an extensive watershed monitoring project in the Crystal Basin Recreation Area of the Eldorado National Forest. El Dorado, Ponderosa, Union Mine, Foresthill and Golden Sierra students set out for the forest on Sept. 25 and spent three nights under the stars. “We’ve been collecting data for over 22 years,” explained Golden Sierra High School’s Brad Mason. “Not only is that an amazing amount of information but it’s also had an amazing impacted on a lot of kids.”

School dazed — lights go out in local classrooms – Mountain Democrat - The El Dorado County Office of Education has been coping with PG&E power shut-downs. Many local schools were closed this week as outages persisted with strong winds forecasted for the foothills. “The superintendents of the county’s 15 school districts are diligently managing these power shutoffs, including working at all hours of the weekends and I applaud their dedication and steadfast leadership,” said County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala. “These are uncertain circumstances and our educational leaders provide anchors that our communities may count on.”

Student of the Year: Caleigh Crisafulli – Village Life – There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when the Rotary Club of El Dorado Hills honored Caleigh Crisafulli as the Rolling Hills Middle School Student of the Year last Wednesday. Standing at the podium after receiving the award, the eighth-grader tearfully thanked her mother for all her support and sacrifices. Just a few feet away — though thousands of miles away — was Caleigh’s father … watching via FaceTime. He was recently deployed to Iraq. Caleigh’s younger brother and sister also attended the breakfast event. Rolling Hills Principal Debbie Bowers commended Caleigh for her commitment to the school and her community, calling her a kind young woman. Caleigh received an illustrated dictionary, plaque and $50.

EDCOE Bigs Make A Difference – The Windfall – El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) team members are volunteering their time to make a positive impact through Big Brothers Big Sisters of El Dorado County (BBBS). In September, six Indian Creek Elementary School students walked across the street to EDCOE, located on Green Valley Road in Placerville, and enjoyed lunch with six EDCOE Big Brothers and Big Sisters. After eating, the matched pairs participated in fun activities and games until their lunch break ended, and they returned to school.

Boys and Girls Club opens in Georgetown – Georgetown Gazette (attached) – On Oct. 14 the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado County Western Slope held the official ribbon cutting for the new facility, opening the 5,000 square foot club at Georgetown Elementary School. The Club currently serves 75 youths a day, and the new facility with have a capacity for 150 children with morning programs available.

Good to know

State

As fires rage, pressure mounts to train California’s next generation of forest stewards – EdSource - While some California schools shut their doors in October during a blackout intended to prevent wildfires, lessons continued outdoors for a group of students tucked away high in the Santa Cruz mountains. There, high school students from Sacramento to Los Angeles gathered at Forestry Challenge, a statewide program and competition that aims to train students in technical forest skills and management.

Shorter, clearer (but maybe not more transparent) school accountability plan coming – EdSource - With marching orders from the Legislature to create a parent-friendly document, the California Department of Education is in the final throes of designing another version — its fourth in 6 years — of the form that districts must use to explain how they’ll use funding from the Local Control Funding Formula. The formula covers about 80 percent of money they get from the state.

Reading scores drop in California, most states in much-watched national test – EdSource - In 2017, California education leaders heralded the significant increase in the state’s 8th-grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress as a sign that the state’s investment in education and its adoption of the Common Core standards had taken hold.

In-school suspensions the answer to school discipline? Not necessarily, experts say – EdSource - More California schools are allowing disruptive students to serve suspensions on campus instead of sending them home. But experts said educators need to provide those students with high-quality behavior counseling for that approach to be successful.

Mandating later school start times in California impinges on local control – EdSource - Under California’s system of local control of its schools, when to start the school day seems like a basic decision that should be left to local school boards and superintendents.

The value of social and emotional learning; Q&A with Tim Shriver – EdSource - Tim Shriver, a leading figure for three decades in social and emotional learning, is optimistic about the burgeoning interest in the field. “This is the most opportune time I’ve seen for us as educators to make significant improvements in the quality of life for children and the quality of learning outcomes for all children,” he said in an interview with EdSource.

California Teachers Association posts membership decline of about 15,000 – EdSource - he membership of California’s largest teachers’ union, and by far the largest state-level teachers’ union in the nation, has declined by about 15,000.

California rural schools struggling to hire teachers could get help from $9.4 million in grants – EdSource - Two federal grants totaling over $9.4 million will help California recruit teachers and mental health professionals to rural schools.

EDC school leaders educate Gov. Newsom on PSPS impacts – South Tahoe Now/Placerville News Wire – On Thursday, October 31, Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond visited El Dorado County and Blue Oak Elementary School to learn about the impacts of the recent PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Gov. Newsom and Superintendent Thurmond met with El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala, Buckeye Union School District (BUSD) Superintendent Dr. David Roth, and several BUSD officials to hear first-hand about the challenges that school officials encounter when making decisions regarding school closures.

Just 6,700 PG&E customers still in the dark. ‘We are turning the corner,’ Gov. Newsom says – Sacramento Bee - The lights were on this week at Blue Oak Elementary School in Shingle Springs. But the students and staff didn’t have Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to thank. Blue Oak Elementary was opened with the help of a custodian who brought a generator from home to help bring power to the school on Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond visited the school Thursday to meet with administrators, staff and students who lost power due to PG&E’s power shutoff.

Viking Corner: This Week at South Tahoe High – South Tahoe Now - This week at South Tahoe High School, students dressed up for Spirit week and seniors on the volleyball and soccer teams played their last home games. To celebrate Halloween, the STHS Leadership and Yearbook groups created a Spirit week, where students dressed up in different themes, including angels versus devils, 80’s day, E-boy/girl versus VSCO girl, Halloween costumes, and blue-and-gold gear. Points for dressing up increased this week compared to previous Spirit weeks, which helped drive up participation.

Get ready to race at Apple Hill Harvest Run – Mountain Democrat - What’s a better way to reward yourself after a race than to treat yourself to seasonal goodies from the farms of Apple Hill? The Apple Hill Growers Association is encouraging runners, walkers and anyone who enjoys fall in the foothills to come out and support the Camino Union School District at the 40th annual Apple Hill Harvest Run on Sunday, Nov. 3. “The Apple Hill Growers have supported the Apple Hill Harvest Run since it started back in 1979 and we are excited to be able to help benefit Camino School and the community we’ve been a part of for more than five decades,” said Chris Delfino of Delfino Farms and president of the Apple Hill Growers Association.

Students learn about fire safety planning – Mountain Democrat – Pioneer Elementary School District began its Fire Prevention Week projects at the start of October. The projects were chosen to correlate with this year’s theme “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” Under the supervision of Mountain Creek Middle School Science and Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher, Amanda Eskildsen, the middle school students assisted the Pioneer Elementary School students with fire prevention projects. Fourth- and fifth-grade students in Alyson Huston’s class made plan your escape house plans with escape routes.

Local students monitor high-country watershed – Mountain Democrat – For the past 22 years the Watershed Education Summit has brought together students and teachers from local high schools with resource specialists in an extensive watershed monitoring project in the Crystal Basin Recreation Area of the Eldorado National Forest. El Dorado, Ponderosa, Union Mine, Foresthill and Golden Sierra students set out for the forest on Sept. 25 and spent three nights under the stars. “We’ve been collecting data for over 22 years,” explained Golden Sierra High School’s Brad Mason. “Not only is that an amazing amount of information but it’s also had an amazing impacted on a lot of kids.”

School dazed — lights go out in local classrooms – Mountain Democrat - The El Dorado County Office of Education has been coping with PG&E power shut-downs. Many local schools were closed this week as outages persisted with strong winds forecasted for the foothills. “The superintendents of the county’s 15 school districts are diligently managing these power shutoffs, including working at all hours of the weekends and I applaud their dedication and steadfast leadership,” said County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala. “These are uncertain circumstances and our educational leaders provide anchors that our communities may count on.”

Student of the Year: Caleigh Crisafulli – Village Life – There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when the Rotary Club of El Dorado Hills honored Caleigh Crisafulli as the Rolling Hills Middle School Student of the Year last Wednesday. Standing at the podium after receiving the award, the eighth-grader tearfully thanked her mother for all her support and sacrifices. Just a few feet away — though thousands of miles away — was Caleigh’s father … watching via FaceTime. He was recently deployed to Iraq. Caleigh’s younger brother and sister also attended the breakfast event. Rolling Hills Principal Debbie Bowers commended Caleigh for her commitment to the school and her community, calling her a kind young woman. Caleigh received an illustrated dictionary, plaque and $50.

EDCOE Bigs Make A Difference – The Windfall – El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) team members are volunteering their time to make a positive impact through Big Brothers Big Sisters of El Dorado County (BBBS). In September, six Indian Creek Elementary School students walked across the street to EDCOE, located on Green Valley Road in Placerville, and enjoyed lunch with six EDCOE Big Brothers and Big Sisters. After eating, the matched pairs participated in fun activities and games until their lunch break ended, and they returned to school.

Boys and Girls Club opens in Georgetown – Georgetown Gazette (attached) – On Oct. 14 the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado County Western Slope held the official ribbon cutting for the new facility, opening the 5,000 square foot club at Georgetown Elementary School. The Club currently serves 75 youths a day, and the new facility with have a capacity for 150 children with morning programs available.

Good to know

State

As fires rage, pressure mounts to train California’s next generation of forest stewards – EdSource - While some California schools shut their doors in October during a blackout intended to prevent wildfires, lessons continued outdoors for a group of students tucked away high in the Santa Cruz mountains. There, high school students from Sacramento to Los Angeles gathered at Forestry Challenge, a statewide program and competition that aims to train students in technical forest skills and management.

Shorter, clearer (but maybe not more transparent) school accountability plan coming – EdSource - With marching orders from the Legislature to create a parent-friendly document, the California Department of Education is in the final throes of designing another version — its fourth in 6 years — of the form that districts must use to explain how they’ll use funding from the Local Control Funding Formula. The formula covers about 80 percent of money they get from the state.

Reading scores drop in California, most states in much-watched national test – EdSource - In 2017, California education leaders heralded the significant increase in the state’s 8th-grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress as a sign that the state’s investment in education and its adoption of the Common Core standards had taken hold.

In-school suspensions the answer to school discipline? Not necessarily, experts say – EdSource - More California schools are allowing disruptive students to serve suspensions on campus instead of sending them home. But experts said educators need to provide those students with high-quality behavior counseling for that approach to be successful.

Mandating later school start times in California impinges on local control – EdSource - Under California’s system of local control of its schools, when to start the school day seems like a basic decision that should be left to local school boards and superintendents.

The value of social and emotional learning; Q&A with Tim Shriver – EdSource - Tim Shriver, a leading figure for three decades in social and emotional learning, is optimistic about the burgeoning interest in the field. “This is the most opportune time I’ve seen for us as educators to make significant improvements in the quality of life for children and the quality of learning outcomes for all children,” he said in an interview with EdSource.

California Teachers Association posts membership decline of about 15,000 – EdSource - he membership of California’s largest teachers’ union, and by far the largest state-level teachers’ union in the nation, has declined by about 15,000.

California rural schools struggling to hire teachers could get help from $9.4 million in grants – EdSource - Two federal grants totaling over $9.4 million will help California recruit teachers and mental health professionals to rural schools.

EDC school leaders educate Gov. Newsom on PSPS impacts – South Tahoe Now/Placerville News Wire – On Thursday, October 31, Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond visited El Dorado County and Blue Oak Elementary School to learn about the impacts of the recent PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Gov. Newsom and Superintendent Thurmond met with El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala, Buckeye Union School District (BUSD) Superintendent Dr. David Roth, and several BUSD officials to hear first-hand about the challenges that school officials encounter when making decisions regarding school closures.

Just 6,700 PG&E customers still in the dark. ‘We are turning the corner,’ Gov. Newsom says – Sacramento Bee - The lights were on this week at Blue Oak Elementary School in Shingle Springs. But the students and staff didn’t have Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to thank. Blue Oak Elementary was opened with the help of a custodian who brought a generator from home to help bring power to the school on Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond visited the school Thursday to meet with administrators, staff and students who lost power due to PG&E’s power shutoff.

Viking Corner: This Week at South Tahoe High – South Tahoe Now - This week at South Tahoe High School, students dressed up for Spirit week and seniors on the volleyball and soccer teams played their last home games. To celebrate Halloween, the STHS Leadership and Yearbook groups created a Spirit week, where students dressed up in different themes, including angels versus devils, 80’s day, E-boy/girl versus VSCO girl, Halloween costumes, and blue-and-gold gear. Points for dressing up increased this week compared to previous Spirit weeks, which helped drive up participation.

Get ready to race at Apple Hill Harvest Run – Mountain Democrat - What’s a better way to reward yourself after a race than to treat yourself to seasonal goodies from the farms of Apple Hill? The Apple Hill Growers Association is encouraging runners, walkers and anyone who enjoys fall in the foothills to come out and support the Camino Union School District at the 40th annual Apple Hill Harvest Run on Sunday, Nov. 3. “The Apple Hill Growers have supported the Apple Hill Harvest Run since it started back in 1979 and we are excited to be able to help benefit Camino School and the community we’ve been a part of for more than five decades,” said Chris Delfino of Delfino Farms and president of the Apple Hill Growers Association.

Students learn about fire safety planning – Mountain Democrat – Pioneer Elementary School District began its Fire Prevention Week projects at the start of October. The projects were chosen to correlate with this year’s theme “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” Under the supervision of Mountain Creek Middle School Science and Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher, Amanda Eskildsen, the middle school students assisted the Pioneer Elementary School students with fire prevention projects. Fourth- and fifth-grade students in Alyson Huston’s class made plan your escape house plans with escape routes.

Local students monitor high-country watershed – Mountain Democrat – For the past 22 years the Watershed Education Summit has brought together students and teachers from local high schools with resource specialists in an extensive watershed monitoring project in the Crystal Basin Recreation Area of the Eldorado National Forest. El Dorado, Ponderosa, Union Mine, Foresthill and Golden Sierra students set out for the forest on Sept. 25 and spent three nights under the stars. “We’ve been collecting data for over 22 years,” explained Golden Sierra High School’s Brad Mason. “Not only is that an amazing amount of information but it’s also had an amazing impacted on a lot of kids.”

School dazed — lights go out in local classrooms – Mountain Democrat - The El Dorado County Office of Education has been coping with PG&E power shut-downs. Many local schools were closed this week as outages persisted with strong winds forecasted for the foothills. “The superintendents of the county’s 15 school districts are diligently managing these power shutoffs, including working at all hours of the weekends and I applaud their dedication and steadfast leadership,” said County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala. “These are uncertain circumstances and our educational leaders provide anchors that our communities may count on.”

Student of the Year: Caleigh Crisafulli – Village Life – There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when the Rotary Club of El Dorado Hills honored Caleigh Crisafulli as the Rolling Hills Middle School Student of the Year last Wednesday. Standing at the podium after receiving the award, the eighth-grader tearfully thanked her mother for all her support and sacrifices. Just a few feet away — though thousands of miles away — was Caleigh’s father … watching via FaceTime. He was recently deployed to Iraq. Caleigh’s younger brother and sister also attended the breakfast event. Rolling Hills Principal Debbie Bowers commended Caleigh for her commitment to the school and her community, calling her a kind young woman. Caleigh received an illustrated dictionary, plaque and $50.

EDCOE Bigs Make A Difference – The Windfall – El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) team members are volunteering their time to make a positive impact through Big Brothers Big Sisters of El Dorado County (BBBS). In September, six Indian Creek Elementary School students walked across the street to EDCOE, located on Green Valley Road in Placerville, and enjoyed lunch with six EDCOE Big Brothers and Big Sisters. After eating, the matched pairs participated in fun activities and games until their lunch break ended, and they returned to school.

Boys and Girls Club opens in Georgetown – Georgetown Gazette (attached) – On Oct. 14 the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado County Western Slope held the official ribbon cutting for the new facility, opening the 5,000 square foot club at Georgetown Elementary School. The Club currently serves 75 youths a day, and the new facility with have a capacity for 150 children with morning programs available.

Good to know

State

As fires rage, pressure mounts to train California’s next generation of forest stewards – EdSource - While some California schools shut their doors in October during a blackout intended to prevent wildfires, lessons continued outdoors for a group of students tucked away high in the Santa Cruz mountains. There, high school students from Sacramento to Los Angeles gathered at Forestry Challenge, a statewide program and competition that aims to train students in technical forest skills and management.

Shorter, clearer (but maybe not more transparent) school accountability plan coming – EdSource - With marching orders from the Legislature to create a parent-friendly document, the California Department of Education is in the final throes of designing another version — its fourth in 6 years — of the form that districts must use to explain how they’ll use funding from the Local Control Funding Formula. The formula covers about 80 percent of money they get from the state.

Reading scores drop in California, most states in much-watched national test – EdSource - In 2017, California education leaders heralded the significant increase in the state’s 8th-grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress as a sign that the state’s investment in education and its adoption of the Common Core standards had taken hold.

In-school suspensions the answer to school discipline? Not necessarily, experts say – EdSource - More California schools are allowing disruptive students to serve suspensions on campus instead of sending them home. But experts said educators need to provide those students with high-quality behavior counseling for that approach to be successful.

Mandating later school start times in California impinges on local control – EdSource - Under California’s system of local control of its schools, when to start the school day seems like a basic decision that should be left to local school boards and superintendents.

The value of social and emotional learning; Q&A with Tim Shriver – EdSource - Tim Shriver, a leading figure for three decades in social and emotional learning, is optimistic about the burgeoning interest in the field. “This is the most opportune time I’ve seen for us as educators to make significant improvements in the quality of life for children and the quality of learning outcomes for all children,” he said in an interview with EdSource.

California Teachers Association posts membership decline of about 15,000 – EdSource - he membership of California’s largest teachers’ union, and by far the largest state-level teachers’ union in the nation, has declined by about 15,000.

California rural schools struggling to hire teachers could get help from $9.4 million in grants – EdSource - Two federal grants totaling over $9.4 million will help California recruit teachers and mental health professionals to rural schools.

EDC school leaders educate Gov. Newsom on PSPS impacts – South Tahoe Now/Placerville News Wire – On Thursday, October 31, Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond visited El Dorado County and Blue Oak Elementary School to learn about the impacts of the recent PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Gov. Newsom and Superintendent Thurmond met with El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala, Buckeye Union School District (BUSD) Superintendent Dr. David Roth, and several BUSD officials to hear first-hand about the challenges that school officials encounter when making decisions regarding school closures.

Just 6,700 PG&E customers still in the dark. ‘We are turning the corner,’ Gov. Newsom says – Sacramento Bee - The lights were on this week at Blue Oak Elementary School in Shingle Springs. But the students and staff didn’t have Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to thank. Blue Oak Elementary was opened with the help of a custodian who brought a generator from home to help bring power to the school on Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond visited the school Thursday to meet with administrators, staff and students who lost power due to PG&E’s power shutoff.

Viking Corner: This Week at South Tahoe High – South Tahoe Now - This week at South Tahoe High School, students dressed up for Spirit week and seniors on the volleyball and soccer teams played their last home games. To celebrate Halloween, the STHS Leadership and Yearbook groups created a Spirit week, where students dressed up in different themes, including angels versus devils, 80’s day, E-boy/girl versus VSCO girl, Halloween costumes, and blue-and-gold gear. Points for dressing up increased this week compared to previous Spirit weeks, which helped drive up participation.

Get ready to race at Apple Hill Harvest Run – Mountain Democrat - What’s a better way to reward yourself after a race than to treat yourself to seasonal goodies from the farms of Apple Hill? The Apple Hill Growers Association is encouraging runners, walkers and anyone who enjoys fall in the foothills to come out and support the Camino Union School District at the 40th annual Apple Hill Harvest Run on Sunday, Nov. 3. “The Apple Hill Growers have supported the Apple Hill Harvest Run since it started back in 1979 and we are excited to be able to help benefit Camino School and the community we’ve been a part of for more than five decades,” said Chris Delfino of Delfino Farms and president of the Apple Hill Growers Association.

Students learn about fire safety planning – Mountain Democrat – Pioneer Elementary School District began its Fire Prevention Week projects at the start of October. The projects were chosen to correlate with this year’s theme “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” Under the supervision of Mountain Creek Middle School Science and Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher, Amanda Eskildsen, the middle school students assisted the Pioneer Elementary School students with fire prevention projects. Fourth- and fifth-grade students in Alyson Huston’s class made plan your escape house plans with escape routes.

Local students monitor high-country watershed – Mountain Democrat – For the past 22 years the Watershed Education Summit has brought together students and teachers from local high schools with resource specialists in an extensive watershed monitoring project in the Crystal Basin Recreation Area of the Eldorado National Forest. El Dorado, Ponderosa, Union Mine, Foresthill and Golden Sierra students set out for the forest on Sept. 25 and spent three nights under the stars. “We’ve been collecting data for over 22 years,” explained Golden Sierra High School’s Brad Mason. “Not only is that an amazing amount of information but it’s also had an amazing impacted on a lot of kids.”

School dazed — lights go out in local classrooms – Mountain Democrat - The El Dorado County Office of Education has been coping with PG&E power shut-downs. Many local schools were closed this week as outages persisted with strong winds forecasted for the foothills. “The superintendents of the county’s 15 school districts are diligently managing these power shutoffs, including working at all hours of the weekends and I applaud their dedication and steadfast leadership,” said County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala. “These are uncertain circumstances and our educational leaders provide anchors that our communities may count on.”

Student of the Year: Caleigh Crisafulli – Village Life – There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when the Rotary Club of El Dorado Hills honored Caleigh Crisafulli as the Rolling Hills Middle School Student of the Year last Wednesday. Standing at the podium after receiving the award, the eighth-grader tearfully thanked her mother for all her support and sacrifices. Just a few feet away — though thousands of miles away — was Caleigh’s father … watching via FaceTime. He was recently deployed to Iraq. Caleigh’s younger brother and sister also attended the breakfast event. Rolling Hills Principal Debbie Bowers commended Caleigh for her commitment to the school and her community, calling her a kind young woman. Caleigh received an illustrated dictionary, plaque and $50.

EDCOE Bigs Make A Difference – The Windfall – El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) team members are volunteering their time to make a positive impact through Big Brothers Big Sisters of El Dorado County (BBBS). In September, six Indian Creek Elementary School students walked across the street to EDCOE, located on Green Valley Road in Placerville, and enjoyed lunch with six EDCOE Big Brothers and Big Sisters. After eating, the matched pairs participated in fun activities and games until their lunch break ended, and they returned to school.

Boys and Girls Club opens in Georgetown – Georgetown Gazette (attached) – On Oct. 14 the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado County Western Slope held the official ribbon cutting for the new facility, opening the 5,000 square foot club at Georgetown Elementary School. The Club currently serves 75 youths a day, and the new facility with have a capacity for 150 children with morning programs available.

Good to know

State

As fires rage, pressure mounts to train California’s next generation of forest stewards – EdSource - While some California schools shut their doors in October during a blackout intended to prevent wildfires, lessons continued outdoors for a group of students tucked away high in the Santa Cruz mountains. There, high school students from Sacramento to Los Angeles gathered at Forestry Challenge, a statewide program and competition that aims to train students in technical forest skills and management.

Shorter, clearer (but maybe not more transparent) school accountability plan coming – EdSource - With marching orders from the Legislature to create a parent-friendly document, the California Department of Education is in the final throes of designing another version — its fourth in 6 years — of the form that districts must use to explain how they’ll use funding from the Local Control Funding Formula. The formula covers about 80 percent of money they get from the state.

Reading scores drop in California, most states in much-watched national test – EdSource - In 2017, California education leaders heralded the significant increase in the state’s 8th-grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress as a sign that the state’s investment in education and its adoption of the Common Core standards had taken hold.

In-school suspensions the answer to school discipline? Not necessarily, experts say – EdSource - More California schools are allowing disruptive students to serve suspensions on campus instead of sending them home. But experts said educators need to provide those students with high-quality behavior counseling for that approach to be successful.

Mandating later school start times in California impinges on local control – EdSource - Under California’s system of local control of its schools, when to start the school day seems like a basic decision that should be left to local school boards and superintendents.

The value of social and emotional learning; Q&A with Tim Shriver – EdSource - Tim Shriver, a leading figure for three decades in social and emotional learning, is optimistic about the burgeoning interest in the field. “This is the most opportune time I’ve seen for us as educators to make significant improvements in the quality of life for children and the quality of learning outcomes for all children,” he said in an interview with EdSource.

California Teachers Association posts membership decline of about 15,000 – EdSource - he membership of California’s largest teachers’ union, and by far the largest state-level teachers’ union in the nation, has declined by about 15,000.

California rural schools struggling to hire teachers could get help from $9.4 million in grants – EdSource - Two federal grants totaling over $9.4 million will help California recruit teachers and mental health professionals to rural schools.