Santa Cruz County Office of Education Government Announcements

Exciting News for Aspiring Special Education Teachers in Santa Cruz County!

Launch your teaching career with this incredible opportunity to balance your education, work, and lifestyle. Ready to make a meaningful impact in the lives of students with special needs? The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE) and San Jose State University (SJSU) are excited to announce a new Satellite Program offering a [...] The post Exciting News …
12/19/2024

Presenting Our Annual Report

Dear community member, I am pleased to share the Santa Cruz County Office of Educations 2023-24 Annual Report to the Community, a reflection on a year of remarkable collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity across our school community. Throughout the 2023-24 school year, we worked closely with school districts, families, and partners to foster a sense of belonging [...] The post Presenting …
12/13/2024

Partnership Brings National Parks Passes to All 4th Graders

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (COE) has partnered with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - California Central Coast Field Office to distribute free, all-access annual passes to all 4th-grade students in public schools across the county, granting them and their families entry to national parks and other federally managed lands. The partnership [...] The post Partnership Brings …
12/13/2024

Wrapping Up 2024, Looking Forward To 2025!

ed.PATH December Newsletter! We have many exciting programs in store for you on the horizon for next year! Please sign up for the monthly ed.PATH Newsletter to stay up to date on: Teacher Credentialing Professional Development Opportunities Grant Funds and Educational Awards Financial Aid Information Wellness Resources Educator Pathway Program Announcements and Updates ed.PATH holds [...] The post Wrapping Up …
12/13/2024

Workforce Achievement Award

Dental Assisting student Melissa Hernandez was awarded the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) achievement award in October. Melissa received financial assistance from WIOA to complete the 10-month dental assisting program facilitated through the Santa Cruz County Office of Education Career and Adult Learning Services department. Melissa graduated from the dental assisting program in 2024 and now works as a [...] …
11/25/2024

Natalie Hofkins Sworn In as Student Trustee

Congratulations to Natalie Hofkins, who was sworn in yesterday as the first-ever student trustee representing alternative education students on the Santa Cruz County Board of Education! Natalie, a senior at Oasis High School, became the second student trustee seated in the 2024-25 term, joining at-large student trustee Ruben Marcus. As a student trustee, Natalie shared [...] The post Natalie Hofkins …
11/22/2024

Computer Science Playground Community Nights Return for Third Year

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE), in partnership with the Technology Team at Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD), is excited to announce the return of the Computer Science Playground Community Nights for their third year! These free, family-friendly events bring together innovative hands-on activities and engaging experiences designed to spark [...] The post Computer Science …
11/20/2024

Gratitude for Partnerships in Building Educator Pathways

ed.PATH November Newsletter! In the newsletter, you will find resources and opportunities to help make a difference! The Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) is being retired and will no longer be offered after June 30, 2025. The Commission has developed a transition plan for the RICA pursuant to SB 488. New approved options to complete [...] The post Gratitude for …
11/15/2024

Countywide BSU Organizes Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day

Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day at Soquel High Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day at Pajaro Valley High Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day 2024 at Santa Cruz High Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day at Soquel High Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day at Pajaro Valley High Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day [...] The post Countywide BSU …
11/14/2024

Support for Immigrant Communities

Dear community member, Yesterday I joined a coalition of local education and government officials who released a letter affirming our steadfast support for Santa Cruz Countys immigrant communities. The Santa Cruz County Office of Education stands firm in its belief that our schools are safe spaces for every student, regardless of their background, identity, or immigration status. [...] The post …
11/08/2024

Youth Led Leadership Alliance Honored With Golden Bell Award

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE) is pleased to announce it has received a 2024 Golden Bell Award for its countywide student leadership program, the Youth Led Leadership Alliance (YLLA). A program of the California School Boards Association, the Golden Bell Awards recognize outstanding programs and governance practices in school districts [...] The post Youth Led …
10/24/2024

Welcoming New Student Trustees

Dear community member, Its been a big week for student leadership in our school community. Yesterday I was thrilled to swear in Ruben Marcus (pictured), as Student Trustee on the Santa Cruz County Board of Education. A senior at Soquel High School, Ruben has been involved as a student leader in numerous extracurricular programs, including [...] The post Welcoming New …
10/18/2024

Career Advancement Charter (CAC): Empowering Adult Learners in Santa Cruz County

The Career Advancement Charter (CAC) program offers adult learners the unique opportunity to earn their high school diploma while building essential academic and technical skills for college and career success. Our program is designed to support the diverse needs of our students through flexible, independent study options and a variety of enrichment services that provide [...] The post Career Advancement …
10/14/2024

New and Growing Programs in Medical, Dental, and Building Trades

This school year, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education (COE) is thrilled to report the strong start of our Medical, Dental, and Building Trades Pre-Apprenticeship (BTPA) programs. These programs are designed to equip students with industry-specific skills and experience, providing clear pathways into in-demand career fields. With enthusiastic new students, dedicated instructors, and innovative [...] The post New and …
10/14/2024

Local Families Claim Over $46,000 in College Savings

Were excited to announce the success of our recent College Savings Workshop, held in partnership with CalKIDS and Semillitas on September 25th! During the event, local families claimed 140 college savings accounts, totaling an impressive $46,500. At the workshop, families learned how CalKIDS provides newborns and eligible low-income public school students with an initial deposit [...] The post Local Families …
10/14/2024

Exploring Career Opportunities: New and Expanded CTE Courses for the 2024-2025 School Year

Career Technical Education (CTE) courses offer high school students invaluable opportunities to explore future careers across various sectors. At the Santa Cruz County Office of Education (COE), we are proud to offer high-quality CTE courses that allow students to earn both high school and college credits while meeting the UC A-G requirements. This year, we [...] The post Exploring Career …
10/11/2024

An Environmental Health Milestone

Dear community member, The COE has a longstanding commitment to educating students and families about the harms of tobacco use. Through our Tobacco Use Prevention and Education Program and as a member of the County Tobacco Education Coalition, we partner to advocate for a tobacco-free community and environment. We do not do this work alone. [...] The post An Environmental …
10/11/2024

Celebrating Digital Citizenship Week: Empowering Our Community with Media Literacy and Cyber Safety

October 14-18, 2024 is Digital Citizenship Week, a time dedicated to promoting safe, ethical, and responsible use of technology. The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (COE) is proud to support our educators, students, and families with a wealth of resources to enhance media literacy and cyber safety across all grade levels. Spotlight on California [...] The post Celebrating Digital …
10/11/2024

Welcome to the 2024-2025 School Year from the Career and Adult Learning Services Team!

As we step into a new academic year, the Career and Adult Learning Services (CALS) team is thrilled to welcome back our students, staff, and community members. We look forward to a year filled with growth, innovation, and achievement, and we are excited to have you with us for this journey. A special welcome goes [...] The post Welcome to …
10/09/2024

Fall Focus

ed.PATH October Newsletter! In the newsletter, you will find resources and opportunities to help make a difference! Join a statewide cohort of educators to develop instructional materials and receive a stipend Submit a written comment to CTC and take an active participation in improving teaching performance assessments Take the challenge to address chronic absenteeism Apply [...] The post Fall Focus …
10/09/2024

Smartphones at School

Dear community member, Important discussions are happening in our community and across the state about students use of smartphones during the school day. As you may be aware, last week Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law requiring every school district in California to develop a policy limiting students smartphone use during the school day. This [...] The post …
10/04/2024

Suicide Prevention

Dear community member, September is Suicide Prevention Month, a crucial time to raise awareness about a preventable public health issue that so deeply affects our youth and communities. Youth suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults between the ages of 10 and 24. In 2024, 13% of youth in [...] The post Suicide Prevention …
09/27/2024

Teach for the Bay

ed.PATH September Newsletter! Check out the exciting sessions at the 5th Annual Teach for the Bay conference, happening virtually from October 2-5, 2024! This FREE event is open to students and educators, focusing on pathways to teaching and counseling in ECE, Elementary, Special Ed, CTE, Middle, and High School. The Santa Cruz COE and Cabrillo College are co-hosting a workshop …
09/20/2024

Child Food Insecurity

Dear community member, Child food insecurity is on the rise nationwide for the second consecutive year, and we know the need in our community is even greater. In Santa Cruz County, about 1 in 4 youth face food insecurity. And recently released data from the USDA shows the rate of hunger among youth in our [...] The post Child Food …
09/13/2024

Free Funds for College

Dear community member, Saving for college makes a difference for more than our bank accounts. In fact, research shows that children with a college savings account between $1 and $500 are three times more likely to enroll in college and nearly four times as likely to graduate. Santa Cruz County families are fortunate to [...] The post Free Funds for …
09/06/2024

EdTech Trailblazers’ Free Padcaster Program Returns for its Third Year

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE), through its EdTech Trailblazers initiative, is proud to announce the return of the FREE Padcaster Program for Santa Cruz County educators. Now in its third year, this successful partnership with Santa Cruz CTV continues to provide teachers with professional-grade video production equipment to enhance classroom [...] The post EdTech Trailblazers …
09/05/2024

College Essay Application Workshop

October 16-30, 2024 For high school juniors and seniors working on the essay portion of their application Four, free online meetings with professional mentors Oct. 16-30 1st meeting: leave with outline (1-2 hours). 2nd meeting: read and edit rough draft (under an hour) 3rd meeting:read and edit second draft(under an hour) 4th meeting: work on [...] The post College Essay …
08/26/2024

Youth Led Leadership Alliance Now Accepting Students for 2024-25

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education is happy to announce that we are now accepting student applications for the Youth Led Leadership Alliance (YLLA) of the 2024-25 school year! YLLA is open to all Santa Cruz County high school students at no cost. The Alliance follows a project-based design that facilitates expression, builds leadership [...] The post Youth Led …
08/22/2024

Belonging

Dear community member, Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! Students are now back in class across each of Santa Cruz Countys 10 school districts, as well as here at the COE in our Alternative Education and Special Education programs. Our schools are more than centers of learning. They are communities where we strive to ensure [...] The post Belonging appeared …
08/16/2024

Santa Cruz Gardens: “Time to Grow”

Over the last couple of years, the Santa Cruz COE Social Emotional Learning (SEL) team has been actively collaborating with three focal sites, including Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary in the Soquel Union Elementary School District, to enhance their SEL initiatives and support student well-being schoolwide. We are excited to share an inspiring 6-minute video titled [...] The post Santa Cruz …
08/15/2024