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News Releases from the Ventura County Office of Education

Every Student, Every Day: Ventura County Schools Stand Strong for All Families

8/5/2025 1:56:00 PM

As the 2025–2026 school year gets underway, I want to extend a heartfelt welcome to every student and family in Ventura County. This is an exciting time for students to reunite with friends, meet new teachers, and pursue fresh opportunities for growth and learning. But for many families, this year begins not only with hope, but with anxiety and fe...

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Immigration Raids’ Impact on Students, Schools, and the Community

7/14/2025 2:14:00 PM

Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, shares his thoughts on the recent immigration raids that have rocked Ventura County.

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Ukrainian Student Builds a New Life in Ventura County

5/30/2025 10:00:00 AM

When Kateryna Shkil moved to the United States from Ukraine in 2021, she didn’t expect her new life in California to become permanent. Her family had planned to stay just long enough for her to finish ninth grade. Then, everything changed when Russia launched its attack against Ukraine.“In February of 2022, the full-scale invasion ...

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Ventura County Teachers Honored for Innovation in the Classroom

5/29/2025 11:27:00 AM

Teachers from throughout Ventura County are being honored with grants for developing innovative lessons for their students. At a ceremony last night in Camarillo, the Ventura County Office of Education presented Impact on Education grants totaling in $6,000 to thirteen teachers. Photos from the event are available here. The win...

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Specialized School Helps this Grad on His Path to Success

5/27/2025 4:28:00 PM

About halfway through his first year of high school, Yandel Zarate was struggling. He was having difficulty adapting to the large campus of more than 2,000 students and lacked the confidence to express what was wrong or ask for help. He was skipping class so frequently that it became clear he needed a change of scene. That’s exactly what...

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Meet the 2025 Ventura County Teacher of the Year

5/27/2025 12:09:00 PM

Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, is pleased to announce that Shi Young Kim, a visual arts teacher from Rio Mesa High School in the Oxnard Union High School District, is the 2025 Ventura County Teacher of the Year. Ms. Kim received the surprise news during a classroom visit today by representatives from the Ve...

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Region’s Top Girl Scout is Standing Up for LGBTQ+ Inclusivity

5/23/2025 4:06:00 PM

As she prepares to graduate from Royal High School in Simi Valley, Lola Forbes-Black has already built an impressive record of advocating for issues she believes in, even when it’s far from easy. Born and raised in Ventura County to parents who moved from the UK to work in the entertainment industry, Lola has been a Girl Scout for 13 years.

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Unstable Housing Situation Didn’t Keep Her from Pursuing Her Dreams

5/22/2025 1:42:00 PM

Imagine trying to make it through high school without knowing where you’ll be sleeping each night, without access to the internet, and without an easy way to get to campus. That was the reality for Isabelle Tiscareno, who is about to graduate from Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard, despite the tremendous roadblocks she had to overcome. On m...

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Son of Immigrants Charts a Course in Naval Engineering

5/16/2025 3:30:00 PM

For Elias Garcia, success has always started at home. As the son of Mexican immigrants, he grew up in a family of six where hard work and determination were everyday values.“When I was 12 or 13, I would go to work with my dad,” Elias said. “He works at an auto body shop and has lots of tools, and I would always be playing and mess...

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From War-torn Syria to Ventura County: One Student’s Journey

5/14/2025 8:44:00 AM

Moving to a new school can be difficult for any student, but it was especially challenging for Rawan Abboud, who started her freshman year at a school on the other side of the world. Rawan had immigrated with her family to Ventura County from Syria, which had been engulfed in a brutal civil war for more than a decade. “Step by step, we adjust...

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