Archive by author: Dave SchermerReturn
He’s Inspired to Teach Thanks to the Support He Received at School
Nate Padilla had a difficult family life as a boy. After his mom and dad split up, he bounced between his parents’ distant homes and by the time he got to middle school, he was angry. “It was always easier to be angry than any other emotion,” he says.
Read More
This Grad Bounces Back when Things Don’t Go as Planned
Kendall Brown learned about loss at a young age when his father was infected by a life-threatening flesh-eating bacteria. The doctors said the only hope for survival was amputation. But his dad, who had re-learned to walk after surviving a plane crash when he was in the military, couldn’t bear to give up his legs.
Read More
Daughter of Migrant Workers is Headed to UC Berkeley
Carolina Martinez will be the first person in her family to attend a four-year university – and not just any university. She was admitted to the University of California, Berkeley, which is consistently ranked one of the nation’s best. “I started screaming, and my family thought something was wrong,” she recalls of the moment she got the good news.
Read More
Teen Mental Health is a Priority for this Accomplished Grad
With all the pressure to make friends, get good grades and get into college, high school is often a stressful experience. Throw in a worldwide pandemic that’s lasted for years, and it’s no surprise that students are feeling it.
Read More
Student’s “Beautiful Journey” is Leading to a Bright Future
When schools were closed due to the pandemic, Alex Loza decided to make good use of the extra time he had on his hands. He got a job delivering meals to the elderly and remembers how some of the recipients were so grateful they were brought to tears. “That really made me feel good about myself,” he says. “It made me realize the good I was doing in my community.”
Read More

Meet the 2022 Ventura County Teacher of the Year

posted on
Meet the 2022 Ventura County Teacher of the Year
Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, is pleased to announce that Shannon Klemann from Adolfo Camarillo High School (ACHS) in the Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD) is the 2022 Ventura County Teacher of the Year. Klemann and her students found out about the honor today when local school administrators made a surprise visit to her classroom.Klemann is a veteran educator who has taught in OUHSD schools for 23 years. She currently teaches biology in grades 9 thr...
Read More
Harvard-Bound Grad is an Advocate for Equity in Education
He hasn’t even graduated from Adolfo Camarillo High School yet, but Hans Bach-Nguyen has built an enviable resume that spans five pages. In addition to stellar grades and test scores, it lists an impressive array of activities and achievements. 
Read More
First-Generation College Student Has Her Eye on Career with the FBI
Maggie Melendez’s road to high school graduation hasn’t been an easy one. The daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, she started school without knowing a word of English. When her family lost their housing in Fresno, she moved to a converted garage in Simi Valley with her mom and brother – the place she still calls home.
Read More

Tips on Responding to School Shootings

posted on
Tips on Responding to School Shootings
In light of the horrific school shooting in Texas, many students will have questions and fears about their own safety. We are offering the following resources to help parents and educators respond in the most appropriate way.
Read More
Statement about Texas School Shooting from Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools
Our hearts are broken by the tragic news of today’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. We send our sincerest sympathies to the families whose lives have been forever shattered. School shootings are a plague on our society that have been happening for far too long. I call on decision-makers at every level of government to take all necessary measures to put an end to these senseless acts of violence in our schools. Dr. César MoralesVentura County Superinten...
Read More
Page 7 of 38 [7]