school district
Tragedy at a Community College—what are we doing here?
Submitted by paula on Sat, 10/03/2015 - 12:12am
Like many Americans, law enforcement folks have been deeply moved by the horrific images we have seen in Oregon. A certain feeling of helplessness has become the norm when we look at these events from the prevention perspective. We may ask questions like:
“Why do people who would do such a thing have access to a gun?”
“Why didn’t people who knew the shooter do something to stop him before people died?”
Superintendent to discuss student test score results at meeting
Submitted by paula on Mon, 09/21/2015 - 10:33pm
Last spring, Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) students in 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th grades took a new style of state testing. The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) was an on-line assessment that measured their problem solving and critical thinking skills.
LTUSD Superintendent Dr. James Tarwater will present the results to the School Board Trustees during Tuesday's board meeting.
Fall Food Fest to benefit South Lake Tahoe schools
Submitted by paula on Mon, 09/21/2015 - 7:23pm
Event Date:
October 10, 2015 - 6:00pm
The Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation once again presents their major fundraiser of the year, the Fall Food Fest, on Saturday, October 10, 2015 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Lake Tahoe.
The popular event raises money for local schools.
High tech anti-theft dots to help South Lake Tahoe Police
Submitted by paula on Wed, 09/16/2015 - 9:12pm
With an increase in the number of bicycle thefts and other property crimes in South Lake Tahoe, a new high tech device to help the fight on crime is now being introduced by the police department.
The new technology is called Anti-Theft Dots. This DNA for property crime will assist the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) in their efforts to combat theft in the community. Property crime is the number one crime statistic in the nation according to the Department of Justice.
Student arrested in connection with injured Union Mine High football players
Submitted by paula on Mon, 08/31/2015 - 11:53pmHigh schools in the Placerville area wore the colors of Union Mine High today as a sign of solidarity after two of the school's Junior Varsity football players suffered brain injuries during a football game on Friday.
Community greets students at Mt. Tallac High School
Submitted by paula on Mon, 08/31/2015 - 11:06pm
"This makes us feel really good," said Mt. Tallac High School teacher Mr. Romer. He was talking about the community members who attended the school's Open House on Monday, the first day of classes for the 75 students who attend Mt. Tallac.
Two El Dorado County JV football players hospitalized after game
Submitted by paula on Sat, 08/29/2015 - 10:00pmUnion Mine High School sophomores Nick Brown and Justin Schwartz had just finished leading their junior varsity football team to a 27-8 win over Foothill High School on Friday night when people noticed something wasn’t quite right.
Then Brown passed out, said El Dorado Union High School District Superintendent Stephen Wehr.
The two were rushed to the emergency care, Brown to Sutter Roseville Medical Center and Schwartz to Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center, according to Wehr.
New STHS bleachers behind schedule but ready by first game
Submitted by paula on Fri, 08/14/2015 - 7:43pm
Mother Nature hasn't been very nice to Southern Bleachers out of Texas. They are the contractors working on the new football stadium bleachers at South Tahoe High and they missed the August 8 deadline for completion of the project. Summer rains caused several delays but they are now back on track to have the project finished by August 21, a week before the school's first football game.
LTUSD Bus Routes for the 2015/16 school year
Submitted by paula on Wed, 08/12/2015 - 1:28pm
School starts for South Lake Tahoe, CA students on Monday, August 31.
The Lake Tahoe Unified School District has published their bus routes for each school for the 2015-16 school year and can be found by clicking on each school:
Bijou Elementary
Lake Tahoe Environmental Magnet School
Tahoe Valley Elementary
Students benefit from Brief Intervention Program in South Lake Tahoe schools
Submitted by paula on Fri, 07/31/2015 - 12:39am
Students at South Tahoe High and South Tahoe Middle schools now have an option to the normal suspension process thanks to the Brief Intervention Program (BIP) developed by the South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition.
In the past, students would be sent home for three days when suspended for having, or being under the influence, drugs or alcohol while at school. In many instances this method was looked at as a few days vacation with little, or no, opportunity to learn from their errors.
Time to register for Lake Tahoe Unified schools
Submitted by paula on Mon, 07/13/2015 - 9:55pm
With school starting on August 31, its now time for children entering South Lake Tahoe schools for the first time to register,
Kindergartners need to be registered at their designated elementary school, as determined by location. Boundaries are available for viewing at www.ltusd.org or a map can be picked up at the Education Center at 1021 Al Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe.
Two South Lake Tahoe women win TRPA Lake Spirit Awards
Submitted by paula on Thu, 06/25/2015 - 7:56am
Rebecca Bryson and Joy Barney of the South Shore were honored for their work in local schools that resulted in progress and environmental improvements in the Lake Tahoe region.
During Wednesday's Tahoe Regional Planning Agency's Governing Board meeting, the two South Shore women were given the Lake Spirit award along with a family and person from the North Shore. The award has been given to "real people making real progress" at restoring Lake Tahoe since 2011.
Lake Tahoe Unified School Board meeting Tuesday
Submitted by paula on Mon, 06/22/2015 - 10:09pm
Event Date:
June 23, 2015 - 6:00pm
The Lake Tahoe Unified School Board of Trustees will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, June 22, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.
The following items are included on the agenda:
Cycling celebrated in South Lake Tahoe
Submitted by paula on Sat, 06/20/2015 - 10:53pm
Cycling in South Lake Tahoe was the focus of the second Annual Cycle Celebration on Saturday. Kids both young and old were at the Heavenly Village to participate in a Bike Parade, Bike Rodeo, Bike Tune-Up station and informational booths.
The celebration wrapped up the two-week long Tahoe Bike Challenge where hundreds of people got out of their cars and biked to school, work and for play.
During Saturday's activities, the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition honored the Town of Truckee and Karen & Pete Fink for their contributions to cycling in the region.
Tahoe Bike Challenge wraps up with a Cycle Celebration
Submitted by paula on Fri, 06/19/2015 - 9:08am
Event Date:
June 20, 2015 - 12:00pm
The 2nd annual Cycle Celebration will culminate the Tahoe Bike Challenge where 315 riders made 2,706 trips and covered 17,299 miles in the Lake Tahoe area on their bikes between June 1 and 14. All of those miles saved participants $3,845 in gasoline.
Bellamy Court at the back of Heavenly Village (by the parking garage) will be closed off for the celebration on Saturday, June 20 for a plethora of activities to celebrate biking in Lake Tahoe from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
LCAP 101: What is it and how you can participate?
Submitted by paula on Mon, 06/08/2015 - 9:36am
The Lake Tahoe Unified School District will be holding a public hearing Tuesday on how to spend an estimated $2,159,294 in LCAP funding. They want parents to participate in the decision making and have invited everyone to the June 9 School Board meeting to encourage participation.
LTUSD unveils new website with schools and community news pages
Submitted by paula on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 6:59pm
The Lake Tahoe Unified School District unveiled their new website which will provide schools, staff and the public with more information than has ever been made available on line before.
One can now navigate through the district site and land on each school's web page, visit departments, school programs, accountability report cards as well as community news and resources.
The site can also be translated into ten languages. Users simple select the arrow on the top right side.
Beth Delacour on retiring: I'll miss the kids, they make me laugh
Submitted by paula on Thu, 05/28/2015 - 10:09pm
A self-described "forever learner," Beth Delacour won't be saying goodbye to schools once she retires as the South Tahoe Middle School Principal next month. "I like to learn," she said.
After 32 years working in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District, Delacour is looking forward to having breakfast with her girlfriends, cooking dinner for her husband ("He's been so supportive"), and enjoying her grandchildren (the fourth one is just one week old). But don't look for her to be just relaxing for long.
STHS Asst. Principal Dennis Sarosik retiring after 34 years with LTUSD
Submitted by paula on Tue, 05/26/2015 - 11:20pm
Enjoying a nice, quiet and boring life is what Dennis Sarosik is looking forward to after wrapping up his 34 year career with the Lake Tahoe Unified School District next month. "I'm going to make every day a Saturday and a Sunday," Sarosik said.
When asked what he'd like to be remembered for, Sarosik quickly answered. "My signature experience was working with Yvonne Larson on bringing Sports Medicine to the school." He said that seeing the new department function as it is today is "beyond cool."
Howard Coleman leaves legacy of making a difference in students' lives
Submitted by paula on Tue, 05/26/2015 - 10:14pm
On August 31, 2015, when the students and teachers are back at work in South Lake Tahoe, Howard Coleman will be treating himself to an extra cup of coffee and time to read the newspaper.
Twenty-five teachers and staff retiring from LTUSD
Submitted by paula on Tue, 05/26/2015 - 9:07pm
After working a total of 637 1/2 years for the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD), 25 teachers, staff members and administrators were recognized in a ceremony Tuesday evening.
LTUSD and the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation hosted the reception.
Certified Retirees:
Betsy Benavidez, Teacher - 24 years
Karen Boyer, Speech Therapist - 20 years
Howard Coleman, Teacher - 32 years
Beth Delacour, Principal - 32 years
Madeline Fernald, Teacher - 16 years
Joann Hernandez, School Counselor - 15 years
Deborah Kushner - 31 years
Homeless in High School
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 05/22/2015 - 3:34pmHomelessness has many faces. Some are old, some are young. It affects all races, religions, and sexes. It can be triggered by a poor economy, inconsistent work, a medical catastrophe, and death of a family member. In the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD), there are 246 homeless students (1).
I recently sat down with one of those students to understand a day in the life of a homeless student.
Barton funds local programs to improve community health
Submitted by paula on Wed, 05/20/2015 - 9:40pm
The Barton Foundation board and staff have approved to up the ante and will give $50,000 in grants and donations to improve community health.
Every year, Barton Health provides funds for programs and organizations that will positively impact the health of the South Lake Tahoe community, particularly those that benefit underserved populations. In this grant cycle, Barton Health will award up to $30,000 in grants and $20,000 will fund special community projects throughout the year as determined by the Community Health Action Committee (CHAC).
Most South Lake Tahoe schools awarded for increased attendance
Submitted by paula on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 6:52pm
The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) rewarded five of the seven South Lake Tahoe schools who met the district's goal of an increased attendance of one percent this year.
Free physicals for South Shore student athletes
Submitted by paula on Wed, 05/13/2015 - 1:58pm
Event Date:
June 1, 2015 - 5:30pm
Barton Health, Tahoe Center for Orthopedics, and Lake Tahoe Unified School District are offering free sports physicals for student athletes.
South Shore students can receive medical and orthopedic screenings from Barton Health’s Tahoe Center for Orthopedics on Monday, June 1 at the South Tahoe High School Blue Gym.
The sports physicals start at 5:30 p.m. with the schedule as follows:
5:30 p.m.: South Tahoe High & Middle School athletes
6:00 p.m.: Pop Warner athletes
6:30 p.m.: Whittell High & Middle School athletes
New Principal named at South Tahoe Middle School
Submitted by paula on Tue, 05/12/2015 - 9:33pm
When current South Tahoe Middle School Principal Beth Delacour retires in June she is leaving the school in the capable hands of John Simons. Simons (pronounced sim-mons) was introduced at Tuesday evening's Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board meeting.
Simons is relocating to South Lake Tahoe from Oakdale, CA where he has been principal at the community's middle school for the past seven years. Prior to that he served as the school's vice-principal for three years.
Mental Health Awareness: Lack of housing is a huge issue
Submitted by paula on Mon, 05/11/2015 - 9:52pm
Up until the 1970s and 80s, people with severe mental illness were housed in institutions by the hundreds of thousands. Replacing long-stay psychiatric hospitals with less isolated community mental health services became the norm, and it created a whole new set of issues.
Celebration of Education at South Tahoe Middle School Wednesday
Submitted by paula on Sun, 05/10/2015 - 8:11pm
Event Date:
May 13, 2015 - 5:00pm
The annual Celebration of Education hosted by the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation will take place on Wednesday, May 13 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at South Tahoe Middle School.
Last year's Foundation grant recipients will be displaying their projects through words, photos, videos and live performances.
This event will be taking place outside the elementary and middle school concert that will be taking place at STMS during the evening.
Families, students and the public are invited to stop by and enjoy the grant recipient's presentations.
Light refreshments will be served.
Kids who collected 44,000 dimes visit burned firefighter
Submitted by paula on Sat, 05/09/2015 - 9:54pm
Maple Creek Elementary students learned the value of a dime Friday.
For collecting $4,402 — the equivalent of 44,020 dimes —for the Leon S. Peters Burn Center, they got a wave and a smile from Pete Dern, the Fresno fire captain who is recovering from severe burns he got while battling a blaze.
“It made his day,” said Dern’s wife, Kelly Dern, who accepted a check from the students for the burn center.
“His face lit up,” said Dern’s daughter, McKenzie Dern.
"In View with Larry King" show to visit South Tahoe High on Friday
Submitted by paula on Wed, 05/06/2015 - 7:40pm
Lights! Camera! Action!
Those words may be heard through the South Tahoe High (STHS) campus on Friday as the school is visited by a film crew from the "In View with Larry King" show.
It was announced in February that Lake Tahoe Unified School District was chosen to be one of 12 California schools to be featured on the FOX network business shows.
The show will explore the many educational opportunities that STHS offers that make the school unique.
City Council approves motion to apply for $2.1 million transportation grant
Submitted by paula on Tue, 05/05/2015 - 11:57pm
"This is astounding and I have not seen anything to this degree in the years I've lived here." Those were South Lake Tahoe City Councilwoman JoAnn Conner's words after hearing how several agencies will work together to make the Middle School Connectivity Plan a reality.
Her sentiments were echoed by her fellow council members and the mayor after seeing how multiple agencies can leverage their funds and plan together for a network of connecting trails through South Lake Tahoe that will keep pedestrians and bikers off unsafe roadways.
Routes around South Tahoe Middle School may soon be safer
Submitted by paula on Sun, 05/03/2015 - 6:24pm
If you've ever driven by South Tahoe Middle School just as the kids get to school, or as they depart, you know what an unsafe area it can be for students on bikes and on foot. Because of this, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District secured a $154,000 grant from the TRPA On Our Way program to work with the Lake Tahoe Sustainability Collaborative to conduct outreach and develop a connectivity and mobility plan for the area.
Opening Day for South Tahoe Little League Saturday
Submitted by paula on Wed, 04/22/2015 - 11:39pm
Event Date:
April 25, 2015 - 9:00am
An Opening Day celebration is planned at the South Tahoe Little League Complex this Saturday, April 25th. A parade and ribbon cutting ceremony are planned prior to the start of scheduled games. The parade will start on the street next to the South Tahoe Middle School tennis courts at 9:00 a.m. with a planned parade path to follow Lyons Avenue to Rufus Allen, and into the major’s field by way of the snack shack entrance. Parking will not be available at South Tahoe Middle School due to the eWaste collection event. Parking is available along Rufus Allen Blvd.
Letters: Mental Wellness - Children and Teens
Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 04/19/2015 - 11:46am
Let’s transform South Lake Tahoe into one of the healthiest places for our children…a place where mental health issues are quickly identified and treated…a place where parents and caregivers are well-educated in recognizing the early warning signs. Let’s give the next generation the best chance possible at thriving.
In March we participated in the Mental Health Forum sponsored by Barton and the South Tahoe Unified School District. We were impressed by the passion presented by the many school-teachers, Barton ER doctors, and others that care deeply about Mental Wellness.
Man pleads guilty to videotaping Reno Teens; Previous Douglas County conviction
Submitted by paula on Wed, 04/08/2015 - 10:58pm
Reno resident Rodney Skan, age 60, plead guilty on April 8 in Washoe County to a charge of stalking after he admitted to videotaping four Reno high school girls during the fall of 2013. Police found 175 hours of footage in his motel room of the girls, ages 14, 15 and two 17-year-olds taken at local high school girls sporting events. Skan fixated on particular girls, following them to multiple games throughout the season.
New football coach headed to South Tahoe High from Lodi
Submitted by paula on Tue, 04/07/2015 - 6:08pm
Tokay High School (Lodi) football coach and athletic director Louis Franklin announced Monday he will be stepping down at the end of the school year after being offered “an opportunity to join Lake Tahoe Unified School District.”
Franklin, a 2000 Tokay graduate, has been the school’s head football coach since 2007 and the athletic director since 2010, when he replaced Jeff Johnston.
Franklin was 38-46 as Tokay’s head coach, including an 0-4 record in the playoffs, but finished with three winning seasons.
Op/Ed: Mental Health issues in the community
Submitted by paula on Fri, 04/03/2015 - 9:29pm
Last month, the City Manager and City Council hosted a strategic planning session with all City departments to ensure we are coordinated and pulling together to address key community issues. Community wellness is one such focus area.
South Shore school food ranks third out of almost 4,000 districts
Submitted by paula on Sun, 03/22/2015 - 8:06pm
School cafeteria food, once the subject of moans, groans and jokes, is something to be proud of in South Lake Tahoe. The Niche 2015 rankings have been released, and out of 3,868 school districts participating, Lake Tahoe Unified School District school placed third in the Sacramento region and 27th in the whole state.
LTCC and LTUSD boards holding joint meeting Tuesday
Submitted by paula on Fri, 03/20/2015 - 7:08pm
Event Date:
March 24, 2015 - 5:00pm
The Lake Tahoe Community College and Lake Tahoe Unified School District Boards of Trustees will hold a joint meeting on Tuesday, March 24.
During the meeting, two people from the Los Rios Community College will provide an overview of "Get Focused, Stay Focused!" a career and educational course that LTUSD officials hope to bring to South Tahoe High next year.
South Lake Tahoe Middle School Connectivity Plan update
Submitted by paula on Wed, 03/18/2015 - 9:17pm
Community members, school officials, local planners and agencies have been involved with the South Tahoe Middle School Connectivity Plan for months and the final plan will soon be available. The goal has been to create safer, more walkable and bikeable off highway routes around South Tahoe Middle School (STMS), Bijou Park and Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC). A $150,000 grant from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to the Lake Tahoe Unified School District got the activity in motion.
Community Athletic Coordinating Council Meeting
Submitted by paula on Sat, 02/28/2015 - 11:23amEvent Date:
March 11, 2015 - 5:15pm
The Community Athletic Coordinating Council, an organization consisting of representatives of all youth and adult sports organizations in South Lake Tahoe will be holding a meeting on Wednesday, March 11, 2015. This meeting will be held at the Lake Tahoe Unified School District Boardroom, starting at 5:15pm. This is an open meeting and all interested community members are invited to attend.
Topics to be discussed include:
CACC 2015 Projects– Review and update
New Business
Lake Tahoe Unified School District has new board member
Submitted by paula on Wed, 02/11/2015 - 1:14am
When Sue Novasel won November's El Dorado County Supervisorial race it left a vacant seat on the Lake Tahoe Untiifed School Board (LTUSD). A Notice of Vacancy was filed, encouraging locals to apply to fill the trustee position for the remaining 22 months of Novasel's term. At Tuesday's LTUSD School Board meeting, the opening was filled.
LTUSD may be exclude unvaccinated students from school
Submitted by paula on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 1:08am
With over 200 students in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District not immunized against the measles, district officials are monitoring the situation and may even exclude those children from attending classes.
Even though there are no cases in El Dorado County as of yet, the cases in Washoe County and Bay Area are of concern.
Five vie to fill vacancy on Lake Tahoe Unified School Board
Submitted by paula on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 12:37am
The Lake Tahoe Unified School Board has been without their fifth board member this year, ever since the resignation of Sue Novasel, who is the new County Supervisor. The district has been gathering applications from interested residents from Trustee Area #1 over the past month and five candidates are now up for the position.
Olympian Jamie Anderson gives back to kids on the South Shore
Submitted by paula on Thu, 02/05/2015 - 12:33am
Jamie Anderson continued her Give Back With Love sponsorship program on Tuesday, by giving three local students a dream package of equipment and a ski pass.
Anderson wanted to be present to give the students their prize but, according to Sierra-at-Tahoe, Jamie has been tied up with the X Games and Burton European Open. They wanted to get the kids up on the hill as soon as possible so didn't wait for Anderson's return but she'll join them on the slopes once back in South Lake Tahoe.
South Lake Tahoe schools to be featured on Larry King show, In View
Submitted by paula on Sun, 02/01/2015 - 1:10am
Lake Tahoe Unified School District has been chosen to be one of 12 school districts in the state to be featured in the Larry King hosted show on FOX Business Network. In View.
Superintendent Dr. Tarwater was contacted by the show's Senior Producer about the opportunity to be part of the educational television program. The show will be a special edition, half-hour program focusing on the state of education.
Community Athletic Coordinating Council to meet
Submitted by paula on Thu, 01/22/2015 - 11:43pm
Event Date:
February 4, 2015 - 5:15pm
The Community Athletic Coordinating Council, an organization consisting of representatives of youth and adult sports organizations in South Lake Tahoe will be holding a meeting on Wednesday, February 4, 2015. This meeting will be held at the Lake Tahoe Unified School District Boardroom, starting at 5:15pm. This is an open meeting and all interested community members are invited to attend.
Topics to be discussed include
Election of Officers – 2015
Develop and adopt procedures for submittal of projects
Project Review and Update
Old and Unfinished Business
New Business
Significant drops in school suspensions and expulsions in State and South Lake Tahoe
Submitted by paula on Wed, 01/14/2015 - 11:42pm
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced a dramatic 20 percent drop in the number of students expelled in 2013-14 and a 15.2 decline in the number of students suspended. This marks the second year in a row of declines in both areas.
Numbers at Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) follow the same trend.
Enrollment up slightly at South Lake Tahoe schools
Submitted by paula on Sat, 01/10/2015 - 11:22pm
After several years of declining enrollment, Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) has seen more students sitting the seats of local schools over the past two years.
The lowest enrollment figures were for the school year 2012-2013. When school ended in June of 2013 there were 3,793 students in South Lake Tahoe's eight schools.
When school started back up in the Fall of 2013 there were 3,855 students enrolled. An additional 26 students started off this school year.
Applications available for Lake Tahoe Unified School Board
Submitted by paula on Wed, 12/31/2014 - 11:20pm
Lake Tahoe Unified School District is looking for a community member to fill a vacancy on the School Board of Education.
The vacancy was created after Trustee Sue Novasel resigned so she could begin a four year term on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors after winning a seat in November's election.
The person joining the board must reside in Trustee Area #1 which is shown as a photos in this story.
