February 22, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- Due to an impending snowstorm, schools in the following school districts will be closed on Wednesday, Feb. 23, the County Office of Education has announced:

• Julian Union Elementary School District
• Julian Union High School District
• Mountain Empire Unified School District
• Spencer Valley School District

Schools in the Julian Union Elementary and Julian Union High school districts will have a late start on Thursday, Feb. 24.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Alpine Elementary School, site for the future Liberty Charter High School.  Photo courtesy George Barnett

February 20, 2022 (Alpine) – For over 20 years, Alpine residents pined for a high school, even engaging in unsuccessful litigation with the Grossmont Union High School District after the GUHSD reneged on promises to build one due to declining district enrollment.  But in August, Liberty Charter High School will open at the site of the recently closed Alpine Elementary School.

Source:  Don Diego Scholarship Foundation

February 15, 2022 (Del Mar) - The Don Diego Scholarship Foundation is offering $72,500 in 2022 college scholarships to 25 outstanding and deserving students who reside in the San Diego area and have participated in the San Diego County Fair and/or other activities associated with the Del Mar Fairgrounds in previous years.

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

January 21, 2022 (La Mesa) - Longtime East County educator Theresa Kemper announced Thursday that she’ll step down in June as superintendent of the Grossmont Union High School District after less than two years on the job but 33 in the district.

By Elizabeth Aguilera, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  CC-by NC-ND via Bing

January 18, 2022 (San Diego) - COVID-19 hospitalizations among California’s children — especially those too young to go to school — are the highest they have been since the pandemic began.

By David Casteñeda

January 5, 2022 (City Heights) - Registration is now open for an amazing semester of in-person, online and outdoor music classes the City Heights Music School (CHMS). Open to all ages and all levels, CHMS houses multiple performance groups that reflect the cultural diversity present here in San Diego.

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

December 15, 2021 (El Cajon) - Debbie Justeson has been unanimously selected by her fellow board members to serve as president of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board in 2022.

East County News Service

December 7, 2021 (Spring Valley) – Mt. Miguel High School Foundation will present a Holiday Craft fair at 8585 Blossom Lane, Spring Valley, CA 91977 on Saturday December 18, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Communnity College District

December 4, 2021 (El Cajon) - Like a shot of Miracle-Gro to a houseplant, Cuyamaca College’s expanded Ornamental Horticulture complex is expected to invigorate the campus flagship program.

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

November 23, 2021 (El Cajon) - The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District’s trustee area boundaries will remain unchanged, after a thorough review of 2020 Census population and demographic data.

East County News Service

November 18, 2021 (Ramona) -- A 15-year-old boy is being cared for at a hospital as a safety precaution after threatening to hurt students and staff at Ramona High School, says Lieutenant Daniel Vengler with the San Diego Sheriff’s department. 

East County News Service

An independent panel of local doctors addressed COVID-19 misinformation brought up by some public speakers at the Nov. 2 County Board of Supervisors meeting. View video in English and Spanish.

Among the facts presented:

• The American Academy of Pediatrics has strongly endorsed immunizing young children against COVID-19.
• Several thousand U.S. children have gotten multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MSIS) from COVID, which causes long-term organ damage.
• Children are getting long-term COVID symptoms such as brain damage/trouble concentrating.
• 94 kids ages 5-11 have died of COVID in the U.S. There have been more deaths in pediatrics from COVID in the past year than is usually seen in a year from flu.
• Children are just as likely to get infected with COVID as adults and can transmit it to family members or others.
• Even a mild case of COVID means lost school time to quarantine, which can set children back in their education.
• No children have died of COVID vaccines.
• No cases of heart inflammation after COVID vaccines were found in any of the children ages 5-11 during testing.
• Testing found the vaccines to be extremely safe for children ages 5-11.
• The Pfizer COVID vaccine for children ages 5-11 is only one-third the dose that adults or teens receive.
  

Source:  Grossmont College

November 4, 2021 (El Cajon) - Grossmont College has been named a 2021 Champion of Higher Education for its exemplary work in implementing the Associate Degree for Transfer program that provides a streamlined pathway between California’s community colleges and four-year colleges and universities. 

50% of area college students face food insecurity

Source:  Cal Coast Credit Union

November 1, 2021 (San Diego) - Approximately 50% of local community college students grapple with food insecurity. As a result of not having reliable, consistent access to food, students are more likely to miss classes or drop out of school.  The pandemic continues to severely impact students, and has increased the demand at food pantries on local college campuses.

With the 3rd annual Pack the Pantry food drive, California Coast Credit Union is partnering with all of the local community college campuses and the San Diego Food Bank to raise funds and fill local college pantries. During the month of November, you can donate online to help provide much-needed food for local college students at https://www.calcoastcu.org/news-and-events/pack-the-pantry-2021/. Donors can even select which college food pantry they want their donation directed to.

By Miriam Raftery

October 27, 2021 (Washington D.C.) – Following a rise in complaints by school board members, teachers and school workers over threats of violence, harassment and intimidation, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced plans to convene a meeting with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement leaders to create strategies for addressing this trend.

In a press release, the Dept. of Justice also encouraged education officials to report threats to the FBI’s National Threat operations Center tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or via the FBI website at http://fbi.gov/tips. “Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our nation’s core values,” Garland states. “Those who dedicate their time and energy to ensuring that our children receive a proper education in a safe environment deserve to be able to do their work without fear for their safety.”

Republicans have criticized Garland for setting up what they term a “snitch line on parents” and seeking to suppress free speech. But in testimony to the House Judiciary Committee, Garland made clear that he has no intention of targeting free speech, which he said is “totally protected by the First Amendment…We are only concerned about violence and threats of violence against school administrators, teachers, staff.” 

In response to the Dept. of Justice announcement, Congressman Darrell Issa, a Republican from the 50^th district which includes San Diego and much of East County, introduced the “Stand With Parents” resolution.