Connecting Families through Community Collaboration
May 4, 2018
Top Stories
LTCC Hosting Info Sessions on New Brandman University Bachelor’s Degree Program
South Lake Tahoe, CA—Lake Tahoe Community College and Brandman University are hosting free information sessions next week about a new, affordable four-year degree option coming to LTCC’s South Lake Tahoe campus starting in Fall 2018. The two-year California community college and the private non-profit university will offer a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies, leading to a multiple subject teaching credential. This bachelor’s degree, which can be earned entirely on LTCC’s South Shore campus in the Lisa Maloff University Center, will start on September 4, 2018.
California is in the midst of a teacher crisis, with thousands of K-12 teaching positions left unfilled. The state has an annual shortage of 40,000 fewer teaching credentials being issued than is required to meet its K-12 teaching needs. Locally, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District has hired nearly 80 teachers in the past five years to keep up with the demand.
Find out more about the Liberal Studies degree through Brandman University at one of several free information sessions being held in LTCC’s Student Center on Tuesday, May 1 from 12pm-1pm or 5pm-6:30pm, or on Wednesday May 2 from 5:30pm-7pm. You can also get more information by calling (916) 789-6901, or email Amy Crown at acrown@brandman.edu or Barbara Bartels at bartels@brandman.edu for details. Additional informational sessions will be held through the summer months. For information on all of the four-year degree programs offered at LTCC, go to www.ltcc.edu/4year.
California schools getting a little greener as environmental education standards roll out
As Californians celebrate Earth Day and the ecology movement over the past month, the state’s public schools are making steady progress in implementing some of the most comprehensive environmental education standards in the country, educators and environmentalists say.
Buoyed by $4 million in the current state budget for K-12 environmental education, teachers are planning field trips to mountains and beaches, creating lessons on ecosystems and watersheds and showing students how human activity affects the planet. In April, thousands of students turned out for Earth Day events, picking up trash, pulling weeds and planting trees.
K9 Tara Retiring on May 17th
South Lake Tahoe, CA (May 3, 2018) – The South Lake Tahoe Police Canine Association has announced that K9 Tara, who’s handler is Sergeant Jason Cheney, will be retiring at the May 17th South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) Annual Awards Ceremony. Tara turned 10-years-old in March 2018.
K9 Tara has served the SLTPD and the community of South Lake Tahoe extremely well and has performed in countless demonstrations for our community’s schools and groups. K9 Tara has aided in the apprehension of numerous criminals and served as the “tip of the spear” on more than one occasion, going in first to keep our Officers safe. K9 Tara’s drug seizure are too numerous to count. She has gone her entire career without a single failed deployment and has won countless awards and represented this agency competing against the best K9 teams on the west coast.
Please join the South Lake Tahoe Police Department for the annual award ceremony on Thursday, May 17th, at 4:00pm.
Awards and Recognition!
Tahoe Valley Thunderbird Choir shines at the
Music in the Parks Choir Festival
One budding young star, Lucia Solorzano, was selected as the Most Outstanding Elementary Vocalist! With an ear to ear smile she was recognized in front of the entire auditorium for her outstanding performance.
“I had a feeling we would perform well, but these kids blew me away, then to have the adjudicators verify that it wasn’t just me being biased was just awesome” said Choir Director Allyssa Little, she added.
“All of the work to make this trip possible instantly seemed more than worth it when we saw the smiles on the kid’s faces and when we got to experience the excitement at the school when they saw our trophies.” This also wouldn’t have been possible without the help of MANY teachers at Tahoe Valley and parent chaperones.
For more information on the Tahoe Valley Choir contact director Allyssa Little at alittle@ltusd.org Read this article in Spanish
The choir consisting of Tahoe Valley Students grades 3 through 5 traveled off the hill to Vanden High School in Fairfield California on Saturday April 21st to be adjudicated for the first time ever! The intention was to provide the students with the opportunity and experience of performing under pressure in the presence of top quality competitors. The result was an outstanding showing that netted the choir 1st place in their division as well as 1st place in the overall elementary choir category, and a rating of excellence from the panel of judges! For their efforts they were award two trophies, one of which was almost as tall as many of the singers.
this year's Congressional Art Competition and california streaming photo contest Winners from South tahoe high!
Congressional Art Competition
Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.
Students submit entries to their representative’s office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.
Photo Above by Hannah Lucas, Elisabeth Pounce, and Elisa Roberts (Collaboration): Second Place Congressional Art; First Place California Streaming; pending CSU Photo Contest.
California Streaming Digital Photo Contest
Inspire, Empower, Transform - that is the vision and purpose of CCETC's CaliforniaStreaming collaborative community. The judges of the CaliforniaStreaming Digital Photography Contest will select up to eight winners - at least six student winners and up to two teacher winners that best reflect the 2018 contest theme: "INVESTIGATION."
Winners will have their photographs incorporated into a collectible CaliforniaStreaming poster, which will be distributed to classrooms across the state of California. Eight winners will receive a digital pocket camcorder.
Photo Top Left by Cassidy Harootunian: First Place Congressional Art
Photo Top Right by Alia Enriquez: First Place California Streaming Digital Photo
Local teachers honored as community heroes by Tahoe Douglas Rotary
The Tahoe-Douglas Rotary Club held their annual Community Heroes Awards luncheon at the MontBleu Resort on Friday, April 27. In the past the club has honored firefighters, law enforcement and dispatch employees. This year, the awards went to local teachers from five schools: Whittell High School, South Tahoe High School, South Tahoe Middle School, Bijou Community School, Sierra House Elementary and Zephyr Cove Elementary.
South Tahoe High School: The winner is Nannette "Niv" Niven who has taught several classes in the Theater department along with directing the annual plays. She has taught for 21 years.
South Tahoe Middle School: The winner is Kathleen Whatford who has taught Physical Education for 30 years.
Bijou Community School: The winner was Laura Chappel who is in her 12th year of teaching first grade.
Sierra House Elementary: The winner is Heather Hart who has taught K-5 at all schools in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District for the last 18 years. She is currently teaching 5th grade at Sierra House. Full Story from Paula Peterson, South Tahoe Now
Board Agendas and Schedule of Regular Meetings Meet Your Board Members Board Policies
The next Board of Education meeting is this Tuesday, May 8, at 6:00 PM, with Closed Session at the end of the meeting. On the agenda: Public hearings on CSEA/LTUSD 2018 bargaining proposals; Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation report; Social-Emotional Learning in LTUSD; continuation of the Annual Update for Year 1 of the 2017-20 Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP); Information Technology Update; Facilities 7-year Project Plan; and more. We hope you can join us! Here is a link to the agenda (click on May 8, 2018 in the right column).
AMGEN TOUR MAY 18
MAY 20 FREE FAMILY GOLF CLINIC!
Looking for services available for you and your family? Check out this quick access summary and community folder for relevant locations and services.
step into your schools
David Wise and Family
For more information about the May 25 Gift of Literacy event, please contact LTCC’s Superintendent/President’s Office at (530) 541-4660 ext. 210. To learn more about David Wise and Children Leading Children, visit www.mrdavidwise.com and www.childrenleadingchildren.com.
LTCC, Magnet School Partner on Literacy Event
South Lake Tahoe, CA—Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) is joining the Lake Tahoe Unified School System (LTUSD) and the Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School (LTESM) to encourage childhood literacy with a special event on May 25. They will be hosting a Gift of Literacy event on LTCC’s campus to provide each LTESM student with a brand-new hardbound book to help spark a lifelong interest in reading. Among the invited guests who will be reading to local children that day will be two-time Olympic gold medalist freeskier and children’s book author David Wise.
In its first pilot year, the Gift of Literacy program will provide approximately 138 kindergarten, first grade and special day students from the Magnet School with copies of selected books. Copies will also be provided to all LTUSD elementary school libraries, the South Lake Tahoe Public Library, LTCC’s Roberta Mason library, and at LTCC programs including the Child Development Center and Tahoe Parents Nursery School so the community has an opportunity to read along. Read More...
Community Soup Night was a success! Thanks to Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, UCCE Master Gardeners, Tahoe Food Hub, Local Farmers and CSAs, LTCC, and LTUSD
Wellness
Make Safe Happen
According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Safe Kids Worldwide, each year, millions of children are injured in and around the home, and tragically, thousands of these children die. It can happen to anyone, anywhere, and in a matter of seconds. But this is a problem with a solution.
Kids will be Kids, and kids will get hurt. But there are things that you can do in and around the home to make sure their accidents aren’t life-threatening. You have the power to “Make Safe Happen” http://makesafehappen.com/safety-tips
PLAYTIME HAZARDS RIGHT IN YOUR BACKYARD
Summer break is nearing and playing outside is a wonderful way for children to get the fresh air they need—and a great way for families to spend time together. But there are many household and playtime hazards right in your backyard. Keep it safe and fun with these simple yard safety tips.
BIKES, SCOOTERS, SKATEBOARDS AND SKATES...
have kids moving more than ever before. That makes it extra important to learn how to protect them whenever they’re on wheels. The following link will help fill you in on all the latest safety tips so you can learn how to keep your skaters, scooterers and cyclers safe. http://makesafehappen.com/safety-tips/safety-on-wheels
SAFETY WITH WATER PLAY
Kids love to make a splash, but they often don’t know their limits. That’s why we need to actively watch them when they’re in and around water. Whether it’s in the backyard, community pool or beautiful blue Lake Tahoe, you have the power to keep kids safe around water. http://makesafehappen.com/articles/pool-safety-kids
Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation
Please take a moment to thank a LTEF Member when you see them in our community!
The diligent work of the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation (LTEF) has allowed our students to participate in an multitude of educational and enrichment programs that would have been otherwise unavailable to our schools. For nearly 30 years, the LTEF has operated as a volunteer-lead non-profit organization whose driving purpose is to "support the educational programs and needs of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District. " This is done through a fall and spring grant request process in which LTEF provides $40,000 to $60,000 each year to enrichment grants. Individual and business donations are the sole source for the LTEF fund. If you are interested in learning more or wish to donate, please visit the Foundation at http://www.ltedf.org/. Here photos from are some of the 24 programs that received a total of $69,552.40 in LTEF grants this year!