The SCV Education Foundation distributed grant materials to Santa Clarita teachers on Wednesday, awarding everything from drums to Chromebooks.

The grants have a combined total value of over $16,000 and will touch the lives of 2,000 students annually. This is the 20th year that the Foundation has awarded teacher grants bringing our total investment in this program to $500,000.

The grant application process started in November when the teachers submitted their applications.

Seven board policies and administrative regulations that include items like firearms on school grounds and board member electronic communications are expected to be reviewed by the Castaic Union School District Governing Board Thursday.

In an effort to offer families a low-cost summer camp experience, the Castaic Union School District is considering developing a summer partnership with RISE after school programs.

Currently, the RISE After School Programs provides the district’s employees with additional work hours and the district’s students with after school homework help and educational activities.

A sixth grade student from Castaic Elementary School was chosen last week as the concertmaster for the Southern California Middle School Honor Orchestra, according to a press release.

Sophie Bell, 11, was chosen out of 1600 middle school students in the Southern California area and was the only elementary school student selected.

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that 22 new high-performing California middle schools have been recognized in the 2017–18 Schools to Watch-Taking Center Stage program. They join 24 previously chosen schools whose sustained progress will allow them to retain their “Schools to Watch” designation.

"Congratulations to these schools for doing excellent work to help students believe in themselves, set high goals, and dream big," Torlakson said. "These schools are outstanding examples of how educational innovations can keep students engaged and learning throughout a transitional time in their lives."

These high-performing model schools demonstrate academic excellence, social equity, and responsiveness to the needs of young adolescents. For example, Fruitvale Junior High School in Bakersfield has created an outstanding forensic medical science program allowing students to experience science hands-on and use their skills of analysis, inquiry, and observation. And San Marcos Middle School in San Marcos has implemented a curriculum challenging students to think critically which resulted in high performance in student writing.

Seven new students entered third- and fourth-grade classrooms at Castaic Elementary School on Monday as part of the district’s cross-continental educational partnership.

The foreign exchange students were all from a Castaic Union School District sister school in China.

The plan is for the students to spend one week at the school living with and learning from students of Castaic Elementary, immersing themselves in English-based education.

The presentation may take about 45 minutes, according to Dave Caldwell, Public Relations Officer for the Hart District.

In attendance at the event, Bob Brauneisen, Principal of Castaic Middle School, Vicki Engbrecht, William S. Hart High School District Superintendent, and Randy Wrage, Project Manager for CHS, are all scheduled to speak at the meeting.

“The objective is to give residents of Castaic an introduction to the Castaic High School,” said Caldwell. “Let them see what is going to look like from an artist’s rendition.”