Three Teachers of the Year finalists and eight Classified School Employees of the Year were honored this evening at the first-ever Kern County Education Champions of the Year awards dinner.
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This is one in a series of stories highlighting the 2024 Kern County School Classified Employees of the Year Selections. Eight employees were selected by a committee from a pool of thirty nominees in a variety of job classifications. The eight are now eligible for the statewide award program.
Hundreds of Kern County students participated in the 3rd annual Kern County STEAM Olympiad today at Liberty High School. The event, sponsored by the Kern County Science Foundation and the Kern County Math Council, allowed students to work together in teams of up to six to compete in various math, science, art and engineering events.
Middle and high school students and their families gathered Thursday night for the annual Kern Codes Competition Awards, celebrating individual and team winners.
Young minds from Kern County schools displayed their writing and oratory skills Thursday night at the annual Bank of America Essay/Speech Contest.
For the first time in history, a Kern County robotics team has taken its place among world champions, finishing in the top one percent of teams worldwide. The Mech-Farland CougarBots reached the quarterfinals at the annual VEX Robotics World Championship Saturday, April 27, in Dallas, Texas.
Congratulations to Kern County’s 2024 Innovative & Impactful Schools.
Norris Middle School, Rio Bravo Greeley Elementary, Vista West High School, and Warren Middle School were recognized for their efforts to reduce suspension rates. At the same time, Di Giorgio Elementary, Thomas Middle School, Frazier Park Elementary, and Taft Union High School were honored for their efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism.
In our education systems, classroom teachers are most often in the spotlight because they are on the frontlines directly educating our children. But behind the scenes, there are countless individuals whose dedication and hard work help shape the learning environment and support students’ growth.
More than 250 students who rose through their school, district and regional competitions presented their interpretations of a published literary work during the annual Kern County Oral Language Festival held Saturday, April 27 at Stonecreek Jr. High School.
This is one in a series of stories highlighting the 2024 Kern County School Classified Employees of the Year Selections. Eight employees were selected by a committee from a pool of thirty nominees in a variety of job classifications. The eight are now eligible for the statewide award program.
Thousands of local students got a glimpse into their possible futures Friday at the Kern County Career & STEM Expo hosted by the Career Technical Education Center (CTEC).
More than two dozen students from Bakersfield City School District’s P.R.O.U.D Academy and student-athletes from Bakersfield High School were partnered with students with disabilities for a morning filled with relay races, ball and frisbee tosses, and a whole lot of smiles.
The Richland Union School District, serving the small community of Shafter, is making great strides toward student success by addressing the needs of the whole child and the whole community.
This is one in a series of stories highlighting the 2024 Kern County School Classified Employees of the Year Selections. Eight employees were selected by a committee from a pool of thirty nominees in a variety of job classifications. The eight are now eligible for the statewide award program.
More than 900 students from around California competed last week in the 74th annual California Science & Engineering Fair. See how those who represented Kern County did.
This is one in a series of stories highlighting the 2024 Kern County School Classified Employees of the Year Selections. Eight employees were selected by a committee from a pool of thirty nominees in a variety of job classifications. The eight are now eligible for the statewide award program.
Richmond Elementary School in Ridgecrest has become one of California’s newest Purple Star Schools. The designation is bestowed upon those that seek to reduce the burden on military-connected students and their families.
In a celebration of creativity and diversity, Valley Oaks Charter School (VOCS) held its first-ever Senior Showcase on the evening of April 11. The showcase, titled “Heterogeneity,” runs through May 10 at the Bakersfield VOCS campus on North Chester Avenue and celebrates diversity in all its forms.
More than 150 high school teams made up of budding entrepreneurs competed this week at the annual Youth Business Summit in New York City. As has become customary, local teams performed very well on the national stage, with the team from Centennial High placing second in the nation.
McFarland High School history teacher Lauren Cella is an educator turned online history influencer who will be appearing on NBC’s game show “Password” on April 9 alongside celebrities like Jimmy Fallon and Keke Palmer. However, her online journey all got started as a way to make history more accessible for her students.
The annual Youth Empowering Success (YES!) Conference, held at Bakersfield College Friday, brought together more than 150 middle and high school foster youth along with caregivers, educators, and community agencies to help students forge a path to success.
To celebrate National Walking Day, Mt. Vernon Elementary School in east Bakersfield hosted a Walking School Bus event today in partnership with Blue Zones Projects — Bakersfield.
In a remote corner of Kern County sits the tight-knit community of Rosamond and the Southern Kern Unified School District (SKUSD). In response to the unique challenges faced by the district and its surrounding community due to its remote location, SKUSD has unveiled its new parent and community center to provide essential resources and support services to address the diverse needs of the community.
In a concerted effort to promote healthier lifestyles and raise awareness about the importance of proper nutrition, March has been designated National Nutrition Month. Let’s take a look at what some of the schools around Kern are up to.
Amid sprawling almond orchards and oil patches on Kern’s west side, a unique partnership has emerged that embodies what it means to truly collaborate to uplift an entire community.
North High School has become Bakersfield’s first-ever Blue Zones Project Approved™ high school. The Blue Zones Project is a community wellness initiative that inspires healthy lifestyles by making positive changes to a city’s environment and policy.
Approximately 540 4th through 12th grade students took part in Kern County’s 36th annual Regional Science Fair. The annual event is the culmination of months of hard work for students who rose through their school and district ranks for a chance to showcase their science projects and compete at the county level.
Students and parents are discovering the joy of reading thanks to a Lunchtime Literacy program at Beardsley Elementary School (Beardsley School District). Parents brought lunch for their students Friday, and the families sat down in the playground to read together.
Sierra Vista Elementary School in Arvin celebrated the opening of a new multipurpose room and kitchen thanks to voter-approved school bonds.
Dozens of community members came out to celebrate the reopening of Fairview Elementary School today after a year-long modernization project was completed in the fall. The ambitious project, a collaboration between the Greenfield Union School District and Ordiz-Melby Architects, was the first significant renovation since the school’s integration into the Greenfield Union School District in 1952.
Dozens of honor band, orchestra, and choir students took the stage Tuesday night for the annual Kern County Honor Music Festival.
The Kern High School District has expanded its Career Technical Education programs by launching its first-ever Interior Design program at East Bakersfield High School. Through innovative curriculum, hands-on experiences, and strategic partnerships, the program is preparing students to thrive in the dynamic field of interior design.
As part of School Social Workers Week, six School Social Workers (SSWs) were named to the inaugural cohort of School Social Workers of the Year.
Students from schools across Kern County competed today in the 41st annual Kern County History Day. Individuals or groups with the highest scores in each category are now eligible to participate in California History Day, April 19-21 at Sacramento State.
Ten Kern County middle schools or high schools have been named 2024 Distinguished Schools by the California Department of Education for either closing the achievement gap or demonstrating exceptional student performance.
Seventh and eighth graders from several small, rural Kern County School Districts came together today to test their knowledge in math, science, history, and writing during the annual Whiz Kids competition, Academic Decathlon-style event.
Sierra Sands Unified School District Superintendent Dr. April Moore has partnered with Bakersfield Assemblyman Vince Fong to author Assembly Bill 2019. The bill would amend California law to allow for more flexibility for school districts wanting to expand their dual enrollment offerings.
Parents of students in the Fairfax School District (FSD) are becoming United States citizens and learning English thanks to special courses offered at the district’s Parent Education & Resource Center.
Buttonwillow Union School District broke ground this week on a new early childhood education and resource center. When it’s finished, the building will be home to a preschool classroom, a transitional kindergarten (TK) classroom, and the district’s community resource center.
Lamont Elementary School District (LESD) is making sure the health needs of all of its students are met by utilizing the latest technology. Myrtle Avenue School hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week to open the first-of-its-kind Telehealth School Wellness Center.
Community Schools are a nationwide initiative to bring education together with whole communities. They not only focus on academics, but also on providing students and families with wraparound support services such as social emotional support, healthcare, transportation and much more.
The annual MathCounts competition brought together some of the brightest young minds in mathematics as sixth through eighth graders students from across Kern County gathered on Friday, Feb. 2 to showcase their exceptional problem-solving skills.
Kids from across Kern County were taken on a musical journey this week at the Young People’s Concerts, courtesy of the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra.
Families in rural Weedpatch are getting their basic needs met thanks to the Vineland School District. The district established a food pantry, open every day, to allow the community to come and pick up food and other necessities free of charge.
Frontier High School received the Claude W. Richardson perpetual trophy as the overall team winner of the 43rd annual Kern County Academic Decathlon. Nearly 100 students from 12 high schools participated. Frontier High will represent Kern County in the California Academic Decathlon scheduled for next month.
A local junior high school is making sure students have all the gear they need for the classroom, and you can help.
The powerhouse Mock Trial team from Centennial High School claimed victory again, its fifth year in a row and nine out of the past ten years. Centennial earned a spot to move on to the California tournament in March.
Blake School District is a far cry from your typical Kern County school system. The single-school district is the perfect embodiment of a classic one-room schoolhouse with just 21 students ranging from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Students across Kern County are embracing and embodying kindness this week for the Great Kindness Challenge (GKC), a worldwide movement, which encourages students to find ways to be kind to others.
The Kern High School District (KHSD) teamed up with Virtual Enterprise International (VEI) to host the 25th annual Virtual Enterprise California Conference and Trade Exhibition on Jan. 17 & 18, 2024.
Five local schools are being recognized and honored for making a positive impact on their students. The Innovative and Impactful Schools (I2S) recognition program identified the schools across all 46 districts in Kern County that use verified systems to increase student success.
Last week’s Kern High Board of Trustees meeting was the first meeting of the year and the final meeting for Superintendent Dr. Bryon Schaefer. Schaefer announced his retirement in September after working in the district for 39 years. Trustees recognized Dr. Schaefer and shared well wishes with him.
The voices of students matter. But, what does it mean to truly take students’ opinions and experiences into account, and how do leaders use those voices to make lasting change? That is what students and educational leaders set out to answer during the inaugural Student Voice Matters Day held today at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB).
The Arvin Union School District is making the most of its three-week winter holiday break to provide an enriching STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) camp for kids.
The Lamont Elementary School District was one of just three in the state to be awarded a state grant to help construct eight new classrooms to house pre-K and K students.
A new program has local middle school students thinking ahead to their adult lives and future careers. KCSOS is piloting a new “I have a Plan” Career Exploration Curriculum that introduces students to a variety of career options that they can explore and learn about before they reach high school.
The Bakersfield City School District’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) department has been selected as one of 60 recipients of California’s leading educational honor, the Golden Bell Award.
Art students at Valley Oaks Charter School (VOCS) are expressing their own transitions through an art show titled “Metamorphosis.” About 15 students with VOCS’s Career Technical Education Visual & Commercial Arts Program are displaying their art pieces in the school’s student art gallery and invited the public for a fundraising show.
Employees of the highly classified Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake partnered with neighboring Burroughs High School for a STEM Day to introduce students to career opportunities on the base.
One of the biggest challenges facing schools and districts following the COVID-19 pandemic has been getting kids consistently back into the classroom. As schools opened following the lockdown, California’s Chronic Absenteeism Rate skyrocketed.
In the vast landscape of Kern County’s public education system, 29 student standouts scored perfectly on the English Language Arts (ELA) and math portions of the annual standardized state assessments they took last spring. Another 300 students scored perfect on one of the assessments.
Student academic competition season kicked off today with the annual We the People Congressional Hearings where students tested their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution.
Students and parents came together for a reading picnic Wednesday at San Lauren Elementary School (Beardsley School District). This is part of a new Literacy Lunch Club program that helps encourage reading among families.
The Los Angeles Football Club, the LAFC Foundation, and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (Chevron) celebrated the official unveiling of a new futsal court at Chipman Junior High School (Bakersfield City School District)
The school of rock is now in session at Freedom Middle School (Rosedale Union School District). Students are participating in Rock Band, an after-school program where they learn to play various instruments, read music and perform contemporary rock songs.
The Kern High School District Police Department is welcoming its newest recruit – a K9 Officer.
Local families in need are getting all the staples they need for a Thanksgiving feast thanks to the Standard School District and Bakersfield North Rotary.
McKinley Elementary School has become Bakersfield’s first ever Blue Zones Project Approved™ school. The Blue Zones Project is a community wellness initiative that inspires healthy lifestyles by making positive changes to a city’s environment and policy.
The Lamont Elementary School District (LESD) and the California Science Center Foundation announced a new partnership that will bring hands-on and interactive science lessons to elementary school children in Lamont.
Dignitaries and members of the Greenfield School District came together to dedicate the district’s newest campus on November 15 — Crescent Elementary School, home of the Wolves.
Three Kern high school seniors are being recognized for their achievements in community service. The students, Noami Garcia, Natalie Poon, and Justyn Shoemake, recently received the California State Seal of Civic Engagement.
Over the past 20 years, Lorrie Roberts has been a staple at Bakersfield’s Valley Oaks Charter School (VOCS) Campus. Read on to get find out how she is bringing ag education to students all over Kern.
Middle school and high school students from seven Kern County School attended to learn about potential careers in East Kern County.
