Education Archives

Twenty-nine Palms band of Mission Indians donates 1,000 NCAA tickets to students

November 24, 2023 10:42 AM Jennifer Franco

The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians has donated 1,000 tickets to local students to attend the Acrisure Invitational, the NCAA Basketball Tournament held Thanksgiving weekend, November 24-25, 2023 at Acrisure Arena. Students in the Coachella Valley Unified School District, Desert Sands Unified School District, Palm Springs Unified School District, and Morongo Unified School District were recipients of

Five local students recognized with November ‘Do the Right Thing’ award

November 24, 2023 1:58 PM Jesus Reyes

Five local students are being recognized with the “Do the Right Thing” award for November. It’s a partnership between News Channel 3 and Palm Springs Police Dept. Students Micah Crow, Steven Silva, Mayra Magallanes-Rodriguez, Josue Jacob Arriaga, and Abigail Barraza-Ortega were honored. The students were chosen for their positive attitude, behavior, and accomplishments. If you

CVHS band director rehearsing for Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City

November 21, 2023 6:29 PM Jesus Reyes

A local band director is out rehearsing for his part in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City. Coachella Valley High School band director Daniel Granillo will be one of at least four local band directors who will be in the parade on Thursday. On Tuesday, the CVHS band shared photos of Granillo taking

Local teacher who survived Las Vegas mass shooting surprised with national award and $25K

November 16, 2023 7:27 PM Marco Revuelta, KESQ News Team

A Desert Sand Unified School District High School teacher was surprised with a national award and $25,000. Alexis Arias of Amistad High School in Indio could barely contain her tears after being named California’s sole recipient of the Milken Educator Award. “The moment I heard the name, it happened so fast, you kind of don’t

CVUSD Middle School Environmental Science Field receives $300K research grant

November 16, 2023 3:09 PM Jesus Reyes

The CVUSD Middle School Environmental Science Field has been awarded a $300,000 research grant from the Youth Community Access Grant Program, the Coachella Valley Unified School District announced on Thursday. The grant, made possible through the Outdoors for All Initiative backed by Governor Newsom and the State Legislature, will empower 1,200 7th and 8th-grade students

PSUSD names Dr. Tonatiuh ‘Tony’ Signoret as superintendent

November 14, 2023 7:23 PM Jesus Reyes

The Palm Springs Unified School District Board named Dr. Tonatiuh ‘Tony’ Signoret as superintendent. Signoret will serve as the District’s Superintendent of Schools effective Jan. 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. Signoret’s contract is for $290,000 per year, the district announced. Signoret has served as the Interim Superintendent since August. “Throughout his tenure in the

Three PSUSD band directors to march at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

November 9, 2023 3:22 PM Jesus Reyes

Three Palm Springs Unified School District band directors have been selected to join a marching band of 400 band directors from across the country in the historic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® on November 23 Rancho Mirage High Band Director Dr. Brian McDaniel and Assistant Band Director Mark Wienand along with Desert Hot Springs High Band

NASA awards $900,000 grant to College of the Desert

November 2, 2023 11:10 AM Tatum Larsen

College of the Desert is now one of two community colleges in the nation to be awarded a $900k from the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP or M-Star) grant program. The M-Star program was created by NASA to provide multi-year grants for research and future space exploration to underrepresented populations in the STEM

Local students receive October ‘Do the Right Thing’ awards

October 19, 2023 12:28 AM Jesus Reyes

Five local students were recognized with this month’s “Do the Right Thing” award which is a partnership between Palm Springs Police and News Channel 3. Heyden Rivera Zavala, Daniel Aleman, Antony Varga Ensiso, Jesus Gutierrez, and Alexis Cervantes were all honored at a special ceremony Wednesday at the Palm Springs Police Headquarters. The students were chosen for

CVUSD Superintendent warns about scam calls targeting parents

October 11, 2023 3:48 PM City News Service

The Coachella Valley Unified School District warned families today about scam phone calls targeting parents, making them believe their children were kidnapped and asking for a ransom. “According to law enforcement agencies, unscrupulous individuals use advanced technology, including artificial intelligence, to make these calls seem more convincing and terrifying,” CVUSD Superintendent Luis R. Valentino wrote

DSUSD: Online threat ‘unfounded,’ person in custody

September 15, 2023 3:44 PM KESQ News Team

Leaders at Desert Sands Unified School District have a message for parents, students, and employees: a threat you might have seen circulating on social media is now being called a hoax. An investigation into a message of violence seen here in the Coachella Valley found that it was similar to others across the country. The

CVUSD highlights its past, present, & future during ‘State of the District’ ceremony

September 13, 2023 7:44 PM Bianca Ventura

The Coachella Valley Unified School District is discussing its past, present, and future during its “State of the District” ceremony. It was the first “State of the District” ceremony in eleven years. CVUSD leaders gathered at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Wednesday morning with one goal in mind. “How can we as a village really come

CSU board approves five-year annual 6% tuition hikes

September 13, 2023 5:22 PM City News Service

Tuition for California State University students will increase by 6% annually for five years beginning in 2024-25 under a plan approved today by the university’s Board of Trustees. Under the schedule, the annual undergraduate tuition for CSU will increase from the current $5,742 to $6,084 in the 2024-25 school year. The total would jump to

News Channel 3 In-Depth Report: The Need for Nurses

September 5, 2023 4:06 PM Peter Daut

News Channel 3 has reported on the need for more teachers in schools, but there’s another national shortage that health officials say is getting worse: The nursing industry has been short-staffed for years, and it’s not just hospitals getting hit hard. The nursing shortage is also taking a toll on schools, including in the Coachella

I-team: State safety inspections reveal conditions of buses transporting local students

August 26, 2023 5:51 AM Jeff Stahl

Approximately 19,000 students are bused to and from classrooms each day on school buses around the Coachella Valley, and an I-team investigation reveals the information every parent or guardian needs to know about the safety and maintenance of those buses. All three local school districts earned ‘satisfactory’ marks on their two most recent California Highway Patrol Terminal Inspections. However, CHP

Coachella Valley High School academies named a finalist for the 2023 CSBA Golden Bell awards

August 28, 2023 2:04 PM Jesus Reyes

The Academies of Coachella Valley High School has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2023 Golden Bell Awards, presented annually by the California School Boards Association (CSBA). “This recognition highlights CVHS’s exceptional efforts in preparing students for career and college through its innovative College and Career Readiness program,” reads the announcement by the

Students hit the books at CVUSD

August 24, 2023 6:02 AM Crystal Jimenez

Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) is welcoming students back to the classroom on Thursday for the 2023-2024 school year. Despite Tropical Storm Hilary causing destruction to many Coachella roadways, school is proceeding on. District staff want their families to make sure they are planning their route ahead of time to arrive before the bell

News Channel 3 goes in-depth: CVUSD Superintendent Dr. Luis Valentino

August 23, 2023 4:10 PM Peter Daut

Peter Daut asked Superintendent Dr. Luis Valentino a variety of questions about the upcoming school year, and some of the biggest challenges facing the Coachella Valley Unified School District. Dr. Luis Valentino said many changes involve safety and security. “We’ve added cameras, we’ve added buzzers indoors at the main office, and those sorts of things.

PSUSD planning Thursday school opening, DSUSD already back in school.

August 21, 2023 12:07 AM Jesus Reyes

Update 8/22/23 Palm Springs Unified School District continues to move forward with its plans to open on Thursday, Aug. 24. Interim Superintendent Dr. Tony Signoret said during Tuesday’s board meeting that crews continue efforts to get schools ready for Thursday. Signoret encouraged parents to plan their route for Thursday ahead of time, do not wait

In-depth: School Safety Transparency

August 15, 2023 2:11 PM Jennifer Franco

Campus crime is an unfortunate reality for Coachella Valley students heading back to school. State law requires districts to keep track of safety problems and their plans to solve them. It’s a topic that’s front of mind for Bianca Acuña, as she helps get her daughter prepared to head back to school. Acuña said she’s