Education Archives

College of the Desert to search for new location for Roadrunner Motors program; Cathedral City calls decision ‘disturbing’

October 27, 2021 2:27 PM Jesus Reyes

College of the Desert will search for a new location for its Roadrunner Motors program following a fiscal review of the originally planned location in Cathedral City. COD’s Roadrunner Motors program is the school’s automotive training center. In January 2020, the school announced plans to build an automotive and advanced transportation facility featuring a modernized

Local school districts see increase in families opting for distance learning

October 27, 2021 11:58 AM Madison Weil

As the pandemic continues, more families in the valley are taking kids out of the classroom and choosing virtual learning options instead. “Our major concern was…we didn’t know what this virus was going to do in the flu months,” said Priscilla Waggoner. Waggoner is a Bermuda Dunes mother with a four and five-year-old at home.

Desert Hot Springs High School principal announces her resignation after accepting new position

October 27, 2021 6:29 PM Jesus Reyes

Desert Hot Springs High School Principal Dr. Caroline Cota is stepping down from the position. Cota made the announcement in a letter to DHSHS parents on Wednesday. “It is with mixed emotions that I share with you that I have accepted a promotional position in a different school district,” Cota wrote in her letter. “It

Resource officers to return to PSUSD high schools next week

October 27, 2021 2:52 PM City News Service

School resource officers are anticipated to return to Palm Springs Unified School District campuses next week following the completion of a five-day training program, district officials said today. School resource officers — or SROs — have not been in place in the PSUSD since the school year began in August due to contract negotiations between

Officers to return to Palm Springs & Desert Hot Springs high schools as PSUSD board approves new contract

October 26, 2021 7:46 PM Jesus Reyes

The Palm Springs Unified School District board of education unanimously approved new SRO contracts for Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs high schools. The Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs city councils for both cities approved new contracts with the district during meetings earlier this month. Both cities included new amendments in the contracts. Palm

San Diego proclaims Oct. 26 ‘Nichi Aviña Day’ in honor of local California Teacher of the Year

October 26, 2021 3:50 PM Jesus Reyes

The city of San Diego is honoring a Palm Springs teacher who was named a 2022 California State Teacher of the Year. On Tuesday, the San Diego City Council voted to proclaim October 26 as “Nichi Aviña Day” in the city of San Diego. Nichi Aviña is a teacher at Cielo Vista Charter School in Palm

New mural at Jackson Elementary aimed at inspiring young leaders

October 22, 2021 12:15 PM KESQ News Team

Andrew Jackson Elementary School in Indio has a new mural, “Role Model.” The art honors prominent leaders in American history. Students can see images of John F. Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Cesar Chavez, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as the historical figures interact with children. The mural was dedicated on Friday morning. School Principal

Threat in TikTok video lands Palm Desert student in Juvenile Hall

October 22, 2021 11:47 AM KESQ News Team

A TikTok video showing a student damaging school property and threatening violence against a peace officer has led to the arrest of a student. It’s also a reason officials are urging parents to address social media use with their school-aged children. A Palm Desert High School Resource Deputy was made aware of the post on

Local students take part in Great California Shake Out; here’s what school officials want parents to know

October 21, 2021 6:02 AM Crystal Jimenez

At 10:21 a.m. Thursday, schools across the Coachella Valley took part in the Great Shakeout to prepare for earthquakes. Desert Sands Unified School District and Coachella Valley Unified School District held the drill with an alarm to simulate an earthquake happening. From there students and staff dropped, covered, and held on for about a minute.

Brothers create custom flags to raise money for Gerald Ford Elementary School music and arts programs

October 20, 2021 11:37 AM Crystal Jimenez

Two elementary school students are making money by crafting their own wooden custom flags. The money they raise is being contributed to Gerald Ford Elementary School to help improve the music and arts program. As brothers Jake and Jason Vasquez followed the “stay at home” orders, they turned some free time into a small business.

Desert Hot Springs City Council unanimously approves school resource officer contract

October 19, 2021 8:13 PM Jesus Reyes

The Desert Hot Springs City Council unanimously approved a contract with the police department for a school resource officer at its high school. The contract will now move to the Palm Springs Unified School District board of education. If the board approves it, then SROs will return to Desert Hot Springs High School’s campus. PSUSD

College of the Desert awarded $1.3 million grant to help low-income students

October 19, 2021 6:37 PM City News Service

The College of the Desert today announced it has been awarded a $1.3 million grant to help low-income, first-generation students find a path to college. The U.S Department of Education awarded the community college with the $1,386,870 “Educational Talent Search” grant in order to identify and assist middle- and high-school students who have the potential

Palm Springs City Council approves PSUSD SRO contract with amendment on funding

October 14, 2021 9:50 PM Jesus Reyes

The Palm Springs City Council voted 4-1 to approve a new contract for school resource officers, however, there was an added amendment on the source of funding. The move brings the Palm Springs Unified School District one step closer to bringing back a full-time police officer at the Palm Springs High School and Desert Learning

October One Class At a Time Winner says the award money ‘is going to go far’

October 14, 2021 11:41 AM Jennifer Franco

October’s One Class At a Time Award winner is Ms. Mindy Zimmerman, who teaches 8th grade at James Workman Middle School in Cathedral City. She teaches language arts, U.S. history, and for the first time ever, she’s teaching yearbook as an elective course. Her work teaching yearbook is what got the attention of a parent,

DHSPD hosting town hall meeting to address recent violence at Desert Hot Springs High School

October 14, 2021 5:31 PM Jesus Reyes

The Desert Hot Springs Police Department is inviting parents to attend a town hall meeting to address recent violence at the high school. The town hall meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. inside the Desert Hot Springs City Hall. DHSPD Chief Jim Henson will host the meeting. Students Say There Are

PSUSD one step closer to the return of school resource officers on campus, what’s next?

October 13, 2021 5:48 PM Madison Weil

The Palm Springs Unified School District Board of Education approved new contracts to bring school resource officers (SROs) back to campuses. The decision was made during a board meeting on Tuesday night. The program has been temporarily suspended as the district evaluated how to improve interactions between officers and students. “The way we were doing

PSUSD approves new contracts for School Resource Officers to return to campuses

October 12, 2021 9:14 PM Jesus Reyes

The Palm Springs Unified School District board of education approved new contracts to bring School Resource Officers (SROs) back to campuses. SROs will return to high school campuses at all PSUSD cities except for Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs. Both City Councils will vote on whether or not to approve this new contract on

California requires menstrual products in public schools

October 8, 2021 3:15 PM Associated Press

By DON THOMPSON Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California public schools and colleges must stock their restrooms with free menstrual products under a bill signed Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The move comes as women’s rights advocates push nationwide for affordable access to pads, tampons and other items. California’s latest effort builds on a 2017 law

California makes ethnic studies a high school requirement

October 8, 2021 2:39 PM Associated Press

By JOCELYN GECKER Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Along with English, science, math and other graduation requirements, California high school students will have to take a course in ethnic studies to get a diploma starting in 2029-30. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday that makes California among the first in the nation to

California to require all schoolchildren to get a COVID-19 vaccine, pending FDA approval

October 1, 2021 9:47 AM Jesus Reyes, Associated Press, Madison Weil

Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan for the nation’s first statewide coronavirus vaccination requirement for schoolchildren. The state’s plan will require all students from elementary through high school to get vaccinated once it gains final FDA approval for different age groups. The mandate would take effect the semester after the federal government grants final approval.