schools

The Tahoe Chamber will hold another of their Virtual Town Hall meetings on Friday, July 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This week's guest is Dr. Todd Cutler, Lake Tahoe Unified School District's superintendent.

He will be discussing the latest updates on the operations of the South Lake Tahoe schools and what parents can expect for the fall. A decision on reopening is expected on July 31.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Today, July 17, Gov. Gavin Newsom released enhanced school health guidance developed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that includes more prescriptive considerations for opening and operating schools. From the onset of this pandemic, the El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE), and the 15 school districts we serve, have emphasized the need to utilize state and local health guidance available in order to prioritize student and staff health and safety.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - School Resource Officers, or SROs, have been a recent topic of conversations in the community with some residents questioning the need for an armed officer on South Lake Tahoe campuses.

The word "resource" gives one an insight into their position - a resource for the students, and not only at school. A resource for the parents. A resource for the school district. A resource for the school.

And the job doesn't end there.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board of Trustees will hear a draft proposal on what the reopening of school in the fall will look like at during a special meeting on July 14 at 5:00 p.m.

"We are in a unique time for public schools. We have been challenged to create plans for the start of the 2020/21 school year that will provide a quality education for our students and at the same time provide safety for us all. This is not an easy task," new LTUSD Superintendent Dr. Todd Cutler said in his weekly email to staff, parents, and the public.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For the fourth consecutive summer, the St. Theresa Bread & Broth 4 Kids Summer Program will provide weekly food bags for South Lake Tahoe youth every Wednesday until school resumes in August.

Since local schools closed in March due to the coronavirus, Bread & Broth 4 Kids (BB4K) has provided weekly food bags to students at bus stops and schools in coordination with the Lake Tahoe Unified School District as they distributed daily meals. Some weeks the BB4K bags went to over 410 children.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For the past 27 years, Frank Kovac has been with the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD).

When he landed in South Lake Tahoe Kovac already had spent time teaching at Fairfax High School, Emerson Junior High, James Rutter Middle School, and Paul Revere Middle School, but he found his niche beginning locally at South Tahoe Middle School.

After one year at STMS Kovac took the position as athletics and activities director at South Tahoe High School (STHS), a position he held for five years.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Barton Foundation began accepting applications on June 15 from local nonprofit organizations for this year’s $100,000 Community Health Grant program. Area service groups and organizations that share Barton Health’s commitment to improving community health and well-being are encouraged to apply online at bartonhealth.org/foundation.

Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2020.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In a graduation season marked by COVID-19 social distancing regulations, high school students across the globe knew the ceremonies marking the end of K-12 school careers would be different than in years past. With daily school work moved online, graduations were moved to a virtual format.

At both South Tahoe High and Mt. Tallac High schools, graduation has been made special by social media acknowledgments, yard signs, and special bags full of gifts.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - If California Governor Newsom gives guidelines on the next industries that can open in the state, El Dorado County will be able to move quickly and reopen more businesses and activities.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With many people and families struggling to keep food on the table during the pandemic, the South Lake Tahoe community is providing several weekly options as well as special days. Community support of volunteer time and donations has been overwhelming during these trying times.

Friday, May 15

The Nevada Food Bank will be at the parking lot of the American Legion with Christmas Cheer. The truck with fresh produce will be there from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Many South Lake Tahoe businesses will be able to open soon, but not until they have plans in place that comply with the State’s COVID-19 guidelines and the State approves and publishes the public health director's signed Variance Attestation and supporting documents.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Even though schools are not currently open, registration is underway for kindergarten and Transitional kindergarten in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD).

To be eligible for kindergarten enrollment a child must be five years of age on or before September 1, 2020. If the child will be five years of age between September 1, 2020, and December 2, 2020, they qualify for Transitional Kindergarten (TK); a two-year Kindergarten program located at Tahoe Valley Elementary School.

LTUSD is also offering an Early Entry TK program for students born between

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - One layer of stay-at-home orders has been lifted for El Dorado County as its Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams, has lifted her stay-at-home directive effective April 30, the original date it was to be lifted when set on March 19.

This doesn't mean that South Lake Tahoe and the county are open for business though as the State's order is still in effect.

"We are requesting from the Governor that we [South Lake Tahoe] can move towards reopening in a phased approach with attention paid to his six guidelines," said South Lake Tahoe Mayor Jason Collin.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A team of volunteers will be handing out sugar pine seedlings to students at four South Lake Tahoe school sites on Friday, April 24.

The Sugar Pine Foundation has given a box of seedlings to Bijou Community School, Sierra House Elementary, Tahoe Valley Elementary, and South Tahoe Middle School. The free seedlings will be given out when students pick up their meals between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. while supplies last.

At Tahoe Valley, TRex will be on hand to hand out the sugar pines, and at the Middle School, meet Hans the service dog.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In less than 90 days life has changed in South Lake Tahoe, California and the United States. The West caught up quickly to the novel coronavirus pandemic that was first contracted by a human in China on November 17, 2019.

Scientists and doctors pled for the public to stay home to keep the virus from spreading, and that plea worked better in some areas than others.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It has been a few weeks (though it may seem like months) since business shut their doors, nonessential workers were asked to stay home and nonessential travel came to a screeching halt in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and COVID-19.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barton Hospital would like 1000 face shields for staff during the coronavirus pandemic, and a South Lake Tahoe couple has taken on the challenge. With about 100 masks a week they are in search of help from the community in their 3D printing efforts.

Keith and Linda Cloutier, owners of Rudy's Plumbing and Heating, are currently in production of the masks. Since a 3D printer takes about 3.5 hours to print one face shield, Keith is asking for community members who have a 3D printer to join him so they can get more shields to Barton.

Today is Census Day, the day that determines who is counted in the 2020 Census and where they are counted.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Many have asked, what if our community starts getting COVID-19 cases, are we prepared? Many different groups, agencies, and the government have been working diligently and collaboratively on emergency plans to prepare.

California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye on Monday issued a statewide order suspending all jury trials in California's superior courts for 60 days and allowing courts to immediately adopt new rules to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In South Lake Tahoe, Judge Suzanne Kingsbury had previously announced new practices in the El Dorado County courtrooms and suspension of the use of juries until April 16.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Due to the rapidly changing health crisis brought by coronavirus and COVID-10, the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) has a new
coordinated COVID-19 response and will be open 24-hours-a-day through April.

In preparation for increased utilization and operational capacity surging expected for the next several months, TCH has made the changes to their sheltering and support service programs. They have seen a 30 percent increase in nightly shelter requests and anticipate that number will increase significantly over the coming weeks.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - As one would expect in South Lake Tahoe, the community has been coming together to help others during these trying times and uncertainty.

Base Camp Pizza has been one of those businesses that have helped out the community. On Friday they dropped off 120 pizzas, 75 salads and 100 pasta dishes to Bijou Community School for families there who were picking up kids' homework and other supplies to use for at-home study. Local girl scouts donated boxes of cookies to hand out.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Due to the COVID-19 emergency, Bread & Broth has made changes to their normal procedures in helping food insecure residents of South Lake Tahoe.

As an all-volunteer organization, they have been proudly serving the community since 1989 and will continue to do so as long as possible through these uncertain times due to the coronavirus COVID-19 health issues.

Starting immediately, the following schedule is in place:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With schools not in session, many families have been left scrambling to provide the meals that would normally be provided at school.

Starting Monday, the Keys Cafe is offering free breakfast to children in grades K-6th with 30 percent off for parents. Keys Cafe is located at 2279 Lake Tahoe Blvd. #2, South Lake Tahoe. It is behind Enterprise Rental Car near Tahoe Keys Blvd. The free offer is good from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. M-F until April 1.