schools

Ten El Dorado County area foster youth were all smiles last Saturday, August 18, 2018, when they received the generous gift of technology -- their very own new laptops. The laptops were given to the youth during a small gathering at the El Dorado County Office of Education in Placerville.

Music, the beach, a glass of your favorite beverage and the sunset.....all the backdrop for the annual Music on the Beach for Tahoe Art's Project on Thursday, August 16 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Trey Stone, Niall McGuiness and George Tavoularis will bring their magical sounds to the shore behind Tahoe Lakeshore Lodge.

Funds raised by a benefit raffle will be used to support performing arts in local schools and the community. Tickets are available for a donation of $10. Bring low-back beach chairs, food, beverage and blankets.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m.

The follow letter was given to South Tahoe Now and mailed to the South Lake Tahoe Mayor, City Councilmembers and staff:

Dear Mayor David and Council Members:

I am writing to you as a follow-up to my letter of May 12, 2018 (see at end of story) regarding Policy Priorities and Issues for City Government.

Quality and Affordable Housing for Residents is Very Important

The Board of Trustees of the Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) District is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Jonathan King as the college’s new Vice President of Student Services beginning August 6. Dr. King is currently the Dean of Counseling and Student Support Programs at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, CA, where he has served since January 2015.

During the first two weeks of June, participants in the 13th annual Lake Tahoe Bike Challenge traveled 11,215 miles on foot or on bicycle, burning an estimated 482,245 calories and preventing an estimated 12,105 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and $2,493 in gasoline purchases.

Organized by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, the basin-wide Bike Challenge is a friendly competition to see what individuals and teams can rack up the most trips and miles by biking, walking, or taking transit instead of driving cars.

There are two seats on the Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board of Education up for election on November 6, 2018, those in Trustee Area #2 and #5.

These board seats are currently held by current Board President Barbara Banner and current Board Clerk Angela Swanson. Banner has served on the board since 2012 and has been president since 2014. Swanson was selected to fulfill the term of Ginger Nicolay-Davis and has been on the board this time since 2016.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Edgewood Tahoe has moved from one non-profit receiving the proceeds from food concessions during July's American Century Championship to several groups.

This year, Edgewood Tahoe is partnering with Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation, Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, and Tahoe-Douglas Rotary Club who in turn will be donating 400 volunteer hours at Edgewood’s four main concession tents.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Community College is excited to present its annual scholarship awards to 81 deserving students at a special luncheon taking place on Friday, June 29 – the same day as the college’s graduation ceremony. The 2017/2018 academic year was a record-breaking year of scholarship fundraising for the LTCC Foundation, with generous donors supporting the granting of 120 awards amounting to more than $126,000.

Twenty-six team members from Lake Tahoe Unified School District are retiring this year after serving a collective 627.5 years in the local schools.

During a reception hosted by the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, each retiree was honored with a gift and plant and a round of applause.

The following certificated and classified retirees will be honored:

Certified Employees - 300.5 years of employment

Joann Allister, P.E. Teacher, 22 years of service
Melissa Bornstein, 2nd Grade Teacher, 35 years of service
Diane Burtraw, Kindergarten TWBI Teacher, 34 years of service

"Congratulations on completing the first act of your lives," Keynote Speaker Leon Malmud told the graduates of Mt. Tallac High School Friday. "Leave charged with a sense of possibilities.

Malmud, a South Lake Tahoe resident and author who survived WWII by being hidden by a French family, gave the 76 students a list of lessons as they go forward:

Be Kind to Everyone
Kindness will pay you back
Be credible, people will trust you for your credibility, the core of your existence
Do not work for fools, work for people you like
It is okay to be wrong

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Lake Tahoe Golf Course has retained its designation as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, an Audubon International program.

Bobby Jaeger, Golf Course Superintendent, led the effort to maintain sanctuary status on this course. Lake Tahoe Golf Course was designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in 2003 and is one of 904 courses in the world to currently be designated as such.

Every year for two weeks, instead of driving, Lake Tahoe residents and visitors ride their bikes to work, school, and for fun. Schools, offices, neighbors, friends and individuals can all join in the challenge by logging all trips done on a bike, no matter the distance.

Just by participating in the Tahoe Bike Challenge people will be automatically eligible to win fabulous prizes and cool swag! Two categories to win: Most Total Trips & Most Trips (from June 1-14) and top riders will receive a limited-edition Tahoe Bike Challenge T-shirt.

Dear South Lake Tahoe Community,

The South Tahoe and Whittell High School Booster's Clubs would like to express our sincere gratitude to the sponsors, players and volunteers at this year's Boosters Golf Tournament. We'd especially like to thank Edgewood Tahoe for their continued support for our cause - this year was our 31st year - and once again they allowed us to use their gorgeous course, snack shack, carts, staff, and club house at no charge so that we can host this amazing event.

Karin Holmes can now take the "Interim Principal" off her name tag and add "Principal."

During last week's Lake Tahoe Unified School District(LTUSD) Board of Trustees meeting, the new position was made official.

"We're fortunate to have Karin Holmes," said LTUSD Superintendent Dr. James Tarwater. "She is an outstanding educator."

In July 2017, Holmes was given the interim principal job at Sierra House Elementary after Ryan Galles left the district for a job in Vacaville.

South Tahoe High School received great news from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Commission with confirmation that the school is fully accredited through June 2022. When the accreditation team left the campus in March they had nothing but glowing reports for the staff and school, but the final decision was mailed to the school May 3.

The Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe held their 34th annual Spelling Bee on Thursday, with students from the four South Lake Tahoe elementary schools taking part: Tahoe Valley, Sierra House, Bijou and Lake Tahoe Environmental Magnet.

The students from the Magnet School won first place in the 1st/2ndh grade division at the bee which is now named the Katey Fagan Spelling Bee in honor of a local Kiwanian who died in 2017.

Bijou won 3rd/4th grades and the Magnet School also won grade 5.

A couple of social media posts with accusations of bullying in a South Lake Tahoe school this week have led to outrage, several concerned parents, backlash and sign carrying parents in front of the school Friday morning.

While bullying is still prevalent across the country, what happened at South Tahoe Middle School (STMS) this week has been determined by all involved, including school officials, parents and law enforcement, to not be bullying but more of a wrong choice while playing with a friend.

One student threw rocks at their friend during a school break, hitting them.

5/16 UPDATE: Due to the forecast, this event has been moved to the City Council Chambers at the Lake Tahoe Airport.

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The South Lake Tahoe Police Canine Association has announced that K9 Tara will be retiring on May 17 during the annual South Lake Tahoe Police Department's (SLTPD) awards ceremony.

The 10-year-old Tara's handler is Sergeant Jason Cheney.

The Tahoe-Douglas Rotary Club held their annual Community Heroes Awards luncheon at the MontBleu Resort on Friday, April 27. In the past the club has honored firefighters, law enforcement and dispatch employees. This year, the awards went to local teachers from five schools: Whittell High School, South Tahoe High School, South Tahoe Middle School, Bijou Community School, Sierra House Elementary and Zephyr Cove Elementary.

Whittell High School: The winner is Susan Van Doren who has taught Engligh and Computer Science. She has taught for 20 years.

The annual joint board meeting with the Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) and Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) to discuss common goal strategies was held Tuesday, will innovative programs and successes highlighted.

Many people donate both money and auction items to the Soroptimist of Tahoe Sierra club for their annual Elegant Evening which occurs on Saturday, April 21. What many don't know is where those donations go. There was question recently in the community about donations, so the club wanted to clear up any misunderstandings.

The club recently created a diagram to better explain where each penny goes as they don't have must left over funds after they issue scholarships, grants and other forms of financial support.

Last year’s Elegant Evening funds went to provide:

A quick moving storm is leaving behind a few inches of snow around South Lake Tahoe, but not enough to cancel school around the lake. The Winter Weather Advisory is ending at 8:00 a.m. Monday with another 1-3" of snow possible during the day and overnight.

US 50 over Echo Summit - Cedar Grove to Meyers - Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles except four wheel/ all wheel drive vehicles with snow-tread tires on all four wheels. (Four wheel/all wheel drive vehicles must carry traction devices in chain control areas).

The community is invited to join the Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) club for an evening of live music, great food, drinks and friends at the 29th annual Elegant Evening will be held at Harrah's Tahoe on Saturday, April 21, 2018.

The evening's festivities start with a 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. cocktail party and social time, moving to a seated dinner from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and dancing all night with Trey Stone until 10:30 p.m.

Guests will enjoy selective tastings from Crystal Basin Cellars, Tahoe Blue Vodka, Lake Tahoe AleWorx and Double Bond Wine.

This isn't your mother's school play. Tahoe Valley Elementary Performing Arts is presenting The Jungle Book to local schools, parents and the community this week, and the production shouldn't be missed.

Under the direction of Jack Suglian, a Tahoe Valley Elementary and South Tahoe High graduate and stage veteran, the 55 students have been in rehearsal since January, not only working on lines but also on 15 musical numbers.

The play is inside the schools "Thunderbird Theater."