Schools

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) has selected a seasoned professional with two decades of experience in California state policy and politics to fill a critical role during unprecedented and uncertain times.

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) is closed, but they are sharing with parents, teachers, students, caregivers a list of free STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) resources.

Due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic schools across the country, including UC Davis, are shut down. TERC has been closed its science centers and suspended regular program offerings.

They said they realize the challenges many parents who have had to home school their children may need help getting through the normal day-to-day schooling.

This week at South Tahoe High School, seniors visited the Scholarship Fair, a new school app was launched, and senior basketballers play their last home game.

On Campus

Thursday afternoon, seniors were released early from classes to experience the inaugural Scholarship Fair, an event held by the STHS counselors. Organizations like South Tahoe High School Alumni Association, Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Sierra, and El Dorado Community Foundation attended to educate the seniors on how they can earn scholarship money.

This week at South Tahoe High School, students started their spring-term classes. Winter Formal is next weekend, and basketball travels to Elko for their next league game.

On Campus
After the three-day weekend, students returned to a new schedule of classes for the last term of the 2019-2020 school year.

“I like the new classes starting because it feels like the first day of school again,” said senior Alex Boyko.

“I like my classes so far,” said sophomore Laura Marler. “This term is definitely going to be easier than my last one.”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board of Education will hold a Special Board Meeting on Friday, January 24 at 10:00 a.m.

The open session meeting is a workshop for the trustees and will be facilitated by Cummings & Associates (CAAC), the consulting firm they approved to conduct a holistic analysis of the district’s organizational health. The group is not charging for their services and were recommended by Leadership Associates, the executive search firm being used by LTUSD for their superintendent search.

The students of South Tahoe High School came back from a two-week holiday vacation with motivation to finish the term and start their new year’s resolutions. Final exams are next week, Winter Formal is coming soon, and winter sports are continuing.

On Campus
Finals are next week on Thursday and Friday, which end the first term of the 2019-2020 year. While students bear down on studying, here are some of their resolutions for 2020:

Senior Nathan Carney wants to listen to a new song every day.

All Douglas County schools will be on a delayed start on Monday, December 2. Schools at both the lake and in the valley will start 90 minutes later than normally scheduled.

Western Nevada College in Carson City, including the Child Development Center. The campus will open at 11:00 a.m. All classes before that time are canceled. Jump Start students taking classes at a high school should refer to the high school for closure/delay information. The Fallon campus will open at 8 a.m.

At this time no other schools have announced delays.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Maker Lab at South Tahoe Middle School is a finalist to win ten new Sphero RVR Robots and it will take votes from the community to bring them to the school.

Fifteen schools were selected by SparkFun® Electronics to be finalists in their national contest to assist middle and high school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) initiatives and education with the RVR (pronounced "Rover").

On Thursday, October 31, Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond visited El Dorado County and Blue Oak Elementary School to learn about the impacts of the recent PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Gov. Newsom and Superintendent Thurmond met with El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ed Manansala, Buckeye Union School District (BUSD) Superintendent Dr. David Roth, and several BUSD officials to hear first-hand about the challenges that school officials encounter when making decisions regarding school closures.

After a fun homecoming week, students of South Tahoe High School bare down for the upcoming week of midterms and testing. The fall sports season is coming to an end.

On Campus
Midterms are Thursday and Friday next week. Study labs are held after school for support and tutoring in different courses before the tests. Midterms mark the halfway point for the first term of the 2019-2020 year. The stress begins to increase, especially for the seniors.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Students and staff at Sierra House Elementary are starting their first full week back in their school Monday. All students in grades K-5 are getting settled in.

"It is so good to be back!" said Principal Karin Holmes. "The kids are doing great and the staff is so happy to be back in their classrooms. We are getting organized and enjoying being home. Our staff and students did not miss a beat in the transition back to Sierra House."

The school's annual Walkathon fundraiser is Friday, October 11.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - National Coffee With a Cop day may be on October 2, but the Starbucks at the "Y" in South Lake Tahoe is going to celebrate the day all week long....and it won't be just for cops.

From open to close, the Starbucks located at 1064 Emerald Bay Road will offer free coffee and pastries to law enforcement and fire fighting personnel, with free coffee for those stopping by to chat. On Monday, some of the officers even stepped behind the counter to make some coffees for patrons.

This week at South Tahoe High School, students found their voice about climate change and the varsity volleyball team travels to archrival Truckee in a battle for the league’s top spot.

Climate Change Strike

Last Friday, hundreds of students at STHS walked out of their classes in protest against climate change inaction. Some even marched down towards the Lakeview Commons and spoke in front of locals. Inspired by the strike, other students are coming together to find more effective ways of protest.

South Tahoe High School had a slow week, as students began to settle in. On the other hand, the sports teams have a busy weekend.

The cross-country team is competing in a meet at the Nevada Union High School on Saturday.

“I can see great potential in everyone going forward and can’t wait to see what the team will bring to big meets, come the end of season,” said junior Carissa Buchholz, the current 3A Nevada state champion.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Students at Sierra House Elementary School will be walking through the doors of their school for the first time this year, two weeks after the rest of those in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District.

When a fire damaged the school in November 2018, little did anyone know that it would take almost 10 months to reopen.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With summer over and the October 15 deadline for grading projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin, contractors are working to wrap up work on Sierra Boulevard and Highway 50.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Sierra House Elementary School is on track to reopen on September 9. Students at the South Lake Tahoe school were unable to start classes on August 26 with the rest of the kids in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) after their school was not ready after a fire caused major damage on November 11, 2018.

As incoming high school students prepare for the upcoming fall semester, they should also set aside time to explore where they might want to attend college.

So says educator Leslie Hermann, founder of Edplanit.org, an Incline Village-based educational consulting agency which focuses its energies on guiding high school students through the college application and admissions processes.

To that end, this month Hermann and her colleagues are hosting a college fair and a college Bootcamp.

Location

ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. - Both Douglas County schools at Lake Tahoe are going to start off the new school year with a new principal, Shawn Lear.

During Tuesday's school board meeting, Lear's hiring appeared on their consent agenda. It was approved, making him the principal of both Zephyr Cove Elementary School and George Whittell High School in Zephyr Cove.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Community College Mathematics/Physics instructor Bruce Armbrust, American Sign Language instructor Karla Johnston, and Accounting/Business instructor Dr. Jon Kingsbury are all being honored for their outstanding work in the classroom and their dedication to LTCC’s students.

A big shout out to Ruby Abuhajleh for writing her "Viking Corner" column this year! She will write some stories this summer but this is her last column for the school year. She'll be back in the fall!

As the school year wraps up, students at South Tahoe High School are getting their beachwear ready for summer break.

The school year of 2018-2019 had many highlights for STHS students. Here are some:

Junior Bryce Dunnigan said his highlight of the school year was going to the volleyball and basketball games with his teammates from Tahoe Hockey Academy.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Twelve more South Tahoe High seniors celebrated their commitment to playing their respective sports after next week's graduation. Nine will be playing baseball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball at community colleges across the state while another three are playing hockey at the next level.

A group of family and friends gathered at the campus to cheer on the following students (alphabetical with sport, school and focus of education):

Noah Dahlen - Hockey with the Pueblo Bulls of Western States Hockey League

This week at South Tahoe High School, the cold weather continued while students dressed up for “Versus Week,” seniors visited Lake Tahoe Community College day, and athletes brought home gold from the state championships.

On Campus
The spirit week theme was “Versus.” Students dressed up as nerds versus athletes, tourists vs. locals, rappers vs. country musicians, and more. A spirit rally is being held Friday to support the school’s canned food drive.

Tahoe Valley Thunderbird Choir excelled at the Music in the Parks Choir Festival.
The choir consisting of Tahoe Valley Students grades 3 through 5 traveled off the hill to American Canyon High School in American Canyon, California on Saturday, May 11 to be adjudicated. The intention was to provide the students with the opportunity and experience of performing under pressure in the presence of top quality competitors. The result was an outstanding showing that resulted in the choir receiving 1st place in their division and a rating of excellence from the panel of judges.