Dr. James Tarwater

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There will be a special closed session meeting of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board of Trustees on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at 9:00 a.m.

The only item on the agenda is to discuss "superintendent employment." Reportedly the district is still on track to announce the board's chosen candidate at their next regular meeting on March 10 and is using this meeting to finalize a contract.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - During their annual organizational meeting Friday, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board of Education decided to keep the leadership they had over the past year again for 2020.

Citing a desire for experience as they go through the process of getting a new superintendent to replace the retiring Dr. James Tarwater, the board voted unanimously to have Larry Reilly continue as board president and Barbara Bannar as board clerk. Bannar has been on the board eleven years.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The search is on for a new superintendent for Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) to replace Dr. James Tarwater who informed the board in June he would be retiring at the end of the school year in 2020.

At their last meeting, the Board of Education hired Rich Thome and former LTUSD Superintendent Rich Fischer of Leadership Associates to conduct the search.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There continue to be harsh words aimed at Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Superintendent Dr. James Tarwater over his handling of the fire, reconstruction and now repopulation of Sierra House Elementary.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The first day of school has been pushed out until September 9 for all of the students at Sierra House Elementary School. South Tahoe Now had spoken to the school district on Wednesday and at that time they were still hoping to have the school open by August 26.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A fire at Sierra House Elementary School on November 11, 2018, caused extensive damage and forced students to spend the school year at other campuses in South Lake Tahoe - 4th and 5th graders at South Tahoe Middle School and K-3 at the old Al Tahoe campus. With the beginning of school just around the corner, crews have been beefed up and are working overtime to try and get the doors open for all students on August 26.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District received a message last night: Take a pause and don't spend any more money until the two-year budget can be completed. The budget must include major cuts in expenses.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A fire at Sierra House Elementary School on November 11, 2018 was caused by an electrical overload due to “daisy chain wiring” of two power cords in a classroom.

When firefighters from Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) arrived at the school at 9:35 p.m. they found smoke once the front doors were opened and flames observed as they turned the corner near the "upper pod" wing.

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 LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - Since January 1, 2018 there have been 18 school shootings in the United States, 25 fatal school shootings since 1999's Columbine High School tragedy. With the deadly shooting February 14, 2018 at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, many communities are looking at their own schools and their safety procedures to help prevent a repeat of a tragic event.

What is commonplace at schools across the country are drills for "shelter in place" and for students to understand what to do, and not do, in case of an emergency.

A letter sent to the South Lake Tahoe City Council and Lake Tahoe Unified School District has prompted Angela Swanson, a member of the City's Planning Commission, to resign from her position.

Swanson was appointed to the commission after submitting an application and being appointed during the January 17, 2017 City Council meeting. She was one of 11 people vying for the five open positions, each for a two-year term.

Rumors were flying around schools and on social media in South Lake Tahoe this week about a Whooping Cough (pertussis) outbreak at Tahoe Valley Elementary. A 4th grade student became sick with symptoms that resemble pertussis, but that cannot be confirmed for two weeks.

Just about a year ago, Lake Tahoe Unified School District Superintendent Dr. James Tarwater was contacted by the Larry King show, In View, to be one of 12 school districts in the state to be featured on the FOX Business Network program.

The show will be a special edition, half-hour program focusing on the state of education, but just released is an eight-minute demo on South Tahoe High.

Last spring, Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) students in 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th grades took a new style of state testing. The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) was an on-line assessment that measured their problem solving and critical thinking skills.

LTUSD Superintendent Dr. James Tarwater will present the results to the School Board Trustees during Tuesday's board meeting.

The facts are startling. El Dorado County has twice the number of suicides than the state average. El Dorado County has 2.5 times the state average of maternity mental issues. The domestic violence rate in El Dorado County is 1.5 times higher than the state average. More people are living in the county with mental issues than ever before.

A day long forum of mental health care providers, agencies, medical professionals and other community members was held in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday in order to find what needs are being met, and unmet, in the area.

Dr. James Tarwater has informed parents that schools in South Lake Tahoe are closing immediately due to a power black out for the area. He reported that the black out will last until 4:30 p.m.

All parents are requested to pick up their students and buses will start transporting children if they are normally transported by bus. Each school has a different Bus departure time starting with STMS at 12:45 p.m., STHS at 1:30 p.m., Bijou at 1:35 p.m., Sierra House and Tahoe Valley Elementary schools at 2:10 p.m., and the Magnet School at 2:25 p.m.

There will be a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at South Tahoe High to celebrate the newly completed Sports Medicine Building on Friday, August 23 at 10 am. The public is invited to attend and tour all of the new buildings. The ceremony will include messages by Lake Tahoe Unified School District Superintendent Dr. James Tarwater , school board, community and student members. View the program.

On Friday, Dec. 21, the Winter Solstice, pro snowboarder Jamie Anderson will provide a surprise sponsorship for four lucky kids and hold a winter clothing drive in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. In partnership with Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort and the Lake Tahoe Unified School District, Anderson will sponsor four young, middle school students from her hometown this winter season with a “surprise sponsorship".