The lack of full-time and substitute teachers in San Jose schools remains problematic even as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes. Several San Jose school districts have elected to increase substitute teacher pay, and one created a new position to fill teaching holes left by the pandemic. Even those incentives are failing to attract educators back into...
San Jose high school locks bathrooms due to vaping
Some South Bay parents are enraged after a San Jose school closed several on-campus bathrooms because of vaping. Administrators at Willow Glen High School temporarily closed four restrooms citing “inappropriate use” of the facilities throughout the day. They informed parents in a letter this week that the closures will allow officials to monitor the remaining...
San Jose high school student raises $15,000 for Chromebooks
One year and 10,000 macarons later, an idea Shrobana Sengupta cooked up in a kitchen turned her into a social entrepreneur. The Presentation High School senior raised $15,000 for 72 Chromebooks through a GoFundMe account for the nonprofit Sunday Friends. The laptops were donated to low-income families helped by the nonprofit. In exchange, donors received...
San Jose schools add programs for mental health services
Schools in the South Bay have upped efforts to help students navigate mental health challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Local schools including San Jose Unified School District, East Side Union High School District and Sunrise Middle School have implemented seven key mental health practices, which a recent Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) study described as essential tools...
In Silicon Valley, college students see hardship through COVID-19 pandemic
This story is being co-published with The Imprint, a national news outlet covering child welfare and youth justice issues. College students have long gone hungry and slept in their cars in Silicon Valley, one of the wealthiest enclaves in the nation. But many of the young people pursuing higher education this year face obstacles that...
UPDATE: Housing tower moves forward after San Jose commission denies appeal
A last-ditch effort to derail a high-rise residential tower near San Jose State University has been denied, opening the way for more housing downtown. The San Jose Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a 23-story, 248-foot apartment building one block from the university called The Mark. Commissioner Jorge Garcia abstained from voting because of...
California students must take ethnic studies—some in San Jose already do
California high school students will have a better understanding of the state’s history, diversity and culture under a new policy. Some Santa Clara County schools are ahead of the curve, offering ethnic studies as an elective. Local elementary school districts—such as Oak Grove, Alum Rock and Mount Pleasant—already have ethnic studies as part of the curriculum....
South Bay voters to decide extending taxes for schools
Parcel taxes for schools and library services are about to expire in two local school districts. Residents will decide in a special election next month whether to extend them. In the Berryessa Union School District, Measure A would renew a $79 parcel tax to maintain its level of services for the next eight years. “This...
San Jose State University president resigns
San Jose State University’s president is resigning in the wake of a massive sexual abuse scandal that has consumed the school for months. Mary A. Papazian announced Thursday that she will resign as president on Dec. 21. California State University Chancellor Joseph Castro will meet with campus stakeholders before naming an interim president. “The best...
San Jose school community wants students vaccinated for COVID
Students wearing masks poured out of James Lick High School in San Jose as classes ended for the day. Some stopped to chat with friends and others gathered around a student playing guitar. The mood was light-hearted and social. But not all of the students were vaccinated against COVID-19. That may change with Gov. Gavin...