Schools Will Consider Reopening Dates as Ventura County Coronavirus Status Improves

Today, Ventura County moved off the most restrictive tier of the state’s COVID-19 watch list, which means schools could soon have the option of reopening for in-person instruction at all grade levels. If Ventura County maintains its status for two additional weeks, schools may choose to reopen as early as Wednesday, October 21. However, it will be up to each individual school district to determine exactly when they can safely begin welcoming students back to class. Some schools may choose to reopen their campuses later than October 21 for a variety of reasons.

When they do reopen, schools will need to maintain strict social distancing, keeping students and staff at least six feet away from each other. This means classrooms can only be filled to a fraction of their normal capacity. Schools are also required to keep the same groups of students together to the greatest extent possible to limit the number of people each student is exposed to throughout the day.

In elementary grades, many schools will comply with these rules by bringing only a portion of students to class each day. On the days they are not in class, students will continue receiving instruction through distance learning. This hybrid approach will allow all students to have some in-class instruction a few days per week.

The situation becomes much more complicated in middle school and high school where students switch classrooms and mix with different groups multiple times a day according to each student’s unique schedule. Because of this and the fact that classrooms cannot be filled to capacity, it will be extremely difficult to create a workable in-person schedule at the middle and high school levels. As a result, some schools may determine that the best option is to continue with full-time distance learning.

In addition to scheduling and safety considerations, school districts need to ensure there are enough teachers available to resume in-person instruction. Many teachers are in high risk groups, which could prevent them from returning to class. Others may have reservations about being in a crowded school environment while the pandemic is ongoing.

Another issue that complicates reopening is transportation. Because of social distancing requirements, school buses will not be able to carry the usual number of students. It’s very likely there will not be a sufficient supply of buses and drivers to provide transportation to all students who may need it.

“We recognize that people have passionate feelings on both sides of the school reopening issue, and we want nothing more than to get students safely back to class,” said Stan Mantooth, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “I urge everyone to understand that school district leaders are working to reopen in the most responsible way, which may mean spending additional time on distance learning at some schools.”

All Ventura County schools have prepared detailed reopening procedures that will help ensure the safety of students and staff when they return to campus. They include:

• Face coverings will be required for all staff and for students in third grade and above.

• Classrooms will be arranged to keep everyone at least six feet apart.

• Students will be kept in consistent groups (cohorts) as much as possible.

• Parents will be instructed to keep students home whenever they have a temperature or show symptoms.

• Anyone experiencing symptoms at school will be sent home.

• Facilities and equipment will be disinfected on a regular basis.

• School officials will work with Ventura County Public Health on contact tracing if positive cases arise.

• Athletic training and conditioning are allowed with social distancing, but actual competitions are on hold pending further guidance from public health officials.

• Staff will receive COVID-19 testing as required by state and local regulations.

• Staff and students will receive health screenings on a regular basis.

Each school district is communicating independently with parents and students about their reopening timelines. For additional information about reopening protocols, see the Framework for Reopening Ventura County Schools at www.vcoe.org/framework.

About the Ventura County Office of Education

The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org.

CIF Southern Section Announces New 2020-2021 Sport Calendars, Pushing Start of Fall Sports to Mid-December 2020

Today, the CIF Southern Section announced updates to the 2020-2021 sports season in response to COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Fall, Winter and Spring sports will be condensed this year into two seasons - Fall and Spring. Fall sports will include cross country, field hockey, football, gymnastics, competitive traditional cheer, volleyball and water polo. Spring sports will include badminton, baseball, basketball, competitive sport cheer, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming/diving, tennis, track and field and wrestling.

Sports calendars were announced as follows:

FALL SPORTS

BOYS AND GIRLS CROSS-COUNTRY

  • First Contest – Saturday, December 26, 2020

  • SOP Date – Friday, January 29, 2021 (35 days)

  • Last League Contest – Thursday, March 4, 2021 (70 days)

  • Last Allowable Contest – Friday, March 5, 2021

  • CIF Southern Section Prelims – Friday/Saturday, March 12/13, 2021

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, March 20, 2021

  • CIF State Championships – Saturday, March 27, 2021

FIELD HOCKEY

  • First Contest – Friday, December 18, 2020

  • SOP Date – Friday, January 22, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Friday, February 26, 2021 (71 days)

  • Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 27, 2021

11-MAN FOOTBALL

  • First Practice Date - Monday, December 14, 2020

  • Week 1 Contest Date – Friday, January 8, 2021

  • SOP Date – Monday, February 8, 2021 (32 days)

  • Week 10 Contest Date – Friday, March 12, 2021 (64 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Playoffs – March 19, March 26, April 2, 2021

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, April 9/10, 2021

  • CIF State Championships Bowl Games – Friday/Saturday, April 16/17, 2021

8-MAN FOOTBALL

  • First Practice Date - Monday, December 14, 2020

  • Week 1 Contest Date – Friday, January 8, 2021

  • SOP Date – Friday, February 5, 2021 (29 days)

  • Week 9 Contest Date – Friday, March 5, 2021 (57 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Playoffs – March 12, March 19, March 26, 2021

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, April 2/3, 2021

GYMNASTICS

  • First Contest – Monday, January 4, 2021

  • SOP Date – Wednesday, February 3, 2021 (31 days)

  • Last League Contest – Friday, March 5, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, March 6, 2021 (62 days)

TRADITIONAL COMPETITIVE CHEER

  • First Contest Date – No Established Date

  • SOP Date – Monday, November 16, 2020

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – No Established Date

  • CIF Southern Section Championships – Saturday, April 3, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regional Championships – Saturday, April 17, 2021

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

  • First Contest Date – Saturday, December 12, 2020

  • SOP Date – Tuesday, January 12, 2021 (32 days)

  • Last League Contest – Thursday, February 11, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 13, 2021 (64 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, March 6, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regionals – March 15-20, 2021

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

  • First Contest Date – Saturday, December 19, 2020

  • SOP Date – Tuesday, January 19, 2021 (32 days)

  • Last League Contest – Thursday, February 18, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 20, 2021 (64 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, March 12/13, 2021

  • CIF State Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, March 19/20, 2021

BOYS WATER POLO

  • First Contest Date – Monday, December 21, 2020

  • SOP Date – Monday, January 11, 2021 (31 days)

  • Last League Contest – Thursday, February 18, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 20, 2021 (62 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, March 6, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regional Finals – Friday/Saturday, March 19/20, 2021

GIRLS WATER POLO

  • First Contest Date – Monday, December 28, 2020

  • SOP Date – Monday, January 18, 2021 (31 days)

  • Last League Contest – Thursday, February 25, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 27, 2021 (62 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, March 13, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regional Finals – Friday/Saturday, March 19/20, 2021

SPRING SPORTS

BADMINTON

  • First Contest Date – Saturday, March 6, 2021

  • SOP Date – Saturday, April 10, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 15, 2021 (71 days)

  • CIF Southern Regional Individual Qualifier – Wednesday/Thursday, May 26/27, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regional Championships – Saturday, May 29, 2021

BASEBALL

  • First Contest Date – Friday, March 19, 2021

  • SOP Date – Friday, April 23, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Friday, May 28, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 29, 2021 (72 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, June 18/19, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regional Championship Finals – Saturday, June 26, 2021

BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL

  • First Contest Date – Friday, March 12, 2021

  • SOP Date – Friday, April 16, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Friday, May 21, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 22, 2021 (72 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, June 11/12, 2021

  • CIF State Championship Finals – Friday/ Saturday, June 18/19, 2021

COMPETITIVE SPORT CHEER

  • First Contest Date – Saturday, March 27, 2021

  • SOP Date – Monday, May 1, 2020 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Saturday, June 5, 2021 (71 days)

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, June 5, 2021

BOYS AND GIRLS GOLF

  • First Contest Date – Saturday, March 20, 2021

  • SOP Date – Saturday, April 24, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Friday, May 28, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, May 29, 2021 (71 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Individual Regionals – Monday, May 31, 2021

  • CIF Southern Section Team Championships – Monday, June 7, 2021

  • CIF-SS Individual Championship/Team Qualifier – Thursday, June 10, 2021

  • CIF/SCGA Southern Regional Championships – Thursday, June 17, 2021

  • CIF State Championships – Wednesday, June 23, 2021 (Note – CIF-SS Individual Championship/Team Qualifier, CIF/SCGA Regional Championships and CIF State Championships dates are subject to change, due to course availability.)

BOYS AND GIRLS LACROSSE

  • First Contest Date – Friday, March 12, 2021

  • SOP Date – Friday, April 16, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Thursday, May 20, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 22, 2021 (72 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, June 12, 2021

BOYS AND GIRLS SOCCER

  • First Contest Date – Saturday, February 27, 2021

  • SOP Date – Saturday, April 3, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Thursday, May 6, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, May 8, 2021 (71 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, May 28/May 29, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regional Finals – Saturday, June 5, 2021

SOFTBALL

  • First Contest Date – Friday, March 19, 2021

  • SOP Date – Friday, April 23, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Thursday, May 27, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 29, 2021 (72 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, June 18/19, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regional Championship Finals – Saturday, June 26, 2021

BOYS AND GIRLS SWIMMING/ DIVING

  • First Contest Date – Saturday, March 13, 2021

  • SOP Date – Saturday, April 17, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Friday, May 21, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 22, 2021 (71 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Monday, May 24 – Saturday, May 29, 2021

  • CIF State Championships – Friday/ Saturday, June 4/5, 2021

BOYS TEAM TENNIS

  • First Contest Date – Monday, March 1, 2021

  • SOP Date – Monday, April 5, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Friday, May 14, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 15, 2021 (71 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday, May 28, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regional Championships – Saturday, June 5, 2021

GIRLS TEAM TENNIS

  • First Contest Date – Monday, February 22, 2021

  • SOP Date – Monday, March 29, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Friday, May 7, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 8, 2021 (71 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday, May 21, 2021

  • CIF Southern Regional Championships – Saturday, June 5, 2021

BOYS AND GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD

  • First Contest Date – Saturday, March 20, 2021

  • SOP Date – Saturday, April 24, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Friday, May 28, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 29, 2021 (72 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Preliminaries – Saturday, June 5, 2021

  • CIF Southern Section Divisional Championships – Saturday, June 12, 2021

  • CIF Southern Section Masters Meet – Saturday, June 19, 2021

  • CIF State Championships – Friday/ Saturday, June 25/26, 2021

BOYS AND GIRLS WRESTLING

  • First Contest Date – Friday, March 5, 2021

  • SOP Date – Friday, April 9, 2021 (36 days)

  • Last League Contest – Tuesday, May 11, 2021

  • Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, May 15, 2021 (72 days)

  • CIF Southern Section Dual Meet Championships – Saturday, May 15, 2021

  • CIF Southern Section Individual Championships – Friday/Saturday, May 28/29, 2021

  • CIF Southern Section Masters Meet – Friday/Saturday, June 4/5, 2021

  • CIF State Championships – Thursday, June 10, 2021 – Saturday, June 12, 2021

More details at cifss.org.

All Ventura County Schools to Begin New Year with Only Distance Learning

Following the release of new state guidelines announced today by Governor Gavin Newsom, all Ventura County school districts and charter schools will begin the new school year using distance learning without bringing students back to their campuses. The new guidance comes a day after most Ventura County schools had already committed to beginning the year with distance learning in support of the effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

According to the new state guidance, schools cannot reopen their campuses until the county in which they are located has been off the state’s COVID-19 monitoring list for 14 consecutive days.** Ventura County is one of 32 California counties currently on the list. The guidance applies to both public and private schools.

“We appreciate this confirmation from the Governor that bringing students back to campus in our current environment is too great of a risk to take,” said Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stan Mantooth. “We know that distance learning can never fully substitute for the exchange of knowledge and social support that takes place in schools, but it is the most prudent way for us to provide education while the coronavirus continues to surge in Ventura County.”

Local schools are now focused on optimizing their plans to deliver high-quality distance learning. Since school campuses abruptly closed in March, local educators have been refining their distance learning offerings based on extensive feedback from students, parents and teachers. They’ve also been working to ensure that all students who need it have access to computers and connections to the internet. The Ventura County Office of Education is collaborating with school districts on curriculum development and technology support to maximize the effectiveness of distance learning for local students. Most Ventura County school districts intend to continue providing school meals while campuses are closed.

Ventura County school districts and charter schools will be providing additional details about their plans for the new school year to their communities. A list of school district websites is available here and a list of local charter school websites is available here.

For the latest updates on the impact of the coronavirus on Ventura County public schools, including distance learning resources and information about meal service and child care, please visit the Ventura County Office of Education website at www.vcoe.org.

All Ventura County school districts and charter schools will begin the 2020-2021 school year with only distance learning.

VENTURA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS

  • Briggs School District

  • Conejo Valley Unified School District

  • Fillmore Unified School District

  • Hueneme Elementary School District

  • Las Virgenes Unified School District *

  • Mesa Union School District

  • Moorpark Unified School District

  • Mupu Elementary School District

  • Oak Park Unified School District

  • Ocean View School District

  • Ojai Unified School District

  • Oxnard School District (K-8)

  • Oxnard Union High School District

  • Pleasant Valley School District

  • Rio School District

  • Santa Clara Elementary School District

  • Santa Paula Unified School District

  • Simi Valley Unified School District

  • Somis Union School District

  • Ventura County Office of Education

  • Ventura Unified School District

VENTURA COUNTY CHARTER SCHOOLS

  • Architecture, Construction & Engineering Charter High School

  • Bridges Charter School

  • Camarillo Academy of Progressive Education

  • Golden Valley Charter School

  • Ivy Tech Charter School

  • Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School

  • River Oaks Academy

  • University Preparation Charter School

  • Valley Oak Charter School

  • Ventura Charter School

  • Vista Real Charter High School

* Las Virgenes Unified School District is based in Los Angeles County, but serves a portion of Ventura County.

About the Ventura County Office of Education

The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org.

**County by county data monitoring of elevated disease transmission, increasing hospitalization and limited hospital capacity at www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/COVID19CountyDataTable.aspx

Framework for Reopening Ventura County Schools is Released

OFFICE OF EDUC VC.png

Yesterday, the Ventura County Office of Education released a document intended to help local public schools prepare for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The Framework for Reopening Ventura County Schools was prepared by the Ventura County Office of Education in consultation with Ventura County Public Health and the county’s school districts and charter schools.

The document includes requirements and guidelines based on the latest information from state and local public health officials. It aims to provide schools with maximum flexibility on how they will function during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic while keeping the health and safety of students and employees a top priority.

“The coming school year is going to be unlike any other we have experienced before,” said Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stan Mantooth. “Our school leaders and teachers have done a tremendous job adapting to continually changing circumstances. I am confident they will make the decisions that are best for their communities with the Framework serving as a guide.”

The Framework was created by a task force led by Dr. Antonio Castro, VCOE’s Associate Superintendent for Educational Services. The task force included representatives from the Ventura County Office of Education, Ventura County Public Health and local school districts. It provides extensive information about safety protocols on school campuses and how to respond to the potential for confirmed cases of COVID-19 among students and staff.

Each school district and charter school in Ventura County is deciding independently what combination of in-class and distance learning they plan to offer for the new school year. They are each developing their own reopening plans that will be submitted to the Ventura County Office of Education for review.

The Framework is a ‘living document’ that will be updated as conditions change. The latest version of the Framework is attached and updated versions will be posted at www.vcoe.org/coronavirus.

LINK TO PDF COPY OF JULY 10 DOCUMENT

School Closures Extended through May 1 for All Ventura County Districts

Because of the continued risk to public health posed by the coronavirus, all school districts in Ventura County have extended their closures at least through Friday, May 1, 2020. The new target date to reopen is Monday, May 4, but that will depend on the circumstances at the time. Yesterday, California Governor Gavin Newsom advised parents to prepare for the possibility that schools may be closed through the summer break. While that could happen, the Ventura County Office of Education remains hopeful that conditions will improve enough to allow schools to reopen before the end of the school year. The latest updates on school closures are available at www.vcoe.org/coronavirus.

School districts closed through Friday, May 1, 2020:

  • Briggs School District

  • Conejo Valley Unified School District

  • Fillmore Unified School District

  • Hueneme Elementary School District

  • Mesa Union School District

  • Moorpark Unified School District

  • Mupu Elementary School District

  • Oak Park Unified School District

  • Ocean View School District

  • Ojai Unified School District

  • Oxnard School District (K-8)

  • Oxnard Union High School District

  • Pleasant Valley School District

  • Rio School District

  • Santa Clara Elementary School District

  • Santa Paula Unified School District

  • Simi Valley Unified School District

  • Somis Union School District

  • Ventura County Office of Education

  • Ventura Unified School District

NOTE: Las Virgenes Unified School District, which includes territory in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, is currently closed through March 27.

The following Ventura County charter schools will be closed through Friday, May 1, 2020:

  • Bridges

  • CAPE

  • MATES

  • University Preparation Charter School

  • Ventura Charter

  • Vista Real resource centers

Meal Service

School districts throughout Ventura County will continue to provide meals to students during the closure. A list of school meal pick up locations and times is available at www.vcoe.org/meals.

Common Questions

The disruption in normal school operations has created many issues and uncertainties – from childcare and remote learning to graduation plans and college preparation. The Ventura County Office of Education has created a page of Frequently Asked Questions to provide answers at www.vcoe.org/faq.

Cal Lutheran Now Offers Financial Literacy Course

In response to a federal recommendation and student requests, California Lutheran University this semester joined a small but growing number of colleges offering a for-credit personal finance course.

The U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which includes members from the U.S. departments of Education and the Treasury, last year recommended that higher education institutions require financial literacy courses to equip students to make critical decisions during and after college.

“It’s not if, but when, this mandate will come from either the federal or state level,” said Chia-Li Chien, director of the financial planning program at Cal Lutheran. “Higher education institutions must be prepared to have such a course in place to meet the requirement.”

Chien helped develop Introduction to Personal Finance, the new optional one-unit elective being taught by William Klepper, a senior adjunct faculty member and certified financial planner with more than 30 years of experience. Cal Lutheran began with one section, hoping to attract 18 students. Enrollment has climbed to a near-capacity class of 23 as students continue to add it. The course covers saving, taxes, credit scores, bank accounts, budgets, loans, housing decisions, investments and risk management. Students will put together budgets and financial plans for themselves.

“Understanding spending limits and being conscious of financial decisions during college will help students establish good financial behaviors before they enter the workforce,” said Chien, an assistant professor in the School of Management. “These foundational skills will go a long way toward helping students reach their goals in life.”

Even though many U.S. students take out loans to help finance their education, a 2019 Trellis Research report found that only 21% of undergraduates could correctly answer three questions related to loan terms, interest rates and repayment options. In a 2018 Brookings Institution study, U.S. undergraduate students demonstrated low levels of financial literacy, with just 28% getting three multiple-choice questions on inflation, interest and risk diversification correct. The study showed that financial knowledge was lower among students in underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

Although personal finance courses are popular with students, a 2011 report from the Financial Security Project at Boston College found that offerings are sporadic with about 100 U.S. colleges offering for-credit classes. Community colleges were the first to adopt the courses in large numbers, the report said. A few universities mandate that all students complete a for-credit financial literacy course, and others require a short online module. An increasing number of universities have begun offering optional workshops, with Harvard and Princeton universities offering them for the first time last year.

Cal Lutheran Launches "The School for Professional and Continuing Studies"

California Lutheran University has formed a new school focused on education beyond traditional bachelor’s and graduate degrees.

The School for Professional and Continuing Studies includes the Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals program, the Center for Nonprofit Leadership and a new Center for Lifelong Learning.

“Our goal is to provide a continuum of educational experiences for post-traditional students that supports degree attainment, lifelong learning, professional development, leadership excellence and service to the region,” said the school’s newly appointed dean, Lisa L. Buono, who has directed the Professionals program for seven years and served on the university’s faculty since 2004. “We will meet these individuals where they are and provide tailored programs and resources for them.”

In late spring, the university plans to launch a Fifty and Better program for older adults who want to take non-credit classes for the joy of learning and social engagement as part of the new Center for Lifelong Learning. The center already offers non-degree opportunities such as continuing education for educators

The Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals program has been serving students with previous college credit since 1985. Offered in an accelerated format in Thousand Oaks, Oxnard and Woodland Hills, its night classes enable students who are juggling work and family commitments to complete their degrees.

The students served by the Professionals program are the fastest-growing group of learners nationwide and more diverse than traditional populations. Sixty percent of Cal Lutheran’s Professionals are first-generation collegegoers, compared with 27% of traditional undergraduate students. Sixty-four percent of Professionals students are from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented on college campuses. About 15 percent are veterans, many are single parents, and some are grandparents.

To serve more of these students, Cal Lutheran is exploring additional majors such as healthcare management and scheduling classes at new times and in new formats.

Cal Lutheran’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership will continue to provide affordable and locally relevant professional development to help staff, board members and volunteers sustain and improve their organizations.

“I am grateful for the work of Dr. Buono and her team to strengthen existing programs and create new opportunities for Cal Lutheran to serve this region,” said Leanne Neilson, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

For more information, go to CalLutheran.edu/spcs.

Newbury Park High School Boys AND Girls Cross County Teams Win State Championships and Earn a Spot to the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN)

Entire Team.jpg

Today, the Newbury Park High School Cross Country program achieved a number of historic firsts.

For the first time in school history, the Girls Cross County team won the state championship at Woodward Park in Fresno. The top 5 scoring team members on the 5 kilometer (approximately 3.1 mile) course were Sam McDonnell (17:56.4), Hailey Golmon (17:57.7), Fiona Hawkins (17:58.5), Ailish Hawkins (18:27.4) and Gretchen Slattum (18:31.9). Other varsity teammates included Archana Mohandas and Hannah Round.

For the first time in school history, the Boys Cross County team won back to back championship titles, led by two-time overall state championship winner Nico Young (14:28.5) followed by Jace Aschbrenner (2nd overall in 14:53.7), Colin Sahlman (15:09.8), Nick Goldstein (15:17.0) and Daniel Appleford (15:37.7). Up and comer Leo Young was the top freshman finisher in the race in 15:41.6) - in fact, he was the top freshman finisher among all CIF divisions today. Thomas McDonnell also competed for the team.

There were 1004 finishers in the combined Division 1-5 boys races today. The Newbury Park team had the 1st and 3rd (Jace) fastest seniors, the 5th (Nicholas) fastest junior, the 1st (Colin) and 5th (Daniel) fastest sophomores and the fastest overall freshman. That’s some serious firepower.

Head Coach Sean Brosnan was excited to report via his Twitter account tonight that BOTH teams received invitations to participate in next Saturday’s Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) in Portland, Oregon. The boys team competed at NXN for the first time last year and placed 6th in the nation, led by Nico’s 4th place overall finish. This year the team is looking to top the charts as it competes with strong teams from Temecula (Great Oak), Loudoun Valley, Virginia and other schools.

Senior Nico Young in clear command of the CIF Division 2 Championships race at Woodward Park in Fresno. I asked Nico before the race if he was going for the course record of 14:24 set by German Fernandez in 2007. His answer was no. Nico’s plan was t…

Senior Nico Young in clear command of the CIF Division 2 Championships race at Woodward Park in Fresno. I asked Nico before the race if he was going for the course record of 14:24 set by German Fernandez in 2007. His answer was no. Nico’s plan was to win the race but to save his top effort for NXN next Saturday. His 14:28.5 was the 2nd fastest of all time on the course, which is even more impressive given he was not going “all out.” Earlier this year, Young ran an 8:40 3200 meters on the track, the fastest time in the country this year and 3rd fastest 3200 of all time.

The boys team was an automatic qualifier into NXN, having not only the fastest team time of the day at 75:27 (15:06 average) but the fastest team time in Woodward Park course history. Let’s break this down a bit. 15:06 equates to a tad over a 4 minutes, 52 seconds per mile, for 3.1 miles, on average, for 2 high school seniors, 1 junior and 2 sophomores. Now THAT is impressive!

The previous fastest team score among all divisions was Great Oaks’ 2015 team time of 76:10. Newbury Park’s 2019 boys team destroyed that record by 43 seconds. That’s almost 3 seconds per mile per kid faster than the fastest team time of all time!

The Great Oak boys team won for the 6th straight year in the Division 1 race with a combined time of 76.23, nearly a minute slower than the record-setting Newbury Park team in Division 2, but still the 3rd fastest team score in course history (excluding Newbury Park’s new record).

However, the fastest team time DOES NOT guarantee a team win in the sport of cross country. The Great Oak team, ranked #1 in the nation recently by Dyestat, finished today’s race with an extremely tight gap of under 17 seconds between runners 1 and 5. This was today’s tightest gap of any team among all divisions.

In cross country, the team with the lowest finishing score wins the race, with a lowest possible score of 15 (1-2-3-4-5). So effectively, it does not matter how fast Nico runs when he finishes first; he still scores 1 point for the team. What often matters most is how the 5th place team finisher scores. For example, in today’s race, if the boys’ team’s 5th place finisher, who scored 19 points, finished 5 seconds slower, he would have scored 29 points. In a tight team race, 10 points is devastating. Inversely, Nico could have run 25 seconds slower and still won the race, having no impact on the team score.

woodward park.JPG

And speaking of team score, the boys’ team score of 37 was the lowest Division 2 winning team school in CIF history. The previous record team score was set in 1987 (Walnut High School) and tied in 1988 (Katella High School). Newbury Park will now sit alone atop this record.

But let’s not ignore this fantastic Newbury Park girls team. The girls ran a combined time of 90:52 for its top 5 runners (18:11 average 5K time per girl). That was the 5th fastest time on the course in Division 2 history.

The Great Oak girls team won a record-breaking 8th straight Division 1 title today in a team time of 90:33, only 19 seconds faster than the upstart Newbury Park team. It’s gonna be some race to watch at NXN!

To follow the Newbury Park teams at NXN, visit https://nxn.runnerspace.com or watch a live webcast of the race at cdn.runnerspace.com/nxnlive.html. Congratulations!

NPHSXC: www.newburyparkcrosscountry.com

And here’s a rundown of other local team top performers at the state championships today:

  • Madelene Locher of Ventura finished 5th overall (17:43) and Jill Walker of Simi Valley finished 7th (17:49) in the Divison 2 girls race.

  • Thousand Oaks High School finished 6th overall in the boys Division 2 race, led by Michael Mireles, who finished 4th overall in 15:03.

  • Agoura High School boys finished 3rd overall in the Division 3 race, led by Beau Bordelon, who finished 6th overall inn 15:34. Royal High School finished 7th overall.

  • Brooke Secreto of Foothill Tech won the Division 4 girls race in 17:33. Foothill Tech boys won the Division 4 race, led by 5th place Joshua Villasenor (15:28).