• Latest News
  • Featured
    • Notes from Dr. Bean
    • OC fire update
  • About the OCDE Newsroom
  • Subscribe for updates
  • OCDE.us
  • About OCDE
  • County Superintendent of Schools
Kari Adams speaks onstage at the 2025 Thompson Policy Institute Summit on Disability and Inclusion at Chapman University, standing in front of a presentation screen displaying the words “Inclusive Leadership.”

OCDE and Chapman University partnership aims to strengthen inclusive leadership in schools

Ian Hanigan May 27, 2026
An aerial view shows emergency crews cooling a large industrial storage tank with water at the site of the Garden Grove chemical leak as mist rises from the facility.

Chemical tank update: Evacuation orders lifted as officials declare no further risk to public

Staff reports May 26, 2026
Lainie Rowell, Dr. Stefan Bean and David Blair stand together on the set of the FutureCurrent podcast studio at the Orange County Department of Education.

FutureCurrent: Bright Futures Foundation leader David Blair discusses student-centered innovation

Ian Hanigan May 26, 2026
From left, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Raelene Velasquez, Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Aller, Sunburst Youth Academy Director Lt. Col. Sarah Rambo, Principal Dinah Ismail, OCDE Executive Director of Special Education Dr. Amita Cloke and OCDE Manager of Human Resources Support Services Lorena Villa pose for a photo during the 2026 California Classified School Employees of the Year recognition ceremony in Sacramento.

Sunburst Youth Academy paraeducator honored as California Classified School Employee of the Year

Vicky Nguyen May 26, 2026
Sierra Vista Middle School students Aryan Shah, Krish Marfatia, Kaito Yamashita and Davis Barbee win the Stephenson Family Award for Sports History at the NHD-CA contest earlier this month.

Orange County claims state-leading honors at National History Day, sends 21 students to finals

Madeline Gray May 22, 2026
National History Day OC Logo

Experience history through the eyes of students at National History Day – Orange County

Staff reports March 3, 2015
To study history you have to become a detective. Historians, like detectives, ask questions, analyze evidence for clues and apply investigative skills to reconstruct history. Over 450 students from 32 schools and 11 districts accepted the challenge to be history detectives for the annual National History Day-Orange County competition. [...]
An image of two young women arguing

‘Restorative practices’ can nurture positive relationships, prevent unwanted behavior

Ian Hanigan March 3, 2015
How can teachers address conflicts and behavioral issues in a manner that re-engages students -- and keeps them in the classroom? That’s a question that has stirred plenty of discussion among educators. But the use of restorative practices is one potential answer that’s been gaining momentum in Orange County. [...]
An image of the 2015 Orange County Spelling Bee winners

OC’s champion speller headed to Washington D.C. to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee

Staff reports March 2, 2015
“Foreordained” – meaning to dispose or appoint in advance – was the final word that officially clinched the title of Orange County Spelling Bee champion for 12-year-old Sarika Rau, a seventh-grade student from Sierra Vista Middle School in the Irvine Unified School District. After four hours and 18 rounds of intense competition on Saturday, Rau walked away with a large trophy and a copy of Webster’s Third New International Dictionary. She also earned a bid to compete in the 88th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will take place in Washington, D.C. in May. [...]
Orange County Classified Employee of the Year logo

Outstanding OC school workers honored as 2015 Classified Employees of the Year

Staff reports February 24, 2015
The Orange County Department of Education has announced the top classified school employees for 2015. Established in 2008 by the California Department of Education, the Classified School Employees of the Year program annually highlights the contributions of employees who have performed exceptionally in support of public school students, from preschool through grade 12. Classified workers with a minimum of five years of service are eligible for the recognition, whether they serve at traditional schools, charter schools, district offices or county offices of education. […]

Orange County teens to stage ‘Reality Party’ to spotlight the dangers of underage drinking

Ian Hanigan February 24, 2015
Local prevention organizations are joining forces to raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking by staging a “Reality Party for Parents” in Lake Forest this Saturday. Teen actors from the Santiago de Compostela Church Youth Ministry’s Friday Night Live chapter plan to portray typical party scenes exposing the perils of underage alcohol consumption, as well as the culture of binge-drinking. Participants will also voice concerns about adults who host drinking parties for minors. [...]
Friday Night Live logo

OC students earn grant funding for campaigns to address traffic safety, underage drinking

Ian Hanigan February 19, 2015
Working through a program called Friday Night Live, some enterprising students from Orange County are taking it upon themselves to promote traffic safety and prevent underage drinking. And now they’re about to get a little extra help -- in the form of a $17,500 grant from the California Friday Night Live Partnership. […]
An image of Westminster High School's Academic Decathlon team

Westminster High leads a pack of five OC schools headed to the California Academic Decathlon

Ian Hanigan February 18, 2015
Marking a first in the 47-year history of the Orange County Academic Decathlon, five O.C. schools have been selected to advance to next month’s state decathlon in Sacramento. Cheers rang out in a packed Orange Coast College auditorium on Feb. 17 night as perennial powerhouse Westminster High was named the overall team winner with 50,981.8 points. Along with a special plaque, individual medals and local bragging rights, the school will receive a $4,000 travel stipend from the Orange County Academic Decathlon Association, which joined OCDE in announcing this year’s winners. [...]
Science Olympiad Logo

A dozen Science Olympiad teams from Orange County advance to state competition

Ian Hanigan February 14, 2015
On a day for roses, it was all about STEM at UCI on Saturday. More than 650 students from 17 middle schools and 28 high schools spent a good part of Valentine’s Day competing in the 30th Annual Orange County Regional Science Olympiad on the campus of the University of California, Irvine. […]
An image of young students using desktop computers

New web-based state assessments to emphasize critical thinking, problem-solving

Ian Hanigan February 10, 2015
Next-generation assessments are coming soon to a classroom near you. Over the last few years, California has introduced new instructional standards emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical writing in addition to subject knowledge. And with those new standards comes the...
An image of Orange County Superintendent Al Mijares

Mijares: Research suggests ‘grit’ plays a significant role in a student’s educational success

Al Mijares February 9, 2015
In education, we often talk about the factors that contribute to academic achievement. We talk about quality teaching, family support, high expectations and the role we all play in the success of our students. We dialogue about poverty, crime and how a lack of access to health care and basic services can stand as barriers to college and career readiness. Yet there’s another factor that research suggests is a major gauge of growth and development. In fact it’s a personal trait we know as grit. […]
Load More
101.ocde.us

Follow on Instagram

Categories

  • 5-3-1 Strategic Plan
  • Academic competition
  • ACEs Aware
  • Alternative education
  • Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Arts
  • Assessments and testing
  • AVID
  • Budget
  • Career technical education
  • COVID-19
  • Deeper Learning Podcast
  • Distance learning
  • District news
  • Early learning
  • Education in the news
  • Elementary schools
  • Featured
  • Featured topics
  • FutureCurrent podcast
  • Health
  • High schools
  • History
  • Honors and awards
  • Inside the Outdoors
  • Instruction and curriculum
  • Language services
  • Local Control Funding Formula
  • Mental health
  • Middle schools
  • MTSS
  • OC District Pulse
  • OC Pathways
  • OCDE in 30 Seconds
  • One Billion Acts of Kindness
  • Professional development
  • Safety
  • Science
  • Special education
  • State standards
  • STEM
  • Student profile
  • Summer programs
  • Superintendent Stefan Bean
  • Teachers
  • Technology
  • Top stories
  • Uncategorized
  • Weekly roundup
  • Workshops and trainings

200 Kalmus Drive 
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

P.O. Box 9050 
Costa Mesa, CA 92628-9050

(714) 966-4000

Website publishing policy
Non-discrimination policy
Social media policy

Contact

Thanks for visiting the OCDE Newsroom. Questions and story suggestions should be sent to communications@ocde.us.

If you’re a member of the media in need of information about the Orange County Department of Education, please email communications@ocde.us or call 714-966-4475.

Tags

academic competition ACCESS acts of kindness Al Mijares career exploration college and career readiness Dr. Stefan Bean education contest education in the news education news Inside the Outdoors kindness1billion OCDE ocde weekly roundup OC Pathways Orange County Department of Education project based learning STEM top stories Weekly Roundup
  • Latest News
  • About the OCDE Newsroom
  • Subscribe for updates
  • OCDE.us
  • About OCDE
  • County Superintendent of Schools
Type to search or hit ESC to close
See all results