Focus on Education

VCOE CARES is all about supporting student wellbeing. In this episode of the Focus on Education podcast, get to know your VCOE CARES hosts: Monserrat Sanchez, Elena Pomposo, and Natalie Torres. They each served as volunteers at their high school wellness centers and are now providing insights and resources to support student mental health. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org/cares 

Find out how Amgen is providing equipment and training so high school science teachers can bring state-of-the-art biotechnology lessons to their classrooms in Ventura County and around the world. Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, interviews Oak Park High School biology teacher Winnie Sloan about this remarkable program.

Students bring courtroom drama to life at VCOE’s annual Mock Trial competition. Get the inside story on what makes this event so valuable for students and how it all comes together from Superior Court Judge Gilbert Romero.

Isaac Jean-Paul is an American Paralympic athlete who has won both silver and bronze in the long jump and is now striving to become the first-ever Paralympian to win gold at the LA28 Olympics Games. Isaac visited Ventura County to speak with students about mental health, confidence, and perseverance. In this episode of Focus on Education, he shares his inspirational story with our host, Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. 

Supporting students’ social and emotional well-being is a critical part of helping them succeed in school. In this episode, get strategies for strengthening your social-emotional “muscle” from author and educator Lori Woodley-Langendorff, the CEO and founder of All It Takes. She will be presenting a free social-emotional learning workshop in Camarillo on January 28, 2026, for educators and families to help us all create healthier relationships. Sign up at https://vcoe.link/SEL1-28-26

Take a tour of the new Welding & Testing Facility at the Ventura County Office of Education’s Career Education Center in Camarillo. It’s Ventura County’s first and only testing facility accredited by the American Welding Society, and the perfect place for high school students and adults to take courses that will prepare them for rewarding careers in welding.

Dr. Trudy Tuttle Arriaga is an education trailblazer who served as the first female superintendent of the Ventura Unified School District. She’s now on the faculty at California Lutheran University and has authored books on cultural proficiency and leading while female. She shares her insights on public education with Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, in this edition of Focus on Education.

Find out what it takes to start a career as a teacher and how the Ventura County Office of Education supports teachers on their educational journey. Dr. Joy Springer, a former teacher who is now our Director of Educator Support and Effectiveness, shares the rewards of teaching in this episode.
 
More info: www.vcoe.org/ese

Find out how multilingual learners are supported in the classroom, learn about Dual Language Immersion programs and why they are in such high demand. Plus, see how some local schools are bringing ethnic studies to the curriculum. Dr. Leticia Ramos, VCOE Director of Instructional Support Services, is this episode’s featured guest.

Today’s public libraries offer programs and services that go well beyond checking out books, and they’re important partners in the educational mission of local schools. Find out all about it as Library Director Nancy Schram sits down with Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools.
 
More Information:
www.library.venturacounty.gov/