When COVID-19 interrupted the work of The Arc San Francisco, a nonprofit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, its staff quickly had to find ways to make sure members were not completely isolated from the outside world. Alex Williams, an associate director of lifelong learning at The Arc SF, said staffers put their “heads together to create something bigger for our clients to access.”

The West Contra Costa Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday recognizing February 2023 as African American History Month at a meeting in which several Black trustees raised concerns that the district is not doing enough to confront anti-Black racism. “I also think it’s important, equally important, that we recognize Black present, not just history,” trustee Mister Phillips said.

Two years ago, West Contra Costa Unified School District voters passed Measure R, which issues $575 million in bonds to address potential modifications and rebuilding of the most at-need school sites. The measure only barely passed, with just 58.73% approval, versus the required 55%. So far, the only funding used from Measure R was $6.6 million for fields, bleachers and a press box at John F. Kennedy High School. West Contra Costa school board trustees heard a presentation in a special meeting Tuesday from Ellen Mejia Hooper, WCCUSD’s facilities planning and construction director, about how remaining funds could be spent. Options laid out for the trustees to consider were to use most of the money for projects at Kennedy or Richmond high schools or split most of the funding between the two high schools, as well as using some throughout different parts of the district for heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

College Corps Will Help Students Who Help Others San Jose State University student Fernando Martinez is set to take part in a new program that gives students money for college in exchange for public service. (Screenshot captured by Julia Métraux / Richmond Pulse) A new state-funded program aims to engage California’s undergraduate students in service in their communities while offsetting some financial costs. Undergraduates from 48 participating community colleges and universities will be abl

One of Anna Lynn Winfrey’s duties as a staff writer at the Montrose Daily Press in Colorado is covering school board meetings for the rural Montrose County School District. This year’s meetings have been more contentious than ever. As multiple school board candidates asserted that they were running to take critical race theory out of Montrose County schools — even though critical race theory is not taught there — Winfrey faced a dilemma: How would she report on the misinformation being spread w

As the fall semester speeds into full swing, some chronically ill and disabled students are becoming increasingly concerned about how the campus life that others are enjoying could be putting their lives at risk. Potential superspreader events such as fraternity parties are becoming more frequent during the fall, while online classes are no longer an option for those who are more vulnerable at some universities like the University of California, Berkeley.

Following the West Contra Costa Board of Education’s decision to pass a COVID-19 vaccine mandate at its previous meeting, COVID-19 testing and vaccines remained a key issue at the Oct. 6 meeting. During the month of October, 10 high schools and middle schools will host vaccine clinics for students ages 12 and older who have yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Members of the board did not clarify whether teachers and other qualifying students could receive booster shots from these clinics.

Kiarra Sylvester decided to pursue a master's degree in order to be taken seriously. "As a professional Black woman, I think it can be much more difficult to do the work I hope to do without a set of degrees to make me a credible source," said Sylvester, who has double master's degrees in human sexuality education and social work from Widener University.