“The salad bar is currently in place.”

by Mira Reverente

Ventura students have a lot to look forward to in the coming months and school year.

In a multi-step move towards healthier eating, the food and nutrition services department at Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) has been unveiling a number of fresher choices at most school sites.

“The salad bar is currently in place,” says Kara Muniz, director of food and nutrition services, gesturing towards one which was being prepared with freshly-cut and locally-sourced produce like salad greens, orange slices, cucumber slices, whole strawberries and celery stalks. “We are also slowly moving away from packaged food which were in use during the pandemic.”

VUSD was serving about 6,600 breakfasts and 7,600 lunches to the larger Ventura community, not just students, during the pandemic. The numbers have dwindled since then to just 5,000 for breakfast and 6,500 for lunch.

Post-pandemic, Muniz said her department is always evaluating options. “We look at the data and we always want to do better,” she says. Also in the works is the creation of a student advisory committee to help evaluate food choices, assist in menu planning and just gauge the collective palate of the greater student body.

Very soon after completing staff training, new commercial-grade tilt skillets will be in use at Foothill Technology High School (FTHS), among a few high school and middle schools.

“We are very excited to use this soon, as this will help to make batch cooking more efficient at an even temperature and also improve safety,” says Lori Walker, FTHS child nutrition manager. “It will also significantly increase the kitchen’s capacity to churn out hot meals from scratch.”

On the day the local press was given a tour of the FTHS cafeteria, steaming bowls of orange chicken and brown rice were on the menu and hurriedly being dished out by the staff as lunch hour was fast approaching.

For easy reference, all recipes are available online for staff to peruse and refer to anytime. “This assures consistency across all school sites,” says Adam Herrera, operations manager.

If for some reason orange chicken and brown rice bowls do not appeal to some students, they can also choose from an array of sandwiches, wraps, protein boxes and the salad bar, of course. Up to eight entrees are available at the high school level and two at the elementary level.

What is digital upskilling?

The Economic Development Collaborative (EDC), in partnership with multiple regional partners, officially launched the Ventura County Digital Upskilling Training Program—a free short-term training program that will increase the digital skills of job seekers, current workers and small business operators. The initiative seeks to expand the opportunities and earning power of Ventura County participants by providing them with much-needed digital skills training to help both individuals and employers in the County grow.

The training program was made possible by State Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, who developed the project idea and secured $5 million in state general funds for a Digital Upskilling pilot in Ventura County.

Digital upskilling is the process of teaching people how to think, act and thrive in a digital world. It involves providing employees with the opportunity to gain the tools and skills they need to adapt to a world with ever-changing technologies. Apart from teaching technical skills, such as how to use a specific device or navigate a particular software, digital upskilling also ensures that employees have the fundamental knowledge required to understand new technologies.

Basic computer skills are increasingly needed in all industries, and people without digital skills are in danger of being left further behind as digitalization continues to expand. Without digital skills, people cannot search for and apply for jobs, expand their career opportunities, earn more money or enjoy the flexibility of working remotely.

Classes for new to tech learners, current workers and small business owners are now open for registration! Learn more and sign up at www.digital-upskilling.edcollaborative.com

The training program includes three different cohorts of learners who each have different base levels of computer skills and training needs.

Small business owners who need comprehensive knowledge and tools to establish an online business presence including e-commerce, SEO and digital marketing to grow and stay competitive can enroll in Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV)’s Get Your Small Business Online course.

Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF), Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE), Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDBVC) and Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV).

For more information, visit www.digital-upskilling.edcollaborative.com

SJRMC nurses from accredited nurse residency programs.

Dignity Health—St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) and St. John’s Hospital Camarillo (SJHC) are proud to announce that the Nurse Residency Program was recently awarded accreditation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for the Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP). With this accreditation, St. John’s program is now one of 240 officially accredited nurse residency programs in the nation and the only accredited program in the Tri-County area.

PTAP sets the global standard for nurse residency programs and formally recognizes the education program and support environment provided specifically to new nursing graduates so they can achieve the highest level of professional success.

“We are incredibly proud of earning national accreditation. Just a few years ago, our team saw a need for a nurse residency program in the community and quickly mobilized to develop the comprehensive program we have today,” said Dalarie Manda, Vice President, Chief Nurse Executive at St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Hospital Camarillo. “It’s rewarding to see our seasoned nurses provide invaluable support and guidance as the new nurses adjust to providing care at the bedside.”

The Nurse Residency Program at St. John’s provides mentorship and hands-on training for new nurse graduates and nurses transitioning to specialty and acute care. This comprehensive program is structured to include practice-based learning under the guidance of preceptors and clinical leaders, specialty core courses, and workdays focused on interprofessional education, professional development, and reflective learning.

“During a time where there is a critical need for health care workers in our community and across the nation, it is an honor to be part of a solution that is recognized not only for providing future health care workers with real-time experiences but also for supporting our existing nurses,” said Barry Wolfman, President & CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Hospital Camarillo.

The program covers all tuition and fees for eligible students.

The Ventura College Foundation has launched a fundraising effort to support the Ventura College Promise program. The program covers all tuition and fees for eligible students for up to two years. The foundation’s goal is to raise $40,000 by April 30.

Ventura College was the first community college in California to offer a tuition Promise program if students meet certain criteria. For students to be eligible for the current two-year tuition-free education they must be first-time incoming students who attend full-time. The Ventura College Promise served as a model for the creation of the statewide California College Promise Program in 2017.

“The funds are needed because state budget cuts caused a shortfall in Promise funding statewide in 2022,” says Anne Paul King, executive director of the Ventura College Foundation. “The foundation’s board of directors wants to be sure the funds will be there for all students who qualify.”

Since it began at Ventura College in 2007, more than $4 million in tuition costs have been covered and close to 20,000 students have been served through the Ventura College Promise. “VC Promise removes the financial barriers to a quality education that many students face and allows them to pursue rewarding careers that benefit their future, their family and our community,” says Dr. Kim Hoffmans, R.N., president of Ventura College.

To donate, go to https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/VCPromise or text VCPromise to 71777. For more information about supporting the Ventura College Foundation’s VC Promise Campaign, contact Gerry Pantoja, Director of Philanthropy, at 805-289-6158 or [email protected]. To learn about the Ventura College Foundation, go to VenturaCollegeFoundation.org.

DATA launches its second cohort of this STEAM-focused program.

When Casey Stoops, Head of Patagonia’s Global Information Security and Core Technology and Scott Reed, Senior Account Executive at ePlus reached out to DeAnza Academy of Technology & the Arts’ (DATA) Principal Carlos Cohen to see if he wanted to launch a GRIT pilot program, he enthusiastically said, “Yes!”. GRIT, Girls RE-Imagining Tomorrow, was founded in 2017 by ePlus Technology in partnership with Cisco and a small group of girls on the East Coast in response to the increasing shortage of cybersecurity professionals worldwide, particularly women. GRIT was started to help girls understand what is available and what they can aspire to and to encourage them to consider careers in technology – girls can then re-imagine their tomorrow. The program has since grown to seven schools across the nation, including DATA. 

GRIT’s mission is to introduce diverse groups of middle school and high school girls to technology-focused career possibilities, inspiring curiosity and exploration in various areas of STEM. In addition, they seek to build confidence in these young women by providing mentorship and holistically approaching these young ladies in the areas of public speaking, online safety, and business etiquette.  

Last year’s DATA cohort, which began in January of 2022, participated in two visits to Patagonia’s office spaces in Ventura. One was to their corporate office, where students were able to see its IT/cybersecurity infrastructure, marketing, and work/lifestyle spaces, and the second trip was to their Research & Development “Forge,” where they saw the social and physical science that goes into making and selling a Patagonia product.

This year’s Cohort will try to get out into the community monthly with its next visit to Fathomwerx. Fathomwerx is a public-private laboratory, community, and resource for technological innovation that fuses small and non-traditional companies, academic institutions, and other Department of Defense stakeholders to work on the most challenging problems in the port and maritime domains. The students will be building a drone while they are there. 

This program has been such a hit with the middle school girls at DATA a long waitlist was created at the beginning of the year. Instead of turning down a group of girls interested in STEAM, the DATA team created a GRIT club. This club includes the students chosen to be a part of the Cohort and any other girls at DATA who want to participate. The club is bringing guest speakers to campus and coordinating field trips to other STEAM sites throughout the year. They are also working on opportunities for goal setting when it comes time to select their high school classes as freshmen.

The Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) has been awarded $1,000,000 in 2022-2023 K12 Strong Workforce Program (SWP) funds. VUSD is one of ten Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to be funded by the South Central Coast Regional Consortium (SCCRC) and will use the funds to create a new Public Safety/Emergency Response Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway at Buena High School. 

VUSD’s strong partnership with Ventura College, Oxnard College, Ventura Police Department, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Ventura County Fire Department, Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, and other community partners will allow the District to design and implement a robust and relevant pathway for high school students to transition into high-wage high-demand careers in Public Safety and Emergency Response after graduation. This pathway will be available to all high school students in the District via multi-site agreements.