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Take 5 - February 2026
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Take 5! is a monthly spotlight of promising practices happening at county offices of education throughout the state, rotating the five that are featured and the focus areas covered. The map coordinates with the location of the stories featured this month from across our state.
You can view past bright spots by clicking the link at the bottom of this page.
A County Rich in Agricultural History Makes a Major Investment in its Next Generation
The Amador County Office of Education recently hosted the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Amador County Unified School District Farm - a hands-on learning space for students to grow food, skills, and connections to agriculture and the land. The purpose of this farm is to grow fruits and vegetables that can be served in school cafeteria salad bars.
With over 120 pounds of kale and 100 pounds of lettuce harvested by students in the last week, ACUSD/ACOE students are already seeing the benefits of their new farm. The first harvest was enough to supply the salad bars at both high schools in the county and at some elementary schools.
This farm is also a great opportunity for students to learn more about agriculture, environmental science, and nutrition, with future opportunities for field trips and externships. Students enrolled in the Agriscience CTE pathway will have the opportunity to participate in supervised work experience at the school farm directly alongside an agriculture teacher. ACUSD also hopes to involve culinary arts students in creating weekly recipes for their cafeterias based on the seasonal crops being harvested.
Workforce Development: Exploring Careers in Health Care
At the Health Careers Pathway Discovery Day on Feb. 19, 2026, about 250 students from San Joaquin County met with local employers, higher education institutions, and working professionals to get a better understanding what careers are available – and what it takes to get there.
At the event organized by the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE), students heard from inspirational speakers and explored the Career Horizons Hall, where they met with potential employers and learned about educational programs at San Joaquin Delta College, University of the Pacific, and Stanislaus State, Stockton campus. The event was organized by the SJCOE STEM, Workforce Development, and Innovation department in partnership with HealthForce Partners California, the event was made possible through a work-based learning grant from the WE Will! K-16 Workforce and Education Collaborative.
At-Promise Student Voice Inspires Inclusive Mural
Aesthetics, equity, and inclusivity. The San Benito County Office of Education serves as the local education agency for county alternative programs. San Andreas Continuation High School, Santa Ana Opportunity School, Pinnacles Community School all offer an opportunity for at-promise youth to continue their education, all under the same roof.
They recently unveiled a mural, commissioned with AMS funding and with student voice input, that tells the story of a united alternative community that welcomes all, and where all are welcomed. You can view the mural below.
Foundation Created by SchoolsFirst and OCDE Announces $280,000 in Teacher Grants
A nonprofit founded by SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union and the Orange County Department of Education recently announced the distribution of more than $280,000 in grants to California educators to support innovative classroom strategies in core academic subjects.
The Education Foundation for California Schools annually awards grants of $1,000 to $5,000 to teachers from kindergarten through community college. The idea is to fund new or expanded instructional projects in areas like language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and world languages.
This year, the foundation awarded 95 grants statewide, supporting educators in 45 school districts across 12 counties throughout Northern and Southern California.
Student Spotlight: Elliana, Student Representative for County Board of Education and JCCS Student
The San Diego County Office of Education's Juvenile Court and Community Schools student representative on the San Diego County Board of Education in February was Elliana, a sophomore at SOUL Academy.
In just under a year at the school, Elliana has shown great leadership and perseverance. She is enrolled in college courses and received her driver’s permit through the drivers’ education course at school. She is the PBIS student representative and serves as president of the school’s Bring Change 2 Mind club where she supports students’ social and emotional learning and efforts to reduce the stigma around mental health.
“This role has pushed me outside of my comfort zone and taught me how to lead with empathy and understanding, strengthened my ability to support my peers, and helped me see the world from different perspectives,” Elliana said at the board meeting.
