Schools

Town Crier File Photo
Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District trustees are reviewing the district’s new homework policy, weighing whether it balances academic rigor while easing students’ workload.

A spirited discussion on homework anchored last week’s meeting of the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District Board of Trustees.

The board discussed the role of homework in maintaining balance between academic rigor and easing the workload on stressed-out students.

Courtesy of Foothill College
Noel Gaeta is able to play games, thanks to a lightweight exoskeleton designed by students in the Biomedical Devices Program at Foothill College. This year’s program launches Sept. 25.

When people think of cutting-edge technology, institutions like Stanford University immediately come to mind.

But even closer to home, Foothill College’s Biomedical Devices Program – the only one of its kind among California community colleges – brings together students at all levels in a collaborative, hands-on environment.

Grace Hase/Town Crier
While signs at the Aug. 29 Stand Up for Equality and Diversity rally at the Mountain View Civic Center were optimistic, a local high school student wonders whether they create real change.

“Why am I here?” I murmured to myself as regret and anxiety immediately enter my body. It was a sunny afternoon when I arrived at the Mountain View Civic Center Plaza for the Stand Up for Equality and Diversity rally.

Being a high school student from a relatively conservative family, I evaded questions and got out of my family’s car promptly to be greeted by a crowd of people in pink knit hats, “Love Trumps Hate” signs and majorly white faces. It was a typical start to many of the demonstrations in Silicon Valley, and much of the event was just as, if not more, predictable.

While some people spent time this summer trying to find the right pair of sunglasses, Justin Yu, a senior at Los Altos High School, started his own company.

Yu’s company, Arise, created a customizable virtual-reality headset for the visually impaired at MIT Launch, a four-week residential program designed to teach entrepreneurship.

Town Crier File Photo
California’s college master plan impacts the state’s public higher education, from the UC system down to the California community colleges, including Foothill’s science building, above.

State Assemblyman Marc Berman convened a first hearing this week for the committee planning the future of higher education in California.

The Assembly Select Committee on the Master Plan for Higher Education in California will update a master plan dating back to 1960 that guides policy at institutions ranging from Foothill College to UC Berkeley.

The Living Classroom program seeks volunteers docents who enjoy working with students and appreciate nature.

Volunteer docents lead interactive, hands-on lessons to teach students the interconnectedness of the world. The program reaches all grade levels in the Los Altos School District and includes hands-on education in science, math and social studies. The program also serves schools in the Mountain View Whisman and Palo Alto Unified school districts.