It's Friday moning in Department Three, Alameda County Superior Court. The Great Seal of the State of California hangs on the wood-paneled wall behind the judge's bench. A cart is filled with red folders containing defendants files. The bailiff sits at his desk. It looks like any court in the building, except the defendants are not charged with burglary or assault. They are charged with being parents or guardians of an elementary - or middle-school student who is habitually truant.

A mountain of compost was piled high at Tennyson High School on Friday, March 9. Specifically, twenty cubic yards of donated WM Earthcare Homegrown Compost kicked-off spring planting at 26 project EAT gardens in Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo and Livermore Valley Joint Unified School Districts.

To celebrate Art IS Education Month, the Alameda County Library is presenting a special series of 50 free arts events for youth and families.

The Tri-Cities League of Volunteers held its annual "Elegant Affaire" Friday at the Newark Pavillion, hosted by honorary char David Smith, former mayor of Newark.

Kudos to Alameda County schools Superintendent Sheila Jordan and Berkeley Police Chief Michael Meehan and their recent editorial page submissions for putting their words into action in support of after-school programs.

Hector Garcia named Educator of the Year: Hector Garcia has been an educational leader for 16 years, most recently as principal of Harder Elementary School.

Sacramento--Gov. Jerry Brown's budget plan released last week poses a stark choice for Californians: approve a five-year $35 billion tax increase in November or watch the hatchet drop on public school funding--with cuts so deep the school year could be shortened by almost a month.

$245,000 in grants awarded to 17 East Bay school foundations.

The Service-Learning Waste Reduction Project in Alameda County, CA provides guidance and impetus for school efforts to combine service and environmental education.

Tom Collett is a former football player and coach who uses his passion for magic to complement his students' science lessons at Newark Junior High. Karen McMahon taught in New York for eight years and then worked in human resources for an additional 15 before returning to teaching at Horizon Continuation High School in Pleasanton.

State debt no longer hangs over the Emery school district. Ten years after it received a $1.3 million emergency loan to pay its bills, the tiny school system has cut its last check to the State Controller's Office, marking the official end of a decadelong state takeover and the mismanagement that triggered it.

Over the last several years, public education has experienced a dramatic shift in not only the content of what's taught in the classrooms, but also in how it's taught.

The Castro Valley Unified School District will receive some help from the state in its effort to keep students from lighting up.