In order to continue offering students a quality college education in a safe and healthy environment, a diverse coalition of administrators, faculty, staff and student representatives is recommending that Allan Hancock College continue to offer the majority of its classes remotely in the fall.

The recommendations are part of a phased approach that will allow the college to incrementally reopen college sites for in-person classes as conditions allow. 

The action is to be forwarded to Hancock’s Board of Trustees on June 9.

“Our mission is to provide the excellent educational opportunities Hancock is known for in a manner that is safe for our students, staff and faculty,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers. “The plan we’ve developed will allow us to continue to offer classes in a safe and healthy environment in the fall and provides the college with the flexibility to adapt to the evolving facts on the ground related to the COVID-19 outbreak.”

Similar to its summer class offerings, the recommended plan is to offer the vast majority of the college’s credit, noncredit and fee-based classes remotely for fall. Classes that cannot be offered remotely, such as some chemistry and biology lab classes, certain career and technical education classes and the college’s Public Safety Training Complex programs, would remain in-person but follow rigorous social distancing and sanitization protocols.

Remote fall classes are part of the college’s long-range, multi-phased plan that will allow Hancock to gradually return to in-person classes based on guidance from the State of California, the Centers for Disease Control, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and the Santa Barbara County Health Department.

“We take our charge to educate and enliven our students and community with the utmost solemnity,” said Hancock Academic Senate President Trevor Passage.  Administration provided faculty, staff, and students with the sobering realization that the complications brought on by the pandemic would not abate by the start of fall 2020. Hancock is developing a tiered approach to provide the same quality instruction and services in the safest manner possible for our community.”

Hancock transitioned 98 percent of its classes to remote and online formats for the spring 2020 semester in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the state’s subsequent shelter-in-place order, allowing 97 percent of students to remain enrolled during the first month of the pandemic. The college recently announced that it would continue offering classes remotely in the summer. 

The post Hancock plans mostly remote classes in fall appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

A total of 21 officers from law enforcement agencies in Mexico graduated Sept. 4 from a 10-day dignitary-protection training course at the Hancock College Public Safety Training Complex at the college’s Lompoc Valley Center.

The 80-hour training, conducted by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, provided the officers with the knowledge and skills to plan and execute operations involving the protection of dignitaries, including local officials and governors, and to participate as members of a dignitary security detail.

“These officers came from several different state and local law enforcement agencies in Mexico,” said Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s lieutenant and Hancock instructor Juan Camarena. “They are assigned to protect state and local politicians and other dignitaries, and this training will help them build those skills.”

The training included modules involving high-speed driving, physical security and other important skills. The class was able to practice those skills at Hancock’s state-of-the-art facility, which includes a shooting range, Emergency Vehicle Operator Course (EVOC) and several simulated residential and commercial buildings in the complex’s “scenario village.”

“Allan Hancock College is honored to have played a part in providing this important law enforcement training in conjunction with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office to our colleagues from Mexico,” said Mitch McCann, Associate Dean for Hancock’s Public Safety Training Complex.

The training is the result of the sheriffs’ office’s participation with the Santa Barbara and Puerto Vallarta Sister Cities Law Enforcement Exchange Program. This is the first time that the training has been held at Hancock’s PSTC.

The post Mexican law enforcement officers get training at Hancock appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Now, after recently being rebuked by the Board of Trustees, he may only express his personal opinion on this important matter that affects our health, safety, jobs and economy. 

Kudos to the trustees for acting responsibly. And thanks again to our Founding Fathers for enshrining freedom of speech in our Constitution’s First Amendment. 

Seth Steiner

Los Alamos

The post Letter to the Editor appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

(photo courtesy of Arrow Photo) Adrianna Bacca and Torre Reddick perform as lead dancers in the Allan Hancock College Youth Dance production of The Nutcracker

SYV Star Report

Be dazzled this holiday season and have fun with the whole family at The Nutcracker ballet, presented by Allan Hancock College youth dancers at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, and at 2 p.m. On Sunday, Dec. 18, at Santa Maria High School’s Ethel Pope Auditorium.

Under the direction of Courtney Grimnes and performed by College for Kids student dancers and adult artists, this production marks its 24th year of being a part of holiday celebrations taking place in the community. More than 50 performers – both children and adults – bring this favorite Christmas story to life.

College for Kids dance classes are offered through the college’s Community Education department. Many of the students who perform in The Nutcracker often dance year after year, moving through the different roles and scenes, culminating with their last performance during their senior year in high school.

Tickets are available for purchase at Allan Hancock College Community Education (bldg. S) or at the door for $12 adults/$10 children.

Spring 2017 College for Kids dance classes begin the week of January 23. The complete list of spring classes is available online through the Class Search mode at www.hancockcollege.edu. Register in person starting Monday, Dec. 5, at Community Education (bldg. S) on the Santa Maria campus. For more information, call (805) 922-6966 ext. 3209.

The post Allan Hancock’s “College for Kids” Presents Two Showings of The Nutcracker appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Olympic boxer, Carlos Balderas, will be one of the keynote speakers during Allan Hancock College’s Young Educated Latino Leaders Conference, better known as the YELL Conference. The free event will be Saturday, December 3, from 9 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. at the Marian Theatre on the college’s Santa Maria campus.

The event aims to encourage students to set higher educational goals by providing college and career guidance, as well as personalized stories of success. Any male high school student from the Central Coast is encouraged to attend. Guests will receive food and have a chance to win prizes during the conference. Transportation will be provided by AHC to and from the event for students in the Santa Ynez and Lompoc valleys, Guadalupe and Southern San Luis Obispo County.

“The YELL Conference is a unique and very uplifting event,” said organizer Diana Perez, the Cal-SOAP director at Hancock. “Students will walk away with the understanding they have the ability to succeed and achieve their dreams by attending a college, like Allan Hancock College.”

Olympic boxer Carlos Balderas captivated the Central Coast during the 2016 Rio Olympics. The Santa Maria native won his first two fights in the men’s lightweight class before losing by decision in the quarterfinals. Carlos’ father and brothers introduced him to boxing when he was in elementary school as a way to keep him out of trouble. About ten years later, their decision paid off with a ticket to Rio.

Richard Santana, Ed.M. and Roberto Rivas will also be keynote speakers during the event. The founder of Homeboy Goes to Harvard Productions, Santana will share his story as a third-generation gang member who went on to earn a master’s degree from Harvard University. Rivas, the founder and chief executive officer of Encuentros Leadership, will discuss the students’ rite of passage and explain how they can empower themselves to succeed.

To register online for the conference and/or transportation, visit www.hancockcollege.edu/YELL. For more information, please contact the Central Coast Cal-SOAP office at (805) 922-6966 ext. 3710.

The post Olympian Carlos Balderas Headlines Hancock Event to Empower Male High School Students appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.