The Irvine Unified School District has been awarded a $500,000 federal grant to improve college and career readiness through the use of data and technology.

Good morning, and welcome back!

Just a friendly reminder that all IUSD schools will be closed this week to accommodate staff-wide furlough days (Nov. 22-24) and the Thanksgiving recess (Nov. 25-26).

A University High School sophomore has been selected to perform in a choir of musical all-stars at the venerable Carnegie Hall in Manhattan.

The Irvine Company this week presented IUSD with the latest installment of its pledge of more than $20 million over 10 years for enriched curriculum in art, science and music.

It was a ceremonial splash that was long overdue. After years of hard work, hope and some tough setbacks, the IUSD Board of Education approved the construction of an eagerly awaited swimming pool at Woodbridge High School back in December 2008. On Tuesday, Nov.

The IUSD Board of Education has voted to ratify updated contract agreements with the district's employee associations, rescinding four of eight furlough days for the 2010-11 school year.

At the Nov. 17 Board of Education meeting, Board members approved a retirement incentive for eligible teachers, certified IUSD's First Interim Report and agreed to enter into a historic agreement to establish solar power-producing systems at 21 district sites.

For months now, the Irvine Public Schools Foundation has been hard at work trying to leverage matching funds from the City of Irvine, which pledged to contribute up to $875,200 to help ease the i