A total of seven schools in the Tri-Valley were recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, including Hart Middle School in Pleasanton.
At the end of the ninth episode of this season of "MasterChef Junior," then-10-year-old Abir Bhatia of San Ramon stood among his three other somber-faced teammates who placed in the bottom during that episode s baking challenge.
Teacher shortages fuel a widespread trend of U.S. schools placing instructors with underwhelming scientific experience to teach middle school science classes.