E-bike safety program increases responsible riding at Los Gatos High School

E-bike safety

Los Gatos High School officials announced noticeable improvements following the launch of their e-bike program.

The LGHS Bicycle Safety and Training Program requires every student who rides a bike to campus to take a safety course and register their bike online for free. The registration includes contact information and a picture of the bike so that the school can work with police if the bike is lost or stolen. The safety course requires students to watch a video and  complete a test that emphasizes the importance of proper equipment and care, rules of the road and best practices.

The program was developed by campus supervisor Angel Lopez to ensure illegal bikes and e-motorcycles are not permitted on campus and encourage responsible riding among students using legal bikes and e-bikes. Since implementing the program, about eight to 10 illegal bikes have been removed from campus. There have also been no bike thefts reported on campus, which had been a problem in prior years.

Principal Dave Poetzinger said the program has contributed a safer environment.

“Students are slowing down, wearing helmets more consistently and walking their bikes once they reach campus,” Poetzinger said in a release. “They’re more aware of their surroundings and more respectful of pedestrians.”

Now, Lopez is working on collaborating with Fisher Middle School to establish these safety standards before students get to high school and include bike registration as part of the beginning-of-year student registration process.

Mental health initiative

A Los Gatos-based nonprofit is using a town grant to establish a program to train community members to support the growing number of youth dealing with anxiety.

InvestInMentalHealth is a first-time recipient of a community grant to establish a “Mental Health First Aider” curriculum in the Los Gatos area. Part of this initiative includes the launch of #First100MentalHealthFirstAiders, a community-based program to train and certify a hundred local teachers, school staff, caregivers and seniors in town to be able to recognize early signs of mental health challenges and respond effectively. The nonprofit said their goal is to strengthen early intervention, reduce stigma and ensure that more community members know how to help when it matters most.

According to the 2025 Counseling and Support Services for Youth Impact Report, anxiety was the top reported mental health concern among students for three consecutive years. Nonprofit founder and executive director Loretta Stagnitto was inspired to launch the program after attending an event hosted by the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, where she heard about teachers’ concerns surrounding mental health issues among students.

Maker’s Market

The West Valley Muslim Association will be holding a maker’s market, or souq, on Jan. 31, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at 16769 Farley Road. The Maker’s Souq will be showing off handmade, personally designed goods from local artisans, crafters and creators.