March 2008 Archives
I have received both positive and negative reaction from an article that ran today titled Montebello School Officials Plan to demote Principal Cota.
Many parents left me messages saying they are grateful the article ran and they only wish an article could be written about each teacher and administrator that might be let go.
A handful of other parents said they do not support Cota and they do not feel he is a good principal.
On a side note, while writing this article I once again found members of the Montebello School Board nearly impossibly to get a hold of. Board President Marcella Calderon did not return numerous phone calls.
The only board member who commented and proved to be helpful was Vice President Gerri Guzman.
Here's the story...
ARCADIA - A buzz has been brewing on the Arcadia High School campus over the drama department's production of "The Shadow Box."
Michael Cristofer's play, which won the Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award in 1977, and runs through Saturday, March 27, deals not only with the taboo topic of death, but it also involves a gay couple, a drug addict and language many might consider "objectionable."
"It is a little controversial for a high school
play," said Director Steven Volpe, who teaches drama and English at the
school. "It does have a little bit of mature content...but it is so
well-written...and the themes are so relevant to our time." ...
Jose Villapando, 17, right, gets advice from classmate Andy Sanchez, 17, as he makes a book about art around the world for school children in Uganda during their class at Santana High School in Rowland Heights.
In the elective writing class "Creating Hope," the students will write their own books for the charity Books of Hope. The class has already shipped one set of books to Africa.
Find the entire story at the Rowland Heights Highlander.
The coaster, as well as large annual projects like an archaeological dig and a Rube Goldberg machine, seem to be well-known features of the school's Odyssey Program.
However, there's much more to the program than that. Charter Oak School District assistant superintendent Mike Hendricks said The Odyssey Program is a core designed to enhance the learning experience and build close relationships between students and teachers through creating small groups of kids who are overseen by four teachers throughout their middle school years.
Unfortunately, there's been rumor that this may be the end of the Odyssey Program.
Why? Last year Royal Oak did away with their sixth grade. Sarah Brady, an English teacher within the Odyssey Program, said that when Odyssey was established in 1998, it was set up as a three-year program. Now that the school only houses seventh and eighth graders, the dynamic of the program is a bit disfigured.
And no, it's not a funding issue. Projects like the roller coaster are all paid for through booster clubs and fund-raising.
Maria Thompson, eighth-grade assistant principal at Royal Oak, says it's a teacher scheduling issue at this point. The budget DOES affect that scheduling, however. In other words, if the budget doesn't support the teachers needed to fully schedule these core programs, then...well, no more core programs. Sounds like it still does boil down to a money issue in the end.
But, while the district supports it and everyone seems to love it, Odyssey is still up in the air at this point, according to pretty much everybody.
"It's a great project," Hendricks said. "As far as the future (of the project), I don't know what the future is."
The meeting was set up by the Bassett Unified School District to get input from parents, teachers and community members on the pending state budget cuts to education.
Torch Middle School received a special recognition on Friday, March 14, and a banner to hang in front of the school, from the California League of Middle Schools for becoming one of only three schools in California to achieve 2008 "California Schools to Watch" status. A parent I spoke to today said they are upset because the school principal at Fremont Elementary school was given a pink slip.
Montebello gave pink slips to 40 percent of their administrative staff.
According to other parents the board has been very “hush-hush” regarding proposed layoffs.
Board members currently make $750 a month if they attend all meetings. The student trustee gets $400 a month.
They are slated to vote on 5 percent raise for all members.
It would increase their monthly salary by $207.50 for a grand total of $957.50 a month.
Do you know how much your Board of Trustees or School Board makes?
"In a response to the massive budget cuts proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger, MUSD’s Board of Education recently voted to notify nearly 40 percent of certificated administrators that their positions may be changed, reduced or eliminated. The district is working to keep budget reductions away from classrooms."
We have all been hearing about massive cuts and reductions but 40 percent of your administrators is quite a hit.
Is the country ready for a woman president?
This was the subject of an interesting panel discussion sponsored by Mt. SAC as part of its celebration of Women's History Month.
LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina, left, offered many insights in the subject, including her strong support of Hilary Clinton as the presidential candidate.
Jean Schroedel, chair of Claremont Graduate University's Politics and Policy Department, added her professional opinions on the subject of gender in American politics.
Read more about it in an upcoming story in the Rowland Heights/Walnut Highlander.
Domingo Balatbat, Cesar Benitez and Nate Hall work on a vehicle in their Automotive Technology class at the Hacienda La Puente Adult Education.
Hundreds attended the open-house held Tuesday at the Willow Campus in La Puente and the Dibble Campus in Hacienda Heights.
Read all about the adult classes offered by one of the state's largest adult ed programs in an upcoming story of the Hacienda Heights Highlander.
Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Jill Sterkel is the special guest at this year’s La Puente Valley ROP "Principal for a Day" program on Wednesday.
Outstanding students representing school districts serving more than 113,000 students and 72 schools will receive scholarships during the luncheon ceremony of the annual program this year on the theme "Go for the Gold!"
Considered the region’s most comprehensive annual community outreach program, "Principal for a Day" has continued each year for more than 21 years in the Bassett, Rowland and Hacienda-La Puente Unified School Districts, along with the La Puente Valley Regional Occupational Program.
Coordinator of athletics and former head coach at the University of Texas in Austin, Sterkel was born in Hacienda Heights and graduated from Wilson High School.
She will be a Principal for the Day at her alma mater before speaking at the luncheon at the Expo Center in Industry.
Sterkel was a four-time U.S. Olympic freestyle swimming star, winning a gold medal in the 1976 Montreal games at age 15 and again in the 1984 Los Angeles games. She also received two bronze medals in the 1988 Seoul games.
She was the first woman to make four U.S. Olympic swim teams. Sterkel began winning U.S. National Championships at the age of 10 and acquired a total of 20 championships.
The proposed budget would cut $4.8 billion from education.
Rob Watanabe, superintendent for Bassett Unified School District, gave me a first hand account of the event.
He said at least 100 people filled the stairs of the state capitol with about 50 of them educators from LA County schools. The mood, he says, was festive with spectators holding signs that read “Kids our the future.” A feeling of hope was in the air, he added.
Many media outlets surrounded the rally, he said. Many legislators listened to a handful of educators speak but the Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was not in attendance, according to Watanabe.
What do you think about local educators taking a stance? Add your comment.
Want to learn how to repair a broken dishwasher? How about fixing one of those new hybrid cars?
You might want to consider one of the classes offered by Hacienda La Puente Adult Education. They're even hosting an open house from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday to show off all their classes.
The open house will be held both the Willow Campus at 14101 E. Nelson Ave., La Puente, and the Dibble Campus at 1600 Pontenova Ave., Hacienda Heights.
In addition to appliance and auto repair, the Willow school teaches nursing, welding, accounting, and electronics among many other courses.
The Dibble school offers English as a Second Language, reflexology, computer classes and accounting, plus many more courses.
Tours will be available, and many classes have open enrollment. Who knows, maybe it'll mean a whole new career for you!
The Sallie Mae Fund 'Paying for College' Bus Tour will be making a stop at two La Puente schools on Friday, March 7, to educate students and families about planning and paying for college.
The bus will stop at Sparks Middle School in La Puente to offer eighth-graders a 45-minute in-school workshop on college planning.
From there, the bus will stop at La Puente High School for two in-school workshops for freshman and sophomores, and juniors and seniors.
A $250 scholarship will be rewarded to one participating junior or senior at La Puente High.
Sallie Mae Fund's goal is to increase access to higher education for all of America's students - in particular lower-income and minorities.
For more information, visit www.salliemaefund.org .
