Showtime in Hacienda La Puente Unified

Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights will hold a Pre-Festival
Band Concert at 7 p.m. tonight in the gym.

The Choir at Workman High will perform at a “Cabaret Night,” tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. the Little Theater.

Valinda Middle School will hold a talent show at 6 p.m. Thursday in the cafeteria.

And Workman High will perform a “Band Concert Under the Stars,”
on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the amphiheatre,
6-9:00 p.m.

Walnut choirs will ‘Raise You Up’

Walnut High School’s choirs will present their spring concert at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, in the Performing Arts Center at 400 N. Pierre Road.

Choir director Lisa Lopez said that all four choirs will be featured: Chamber Singers, Rhapsody in Blue, Treble Choir and Mustang Singers.

The Suzanne Middle School Choir will also perform under the direction of John Lewis. They will sing two of their own pieces.

The Suzanne singersn will then join with the four high school choirs for two songs — “You Raise Me Up” and “Turn the World Around.”

Tickets are $7 for adults and $6 for seniors and students. Tickets can be obtained from any choir member or by emailing Lopez at llopez@walnutvalley.k12.ca.us.

Relay for Life and Jump for Heart

Orange Grove Middle School in Hacienda Heights will hold its third annual Relay for Life on the lower field from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. today.

Meanwhile, Grazide Elementary is holding is Jump for Heart on the playground. It was Hawaiian dress day at the Hacienda Heights.

Cedarlane school had an “Advanced Reading” Ice Cream Social in the cafeteria at 1:30 p.m.

Migrant Education offered at Del Valle

Del Valle Elementary School in La Puente will offer the Migrant Education Even Start program from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The California MEES Project is a statewide
home and school based family education model which assists
migratory parents to increase their literacy and parenting
skills, so that they in turn can prepare their children (birth
to 7 years of age) to become successful learners.

What Services Does the MEES Program Provide?

The major thrust of services is that of
providing literacy, parenting and English as a Second Language
skills to migratory parents; early childhood development and
kindergarten readiness skills to their children (birth to 7
years of age).

A major emphasis is given to providing
interactive literacy activities between parents and their
children. However, recognizing that migrant families have older
siblings who also need services, participating regions provide
tutorial and other support assistance to these students within
the framework of their MEES Programs.

All services provided to migratory families
in the California MEES Project are coordinated with local school
districts, adult education programs, community colleges and
other agencies.

Furthermore, the California MEES Project is
committed to providing all services at times and locations
selected by migratory parents, thus enabling them to actively
participate in project activities.

How Do Families Qualify for Migrant Education Even Start Services?

Participating families must be classified
as “migratory” under Migrant Education guidelines. 
Participating children must be between 0 and 7 years of age. 
Parents and children must participate together in project
activities.

Palm raises Pennies for Patients

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It may not be pennies from heaven, but it is definitely money from some little angels.
 
   For the third year in a row, the students at Palm Elementary School have doubled their contribution to the Pennies For Patients campaign.
 
   This year the Hacienda Heights school raised more than $1,700 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
 
   “With the economy the way it is, I wasn’t sure we would meet our goal of $1,400 this year. But the kids went way over it,” said Principal Edna Moore.
 
   Of course, Moore was probably hoping the kids would fall a little short this year. She promised to spend a day on the roof of the school if the students met their goal.
 
   And so it was that Moore found herself perched on the roof of the school on Friday the 13th. A superstitious person might have shied away from any ladders on this unlucky day.

Read the whole story in today’s edition of the Hacienda Heights Highlander. 

Stairsteps to Success in Hacienda Heights

The Hacienda La Puente Unified School District will hold a “Stairsteps to Success” Scholarship Dinner from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1.

The gala event will take place at the Industry Expo Center, 16200 Temple Ave.

The district awarded $8,000 in scholarships to 11 students last year. Each school also received a $500 grant, bringing the total to $25,000.

The dinner gives the community, including area businessmen as well as parents and staff to celebrate student success. The event includes silent and live auctions, dinner, entertainment and scholarship awards.

The community can support “Stairsteps to Success” by becoming a sponsor, donating auction items and advertising in the evening’s program.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call Linda Bravata at (626) 933-3801.

‘Sound of Music’ comes to Walnut High

The Walnut High School Drama Department will present the “Sound of Music” on March 13-21. Performances are 7 p.m. on March 13-14 and March 20-21, with matinee performances at 2 p.m. on both Saturdays. The cost is $10 for students and seniors, and $14 for adults.
 
This popular musical is directed by Joanna Karr, the award-winning Walnut High School drama teacher. She is assisted by conductor Buddy Clements, vocal director Sharon Frazier, accompanist Margaret Frazier and choreographer Karlie Harstad. Renee Hernandez oversees costumes.

There are talented student actors in the many key roles. They include Leti Hirabayashi as Maria; Michael Lacanilao, Captain von Trapp; Aubrey Davis, Liesl; Arvin Almacin, Friedrich; Christina Dobson, Louisa; Aaron Ngor, Kurt; Ali Hernandez, Brigitta; Kermeka Desai, Marta; and Emily Frazier and Leah Richard, Gretl.

The additional actors include Swaim Guetling, Max; Riffany Cheng, Elsa; Mariann Papadopoulos, Mother Abbess; Elizabeth Horn, Sister Margaretta; Laura Karraker, Sister Berthe; Megan Freeman, Sister Sophia; Matt Guest, Rolf; Ben Praster, Franz; and Noelia Ortiz, Frau Schmidt.

Call (909) 594-1333 for tickets and information.

1,000 cranes at Mt. SAC

Students and staff at Mount San Antonio College are carefully folding tiny sheets of paper into beautiful origami cranes.
They hope to finish 1,000 of the graceful birds as tokens of peace to send to the Children’s Peace Museum in Hiroshima.
An old Japanese saying claims that anyone who folds 1,000 cranes will be granted a wish. The Mt. SAC students were praying for peace as part of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Exhibit in the campus library.
While the 30 poster-sized photos visualized the hell visited on the two Japanese cities at the end of World War II, it took two survivors to capture the spirit of the atomic bomb attacks.
Tommy Morimoto and Kikuko Otake survived the first use of atomic weapons. The Los Angeles residents talked to the students yesterday about the horrors they experience that day.
Read about their experiences in an upcoming story in the Walnut Highlander.

Rowland Unified calls for vote on parcel tax

Last night, the Rowland Unified School Board took action to call for a local parcel tax election to be conducted by mail ballot in June.

If voters approve the measure to establish a
local, temporary and secure funding source for our local schools that
could not be taken away by the State, these funds will be used to
support specific Rowland Unified educational programs.

All money will
stay in our community to benefit Rowland schools. Ballots will be mailed
to all registered voters June 1. ALL COMPLETED BALLOTS MUST BE
RECEIVED BY JUNE 30, 2009.

THE JUNE PARCEL TAX MAIL BALLOT QUESTION READS:
“To
prevent deep cuts in local educational programs, including: maintaining
college preparation classes, high school counselors, student
health/safety/security services, adequate instructional supplies and
classroom technology; keeping school libraries open; protecting small
class sizes and music/art programs; and retaining qualified teachers;
shall Rowland Unified School District levy an annual $120 tax per
parcel, for 5 years only, with independent oversight, an exemption for
seniors, no money for administrator salaries, and all funds benefiting
Rowland Unified schools?”

Questions & Answers About RUSD Parcel Tax Measure On Back

Why has the School District placed this measure on the ballot?
Rowland Unified is currently facing a staggering $9 million reduction in state funding because of the budget crisis in Sacramento, which is SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPACTING funding for critical educational priorities in our community.
To protect local schools from devastating cuts, the district has called
for a local parcel tax election to be conducted by mail ballot in June.
All completed ballots must be received by June 30, 2009.

What will the Measure fund?
* Maintain college preparation classes and high school counselors
* Preserve student health/safety/security services
* Provide adequate instructional materials and classroom technology
* Keep school libraries open
* Protect small class sizes
* Maintain music and art programs
* Retain qualified, experienced teachers

The
parcel tax would help raise an estimated $2.5 million annually for five
years, however, the District will still need to make cuts to its
operating budget.

Can’t the District find the resources it needs by cutting administration and waste?
The
school district has already cut administration to the minimum required
to keep students safe, deliver a basic education, and operate the
District in an efficient manner. The District continues to absorb cuts
from the state in school funding. Since 2001, Rowland Unified has endured over
$12.7 million in cuts. The 2008-09 budget included $5 million in
reductions, and now the state is reducing the 2008-09 budget by another
$5 million. The state budget for 2009-10 includes even deeper cuts to
education. State law mandates that a parcel tax is the only way for
schools to raise consistent, significant funds to be used for local
educational programs.

What about other sources of funding — like the Lottery?
By
law, Lottery funds must go directly into classroom instruction – and we
appreciate this supplemental funding – however, Lottery funds comprise
only 1.5% of our school district revenue.

How much will the parcel tax cost-and for how long?
If
voters approve the measure, it will cost property owners $10 per month,
for a total of $120 per year. Property owners age 65 and over can apply
to be exempt from the tax for their primary residence. The parcel tax
will be in place for 5 years only. It cannot be extended or changed
without a vote of the people.

How can we be sure that school parcel tax funds will be spent properly?
An
independent Community Oversight Committee will be appointed by the school board to make sure that school parcel tax funds are properly
spent on the programs voters intended. No funds can be spent on
administrative salaries. All funds must be used to improve school
PROGRAMS.

What will happen if the measure does not pass?
The
programs listed above will be in danger of losing their funding. Parcel
tax revenue will be a stable, locally-controlled resource for these
programs.

Who is eligible to vote on the parcel tax and when is the election?
All
registered voters who live within Rowland Unified School District
boundaries are eligible to vote on this measure. Voting will take place
by mail ballot during the month of June. Ballots will be mailed to all registered voters June 1. ALL COMPLETED BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED
BY JUNE 30, 2009. To pass, the RUSD parcel tax measure must receive at
least 66.7% support from those who vote on the measure.

For more information, visit www.RowlandSchools.org or contact the RUSD Communications Office at (626) 854-8352.

Superintendent to discuss school budget

The Rowland Heights Community Coordinating Council will meet 7 p.m. tonight at the Pathfinder Park Community Center, located on the corner of Pathfinder and Fullerton roads.

The guest speaker will Rowland Superintendent Maria Ott. She will discuss the state budget and its effects on our school system. On Tuesday, the school board issued layoff notices for 88 teachers to offset some of the deficit.

There will also be reports from elected officials’ representatives and law enforcement. The council is Rowland Heights’ liaison with elected officials regarding matters of concern to the area. For information, visit www.rhccc.netfirms.com.