Rowland High staff, students happy after renovations

By Richard Irwin, Staff Writer

Even the blackboards at Rowland High School are “smart.” And it’s more than just the name of the fancy digital whiteboards found in the new science and business wings at the Rowland Unified school.

While the noise of construction has finally abated at the local high school, teachers and students said all the bother was worth the new facilities that opened this school year.

Students and staff have settled into their new digs over the past couple weeks. And the reviews have been positive.

Students gathered in the computer labs located in the renovated E wing. Teachers had taught last year in portable classrooms lined up outside the Raider gym.

Most of the portables are now gone, letting the Rowland instructors return to their usual classrooms. Which have become unusual with the all the technology crammed into them during the massive remodeling project.

“We gutted the whole wing and rebuilt it with new utilities and modern technology,” said Principal Mitch Brunyer.

Business teacher Caroline Manookian was learning how to use her smart board. The new digital projectors help instructors reach the tech-savvy students. The Raiders study everything from personal finance to advanced accounting in the business department.

“It’s really nice to have them all facing me now, before they sat around tables,” Manookian said. “The new furniture is much more efficient with plenty of room for their books. Plus, there’s lot of storage.”

Students found 160 new Mac computers bought for the remodeled classrooms.

“The computers will also be used for the online testing now required by the state this year,” said Brunyer.

On the other side of the building, the Rainbow Preschool was open for business.

“We’ve waited more than 30 years for this remodeling,” said preschool director Patricia Hakim earlier. “But it was worth the wait!”

For more, read Rich Irwin’s story RAIDERS.

Oswalt Academy raises $2,400 in ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

 

Oswalt Principal Kevin Despard takes the Ice Bucket Challenge in Walnut.

Oswalt Principal Kevin Despard takes the Ice Bucket Challenge in Walnut.

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Oswalt Academy Principal Kevin Despard and students K-8 took part in the ALS Ice Bucket challenge today, raising more than $2,400 in Walnut.

Each Rowland Unified student brought a minimum of $5, their own cup to be filled with ice and water by the Oswalt PTSA volunteers, a signed permission slip and a change of clothes.

Despard accepted the challenge from fellow school colleague, Shelyn Principal Sarah Opatkiewicz. Who’s next? Despard says Killian Elementary.

Oswalt Academy students take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Oswalt Academy students take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Rowland High Raiders plan 50th anniversary jubilee

The community is invited on Friday, Sept. 26,  to celebrate Rowland High School’s 50th anniversary with a fun-filled jubilee!

With a bow to its beginnings when Rowland was a small community where students were just as likely to ride a horse to school as drive a car, the 50th Jubilee will boast a good ole’ fashioned Country/Western theme.

Everyone is invited: alumni, students, parents, faculty/staff (past and present), and community members. The campus will be filled with activities such as food booths to tantalize a variety of tastes, game booths, entertainment, a trip down memory lane, and tours of the new modernized facilities will begin at 3:15 p.m.

Afterwards everybody is invited to the stadium to cheer the Rowland Raiders football team on to victory at 7 p.m.

Rowland High School Principal Mitch Brunyer is in charge of the volunteer committee. “Being a lifelong Raider as a student, teacher, and now principal of the school, I am very proud of its history and traditions. I look forward to highlighting the school and its connection to the community – we hope everyone can help support and attend this community event!”

COMMUNITY SUPPORT NEEDED:  Please help with this gala by donating funds and/or goods. All contributions are tax-deductible. Banners are available for purchase ($250-$1,000) for display outside the Rowland High School Tom Aney Stadium for the entire school year.Contact ASB Director Leslie Phillips at (626)965-3448 ext. 3323 orlphillips@rowland.k12.ca.usFor more information visit www.rowlandhs.org

FOOD & DRINK ITEMS IN NEED      SAMPLE OF OTHER ITEMS

Water bottles Toys & giveaways for game booths
Hot dogs/Hot dog buns

Hamburgers/Hamburger Buns

Paint (cans of red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, black, and white)
Condiments Brushes, Rollers, & Paint Trays
Soda, lemonade, ice tea Plywood
Individual bags of chips Poles/logs for hitching post & directional signs
Fruit or Fruit Trays Tall metal stakes to hang lanterns
Veggie Trays Hay bales
Rolls of Blue & white checkered tablecovers Plastic Sleeves for Scrapbooking
Paper Plates & Napkins Adhesive (Tombow) for Scrapbooking Pictures
Napkins & Silverware (Clear Plastic) Picture Canvas/Framed/Acid Free Pen
Troughs for ice/drink storage Mannequins, scarecrows/t-type poles to display
                DECORATION ITEMS clothing
Any Country Western Items/Style Decor 2 x 4 – 20 ft. STD/BRT Premium Doug Fir (need 6)
Old Wagon Wheels 2 x 4 – 12 ft. STD/BRT Premium Doug Fir (need 28)
Fake Horses for hitching post 2 x 4 – 16 ft. STD/BTR Premium Doug Fir (need 21)
Wine barrels to use for tables  
Cowboy Hats  
Electrical spools for tables

Rowland Unified surprises students on first day of school

By Richard Irwin, Staff Writer

Rowland Unified started the new school year Monday with the usual hustle and bustle of students looking for their classrooms.

Killian Elementary in Rowland Heights even welcomed the kids back with 10 tables of free books.

But older students will notice the biggest changes in the district’s high schools.

Nogales High students were greeted by the steel skeletons of the massive new front wing being added to the school. Giant cranes continued to lift the steel into place for the complex.

The project will provide new administration offices and classrooms, as well as multipurpose rooms and food services. Four new buildings will revitalize the school at a projected cost of $30 million to $35 million. It will open in the fall of 2015.

Meanwhile, students are already enjoying the new classrooms renovated over the past two years. New walls and ceilings provide quiet, comfortable classrooms that save energy and lighting. A new digital infrastructure permits the latest technology for teachers and students.

Teacher Jane Richey certainly appreciates her new culinary center. Richey welcomed students to her Introduction to Cooking. The popular elective will have the young chefs cook in the eight modern kitchens featuring Jenn-Air gas stoves and microwave ovens.

The teens can watch four big-screen televisions as Richey demonstrates a cooking technique under the watchful eye of a digital camera.

Read more in Rich Irwin’s story SCHOOL.

Rowland’s Family Resource Center offers fresh start for homeless

Rowland Unified’s Family Resource Center will join many community partners to make sure that our homeless students have backpacks, school supplies, shoes, uniforms and dental supplies.

More than 250 students from across the district will receive these supplies on on Thursday at Hurley Elementary in La Puente and on Friday at Jellick Elementary in Rowland Heights.

Special thanks to Kiwanis Shoes That Fit and Faith Community Church for their volunteers.

Would you like to volunteer to help? Call the Family Resource Center at (626) 854-2228

Tami Pearson named new superintendent of La Puente Valley ROP

By Richard Irwin, Staff Writer

Tami Pearson hasn’t travelled far geographically, but the Hacienda Heights native has certainly gone a long way in her career.

The local educator was recently named the new superintendent of the La Puente Valley Regional Occupational Program.

Board President Anthony Duarte says Pearson brings a wealth of experience with her to the new job.

“It was a tough selection, because we had so many good candidates,” the Hacienda La Puente School Board member said. “But, Tami served on the district’s coordinating committee and had an intimate knowledge of ROP, so we knew she could hit the ground running.”

Duarte said the unanimous selection was a step in the right direction to mend fences between the district and ROP.

In March of 2013, the district notified ROP that it wanted out of the cooperative. This angered the other two school districts, Rowland Unified and Bassett Unified.

At the time, Hacienda La Puente Unified contributed almost 60 percent of the ROP budget, while Rowland gave 30 percent and Bassett 10 percent.

Then Associate Superintendent Cindy Parulan-Colfer said Hacienda La Puente paid ROP nearly $3 million, but only received classes worth $1 million.

“It’s about being fair,” Parulan-Colfer said. “We have no intention of getting rid of career-tech education.”

Since then, the three districts have reached a new agreement with ROP. And relations have improved. For more, read ROP

New teachers receive orientation in Rowland Unified

New teachers pose for photo at Rowland Unified.

New teachers pose for photo at Rowland Unified.

New teachers from across the District participated this week in a two-day orientation to the Rowland Unified School District. Teachers engaged in collaborative learning around RUSD’s mission statement, efficacious instructional practices, Common Core standards, and ELD standards.

Rowland Unified launches new website

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Fresh Look to District Website!

Today we launched the new District websitewww.RowlandSchools.org

RUSD Employees – You now have access to helpful staff services and resources under the Staff Services Directory: Find links to Outlook Web Access, Aeries.Net, Aesop Sub Management, RUSD Forms, Rowland Blogs and Wikis, the District Staff Only Section of the website and more!