April 2011 Archives
POMONA - Abigail Medina worries her five children in the San Bernardino City Unified School District will never achieve their dreams of being a pediatrician, teacher or inventor.
Testifying in front of a group of state senators and a crowd of more than 100 at a Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee hearing, Medina put a face to the way the lack of state educational funding is affecting children's futures.
"These cuts to education worry me because I'm in a district that is high in poverty and I'm trying to get the best education for my children...," Medina said.
Testifying in front of a group of state senators and a crowd of more than 100 at a Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee hearing, Medina put a face to the way the lack of state educational funding is affecting children's futures.
"These cuts to education worry me because I'm in a district that is high in poverty and I'm trying to get the best education for my children...," Medina said.
Continue reading Parents, officials testify about educational impacts of budget cuts .
The Chaffey College Trust Fund has awarded 17 scholarships to students from the Chaffey Joint Union High School District.
Students were awarded a total of $13,700 in scholarships at the ceremony April 21 at the Red Hill Country Club.
Students received from $500 to $1,500 worth of scholarships.
Charles Aramayo of Rancho Cucamonga High School was the big winner that evening receiving the largest amount of $1,500.
Students were awarded a total of $13,700 in scholarships at the ceremony April 21 at the Red Hill Country Club.
Students received from $500 to $1,500 worth of scholarships.
Charles Aramayo of Rancho Cucamonga High School was the big winner that evening receiving the largest amount of $1,500.
Author: Monica Rodriguez , Staff Writer
POMONA - Pomona Unified School District may soon have an educational foundation that could help raise funds to support educational programs.
School board members approved the concept of establishing a nonprofit foundation earlier this month and authorized district personnel to begin working on the details leading to the creation of the organization.
The proposed foundation, which would be known as Partners for Educational Excellence and Knowledge, would be under the control of the district.
School board members approved the concept of establishing a nonprofit foundation earlier this month and authorized district personnel to begin working on the details leading to the creation of the organization.
The proposed foundation, which would be known as Partners for Educational Excellence and Knowledge, would be under the control of the district.
Continue reading PUSD to establish nonprofit.
Author: Neil Nisperos , Staff Writer
CHINO - Chino Valley Unified may face a nightmarish $66.5 million deficit in three years, according to a possible scenario presented to school board members at a recent budget meeting.
Sandra Chen, assistant superintendent of business services, said the shortfall may occur, given the possibility of voters not extending taxes that the governor is counting on to help fund education and other state expenditures.
Sandra Chen, assistant superintendent of business services, said the shortfall may occur, given the possibility of voters not extending taxes that the governor is counting on to help fund education and other state expenditures.
Continue reading CVUSD faces huge shortfall .
Time may be running out for students seeking financial assistance to pay for college.
With Gov. Jerry Brown's signing of Senate Bill 70 - a bill that increases community college fees from $26 to $36 per unit - community college officials say students looking to soften the blow of the hike should take advantage of any resources available to help pay for their education.
The fee increase is effective beginning this fall at all 112 community colleges in the state.
With Gov. Jerry Brown's signing of Senate Bill 70 - a bill that increases community college fees from $26 to $36 per unit - community college officials say students looking to soften the blow of the hike should take advantage of any resources available to help pay for their education.
The fee increase is effective beginning this fall at all 112 community colleges in the state.
Continue reading Aid is available for students who need it .
Author: Monica Rodriguez Staff Writer
POMONA - In about two months Pomona Unified School District leaders will name a committee to help them determine what to do with the district's excess property.
The Board of Education recently authorized establishing a surplus property advisory committee and directed Superintendent Richard Martinez to create a slate of nominees for appointment.
The committee will examine district-owned real estate and forward recommendations as to whether the land should be sold, leased or used in some other way, Kasey Haws, the district's lawyer, told board members.
The Board of Education recently authorized establishing a surplus property advisory committee and directed Superintendent Richard Martinez to create a slate of nominees for appointment.
The committee will examine district-owned real estate and forward recommendations as to whether the land should be sold, leased or used in some other way, Kasey Haws, the district's lawyer, told board members.
press release:
Imagine students working at their desks onindividual computers each day - no sharing or designated computer lab time required.
C.J. Morris imagined and then made it happen.
School fundraising helped make it possible to offer to the pilot laptop program to third grade students at the beginning of the 2010-11 school year.
The Walnut school is the first campus in the Walnut Valley Unified School District to offer Apple's One-to One laptop program.
C.J. Morris third grade students presented a variety of projects to visiting parents during a technology showcase for the iImagine One-2-One laptop program. (courtesy photo)
Continue reading C.J. Morris Elementary expands laptop program.
press release
City of Diamond Bar officials and staff are elated by recent news that the City is one of only a few organizations selected to receive a grant from the State of California's Natural Resources Agency.
This grant totaling $61,063 was secured by the City's Community Services Department via the Agency's highly competitive Nature Education Facilities Grant Program, funded through Proposition 84 approved by California voters in 2006.
Continue reading Diamond Bar awarded grant to enhance trail system.
press release
Children's book illustrator Joe Cepeda recently visited Walnut Elementary School to teach kids about the arts, and motivate and encourage them by sharing how he develops ideas for the drawings in his books.
Cepeda is an award-winning illustrator of numerous children's books including Esparanza Rising, Mice and Beans, and What a Truly Cool World.
Continue reading Award-winning author visits Walnut Elementary.
The Ontario High School Drama Program presents an evening of comedy featuring seven comedians and the high school improv team.
Serving as host for the evening, Tom Vrab is an actor and writer whose stand-up has been seen at the Improv, at the IceHouse and across the country. He is a member of the Eh-Day Sketch Comedy Troupe and performed in the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival.
Get ready to laugh at 7 p.m. May 4 at 901 W. Francis St, Ontario.
Tckets for this clean comedy event are $5, if reserved over the phone or purchased prior to May 4, and $7 for general admission.
Serving as host for the evening, Tom Vrab is an actor and writer whose stand-up has been seen at the Improv, at the IceHouse and across the country. He is a member of the Eh-Day Sketch Comedy Troupe and performed in the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival.
Continue reading An evening of comedy at Ontario High School.
Author: Monica Rodriguez , Staff Writer
POMONA - Beginning July 1, fees will increase for career and technical courses offered by Pomona Unified's Adult and Career Education program.
The increases will affect courses such as auto mechanics, construction trades, medical billing and coding and cosmetology.
Career and technical courses are those that lead to a certificate in certain occupations or prepare students for state licensing exams leading to specific jobs, said Enrique Medina, director of Adult and Career Education for Pomona Unified.
Students who enroll in programs such as the high school diploma program, the GED program, adult secondary education program or English as a Second Language programs will be able to do so at no cost, he said.
The increases will affect courses such as auto mechanics, construction trades, medical billing and coding and cosmetology.
Career and technical courses are those that lead to a certificate in certain occupations or prepare students for state licensing exams leading to specific jobs, said Enrique Medina, director of Adult and Career Education for Pomona Unified.
Students who enroll in programs such as the high school diploma program, the GED program, adult secondary education program or English as a Second Language programs will be able to do so at no cost, he said.
Continue reading Adult-school fees set to rise at PUSD.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Chaffey College has started training its staff for a campuswide effort to change the way students approach education.
Chaffey's Learning to Learn effort - funded by a $3.2million Title V Hispanic-serving Institutions federal grant - will make it the first college in the nation to implement the learning and retention system designed to reach an entire population of a community college through a three-part initiative, according to Chaffey officials. The program was designed by educational consultant Marcia Heiman.
"One of the things we've seen over time is the level of preparedness of college students has decreased, and students don't know how to study or connect with their native learning abilities and employ those as part of a learning strategy," said Laura Hope, Chaffey's dean of instructional support.
Chaffey's Learning to Learn effort - funded by a $3.2million Title V Hispanic-serving Institutions federal grant - will make it the first college in the nation to implement the learning and retention system designed to reach an entire population of a community college through a three-part initiative, according to Chaffey officials. The program was designed by educational consultant Marcia Heiman.
"One of the things we've seen over time is the level of preparedness of college students has decreased, and students don't know how to study or connect with their native learning abilities and employ those as part of a learning strategy," said Laura Hope, Chaffey's dean of instructional support.
Continue reading Program empowers students at Chaffey College.
Author: Monica Rodriguez Staff Writer
POMONA - For some employees of Pomona Unified School District, the notices that they may not have jobs next school year came earlier this year.
The same news will soon be going out to a large group of classified employees.
The district's Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday night to authorize district administrators to distribute 45-day layoff notices to about 185 classified employees.
Employees will receive letters within a week notifying them their position could be eliminated for the coming school year, said Steve Horowitz, the district's assistant superintendent of personnel services.
The same news will soon be going out to a large group of classified employees.
The district's Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday night to authorize district administrators to distribute 45-day layoff notices to about 185 classified employees.
Employees will receive letters within a week notifying them their position could be eliminated for the coming school year, said Steve Horowitz, the district's assistant superintendent of personnel services.
Continue reading Pomona Unified to send 185 layoff notices to classified workers.
Author: Neil Nisperos Staff Writer
The son of late Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy argued on Thursday at the University of La Verne for a national expansion of green energy production.
Kennedy said leaders should start building a more efficient national electric grid to handle green energy, create large solar collection complexes in southwestern states as well as encourage the spread of solar collection in individual houses and wind farms in the Great Plains.
He also praised countries - such as Iceland, Sweden and Brazil - that have achieved more energy independence than the United States by utilizing green energies.
Kennedy said leaders should start building a more efficient national electric grid to handle green energy, create large solar collection complexes in southwestern states as well as encourage the spread of solar collection in individual houses and wind farms in the Great Plains.
He also praised countries - such as Iceland, Sweden and Brazil - that have achieved more energy independence than the United States by utilizing green energies.
Continue reading Kennedy speaks on behalf of green energy at La Verne U .
Check out some photos I took while at Colony High yesterday during their rehearsal of "Hairspray."
The photos were taken with my phone while Catherine Campbell, co-publicist of the show, gave me a tour of the theater.
The show opens April 27.
Information: 909-930-2929.
Continue reading Photos from Colony High's post-production of "Hairspray".
RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Students, faculty, staff and community members will join hands on Sunday in a statewide fundraising effort to support higher education.
The event - Hands Across California - is expected to raise awareness and $100 million in funds for a permanent scholarship endowment for students across the 112 community college system.
The event - Hands Across California - is expected to raise awareness and $100 million in funds for a permanent scholarship endowment for students across the 112 community college system.
Learn more about Hands Across California and how to donate by visiting www.handsacrosscalifornia.org
(Frank Perez/photographer)
Continue reading Hands-on event set for Sunday.
Author: Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell and Canan Tasci , Staff Writers
Students occupied the administration building at Cal Poly Pomona while faculty at Cal State San Bernardino poked fun at the leader of the California State University system on a day of protests Wednesday.
The rallies, marches and teach-ins took place at 23 CSU campuses to draw attention to cuts in classes and services and faculty layoffs, among other grievances.
"We have to take action to save our state universities for California's middle class and working families before it's too late," said Lillian Taiz, the president of the California Faculty Association.
Continue reading Calling for action .
WALNUT - Officials of Mt. San Antonio College warn no stone will be left unturned as they prepare for budget reductions in the next school year.
Now that Gov. Jerry Brown's tax extension is no longer a possibility, officials said the college can say goodbye to the possibility of only cutting its budget by $3.8 million.
A yet-to-be-determined state budget, coupled with California's budget deficit and the failure of a June tax-extension vote to materialize, now have Mt. SAC officials anticipating an estimated $9.1million in cuts to the 2011-12 budget.
Now that Gov. Jerry Brown's tax extension is no longer a possibility, officials said the college can say goodbye to the possibility of only cutting its budget by $3.8 million.
A yet-to-be-determined state budget, coupled with California's budget deficit and the failure of a June tax-extension vote to materialize, now have Mt. SAC officials anticipating an estimated $9.1million in cuts to the 2011-12 budget.
Continue reading Mt. SAC creates task force to deal with reductions .
Author: Monica Rodriguez Staff Writer
POMONA - Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will probably never go back to generating energy, a professor of physics at Cal Poly Pomona said Thursday.
Assistant Professor of physics Barbara Hoeling said the plant, which has had problems since the March 11 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, predicted the plant will not be able to produce energy again due to the damage at the plant.
It's possible that even plant reactors that were not in service at the time of the earthquake and tsunami sustained some structural damage.
"For Fukushima this will be a chronic problem," Hoeling said during her presentation. "I think they're going to be happy if they can keep things under control for the next months and years."
Assistant Professor of physics Barbara Hoeling said the plant, which has had problems since the March 11 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, predicted the plant will not be able to produce energy again due to the damage at the plant.
It's possible that even plant reactors that were not in service at the time of the earthquake and tsunami sustained some structural damage.
"For Fukushima this will be a chronic problem," Hoeling said during her presentation. "I think they're going to be happy if they can keep things under control for the next months and years."
ONTARIO - When Chaffey Joint Union High School District officials were discussing who could lead their centennial parade on Saturday, they immediately thought of Clyde Francisco.
The 84-year-old Ontario resident graduated from Chaffey High School and taught at his alma mater as well as Ontario High. He also served 13 years on the school board and has been associated with eight of the district's nine superintendents.
And if that's not enough, Chaffey High named its gymnasium after him.
"Mr. Francisco is also called Mr. Chaffey and there's a reason for that," Superintendent Mat Holton said. "He's so well respected, and he's spent his career here ... It was a natural choice."
The 84-year-old Ontario resident graduated from Chaffey High School and taught at his alma mater as well as Ontario High. He also served 13 years on the school board and has been associated with eight of the district's nine superintendents.
And if that's not enough, Chaffey High named its gymnasium after him.
"Mr. Francisco is also called Mr. Chaffey and there's a reason for that," Superintendent Mat Holton said. "He's so well respected, and he's spent his career here ... It was a natural choice."
Continue reading Chaffey Joint Union High School District plans party .
Gov. Jerry Brown's promise not to cut school budgets will soon be broken.
The governor's budget proposal earlier this year to close a $25 billion budget gap without cutting funding to K-12 schools was contingent upon voters approving a five-year extension of temporary taxes in a special election in June.
But now that Brown's talks with Republicans to put those tax extensions on the June ballot have ended, the anxiety level among local educators is off the charts.
Inland Valley district officials were not only hopeful their multiple resolutions supporting the tax extension were being recognized, but that their cries about being cut to the bare bones were finally being heard.
The governor's budget proposal earlier this year to close a $25 billion budget gap without cutting funding to K-12 schools was contingent upon voters approving a five-year extension of temporary taxes in a special election in June.
But now that Brown's talks with Republicans to put those tax extensions on the June ballot have ended, the anxiety level among local educators is off the charts.
Inland Valley district officials were not only hopeful their multiple resolutions supporting the tax extension were being recognized, but that their cries about being cut to the bare bones were finally being heard.
Continue reading Schools prepare for cuts .
