Saturday, May 27, 2006
We are closing in on the June 6 election, so please make sure to mark your calendars. Locally, Measure M (a bond to raise money to improve MHS) is on the ballot. So, I hope you'll show up at the polls and vote whichever way you think best. Me, I'll be voting "yes." Following are some highlights from the last board meeting. Thanks for writing this up, Maritza. I'm still blown away by the district saving two-thirds of its transportation costs (now $50,000, vs. $150,000 before) without a significant hit to service. I doubt this can be done across the board, but I sure hope the district looks at its other expenses with the same cost-saving eye.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
By Maritza Diaz
It was a Wednesday night and instead of staying home to watch the American Idol finale the board got together to honor loads of people, hear some Measure M comments and conduct other board business.
STARS ~ Well, it should come as no surprise that, yet again, students and employees from Monrovia’s schools received awards. This time there were many, may people receiving an award. It’s a long list, but everyone deserves a mention.
The Monrovia Chamber of Commerce and the board honored some employees for outstanding service.
Mary Peterson, School Office Manager, Monroe Elementary Susan Sauvageau, Teacher, Monroe Elementary Javier De La O Lainez, Clerical Assistant II, Monrovia High Tome Reale, Teacher, Monrovia High
Award Winners:
Sal Perez, Monrovia High ceramics teacher, received the Art in Education Award; Councilman Joe Garcia received the 2006 Renaissance Award
2006 SkillsUSA Medal Winners:
Photography:
Sarah Steffen - Gold Medal
Melissa Marone - Silver Medal
Jessica McAnnally-Linz - Bronze Medal
TV Production:
Max Arteaga - Bronze Medal
Steve Komlos - Bronze Medal
Ad Design:
Sarah Pfau - Gold Medal
ROP Outstanding Students of the Year:
Brittney Buchanan - Clerical Aid - Bronze Medal Priscilla Inda - Retail - Silver Medal Kelsey Kilbury - Video Production - Bronze Medal Cindy Salmeron - Recreation Leader - Silver Medal Darryll Stoudemire - Security Guard - Bronze Medal
ROP Employer of the Year:
Liz Yoder - Dollar Tree, Duarte, California
Wow. Maybe Monrovia’s teachers and students should slow down.
Nah!
All recipients were praised and thanked for their hard work. If you know one of these shining stars, make sure to congratulate them.
MEASURE M ~ With the election around the corner, Measure M took center stage during the public comment part of the meeting. Many supporters (easily spotted as they wore their green "Yes on Measure M" t-shirts) went up to the podium to express there gratitude for the measure.
Not everyone had praises, however. One Monrovia resident, Monica Pollack, asked some questions regarding how some of the money from Measure M would used. She wanted to know how spending millions of dollars on an athletic field would help improve scores and why (and for what purpose) a construction contingency fund was created.
Supporters of the measure were quick to say how important it is to focus on the "whole student" not just concentrate on academics.
President Clare Chesley also commented on the importance of providing students with a well-rounded education that includes art and athletics and that not doing so would be "irresponsible." Chesley also said that setting aside a contingency fund for additional costs that may arise during construction was important, and not doing so, would also be "irresponsible."
Chesley encouraged anyone who had questions to call the district office or any board member directly. Visit www.monroviaschools.net or call the district office at (626) 471-2000.
RIDES ~ The board approved the addition of home-to-school transportation for the 2006-07 school year for a budget increase of $50,000. After taking into consideration declining enrollment, merging bus routes and a recent reduction of a bus driver, there was enough money to fund transportation. Good news, no?
BUILDER ~ The board approved the use of WLC Architects to provide services if Measure M is passed .Proposals were sent out to five qualified architectural firms and after interviews and references, WLC Architects was selected as the best for the project.
FACILITIES ~ Third time's the charm? Maybe not. The board heard a third reading the policy for the use of school facilities. In previous readings, there was some confusion in identifying which groups would be charged fees and which will not. Well, this time around, the board requested the clarification or addition of three items.
1) The issue of utility costs. Who would pick up the cost (or how much of it) of lights, air-conditioning and other utilities? Board member Bryan Wong said that he wasn't looking to "nickel and dime" costs, but wants to avoid big expenses that the district might not be ready for.
2) Make it clear that the Business Office approves the contracts and not the board.
3) Send the policy to the schools for input.
Hopefully the board won’t still be discussing this policy four meeting from now.
WELLNESS ~ The board heard the first reading of a proposed Local School Wellness Policy. The plan is to help kids eat healthier and steer them away from the Doritos.
The meeting was adjourned in memory of those who have given their lives for America.
Next time around, everyone will get together on June 14.
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Well, I asked for news on how the Measure M campaign is going and got one. Rosemary Harrahill sent me the following update.
~ brad@sacklunch.net
Hi Brad,
Well, this isn't an official update per se, but a board member asked me to say a few words to update everyone, but I'm a worker bee, so I'll call this the official unofficial update from a minor chairperson involved with Measure M. I'll tell you my view of how things are going based on my experiences in this campaign. (And I hope others give their updates, too, 'cuz I'm sure I've left something out)....
First, we have got the greatest group of fanny kicking volunteers on the planet. And chairpersons. And board members. And PTA presidents. And did I mention volunteers? The enthusiasm level of everyone involved is so impressive! So, here goes:
We have the endorsemenmt of the City Council and the Library Board. The Friday night street fairs are going great, with lots of information going out. DVDs have been made, yard signs are out and popping up everywhere. Web designers, logo designers, flyer handouts, T-shirt designers, printer workers, pencil designers and more are going gang busters! We ran out of T-shirts and have to order more -- a great sign! Phone banking was awesome, with lots of volunteers every night and such positive responses! We even had competitions going for the phone banker who got the most Yard Sign sign-ups!(Bill Beebe won that one!)--
Our board members have been out talking to Rotary and Gad-A-Bouts and New Horizons and Coordinating Council and spreading the word to town organizations like Monrovia Arts Festival Association. And there's still more to come.
A second mailer just arrived in mailboxes yesterday for our absentee ballot neighbors. KGEM has been running the informational pieces showing the much-needed improvements. Our board members are attending PTA meetings and we have the endorsement of every PTA at every school site in town! Way to go Board Members! Also, we have been endorsed by the MTA and CSEA, yes! And, we were just endorsed by the Monrovia Firefighters Association and they are begging to help! (Dontchya just love those firefighters?)-- And yes, we're taking them up on it.
ALL of the Board members and our superintendent walked in the Monrovia Days parade handing out pencils and info pieces. It was so great!! And so many teachers turned out to walk with us! Banners are now hanging on various buildings in town and at Dogwoods on Foothill--thank you everyone!
Precinct walking is the next big project and we can still use many more volunteers! (Contact Clare Chesley at [phone number] or clare at [email address] if you are interested in volunteering.) You'll be updated on the walking soon. It would be impossible to pick out people by name and be fair in praise of them because sooooo many people have rallied and come through on so many fronts. Wow, when it comes to our kids, people listen up!
Well, that's my view/admiration/praise piece for now. Honestly, I've never seen people pull together and make such a huge issue work in such a short amount of time with such a 'can do' and 'will do' attitude. Every single one of you has my deepest admiration and respect!
And that's my official unofficial update.
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Following are a few items on this Wednesday's School Board agenda. Also, I wanted to ask how the campaign for Measure M is going. We're getting close to the election, so if anybody in the know would like to give me an update, I'd be glad to publish it.
~brad@sacklunch.net
Thursday, May 11, 2006
I was pretty stunned by how much money the school district expects to save by just making some adjustments in how its buses run. Not millions, but $100,000 ain’t bad. Also, some nice options for daycare, congrats to
~
FINALIST ~ The district is looking for an architect to do the planning for Monrovia High, should Measure M pass, and one of the finalists is WLC Architects, which gave a presentation at the meeting. According to WLC representative Glen Ueda, the company has had 30 years experience doing local school design. He said the firm hasn't won a lot of awards but on the other hand the roofs don't leak and the projects are finished on time and on budget. Ueda gave a computer slide show of what the new buildings at the high school might look like. The designs kind of echoed the archway and tower themes from the front of the school. I'd describe the designs (keeping in mind they are just off-the-cuff ideas) as "craftsmanlike." But I think craftsmanlike is great; if you tried to get an inspired look, it'd probably cost a boatload more money and you'd probably have to deal with some prima donna architect who would be a pain in the neck. The front of Monrovia High is so beautiful that I think it's just fine if buildings hidden in the back are simply functional, well built and reasonably attractive. Also, several board members who had checked WLC's references spoke very highly of the firm, saying that everybody they spoke with felt the company had been very professional and easy to work with.
COST CUT ~ This item is pretty mind-blowing. The district has managed to cut the cost of school busing by probably more than two thirds (from $150,000 to $50,000) and still provide approximately the same level of service. Because of this, the district will be able to keep home-to-school transportation in the budget for at least another year. Wow! Congratulations! And... how in the world did you do that? Well, the district rearranged the bus routes so it takes fewer buses and fewer drivers. Also, remember I said the savings is probably *more* than two thirds? That's because, as Board member Bryan Wong suggested, the district could sell up to three of its nine buses, which would bring in a bit of money, and, of course, not having three buses means savings in maintenance and fuel bills. Ya know, this makes me wonder where else the district might be able to save costs. I've sometimes thought that several local districts could save money by getting together to share the costs of expensive equipment or specialized personel. Might be worth considering if it hasn't been already. Board member Clarence Shaw suggested that the district might save even more money by going to neighborhood schools, but Superintendent Louise Taylor said the schools are clustered in a way that makes that difficult since the south and west ends of town don't have close-enough schools.
CABLE BILL ~ At the request of Monrovia Mayor Pro Tem Mary Ann Lutz, the district decided to support a city resolution requesting that the state legislature modify a bill supported by ammend a telecommunications reform bill in the Assembly. Lutz said it would put funding for community access cable channels in doubt, would give the franchise fees currently paid by the cable companies to cities to the state (which would send it along to the cities), and it might let cable companies put their equipment on public sidewalks without community oversight. Lutz said the bill is supported by Verizon and at&t (it's lower-case, now), which apparently want to get into the cable biz. Personally, I'd love to have competition in the cable business, and I'd be happy for Verizon and at&t to join the fray, and I hope the bill passes, but I agree that it should have some changes. Any measure that would have the state collect fees "on behalf of" the cities is utterly laughable and any local governmental body that would trust the state to pass the money along to them is comprised of idiots. The moment the state gets its hands on that money it will forget that the money belongs to the cities and start treating it as its own. As I recall, that happened when the state began collecting school taxes. The state has no credibility in this matter.
SPECIAL DAYS ~ Also, you'll be happy to know that May 17 has been named Staff Appreciation Day, and that at around 10 p.m. on May 10, the board named May 10 as School Nurse Day. I hope all you school nurses enjoy your day retroactively.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
The Measure M (the bond to fix up Monrovia High) folks are busy. I saw them at the Friday street fair and at Saturday's MHS Band Barbecue. (Pretty good sauce on that chicken, by the way). Anyway, here are a few items that caught my eye that are on the agenda for this Wednesday's school board meeting.
~brad@sacklunch.net
At the regular meeting this Wednesday, May 10 at 7 p.m., the board will...
- Honor Plymouth Elementary School and Wild Rose Elementary School as recipients of the Title 1 Academic Achievement Award.
- Honor Wild Rose Elementary School as a recipient of the California Distinguished School Award.
- Honor Dana Elliott for her extraordinary efforts organizing the Monrovia Elementary Olympics.
- Hear a report on the Pro-Active Tutoring (P.A.T.) program.
- Hear a report about Kinder-Care and Fee Pre-School. [Sounds like paid preschool. Hmm.]
- Accept for public review prior to adoption the following Social Science Textbooks: "World History - Ancient Civilizations," Holt, Rinehart, and Winston; "World History - Medieval to Early Modern Times," Holt, Rinehart, and Winston; "United States History - Independence to 1914," Holt, Rinehart, and Winston; and "Harcourt Reflections, California Edition," Harcourt Publishers. [What in the world is a "Harcourt Reflections?"]
- Approve a tentative agreement with the Monrovia Teachers Association (MTA), California School Employees Association (CSEA), Monrovia Association of School Administrators (MASA), and the Confidential/Classified management (C/CM) for the school years 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, pending ratification by the MTA membership.
Also on the Web at www.monroviaschoollink.com
