March 2001 News Archive
Wednesday, March 21, 2001
VADA Presents "Art About Architecture"
The Santa Barbara Architectural Foundation invites the community to a juried exhibition and sale of artwork featuring Santa Barbara High School’s Art Department and VADA (Visual Art and Design Academy).
The exhibition will begin with an opening reception on Friday, April 13, 2001, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. It will take place at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara, 229 E. Victoria Street. The art will be on sale through May 29. Gallery hours are 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
This exhibition is the result of a partnership between the Visual Arts & Design Academy at Santa Barbara High School and the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara. Student art work for this exhibition ranges from realistic to abstract to whimsical interpretations of architecture. A highlight of this project was the partnership with Architect/Artist Barry Berkus. He volunteered his time to come into the VADA art classes, as a visiting Artist-in-Residence. Through a motivational slide presentation based on his new book, Architecture/Art/Parallels/Connections, Mr. Berkus shared his philosophy and vision of these connections with the students. They were fully engaged as he demonstrated his watercolor techniques using abstract architectural elements as his inspiration. He then gave the students an assignment to create their own "Abstractions" based on elements of architecture. The following week, he returned to give individual critiques and to continue further discussion of art and architecture with the students.
For more information on this exhibit, call Kasia Stefanek at Santa Barbara High School, 966-9101, extension 329, 8:00 a.m. to Noon.
EPL Project Propels Students into Reading
California won a federal Technology Literacy Challenge Grant three years ago, and created a competition for projects that addressed core subject areas via technology. The Santa Barbara Elementary School District saw the opportunity to put technology to the test: develop a project that addresses one of the students’ strongest needs, reading, with a technology project that incorporates what technology projects are known to need: strong teacher training and adequate technical support. Thus was born the English Propulsion Project (referred to as EPL), now in full implementation at 13 of the District’s fourth-grade classrooms.
For Jerry, a fourth grade McKinley Elementary School student, participation in the project means computer time. That time is not without a price. Four days a week, Jerry and all EPL students spend 30 minutes reading along with the computer, answering comprehension questions, entering new words into a database, and completing projects designed to enhance comprehension skills and vocabulary. Only after that work is done does Jerry get some free time on the computer. Jerry’s teacher, Lauri Dahlin, has seen some significant increases in reading scores, but also sees motivation, interest in school, and a spark where there was none before. In Dahlin’s mind, an increase in self-esteem is one of the biggest results of the project. She also sees cases where students have discovered something they are good at and might want to pursue professionally.
At the core of the project are self-contained "EPL Labs" consisting of three to six late-model computers, carefully selected software, and curriculum designed by participating teachers. EPL teachers apply with the understanding that they will design a schedule that rotates EPL students onto the computers daily, and that they will participate in technology training during the summer and school year.
For Marge Walter, veteran teacher at Washington Elementary School, the EPL Project has been a chance to develop skills, confidence, and ideas on integrating technology into her entire curriculum. She and her team teacher, Jane Sevier, are teaching their entire classes to create a Power Point presentation on biographical figures. "The teacher training component of the EPL Project is critical if you really want teachers to use the hardware and software in their classes effectively," she states.
Students selected for the program are often English language learners whose reading skills need a boost, and preliminary results are promising. According to Project Director, Kristine White, EPL students gained an average of seven percentile points on their SAT reading tests during the 1999-2000 school year. There were several exceptional cases in which students increased their scores by 30 percentile points or more. The District’s average increase for the same group was five percentile points.
White notes, "While the statistics are encouraging, research has warned against measuring the success of a technology project solely with standardized tests. We are looking at a broad picture which includes filling gaps in the background knowledge and vocabulary upon which reading comprehension is based. If you don’t know what a tornado is, you’ll have a hard time reading the word or understanding the sentence. If we can put some earphones on you, look ‘tornado’ up in the multimedia encyclopedia, and you watch it whirl and listen to it roar, you learn ‘tornado’ quickly and effectively. Properly used technology can provide powerful, individualized learning opportunities that weren’t possible even five years ago."
EPL labs are currently operating at Washington, McKinley, Harding, Cleveland, Franklin, Adams and Roosevelt schools. The District hopes to secure Technology Literacy Challenge Grant funding for EPL II, which will focus on writing skills.
San Marcos High School Moves On to State Mock Trial Competition
For the second year in a row, and the fourth time in five years, the San Marcos High School team won the Santa Barbara County Mock Trial Competition. The competition occurred on February 24, 2001. The Santa Barbara County Education Office sponsors the competition each year in order to foster student understanding of the criminal justice system and the role of the courtroom attorney. Eight schools in the county, both public and private, competed for the honor of representing the county in the State Finals that will be held on March 30 through April 1, 2001, in Riverside, California. Representing the school will be Erik Anderson, Jocelyn Belloni, Chris Birch, Katie DeVore, Shaun Forouzandeh, Romy Ganschow, Tony Gin, Maris Goodstein, Fielding Greaves, Zohair Hussain, Danielle Kravetz, Kelly Lauritsen, Matt Leider, Heather Martin, Jessica McMahon, Michael Ortiz, Cassie Robuck, Brad Sullivan, Cody Upton, Lisa Vampola, Stephen Vampola, Theresa Wilson, and Joseph Yang.
Each year the Constitutional Rights Foundation creates a simulated criminal trial involving topical issues that serves as the basis of the Mock Trial competition. This year’s case involved a woman accused of abusing a child and subsequently causing the child’s death. The case also raised issues of memory reliability and accusations of uncharged domestic violence. "This year’s case is quite challenging," said Erik Anderson, star prosecution witness Devon Tanner whose long-buried memories lay at the heart of the charges against the defendant. "Quite simply, there is a lot of information that needs to be learned, understood, analyzed and introduced at the trial from each witness." The task of each team is to reduce the complicated witness statements of four individuals to direct testimony totaling no more than 14 minutes. In addition, the students are judged on how well they can provide an opening statement and closing argument for their side of the case within a ten-minute time frame. "The fun of Mock Trial is that you prepare for months, really mastering the material, and then it all comes down to a few minutes when you have to respond in a real courtroom to the challenge of your opponents throwing curve balls at you," stated Michael Ortiz, attorney for the San Marcos team.
Mock Trial is a cooperative effort between students and several lawyers in the local community. At San Marcos High, students put in as many as 20 hours a week, practicing and rehearsing his or her part. The students become familiar with the law and learn how to become a real advocate in the courtroom. "The students realize just how lucky they are with the fantastic coaching they receive," stated Eric Burrows, teacher coordinator of the San Marcos team. "We have some of the finest attorneys from the local area training these kids, providing them with a first hand experience in the practice of law – it is truly a lifetime experience." Ventura County Chief Trial Public Defender Jean Farley coaches the defense team, while the Assistant Public Defender from the same office, Michael McMahon, trains the pretrial attorneys in their appellate advocacy skills. Local attorney Joel Kreiner assists McMahon in preparing students for this special role of arguing an issue of constitutional or evidentiary law, which seeks to exclude evidence from trial. The prosecution team had an array of attorneys assisting them, including Santa Barbara County Public Defender Karen Atkins, John Lauritsen, and Katy Kerr. "The team succeeded in the county competition in large part because the students picked up so well on the knowledge being imparted by these coaches," stated Burrows " they knew the law so well they could apply it off the cuff in the courtroom when confronted with new and different situations." In addition, it was an experienced team for San Marcos, having learned a great deal from the rewarding trip to the state finals last year when they placed 10th in the state. "We can trade on that experience at the state finals," said Jean Farley, "There is no substitute for having gone up against the very best teams in the state and demonstrated your superiority in preparation, presentation, and delivery."
For more information on the upcoming competition, call Eric Burrows at (805) 967-4581, extension 326.
La Cumbre PTA Celebrates Reading with a "Two For One" Offer
To support and encourage reading in grades 6-8, La Cumbre Middle School’s PTA is sponsoring a Scholastic Book Fair during the week of March 26-30. This is NOT a fundraiser. In lieu of profits for the PTA, the "Buy One, Get One Free Program" is offered as a service, with the goal of putting good books in the hands of children and encouraging them to read. With spring recess and summer vacation around the corner, the PTA is encouraging parents and the entire community to build up their collection of favorite books and have something new for middle school-age students to read.
The Scholastic Book Fair will offer one free* book with every book purchased at the Book Fair. (*Purchasers can select their free book from any book in the collection, so long it is of equal or lesser value than the one purchased.) This year’s Book Fair will have many exciting titles and authors, such as Harry Potter, Dear America series, classics, science fiction, historical novels, mysteries, romance, and much more. Literature, dictionaries, and thesauruses will be offered in both English and Spanish.
The Book Fair will be held in the school’s library. Book Fair hours will be:
- Before school 7:45 a.m.-8:15 a.m.
- During lunch 11:45 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
- After school 2:50 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Wednesday evening 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
During the Wednesday, March 28 sale, Book Fair visitors are encouraged to also visit the La Cumbre Middle School Talent Show, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. La Cumbre Middle School is located at 2255 Modoc Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.
La Colina’s "Walk Through the Middle Ages"
La Colina’s 7th grade Honors and GATE English and social students students will conduct the fourth annual "A Walk Through the Middle Ages." "A Walk Through the Middle Ages" is an outdoor living history exhibit in which students demonstrate various aspects of life during the Middle Ages. The event will take place on Thursday March 22 and Friday, March 23, 2001 (morning session 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; afternoon session 12:30 pm to 2:30 p.m.).
As part of this research unit, students will be in period costume and will give 3-5 minute presentations on life in the Middle Ages in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. "A Walk Through the Middle Ages" is an opportunity for students to share their research with parents, community members, and students from the school’s 6th grade classes.
The event will take place – rain or shine – at La Colina Junior High School, West Campus Parking Lot. This event is free and the public is welcome to attend. La Colina is located at 4025 Foothill Road, Santa Barbara.
Two La Colina Students Recognized in Annual Holocaust Writing Contest
At 1:00 p.m. today, La Colina Junior High 8th grade students Kaitland Ely and Fabian Garcia will be recognized at Chapman University in Los Angeles for their entries in the annual Holocaust Writing Contest.
The Holocaust Writing Contest is sponsored by Chapman University and the "1939 Club," based in Los Angeles. The Club is one of the largest survivor organizations in the United States. The theme of this year’s contest was, "How you can create through your life a positive legacy that honors the survivors of the Holocaust and the memory of the other innocent victims of violence, such as those who perished at Columbine High School."
La Colina Junior High School is located at 4025 Foothill Road, Santa Barbara, CA.
Adams Teacher Receives GATE Mini-Grant
Jean Rogers-O’Reilly, a fifth-grade GATE teacher at Adams Elementary School, recently received a $250 Tri-County Teacher Mini-Grant. The grant was provided by the Tri-County GATE Council, which serves Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties. The grant was one of three awarded by the agency.
The grant was awarded for a project that will expose 26 fifth graders to a variety of techniques in art (sketching and drawing) and connect the techniques to the works of artists of different historical periods of American history. Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students will learn sophisticated methods to express themselves creatively. They will use the Monart and DBAE (Disciplined Based Art Education, a Getty Education Program) methods of drawing and learn to critique artwork from different periods of U.S. history. The purpose of this project is to teach Adams students to integrate history, art criticism, and art techniques.
Adams Elementary School is located at 2701 Las Positas Road.
Math Counts at La Colina Junior High
A four-member math team from La Colina Junior High School placed first at the February 24, 2001 regional competition of Math Counts. The event took place at Anacapa Middle School in Ventura. The team is now preparing for the March 17 state competition in Irvine, CA.
The La Colina team consists of Ronald Chang, Justin Hsu, Eli Kupperman, and Thomas Myers. The teachers/advisors are Tiffany Quackenbush and Ken Stevens.
La Colina Junior High School is located at 4025 Foothill Road, Santa Barbara, CA.
California Safe School Assessment
In late February, the California Department of Education released the California Safe Schools Assessment. The figures provided in the report are the number of students suspended in each category, per 1,000 students. Since there are approximately 6,000 students in the Santa Barbara Elementary School District, the numbers provided should be multiplied by 6 to determine the actual number of suspensions in each category. There are approximately 9,800 students in the Santa Barbara High School District, so the multiplier would be 9.8.
Elementary District. The Elementary District continues to have suspensions below all state averages. In four of the seven categories, there were no suspensions. There was an increase in batteries from zero to 2.81, which translates into 17 suspensions. The District has stressed a strong stand against this type of behavior and this figure indicates that the principals are enforcing the rules. There was also an increase in the area of sexual harassment, zero to .17, or one suspension. There was a decrease in property crimes and in dollars lost to the District.
| Offense | State (1998-1999) |
State (1999-2000) |
Elementary District (1998-1999) |
Elementary District (1999-2000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drug/Alcohol Offenses | 0.88 | 0.83 | 0 | 0 |
| Battery | 2.88 | 3.75 | 0 | 2.81 |
| Assault with a Deadly Weapon | 0.21 | 0.22 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery/Extortion | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 |
| Sex Offenses | 0.11 | 0.25 | 0 | 0.17 |
| Possession of a Weapon | 0.74 | 0.63 | 0 | 0 |
| Property Crimes | 2.74 | 2.75 | 1.94 | 0.33 |
| Dollar Loss per Student | 1.85 | 2.46 | 0.81 | 0.10 |
High School District. The Santa Barbara High School District’s figures are below the state averages in many, but not all cases. There has been a significant drop in the High School District’s drug and alcohol related cases. This is due to the strong stand schools are taking against the use of these substances. In 1998-1999, there were 14 suspensions per 1,000 students. In 1999-2000, the number dropped to 8 suspensions per 1,000 students. The report indicates that there was a decrease in the number of suspensions related to possession of weapons and dollar loss per pupil. The greatest increase occurred in the number of batteries, which increased from three per 1,000 students to 8.41 per 1,000 students. There were also increases in assaults with a deadly weapon, robbery, sexual harassment and property crimes, but the actual number of cases remains low.
| Offense | State (1998-1999) |
State (1999-2000) |
High School District (1998-1999) |
High School District (1999-2000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drug/Alcohol | 12.15 | 12.41 | 14.18 | 8.21 |
| Battery | 3.63 | 4.06 | 3.00 | 8.41 |
| Assault with a Deadly Weapon | 0.38 | 0.37 | 0.21 | 1.01 |
| Robbery/Extortion | 0.27 | 0.24 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Sex Offenses | 0.30 | 0.33 | 0.1 | 0.71 |
| Possession of a Weapon | 2.48 | 2.45 | 1.35 | 0.71 |
| Property Crimes | 4.69 | 4.55 | 4.14 | 4.36 |
| Dollar Loss per Student | 6.65 | 10.59 | 1.83 | 1.05 |
McKinley Fundraising to Benefit the Janet Madrueño Fund
On February 22, 2001, Janet Madrueño, a fifth grade student at McKinley Elementary School, was critically injured while crossing a local street. Since the accident, Janet remains in Cottage Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. To assist the family with expenses, the Janet Madrueño Fund has been established at Santa Barbara Bank and Trust. Community members can donate to the Janet Madrueño Fund by contacting any branch of Santa Barbara Bank and Trust.
Students and staff are hopeful that Janet’s determination will help her heal. Her fellow students and friends describe her as funny, nice, brave, a good friend, cool, smart, tough, strong, exciting, trustworthy, and a good athlete. According to her teacher, Bernadette Wheeler, "Janet is a very bright, hardworking student who brought great energy to the classroom. She is a leader among her peers and is always ready to take on new challenges." Janet’s principal, Dr. Juanita Carney said, "Janet an excellent student, who is in the Gifted and Talented program and, during past summers, has participated in the school’s math and science enrichment program; an extraordinary athlete, who plays on the McKinley Bears girls’ basketball team; a model student, who has been student of the month and student of the week on several occasions; and a exceptional musician, who plays the saxophone in the school band." She added that during the past two years, Janet volunteered to serve as a reader in a first grade class and also played a big part in publishing the school yearbook.
Janet’s fifth-grade classmates are taking an active role in several school-based fundraisers to help the family (bake sales, hot dog sales, etc.). During the month of March, McKinley’s students and staff invite the community to participate in the following activities, which will benefit the fund:
- Coin Drive. Coins can be dropped off at McKinley Elementary between the hours of 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Food Drive. Coffee, soda, canned or boxed foods, cereal, toilet paper, paper towels, detergent, and other non-perishable items are being collected at the school.
- Madrueño Fund Night at Be Bop Burgers. On Monday evening, March 12, 2001, 15% of all sales will be donated to the fund. Be Bop Burgers is located at 111 State Street, Santa Barbara.
- Madrueño Fund Night at McDonald’s on Milpas. On the evening of Friday, March 23, 2001, 15% of all sales will be donated to the fund. The restaurant is located at 29 No. Milpas, Santa Barbara.
- Children’s Used Book Sale. The book sale will take place at McKinley, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., March 26 through March 30, 2001.
For more information on McKinley’s fundraising activities, call Principal Juanita Carney at (805) 966-5496. McKinley Elementary School is located at 350 Loma Alta, Santa Barbara.
Honor Band Performance to take place on March 13
The Santa Barbara School Districts’ Honor Band performance, originally scheduled for March 5, has been rescheduled to March 13, 2001. At 7:00 p.m., students from the Elementary and High School Districts will perform at La Cumbre Middle School. Admission is free. The event is open to the community.
La Cumbre Middle School is located at 2255 Modoc Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.
The following information was provided by the Santa Barbara County Education Office.Dos Pueblos High to Host Annual Career Day March 29
High school students from Dos Pueblos High School will have the chance to listen to career professionals representing more than 100 occupations from 8 a.m. to noon on March 29 when Dos Pueblos High School takes its turn hosting the annual Career Day.
"The annual event provides an opportunity for high school students to find out details about careers they are interested in pursuing," said County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone, whose office coordinates the program. "Students can find out the advantages and the disadvantages of a field they may be considering. And they will be able to learn what preparation is needed."
Engineering, for example is a profession that has many sub-specialties, including electrical, mechanical, computer, or civil engineering. Speakers will help pinpoint the differences.
And while some students might want to pursue a field relating to sports, they might not know all that is involved in preparing for it. Other fields, like law, have multiple levels of possibilities, ranging from paralegals to attorneys and judges.
The day has been described as a "reality check" for students, who can decide if they are on the right track with their classes and potential plans for higher education.
Each year community members are invited to participate in the event. This year, parents of Dos Pueblos students and graduates of the school would be particularly appropriate participants. More than 100 career areas will be represented.
Further information is available from Art Fisher at the County Education Office, 964-4711, ext. 4400, or Linda Perlin in the Career Center at Dos Pueblos High School, 968-2541, ext. 275.
GVJHS Student Takes Top Honors in Countywide Spelling Bee
On March 1, 2001, almost 140 participated in the annual Santa Barbara County Spelling Bee. A Goleta Valley Junior High School student took first place in the junior high division of the event. Top honors went to Sue Lin, a seventh grader at Goleta Valley Junior High, who correctly spelled "detritus." She will go on to participate in the state competition on March 30 at the Marin County Office of Education.
Jamie Bovshow, a seventh grader at Santa Barbara Junior High, took third place by correctly spelling "faux."
Event Cancellations due to Rain
Because a rainstorm is currently battering the South Coast, two events scheduled for this evening have been canceled:
- 6:00 p.m., March 5, 2001 special joint meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council and the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Board of Education. The meeting was to have been held at Chase Palm Park Recreation Center.
- 7:00 p.m., March 5, 2001 performance of the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Honor Band. The performance, by students from the Santa Barbara Elementary and High School Districts, was to have been held at La Cumbre Middle School.
During the last 24 hours, the community has felt the negative effects of power outages and roadway hazards. The National Weather Service predicts continued rain for this evening. Thus, in the interests of safety, the above listed events have been canceled, but will be rescheduled.
New Graduation Requirement: High School Exit Exam
In order to graduate, the Class of 2004, current 9th-grade students, will be required by the State of California to pass the newly created High School Exit Exam (HSEE). The HSEE requirement will not replace existing graduation requirements. Rather, it is anticipated that the exam will be added to the existing course and unit graduation requirements list. The exam will be administered on March 7 (language arts) and March 13, 2001 (mathematics). Test results are expected by the end of May.
The expectation of the California Department of Education and the high schools is that all 9th-grade students will take the exam this year. At this time, the existing law that permits ninth graders to pass all or part of the HSEE to meet the 2004 requirement is the subject of discussion at the state level. Questions have been raised about student readiness for the 2001 exam. The Governor has asked for urgency legislation to turn the HSEE into a "practice test" for current ninth graders. If the practice test legislation passes, the test would be administered this school year, but the students’ scores would only be advisory and have no bearing on graduation. According to information released by the state, students will be able to re-take the entire exam (or any sections of the exam that they had not previously passed) during their 10th, 11th, and 12th grade years.
The California Department of Education has provided schools with HSEE "blueprints." The "blueprints" identify which standards will be tested on the Exit Exam. This is a different approach from previous testing strategies. The "blueprints" are available on the California Department of Education’s Web site or from the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Office of Special Projects and Communication, (805) 963-4338, extension 206.
Visual Arts & Design Academy’s Spring Open House
Students interested in enrolling in Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts & Design Academy (VADA) are encouraged to attend the program’s reception/open house on Wednesday, March 7, 2001. The reception/open house will take place from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Student artwork will be on display in all VADA rooms and student docents will lead classroom tours. Family, friends, and interested members of the public are welcome.
VADA at Santa Barbara High School is a school-within-a-school program that features art education combined with academics. As a California State Partnership Academy, VADA follows the Academy model, enrolling 50 students per grade level, starting with the 10th grade. VADA classes are enrolled at a student/teacher ratio of 25:1. Students are selected through an application and portfolio review process. VADA sophomores and juniors are enrolled in one year of VADA art, English, social studies, and science courses. Senior academics will be added in school year 2002-2003.
Al VADA classes are college preparatory or GATE courses and are project- and standards-oriented. Classes are taught by a team of collaborating teachers who were carefully selected for their expertise in and dedication to incorporating the arts into their curriculum.
VADA students are currently preparing for a juried exhibition this spring, sponsored by The Santa Barbara Architectural Foundation. The exhibition, entitled "Art About Architecture," will open with a reception for the artists on Friday, April 13, 2001. The exhibition and sale of student-created artwork will take place at the Architectural Foundation’s office, located at 229 E. Victoria Street.
For more information on the March 7, 2001, VADA open house at Santa Barbara High School or the upcoming "Art About Architecture" exhibition at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara, contact Kasia Stefanek in room 51 at Santa Barbara High School, or she can be reached at (805) 966-9101, extension 329.
Santa Barbara High PTSA Hosts a Spring Open House
Prospective students and their parents are invited to Santa Barbara High School’s Spring Open House 2001. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 7, 2001, and begins at 5:30 p.m. The Open House is designed to provide incoming students with the opportunity to:
- get a head start in planning for the fall semester;
- meet Principal J.R. Richards;
- meet the school’s guidance counselors;
- tour the campus with student guides;
- talk with student activity and club representatives.
The Santa Barbara High Jazz Band and the school’s cheerleaders will provide entertainment.
Santa Barbara High School is located at 700 E. Anapamu Street.