May 2001 News Archive

Thursday, May 31, 2001

National Merit College-Based Scholarships Awarded

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation in Evanston, Illinois recently released the names of more than 2,600 college-sponsored scholarship recipients. Two of the recipients are seniors in the Santa Barbara High School District: Katherine DeVore of San Marcos High School and Mark Woolley of Dos Pueblos High School.

Katie DeVore. Katie has participated in Mock Trial during the past three years and two of those years were spent on the varsity team. During her freshman and sophomore years, she was a member of the swim team. Katie is a member of the California Scholarship Federation. For the past three years, she has been a member and an officer of Junior State of America. One summer, she volunteered 144 hours to Girls, Inc., serving as a counselor’s assistant in their "Fun In The Sun" program. Katie will be attending UCLA in the fall. She has not yet declared a major.

Mark Woolley. Mark is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. During both his junior and senior years, Mark served as the captain of the varsity soccer team and also received recognition as the Most Valuable Player. Mark was a member of the award-winning Dos Pueblos 2001 Economics Challenge team. He will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall. He recently received a $5,000 UC Berkeley Alumni Association scholarship for outstanding leadership. He has not yet declared a major.

The college-sponsored scholarships are offered to finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program who accepted admission at the sponsoring college or university. The college-sponsored scholarships are one of three types of Merit Scholar awards that are given annually: corporate-sponsored award recipients were announced in mid-April, National Merit $2,500 Scholarship recipients were identified in early May, and college-sponsored scholarship recipients were announced on May 30, 2001 (the names of additional college-sponsored scholarship recipients will be announced in late July).

Thursday, May 24, 2001

Brian Sarvis to Head Districts’ Research and Technology Department

Dr. Brian Sarvis, currently employed as the Assistant Superintendent of Research and Technology for Modesto City Schools, has accepted the Santa Barbara School Districts’ position of Director of Research and Technology. He will assume the full-time post on July 16, 2001.

Superintendent Deborah Flores stated, "Dr. Sarvis brings exceptional leadership qualities to our District. Modesto City Schools and the Council for Exceptional Children both honored him as ‘Administrator of the Year.’ Dr. Sarvis has served as chair of the California Board of Education Committee on Accountability, which gives him a unique perspective on the state’s development of assessment tools. We feel that his experience in the areas of curriculum development, assessments and evaluation will be invaluable to our Elementary and High School Districts. We look forward to the expertise that he brings to this position."

The major duties and responsibilities of the Director of Research and Technology include the following:

direct and supervise the personnel and functions of the Department of Research and Technology;
develop short- and long-range plans which include the educational goals and indicators of success related to the Districts’ mission (as determined by the Superintendent and Board of Education);
provide overall direction for all systemwide formative/summative research and evaluation studies, including the coordinator of approval of all public/private studies involving staff/students of the Districts;
organize and direct the Districts’ testing programs, including state and other external testing programs;
provide overall direction for the selection and/or development of all types of student/program assessment instruments, including student/staff/customer satisfaction surveys;
analyze and interpret school and student test results/surveys/questionnaires and, at the direction of the Superintendent, communicate findings to the Districts’ administration, school-level personnel, parents, and Board of Education;
direct and coordinate projects for evaluating the learning environment in each school;
prepare semi-annual accountability reports for the Superintendent and Board of Education which include student testing information, student/staff climate surveys, customer satisfaction surveys, graduate follow-up studies, and other data which will assist the Superintendent and the Board in accomplishing the Districts’ mission;
provide the Districts’ personnel with the needed technical assistance in the design and execution of research and program evaluation studies;
assist the districts’ personnel in understanding the evaluation components of authentic assessment programs;
develop and coordinate with the Superintendent and Board of Education a regular meeting process with experts in the field of research and evaluation.

Dr. Sarvis brings a broad spectrum of experiences to his new post. In his current position as Assistant Superintendent of Research and Technology (1997-present), his responsibilities include oversight of state and district testing programs, instructional technology, computer systems, and information systems. From 1988-1997, he served as Modesto City School’s Director of Curriculum and Assessment. In that post, his responsibilities included curriculum development and implementation, mentor teacher program, staff development, textbook and library services, instructional technology, student testing programs, school effectiveness, and research projects. From 1986-1988, Dr. Sarvis was an Educational Analyst in the Modesto district, overseeing state and district testing programs, test development and reporting, program evaluation, and research projects.

Prior to joining Modesto City Schools, he served as the Director of Pupil Personnel Services (1979-1984), Linden School District in Linden, CA. His responsibilities included the development of policies, procedures, and evaluation for special education programs, GATE, home instruction, student study teams. He was a California State University-Stanislaus adjunct psychology instructor (1976-1983) in human development, learning disabilities, behavior analysis and modification, abnormal behavior, personality, sex differences, genetics, career and life planning, effective parenting, interpersonal relations, counseling theories and techniques, and psychological testing. He served as a school psychologist (1975-1979) in the Linden School District, where his responsibilities included diagnostic psychoeducational evaluations, individual therapy, psychological counseling, and consultation for learning and behavior problems with parents and teachers. Prior to that placement, he was a grant writer (1973-1975) with the Livingston School District in Livingston, CA.

Brian Sarvis conducted postdoctoral studies in educational technology at Stanford University (2000, 2001). He earned a Ed.D. in Educational Administration at Brigham Young University (1989). He completed specialized studies in Spanish, Hispanic Culture, and Bilingual Assessment at the University of the Pacific, National Hispanic University, and University of Guadalajara, Mexico (summers-1980, 1982, 1983). He received a M.S. in Psychology, California State University-Stanislaus (1975), and a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology, Western Washington University (1972).

As the Districts’ Director of Research and Technology, Dr. Sarvis will earn $101,225 annually.

Thursday, May 24, 2001

Graduation Ceremonies – Class of 2001

Santa Barbara High School District commencement ceremonies will take place as follows:

Dos Pueblos High School: June 14, 4:00 pm, Football Stadium at Dos Pueblos High School.
La Cuesta Continuation High School: June 13, 5:30 pm, Elings Park.
San Marcos High School: June 14, 5:00 pm, Greek Theater at San Marcos High School.
Santa Barbara High School: June 14, 6:00 pm, Peabody Stadium at Santa Barbara High School.
Goleta Valley Junior High School: June 14, 10:30 am, Courtyard at Goleta Valley Junior High School.
La Colina Junior High School: June 14, 10:30 am, Sunken Garden at La Colina Junior High School.
La Cumbre Middle School: June 14, 11:00 am, Auditorium at La Cumbre Middle School.
Santa Barbara Junior High School: June 14, 11:00 am, Soccer Field at Santa Barbara Junior High School.

Wednesday, May 16, 2001

Progress Report: Measure V – An Investment in Our Secondary Schools

The High School District’s Measure V Bond Oversight Committee continues to meet in the District Administration Office (720 Santa Barbara Street) on the third Wednesday of each month. The meeting minutes are posted on the Districts’ web site.

Bond Oversight Committee Members. Tomaso Falzone is president of the Bond Oversight Committee. Committee members are: Superintendent Deborah Flores, Jean Blois; Michael Calhoun, David Cash, Moe Claydon, Mike Couch, Mark Edwards, Gerrie Fausett, Ann Fischer, Michael Gonzalez, Robert Gonzalez, Nancy Harter, David Hetyonk, Roger Himovitz, Josh Holehouse, Karen Kegg, Barbara Keyani, Nan Madson, Ramona Marten, David Ortiz, Mirna Ramos, Fred Razo, Loretta Reynolds, J.R. Richards, Fred Rifkin, Dr. Kris Robertson, Paul Serka, and Larry Vranish.

Architects Selection. In June 2000, staff presented a report to the Board of Education, requesting Kruger Bensen Ziemer (KBZ) and the Bluerock Partnership (tBP) be selected as two of the Measure V architects. Both firms had a prior working relationship with the District and had previously participated in a Request For Proposal (RFP) process for other projects. The need for a third, and possibly even a fourth, architect was identified. The Board then approved staff’s recommendation to solicit RFPs for the additional firms. In mid-June, a public notice was prepared and advertised soliciting the District’s need for architectural services. RFPs were mailed to over 20 firms. Later that month, a committee reviewed the responses generated by the RFPs. Eleven proposals were received and five firms were selected for interviews. On June 30, an interview committee meet with the five finalists and one firm, WLC Architects of Rancho Cucamonga, was selected to be moved forward as a recommendation to the Board.

Architect Assignments. The following architectural firms were assigned to work with specific school sites:

WLC of Rancho Cucamonga was assigned to work with La Colina Junior High School and Goleta Valley Junior High School;
KBZ of Santa Barbara was assigned to work with Santa Barbara High School, Santa Barbara Junior High School, and La Cumbre Middle School;
tBP of Newport Beach was assigned to Dos Pueblos High School and San Marcos High School.

The architects are being used to develop plans and specifications to modernize each site.

Architect’s Contracts. A Bond Oversight Subcommittee was formed to help review the architect’s contracts. With information gathered by Secondary Bond Project Manager David Hetyonk, the subcommittee reviewed the standard American Institute of Architect’s contract as well as architect contracts drawn up by other school districts. The Districts’ legal counsel, Michael Cage of Mullen & Henzell, has been assisting the District in the development of the architect’s contracts and has reviewed the selection process to make certain that the District has met all legal requirements.

Quick-Start Projects. Quick-start projects have been identified at each campus and will begin this summer. Quick-start projects are those which will not require State Architect approval. Examples of quick-start projects include painting, lighting, carpet replacement, and minor renovations.

School Site Priorities. Each school site was responsible for the development of a list of site needs and repairs to be funded from Measure V. These projects were then grouped into several categories. The District has identified four of the six categories as priorities to be completed and focused on by the architectural firms. The four categories are fire and life safety, structural repairs, infrastructure repairs and upgrades and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades.

The fifth category, "Previously Committed Projects," are those projects that have funding outside of the District’s commitment. The sixth category, "Site Based Projects," encompasses all other projects that do not fit into the five previous categories.

Tuesday, May 15, 2001

Dos Pueblos Team Rises to the (Economics) Challenge

On April 26, 2001, a team of four Advanced Placement economics students from Dos Pueblos High School competed in the Southern California section of the nationwide Economics Challenge, sponsored by the National Council on Economic Education. The team was made up of seniors Katherine Hopkins, Andrew Schoneberger, Josh Smith, and Mark Woolley. Students were quizzed individually, and as a team, on international economics, microeconomics, and macroeconomics. The Dos Pueblos team placed first, making them the Southern California Economics Challenge champions.

On the same date, a number of high schools in Northern California competed in the Economics Challenge. Because Dos Pueblos High School’s score was higher than that of the Northern California winning team, the Dos Pueblos team was declared the state champion. As state champions, each student won a $100 U.S. Savings Bond and qualified for the 2001 Western Regional Finals, held on Saturday, May 5, 2001.

At the May 5th regional competition, Andy Lin substituted for Andrew Schoneberger, who was unavailable to participate, due to another commitment. In the regional competition, individual team members were tested and scored on their responses to questions about international economics, microeconomics, and macroeconomics. They were not tested as a unit. An Advanced Placement economics team from Hawaii placed first, with 1,134 points. That team will continue on to the national finals in New York. Dos Pueblos High School’s team placed second, with 1,108 points. The Dos Pueblos students, and the team coach, each won a $500 U.S. Savings Bond for their second place finish. Roland Lewin, a DPHS economics and mathematics teacher, served as the Economic Challenge coach.

For additional information on the Economics Challenge, contact Roland Lewin at (805) 968-2541, extension 358.

Tuesday, May 15, 2001

School District, Fire Department, and Cottage Health System Urge the Community to "Watch the Water: Children Drown Without a Sound"

In early January, school nurse Cassandra Ornales approached the Santa Barbara School District with an idea. She had seen a water safety campaign in another California city and wanted to see if it was possible to launch a similar campaign in Santa Barbara. A meeting was set up with Ed Linquist, Santa Barbara Fire Department fire captain, and Barbara Keyani, the District’s coordinator of special projects. They called the campaign: Watch The Water: Children Drown Without A Sound. They gathered data from a number of sources, including the Santa Barbara County Office of Environmental Health, and set about shaping the content and presentation of the water safety campaign. When they shared information about this project with Cottage Health System representatives, the immediate response was "How can we help?"

The results of this cooperative effort is a Watch The Water... message that will be displayed in multiple ways:

signs will be affixed to fire trucks and many of the Districts’ service vehicles;
the same sign will be posted in Cottage Health System emergency rooms;
the sign image has been reduced in size and turned into coloring pages for children;
brochures – printed in English and Spanish – are being distributed to local school children (they will also be available through Cottage Health System and the Santa Barbara Fire Department).

What began as an idea with three people in a room, quickly became a joint project between three local agencies. The common goal shared by all involved is the safety of children. Whether it means encouraging children to wear protective gear when bicycling or skateboarding; being diligent about the level of adult supervision at parks, playgrounds, and other gathering spaces; or watching the water, the hope of all of us in this room is that our community will work together to reduce the number of preventable injuries. With summer just around the corner, it is time to Watch The Water...

For a copy of the brochure, contact Barbara Keyani, Special Projects and Communication, Santa Barbara School Districts, (805) 963-4338, extension 206, or e-mail your request.

Friday, May 11, 2001

Borders Will Salute SBSD Employees on May 15

May 15, 2001 is the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Employee Appreciation Day. More than 1,700 District employees – teachers, secretaries, custodians, cafeteria workers, administrators, maintenance personnel, nurses, etc. – are being recognized for their work on behalf of the children of this community. This week, employees received messages of appreciation from the Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools, along with a "Thanks A Latte" coupon to be redeemed at Borders Books and Music on State Street, and an invitation to a special May 15 event at Borders. From 6:00 pm. to 10:00 p.m., Borders on State Street will be closed to the general public while the store hosts this special Santa Barbara School Districts’ Employee Appreciation Day party.

When Borders’ general manager, Kate Schwab learned of the efforts to honor all school employees, she immediately responded. She generously offered her State Street store as a May 15th venue, complete with refreshments, door prizes, entertainment, and a shopping discount to all Santa Barbara School District employees. "There are two reasons why we wanted to participate in the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Employee Appreciation Day activities. First, we value the important role that schools have in promoting literacy. Second, this is a chance for Borders to thank the men and women who work tirelessly each day to make local schools the best that they can be. They are the unsung heroes of our community."

Borders-Santa Barbara is located at 900 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

Thursday, May 10, 2001

SBHS Student Jessica Adcock Recipient of Emerging Young Artist Award

On Sunday, April 29, 2001, Santa Barbara High School senior Jessica Adcock competed in the finals of the California Alliance for Arts Education Emerging Young Artists competition. This year, more than 3,000 students from throughout California entered the initial phase of competition. Three finalists were selected for each of the following categories: dance, music, theatre, and visual arts. Jessica displayed five paintings and one ceramic work in the final level of competition. As part of the competition’s decision-making process, she was interviewed by a panel of judges. Jessica won first place honors in the visual arts category. As a first place winner, she will receive a $20,000 college scholarship. The scholarship was sponsored by the Herb Alpert Foundation. Jessica hopes to use part of her scholarship this summer, studying art in France.

Jessica is a student in Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA). She regularly serves as a student spokesperson for VADA. She is active in the school’s theatre arts department and also has a strong interest in dance, particularly jazz and African. Jessica is a member of the school’s Students Organized Against Prejudice, and designed the group’s t-shirt. She has volunteered numerous hours to Planned Parenthood’s theatre group and to the Rape Crisis Center.

Literature is an important part of Jessica’s life. While in the 9th grade, she wrote a short play, entitled "Sleepers," which was included in "Women In Shorts," an evening of short plays. For personal enjoyment, she has completed tutorials (led by University of California-Santa Barbara emeritus professor Donald Pearce) on William Butler Yeats, Shakespeare’s sonnets, Ezra Pound, W.H. Auden.

Jessica plans to attend University of California-Santa Cruz in the fall. She is the recipient of a full, four-year UC Santa Cruz merit scholarship. She hopes to study art and literature.

Thursday, May 10, 2001

VADA Celebrates First Year of Operation

In June, the Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) at Santa Barbara High School will mark the completion of its first year of operation. VADA is a school-within-a-school program that features art education combined with academics. Carol Taylor, VADA co-lead teacher, offered the following perspective, "Working with our first VADA class has been a whirlwind of creative energy, boundless enthusiasm and real motivation. It really is like a great, big family. Everything has fallen into place. I’ve never worked so hard, and had so much fun!"

As a California State Partnership Academy, VADA follows the academy model, enrolling 50 students per grade level, beginning with the 10th grade. Students are selected through an application and portfolio review process. Freshman who are interested in joining VADA are advised to enroll in the one-year freehand drawing course along with courses selected from the regular school schedule. Sophomores and juniors are enrolled in one year of art, English, social studies, and science courses that are part of the VADA curriculum. Seniors must complete VADA’s studio art class, in addition to other courses selected from the regular school schedule. A VADA government/economics course will be added to the 12th grade curriculum in school year 2002-2003.

All VADA academic and art classes are college preparatory or GATE and are staffed at a ratio of 25:1. Classes, which are project- and standards-oriented, are taught by a team of collaborating teachers who incorporate the arts into their curriculum. Students take classes in advanced drawing, illustration, printmaking, digital art, sculpture, jewelry, painting, and studio art. Additional learning opportunities include student art exhibitions, such as the current display at the Architectural Foundation and the recent spring Open House; field trips to the Getty Museum, Norton Simon Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; artists-in-residence; job shadows; mentorships; guest speakers; and visits to art studios and galleries.

Community partnerships are important to the success of the school. The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Art Departments of UCSB, Santa Barbara City College, and Westmont College; Contemporary Arts Forum, and the Arts Fund have provided numerous resources and opportunities to the VADA program. Similarly, a 22-member steering committee of artists and leaders within the local arts community provides guidance, support, and encouragement to the program.

VADA students show exceptional promise. Following are some of the awards received by students during school year 2000-2001:

Jessica Adcock / California Emerging Artists competition, First Place-Visual Arts, $20,000 scholarship ; Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation art competition, $1,600 award; Bank of America plaque award.
Logan Burris / Town and County Women’s Club Annual Tri-County Art Competiton, First Place and Best of Show in the category of Art-High School Division and Second Place in the state level of the Town and Country competition.
Patrick Carter / Town and County Women’s Club Annual Tri-County Art Competiton, First Place and Best of Show in the category of Photography-High School Division and First Place in the state-level of the Town and Country competition .
Tristan Clark / Bank of America certificate award.
Ashley Dart / Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation art competition, $1,600 award.
Matt Davis / Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation art competition, $1,600 award.
Salvador Hernandez / Rhode Island School of Design’s High School Art Award for outstanding graduation senior artist; Town and County Women’s Club Annual Tri-County Art Competiton, Second Place.
Christy Kovacs / Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation art competition, Best of Show, $2,400 award; Bank of America certificate award.
Caitlin Strahan / Santa Barbara County Partners in Education, recognized as Outstanding VADA Student for Art and Service.

For additional information on VADA, call Kasia Stefanek at (805) 966-9101, ext. 329.

Thursday, May 10, 2001

2001 National Merit Scholarship Competition

In September of 2000, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 46th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Then, in the spring, they announced the names of Semifinalists who had advanced to Finalist standing. In the Santa Barbara High School District, 15 Semifinalists were identified in September. Fourteen of those students went on to become Finalists in the 2001 Merit Scholarship Competition.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, based in Evanston, Illinois, was established in 1955 to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship competition. This year, more than 1.2 million students in over 20,000 U.S. high schools participated in the program by taking the PSAT exam during their junior year of high school. Less than 1% of the students who took the exam were identified as Semifinalists. To be considered as a Finalist, Semifinalists had to provide a letter of recommendation from their school principal; submit SAT scores that reflected their earlier qualifying test results; and complete a detailed application that included information on their high school academic record, a personal essay, and information on the student’s leadership in school and community activities. Depending on their eligibility, Finalists are considered for various merit scholarships awarded by the program.

Dos Pueblos High School

FINALISTS:

Aurora Burd will attend Harvey Mudd in the fall. She plans to major in aerospace engineering. Aurora has served as the president of the Dos Pueblos High School Math Club for the past two years. She placed first in the annual Westmont Math Competition Chalk Talk, which requires a 10-minute presentation on a particular subject. This year, the topic was the Pythagorean Theorem. During her junior and senior years, Aurora has served as the captain of the girls cross country team. She is also a violinist and on May 27 she will perform at the Young Soloist recital at the Lobero Theatre, accompanied by a professional symphony orchestra. A student of Latin, Aurora lives by a phrase that translates to: Victory Loves Preparation.

Daniel Cohen will attend the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley. Daniel is the recipient of a National Merit Scholarship Program corporate-sponsored merit scholarship from Computer Sciences Corporation. He is a member of the National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation and is active in the Dos Pueblos math club. During the summer, he volunteers with Direct Relief International.

Andy Lin will attend M.I.T. He is undeclared, but is focusing on engineering, perhaps electrical. Andy is an AP Scholar. He has received multiple math competition awards. He is the recipient of a National Merit Scholarship Program corporate-sponsored scholarship from the New York Times Foundation. He was one of two students in the District selected to participate in the Take A Teen To The Kennedy Space Center program. Andy has served as the first violinist in the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony. He also excels in tennis. Ranked #60 in the nation and #14 in Southern California, Andy has served as captain of the Dos Pueblos varsity tennis team. He was named Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Carol Simpson will attend Azusa Pacific University and will major in music composition. She has served as the president of the Dos Pueblos Interact Club, the Honor Society, and Peer Mediation. Carol is a member of the Dos Pueblos High School Jazz Choir. She is an award-winning pianist. Carol recently received the Girl Scouts’ Gold Award, which is the highest achievement in Girl Scouts. One requirement for the Gold Award is community service. To fulfill that requirement, Carol chose to write, direct, and produce an original musical. The musical, called "Turning Point," was about suicide prevention. She conducted auditions at the Center Stage Theatre, enlisting 10 high school students to perform in "Turning Point"; wrote 14 songs for the musical; and oversaw the performance at UCSB’s Givertz Hall. Carol donated the funds raised at the performance to a local mental health association. Carol heads a youth group at the First United Methodist Church. She is a member of their youth bell choir. She is also active in L.O.G., a Presbyterian youth-based organization.

Mark Woolley is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. During both his junior and senior years, Mark has served as the captain of the soccer team and also received recognition as the Most Valuable Player. Mark was a member of the award-winning Dos Pueblos 2001 Economics Challenge team. He will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall. He just received a $5,000 UC Berkeley Alumni Association scholarship for outstanding leadership. He has not yet declared a major.

SEMIFINALIST:

James Wilson took the GED at the end of the summer and has spent the past school year at Santa Barbara City College. He plans to complete two years at City College and then transfer to UC Santa Cruz or UC Berkeley. Once there, he expects to major in physics with a minor – or dual major – in music. James has been taking aikido for almost a decade. He spends time performing with City College’s jazz band, concert band, Good Times Band, and Lunch Break Band. James is currently substituting for another trombone player in the Dos Pueblos production of Bye Bye Birdie.

San Marcos High School

FINALISTS:

Katie DeVore has participated in Mock Trial during the past three years and two of those years were spent on the varsity team. During her freshman and sophomore years, she was a member of the swim team. Katie is a member of the California Scholarship Federation. For the past three years, she has been a member and an officer of Junior State of America. One summer, she volunteered 144 hours to Girls, Inc., serving as a counselor’s assistant in their "Fun In The Sun" program. She has also provided community service hours to Good Shepherd Lutheran’s vacation bible school. Katie will be attending UCLA in the fall. She has not yet declared a major.

Jason Finney had a perfect score on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. This year, Jason won first place in the regional MC4 math competition; placed in the American Invitational Math Exam qualifier; the American Mathematics Competition winner at SMHS. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. Jason just returned from a four-day conference in Texas hosted by the American Academy of Achievement Salute to Excellence Program. At that conference, he was one of 250 high school students from throughout the U.S. who were invited to meet with world leaders and leaders of industry. Jason plans to attend California Institute of Technology, in Pasadena. He plans to major in physics.

Santa Barbara High School

FINALISTS:

Matt Barbabella will attend Yale. Matt is undeclared at this time. He recently received a scholarship from the Santa Barbara High School Alumni Association and one from the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. Matt has been a member of Students Organized Against Prejudice for the past two years. He has also served as a student representative to the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Diversity Committee. Matt has received multiple math competition awards. He has participated in several MC4 math competitions, the Westmont Math Competition, and was a semifinalist in the Chemistry Olympiad. For the past three years, Matt has been a member of Junior State of America. He is also a very talented pianist. During his sophomore, junior, and senior years, he has devoted his community service hours to Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic.

Aron Bothman will take the next year off to pursue personal interests and travel. He will use that time to study art and botany. After his year off, he hopes to attend college. Aron is a founding member of the newly established Santa Barbara High School cricket team. His community service work was done in the library of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. He spent time filing collections on the Channel Islands and working on Museum databases. Aron has been a member of Santa Barbara High’s Acappella Choir for the past two years. He joined the Madrigals this semester.

Samuel Cross had a perfect score on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Samuel will attend Pomona College. Presently, he is undeclared, but he is interested in possibly majoring in philosophy. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. Sam’s community service hours were spent helping Monte Vista Nature Trails as well as tutoring at Santa Barbara Junior High.

Katelyn Gamson will attend Amherst College. She has not yet declared her major, but anticipates it will be in either pre-med or the classics (Latin and Greek). Katelyn is a CSF Sealbearer and member the National Honor Society. Katelyn is the recipient of a Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation Honor Scholarship. She also received the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Fleishman Award. She is a recipient of the Bank of America plaque in math and science. Katelyn was one of eight student artists who participated in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s Youth Mural Project. The mural is on display at the Museum’s entrance. During the past two years, Katelyn has served as an intern in the Art Museum’s "Teens for Teens" program. Katelyn has been a member of the Santa Barbara High School varsity tennis team for the past four years. During her senior year, she has been the team’s captain.

Jevon Heath will be joining the Army following his high school graduation. His expectation is that when he does go to college, he will major in linguistics.

Samara Weiss is the recipient of a Bank of America certificate for writing. She has been offered a Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation Honors Scholarship and a UCSB Regents Scholarship. Samara is hoping to be accepted to Americorp for the October 2001 term, then enter college in 2002-2003. Once in college, she expects to major in English and dramatic arts.

Caitlyn Wilson will be a student at Stanford. She is undeclared but expects to major in human biology. Her ultimate goal is to enter the pre-med program at Stanford or the medical program at U.C. San Francisco. Caitlyn is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. She is a star volleyball player at Santa Barbara High. In fact, this year she was named Scholar Athlete of the Year. Her community service hours were spent volunteering at the St. Francis Birthing Center.

Monday, May 7, 2001

Santa Barbara School District, City Fire Department, and Cottage Health System to Unveil Water Safety Campaign

With summer just around the corner, and children and young adults eagerly waiting to take advantage of local pools and beaches, the Santa Barbara School District, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, and Cottage Health System are joining forces to remind adults of the need for diligence in and around all bodies of water.

At 1:30 p.m, on Thursday, May 10, 2001, in the Board Room, Santa Barbara School District, 720 Santa Barbara Street, representatives of all three agencies will unveil informational brochures and newly designed signs that will be posted in Cottage Hospital emergency rooms and affixed to City of Santa Barbara fire trucks and Santa Barbara School District service vehicles. Representing the three agencies will be Superintendent Deborah Flores; pediatrician Dr. Patricia Barnwell, Chief of Medical Staff of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital; and Santa Barbara Deputy Fire Chief Mitch Vaughn. Immediately following the unveiling of the new water safety information, signs will actually be affixed to a fire engine and school service vehicle in the District’s parking lot.

Monday, May 7, 2001

Challenges Ahead

The energy crisis is dominating discussions at the state level. Every analyst connected with K-12 education is warning districts that the impact of the energy crisis will be far reaching and long term. The full impact on school district budgets is not yet clear but we have been advised to increase utility costs significantly and not to plan on any additional funding or new programs. Quoting from School Services of California’s April 13, 2001 Fiscal Report, "PG&E’s decision to declare bankruptcy and thus protect itself from its many creditors will reverberate throughout our state’s economic and political history for decades to come. No major utility in the nation has ever declared bankruptcy...While not yet known, it seems almost assured that public education funding for the next several years is going to be harmed by the state energy squeeze."

The Districts have already experienced significant increases in utilities costs this school year. For next year, the Districts have budgeted an increase of 46% in electricity and 20% in natural gas. These increases represent almost $780,000 between the two districts ($195,297 in the Elementary District and $582,275 in the High School District).

The energy crisis is not the only factor effecting the budgets. The costs of medical benefits will increase by 24%, property insurance by 25%, and liability insurance by 10% beginning in July, 2001. The energy crisis is dominating discussions at the state level. Every analyst connected with K-12 education is warning districts that the impact of the energy crisis will be far reaching and long term. The full impact on school district budgets is not yet clear but we have been advised to increase utility costs significantly and not to plan on any additional funding or new programs. Quoting from School Services of California’s April 13, 2001 Fiscal Report, "PG&E’s decision to declare bankruptcy and thus protect itself from its many creditors will reverberate throughout our state’s economic and political history for decades to come. No major utility in the nation has ever declared bankruptcy...While not yet known, it seems almost assured that public education funding for the next several years is going to be harmed by the state energy squeeze."

The energy crisis is not the only factor effecting the budgets. The costs of medical benefits will increase by 24%, property insurance by 25%, and liability insurance by 10% beginning in July, 2001.

Monday, May 7, 2001

District Energy Policy

The District has been proactive in trying to reduce the energy usage throughout the years. An electrical retrofit has been completed at the secondary level and is being addressed at the elementary level through modernization; energy management systems have been added to campuses as they are modernized and more efficient heating and cooling systems are being installed.

A more aggressive plan must be implemented. The District staff is currently working on a District policy and a District-wide plan to reduce energy use and to offset the substantial increase in energy fees we are anticipating for the upcoming fiscal year.

Monday, May 7, 2001

Crystal Apple Winner

Goleta Valley Junior High School science teacher Will Winn is a 2001 Crystal Apple Award winner. Will received the Crystal Apple at the Teachers Network Education celebration on May 3, 2001.

Monday, May 7, 2001

Service to the District

Following is a list of employees who have reached District service milestones of ten years or more.

40 Years: Roderick Duncan-La Cuesta.

35 Years: Richard Reed-La Colina; Herbert Simpkins, Manuel Garcia, William Rigby, Louis Torres-SBHS; William Winn-GVJH; Peter Garst-DPHS; Louis Herrera-Facilities.

30 Years: Pamela Kinsley, Eleanor Barstow -Harding; Joseph Chiu-OAS; Leslie Benson-District Administration; Elena Limon-Monroe; Steven Sterling-La Cumbre; Harri Kallio, Robert Gray-SMHS; Mary Jane Nelson, Fred Guillermo, Robert Helms, Leonard Kilfoyle, David Sanchez, Barbara Herrera-SBHS; Haide Balster, Gerald Belch, Jon Crawford, Isaac Jenkins, James Ranta, Neal Abello-DPHS; Michael Grua, Diana Thomas, Alexander Carasa-La Cuesta; Alma Almanza-Accounting; Guadalupe Santana-Student Services.

25 Years: Ann Tonkin-McKinley; Chandler Armstrong, Ann Grace Corselius-Willson-Student Services; Amelia Clarke-Cleveland; Dolores Reynoso, Anita Valencia-Franklin Childrens Center; Ida Perreault-La Cumbre; Cynthia Dugger-SMHS; Beverly King, Nanette Verkaik-SBHS.

20 Years: Cecilia Benoit-McKinley; Gennette Morales-SBHS PACE; Adriana Stites-Cleveland; Corinne Ann Ruskowski-Franklin; Christine Luna-Harding; Peggi Bean-Monroe; Katie Marrs-Peabody; Rosalinda Cavaletto-Washington; Sharon Paszke-La Colina; William Brann-SMHS; Wendy Mokler, Warren Simandle, Diana Shields-SBHS; Kazuko Kerby, Michael Cordero-GVJH; Henrika Berlin-DPHS; Patricia Lindsay-Student Services; Nick Sebastian-I.T.S

15 Years: Juanita Carney-McKinley; Judy Daniel-SMHS PACE; Patricia Schuette-Adams; Marlen Valencia-Adams School Age CC; Sally Stonefelt, Kevin Sullivan, Brian McCarthy, Diane Powell-Cleveland; Ferroll Dickinson-Franklin School Age CC; Cecilia Acevedo-Franklin Children’s Center; Roberta Daigle-Harding; Katherine Cordeiro, Angelica Aguilar-Risso-McKinley; Shelley McNellis-Monroe; Patricia Dunselman-Peabody; Tia Blickley-Washington; Mary Gaston-Student Services; Ramona Marten-La Colina; Bradley Hufschmid-La Cumbre; Janice Scheffler, Kathleen Barber, Mike Castillo, Greg Sanchez-SMHS; Carlos Williams-SBHS; Marjorie Thornton, Marietta Sanchez-DPHS; Charles Valen, Richard DeAnda-Facilities; Betty Avila-Accounting; Jeri Smith-Educational Services.

10 Years: Sally Kingston-Roosevelt; Laura Baker, Barbara Elliott, Maria-Luisa Estrello, Diane Roth, Cathy Gaddis-Borden-Adams; Linda Garland, Evelyn Leyva-Franklin; Janice Ulloa-Brown-Cesar Chavez Charter; Carol Schwyzer-Harding; Irene Pattenaude, Lynne Harms, Marilyn Ryan-Monroe; Victoria Avila-Peabody; Anne Linn-Roosevelt; German Lopez-Washington; Praxedes Yzaguirre-Manriquez-Parma Children’s Center; Laurie Hoelscher-Food Services; Maureen Granger, Kenneth Stevens, Debbie Walberg, Beverly Hehnke, David Eldridge-La Colina; Nina Hunt, Betty Henry, Antonio Perez-La Cumbre; Ed Behrens, Debra Keys-Thomas, Theresa Molinar-SMHS; Janet Gordon, Elsy Nelson, Doris Desales-SBHS; Edward Gover, Leo Borden, Jayne Wamsley-SBJH; Geraldine Sottak-GVJH; Todd Borden, Marguerite Noto-Bianchi, Amy Swanson, Olive Moreno-DPHS; Jorge Hernandez, Donald Bregante-Facilities.

Tuesday, May 1, 2001

SMHS Performing Arts Department to Open "My Fair Lady" with Festival Announcement

With more than Lerner and Lowe’s "A Little Bit of Luck," on Thursday, May 3, 2001, San Marcos High School’s Performing Arts Department will kick off "My Fair Lady" with an exciting public announcement. At 7:30 p.m., before the curtain lifts on opening night, Department Chairman David Holmes will announce to the audience San Marcos High’s selection by a national board of theatre professionals to be one of thirty schools* to represent the United States in August 2002 at the American High School Theatre Festival. The Festival is held in conjunction with the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Fringe Festival was created in 1947, following World War II, as a way to bring the world community together through the unifying bond of theater. Theatre companies from around the globe compete for the privilege of performing at this annual event.

The American High School Theatre Festival was established in 1994 to complement high school drama programs and allow top American drama students to showcase their skills within an international forum. Schools are nominated by state, regional, and national theatre organizations and university theatre professors. Each nominated school completes an application, which is then reviewed by a panel of college theatre professionals. The panel reviews each school’s most recent body of work, awards, community involvement, philosophies, and recommendations. San Marcos High School was nominated by Peter Lackner of the University of California, Santa Barbara. San Marcos was selected to apply in 2000 and 2001 (each nominated school is limited to two years of eligibility).

"My Fair Lady" will open on May 3, and will also be performed at 7:30 p.m. on May 4, 5, 10, 11, and 12. General admission is $10 ($8 Associated Student Body, seniors, and children under 12; $6 with a Royal Card).

For more information about the Fringe Festival or "My Fair Lady," contact David Holmes at San Marcos High School, 967-4581, ext. 255.

*The following California schools were also selected this year: Abraham Lincoln High School in San Jose (a visual and performing arts magnet school) and Tamalpais Conservatory in Marin County (a special arts school). San Marcos High School has the distinction of being the only comprehensive, public high school to represent California at the American High School Theatre Festival.