May 2003 News Archive
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
HIPPY Graduation Ceremony for Preschoolers and their Parents
On Friday, May 30, 2003, at 6:00 p.m., in the Cleveland Elementary School cafeteria, 71 preschool age children will participate in the graduation ceremony from the HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program. The children and their parents will be awarded certificates for their successful completion of this 30-week program. Some of the young graduates will move on to kindergarten in the fall and others will be promoted to HIPPY’s next curriculum level.
The local HIPPY program, operated by the Santa Barbara Elementary School District’s Child Development program, is part of HIPPY USA, a national organization that focuses on teaching children in their primary language and providing that instruction in the child’s home. HIPPY Santa Barbara has expanded the program’s focus to include an English language component. Now in its second year of operation, HIPPY Santa Barbara serves low-income families with preschool age children at risk for early failure in school.
To accomplish its goals, the HIPPY program first prepares paraprofessionals to provide one-on-one training to the parents in each child’s home. These paraprofessionals are themselves parents of children in the program. The paraprofessionals are trained to role play activities based on the nine storybooks in the educational packet. The paraprofessionals educate parents on ways to teach their young children school readiness skills, utilizing a 30-week curriculum in their native language. Parents are also provided with the curriculum literature pieces in English. HIPPY organizers have recorded the books on cassette tapes so parents can learn and read along in English. The program organizers also choose approximately five key English vocabulary words from the literature pieces for the weekly focus. All books, activity packets, and materials needed to complete the program are provided to each participant at no charge, which the local HIPPY is able to do through the support of community members and funding agencies in Santa Barbara.
HIPPY’s latest English language component has been the acquisition of the Waterford Early Reading Program. This is an early intervention computer program designed to teach emergent, beginning, or fluent readers, regardless of primary language or level of literacy. It is a progressive success oriented system that builds a foundation of vocabulary, phonological skills, letter recognition and an introduction to print concepts for emergent readers. It follows a logical sequence with regular assessment and review. The Waterford system has been successfully implemented in numerous preschool classrooms as a supplementary teaching tool used by just the children. Combining the Waterford system with the HIPPY parent involvement concept results in parents providing support and guidance while simultaneously learning the lessons with their child. One parent said, "I can’t help but learn some English, with hearing the songs and following along. It just happens."
For more information, call Ana Maya, Program Coordinator, (805) 963-0193 or 637-5523.
Summer School in the Santa Barbara School Districts
Due to reductions in state funding, summer school classes in the Santa Barbara Elementary and High School Districts will be pared down this year. The district’s 2003 summer school program will focus on remedial classes in the core curriculum for the following populations: five percent of each school’s enrollment; students who are in danger of being retained; and students who are at risk of not passing the California High School Exit Exam.
In the Santa Barbara Elementary School District, summer school will be conducted at eight sites, the dates and times are as follows:
July 28 – August 15, 2003:
- Franklin Elementary School, 8:00 a.m. to Noon
- Harding Elementary School, 8:00 a.m. to Noon
- Monroe (at Washington School), 8:00 a.m. to Noon
- Washington Elementary School, 8:00 a.m. to Noon
August 4 – 22, 2003:
- Adams Elementary School, 9:00 am. to 1:00 p.m.
- McKinley Elementary School, 8:00 a.m. to Noon
- Open Alternative School, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Roosevelt Elementary School, 8:00 a.m. to Noon
Santa Barbara Elementary School District special education classes will be conducted at Adams Elementary, July 28 – August 22, 2003, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
In the Santa Barbara High School District, regular education summer school will take place from June 18 to July 30, 2003. The courses will be offered in two-hour blocks. Depending on the student’s need, up to two classes can be taken. Period 1 will begin at 8:00 a.m. and Period 2 will begin at 10:10 a.m. (Note: Santa Barbara High School District’s special education summer school program will take place from June 18 to July 16, 2003, 8:00 a.m. – Noon.) Summer school for regular education and special education students in grades 7-12 will be conducted at three school sites:
June 18 – July 30, 2003:
- Dos Pueblos High School will host regular education and special education students from Dos Pueblos High School and Goleta Valley Junior High School;
- San Marcos High School will host students from San Marcos High School, La Colina Junior High School, and La Cumbre Middle School*;
- Santa Barbara Junior High School will host students from Santa Barbara Junior High School, Santa Barbara High School, La Cumbre Middle School*, and special education students from San Marcos High, Santa Barbara High, La Colina Junior High, La Cumbre Junior High, and Santa Barbara Junior High (special education students from Dos Pueblos High School and Goleta Valley Junior High School will attend summer school at Dos Pueblos High School).
*La Cumbre Middle School students may attend summer school at either Santa Barbara Junior High School or San Marcos High School.
Summer school registration will take place in each secondary school’s counseling office from May 19 through May 30, 2003. Students who will complete the 6th grade in June and have been identified as needing academic support in the core curriculum are eligible to participate in the junior high summer school program.
Santa Barbara High School District summer school course descriptions are now available online.
Mike Grua will serve as the summer school coordinator for the Santa Barbara High School District.
National Merit Scholarship Program Recognizes Local High School Seniors
Last fall, 15 Santa Barbara High School District seniors were identified as Semifinalists in the 48th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Recently, 14 of those students advanced to Finalist standing.
Recognition in the 2003 National Merit Scholarship Program began last year, when 1.3 million high school juniors took the PSAT/NMSQT exam. Approximately 50,000 students with the highest PSAT/NMSQT scores qualified for program recognition, either as Commended Students or Semifinalists. In September 2002, 24 students in the Santa Barbara High School District were identified as Commended students (14 from Dos Pueblos High School, seven from San Marcos High School, and three from Santa Barbara High School) and an additional 15 district students were identified as Semifinalists. The 15 district Semifinalists were part of a national pool of 16,000 Semifinalists.
To advance to Finalist standing, all 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.
The Santa Barbara High School District’s Finalists and Semifinalist in the 2003 National Merit Scholarship Program are as follows:
Finalist – Adda Birnir, Dos Pueblos High School
Adda’s list of school activities includes Mock Trial, where she was part of the legal defense team; two years
of leadership class; and member of the water polo team for three years, where she was team captain this past season.
Adda volunteered with Take Back The Night, a UCSB sexual awareness group; interned for Hannah-Beth Jackson; and she is now serving as a board member with the Santa Barbara Legal Clinic.
This fall, Adda will attend Yale University, where she plans to major in political science and ethnic studies.
Finalist – Andrew Cox, Dos Pueblos High School
For three years, Andrew was a member of the Dos Pueblos Mock Trial team. He was a pretrial attorney in grades 10
and 11 and, in his senior year, he was the lead prosecutor and captain of the team.
Andrew’s community service was as a swing dance instructor with the Swing Dance Club and with Americana at La Colina Junior High School. He also volunteered as a legal intern with Lee Carter in the District Attorney’s Office.
Andrew is headed for Yale University. He hopes to take advantage of their combined major in ethics, policy, and economics.
Finalist – Nora Desruisseaux, Dos Pueblos High School
Nora is the co-editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. She is involved in theater. Nora has also been active in Leadership,
first as the commissioner of hospitality in 2001-2002 and then as the co-commissioner of social awareness in 2002-2003.
Nora has served her community as a camp counselor in a Girl Scout day camp. She is also a member of the Districts’ Diversity Advisory Committee.
Nora will attend UC Berkeley as a Regent’s Scholar. She hopes to major in art history.
Finalist – Erin Gaines, Dos Pueblos High School
Erin was on the school’s water polo team, swim team, member of the Junior Statesmen of America, and a member
of the Economics Challenge Team. Her community service hours were committed to Take Back the Night, UCSB’s sexual
assault awareness group.
Erin will be attending Stanford University as an earth systems major.
Finalist – Alexander Georgakis, Dos Pueblos High School
Throughout all four years of high school, Alexander has participated in the jazz band, jazz choir, and theater.
He is currently president of the Theater Arts Boosters and is the commissioner of the arts at Dos Pueblos High School.
Alexander wrote the book, the lyrics, the music, and directed the stage play "How Green is Your Valley?" an
original full-length musical. "How Green is Your Valley?" was performed two weeks ago at Dos Pueblos and
sold out all five performances.
Alexander’s community service has been spreadout between the NAACP, various senior citizens groups, and Transition House.
Alexander will be realizing a childhood dream when he begins film studies this fall at the University of Southern California, where he received a Presidential Scholarship.
Finalist – Salka Keller, Dos Pueblos High School
Salka has been a member of the school’s track team for four years, cross country for two years, and girls
basketball for two years. Her school club affiliations include Junior Statesmen of America, Peoples’ Organization
of Women Activists; Interact, Positive Peers Program, and Amnesty International.
Salka has accumulated more than 200 hours of community service, primarily with the Red Cross, where she volunteered for three years; Ridley Tree Art Center, where she was a junior counselor; and the Animal Shelter.
Salka is headed for UC Berkeley, where she will major in chemical engineering.
Finalist – Deborah Lowe, Dos Pueblos High School
Deborah has been actively involved with church activities. Her community service has been done at Life Network.
She will be attending Biola University, where she plans to major in psychology.
Finalist – James Pinney, Dos Pueblos High School
James has been on the varsity volleyball team for two years and jazz band for two years. He volunteers his time
to the Santa Barbara Youth Council, where he is the treasurer.
James will be attending UCLA in the fall, where he will major in biology.
Finalist – Laura Beckerman, Santa Barbara High School
Laura is in the advanced jazz band, where she plays first-chair tenor sax. She also plays clarinet in the concert band.
She was the pre-trial attorney and medical expert witness on the school’s Mock Trial team.
Laura volunteers as the assistant band director for a Montecito elementary school. Until very recently, she worked as the clarinet and saxophone sectional teacher at a Goleta elementary school, She runs her own tutoring business. She dances at Studio E, where she does hip-hop, jazz, and has begun to do a little ballet.
In the fall, Laura will be attending Wellesley College. She has not yet decided on a major.
Finalist – Genevieve DuBois, San Marcos High School
Genevieve is the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, the King’s Page. This is her third year on staff.
She was on the frosh/soph basketball team for two years, and as a freshman she was in the marching band.
Genevieve has completed most of her community service as a research assistant for a graduate student at UCSB, studying population biology.
Genevieve will be attending Stanford University next year. She has not yet declared a major.
Finalist – Andy Johnson, San Marcos High School
Andy is president of the San Marcos High School math club. As part of his community service, for the last year-and-a-half
Andy has been raising a guide dog for the blind. This is a 24-hour commitment. It takes about 3,000 hours to train
a guide dog, and Andy has already put in more than 3,000 hours to this new dog. Additionally, last summer, Andy interned
with the Carpenteria School District, where he donated about 70 hours to help set up their computers.
Andy is headed to Rice University in Houston, Texas. He plans to major in computer science.
Finalist – Hugh Myers, San Marcos High School
Hugh has been part of the San Marcos water polo and swim teams since his freshman year. Last year, he was co-captain
of the swim team. This year, he was co-captain of the water polo team. Hugh received All-CIF unanimous honors in his
senior year, leading his team to the semifinal round of CIF. In addition to athletics, he participated on the Mock
Trial team for two years.
Each summer Hugh worked in the Hope School District, tutoring summer school students. Hugh will be attending UCLA in the fall. He has been accepted into the honors program in economics.
Finalist – Elisha Schaefer, San Marcos High School
Elisha has been very involved in performing arts at San Marcos High School. Highlights include the lead role in "Once
in a Lifetime," "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," and "Pirates of Penzance." He was in the
chorus of "Anything Goes," and part of the group that went to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.
For two years, Elisha sang as a baritone/bass in Madrigals. For two years, he was in the Royal Knights, a school men’s
choir. This year, he received an award from the school vocal department. His school involvement includes membership
in Leo’s Club, the Writer’s Society, and the National Honors Society.
Elisha’s community service has been as a counselor at Camp Gan Israel, volunteer with Direct Relief International, math tutor for 5th grade students at La Patera Elementary School; and counselor at Montecito Performing Arts Camp.
Elisha plans to attend Vassar. He has not yet decided on a major, but it may possibly be theater or creative writing.
Finalist – Jeffrey Simon, San Marcos High School
Jeff has been a member of the school’s varsity sailing team for four years. His community service has been
as a mentor of 1st-6th graders through the Esperanza program. He also volunteered for two summers at the Sea Center
on Stearn’s Wharf, where he was a docent, helping youn children enjoy and learn from the touch tanks.
Jeff will be attending UC San Diego, where he will major in engineering.
Semifinalist – Erin Finney, San Marcos High School
Erin will be attending UC Irvine in the fall. She plans to major in computer science.
GVJH Students Connect to Canadian 8th Graders
Eighth graders in Kelly Troyna’s Honors English classes at Goleta Valley Junior High have been learning a great deal about our neighbors to the north through e-mail exchanges that began early in the fall. Assistant Principal Paul Turnbull, put Ms. Troyna in touch with an English teacher and her students at Abbotsford Middle School in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Until two years ago, when he joined the Santa Barbara High School District, Mr. Turnbull was an English teacher and athletic director at a senior high school in Abbotsford.
" The students love it,’’ said Mrs. Troyna. "They are sending messages avidly for their class’s assignments.’’ The exchanges began with letters of introduction, and then progressed to informing the Canadian students about life in Goleta. Coincidentally, one of her students had become friends with an Abbotsford student on an earlier visit to California. Many students are also choosing to e-mail the Canadian students from home.
Mrs. Troyna enjoys the experience because it is a great way to use technology with her students and she sees a different side of them through their e-mail messages to youngsters their own age. "They’ve been quick to tell their pen pals that it is sunny here 95 percent of the time and our school has hallways that are outside," Mrs. Troyna said. Abbotsford students sent copies of short stories that they wrote as part of a class assignment.
Once a few glitches have been smoothed out in the e-mail system, Mrs.Troyna intends to continue the exchange next year with current seventh-grade students. "The benefits for the students are many,’’ she said, "including the opportunity to talk with peers whose perspective may be dramatically different from their own.’’
Abraham Lincoln to Participate in Civil War Day
La Cumbre Middle School will conduct a Living History Demonstration.
History will come alive on Thursday, May 15, 2003, when Abraham Lincoln joins a Union soldier and other 19th century time travelers as part of La Cumbre Middle School’s Civil War Day. Students and teachers will also be in costume. This annual event is the culmination of the school’s 8th grade history unit.
Civil War Day begins at 9:15 a.m. Half of the 8th grade students will gather in the auditorium, where President Lincoln will address them. The remainder of the students will go outside, onto the field, where a cavalry artillery and hospital demonstration will take place. At 10:20 a.m., students in the auditorium will move to the field, and vice versa. The event ends at 12:30 p.m.
Theme-related decorations, music, and a luncheon for students will be part of Civil War Day.
ACSA Administrator and Employee of the Year for 2004: Peggy Lubchenco
On May 1, 2003, the Santa Barbara County Education Office announced the selection of Peggy Lubchenco as Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year for 2004. With her selection at the county level, she will now be considered for California Teacher of the Year.
Peggy Lubchenco, a seventh-grade science teacher at La Colina Junior High School, has been an employee of the District since September 1995. She has been recognized as a teacher who goes beyond the textbook to bring science into the everyday lives of her students.
 Congratulations Peggy Lubchenco, Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year! |
Educated in environmental science (Colorado College) and biology (Brown University), Ms. Lubchenco continually expands her own science experience and shares the information she has gained with her students. Recently, while on sabbatical, she traveled to New Zealand and explored the geology of New Zealand and Australia. She also visited local schools to observe earth science classes in action down under. During her absence from La Colina, she remained in contact with her students through the Internet. In 1999, Peggy Lubchenco was honored by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists as the 1999 National Earth Science Teacher of the Year. During that same year, Peggy lead her school’s participation in the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program. GLOBE is an international environmental education and science partnership. |
As the result of her leadership, La Colina made the GLOBE Chief Scientists’ Honor Roll for Clouds for the period ending May 31, 1999. La Colina was recognized for its contribution of over 5,000 measurements to the GLOBE data archive.
School Calendars for 2003-2004
The 2003-2004 year round, modified, and traditional school calendars for the Santa Barbara Elementary and High School Districts will go before the Board of Education on May 13, 2003. Once approved, they will be posted on the web.
SARS
The Santa Barbara School Districts continue to monitor recent developments pertaining to the global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, known as SARS. SARS information has been provided to the Districts’ management team, nurses, and health assistants.
There is a high awareness level and global focus on SARS. As of mid-April there have been no deaths in the United States. According to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, as of April 17, in the U.S. there have been 173 suspected cases (35 probable cases). As of April 21, there have been 32 suspected cases in California (15 probable cases). One of those suspected cases was identified in Santa Barbara (another case that was previously suspected has been ruled out). Locally, the Santa Barbara Public Health Department and the medical community are alert to the pneumonia-like illness and will continue to oversee the well being of county residents.
To learn more about the symptoms, methods of transmission, and treatment recommendations, visit the following web sites:
Santa Barbara County Public Health Department
World Health Organization, Western Pacific Region
ACSA Administrator and Employee of the Year
ACSA Region XIII honored Priscilla Diamond, assistant superintendent of business services, as 2002-2003 Business Services Administrator of the Year. Julie Medina, secretary to the superintendent, was honored as Confidential Employee of the Year. They were recognized for their leadership and service to students.
Downtown Santa Barbara Rotary Teacher Recognition Program
Recipients of the Rotary Club Teacher Recognition Award for school year 2002-2003 are Judy McDermott, Monroe Elementary; Maria Salas, Frankin Elementary; Maryanna Gray, La Colina; Dr. Paul Cronshaw, La Cuesta-Las Alturas. The Rotary honored these educators for their "outstanding and special service to their school and its students."
JASON Project’s Channel Island Argonauts
Five students had the experience of a lifetime as Channel Islands Argonauts with the JASON Project: Blake Bainou, La Colina Junior High School; Morgana Hoch, Open Alternative School; Marcos Nunez and Natalie Ridling, Santa Barbara Junior High School; and Ciara Ristig, Goleta Valley Junior High School.
Additionally, as a guest reporter for Weekly Reader Magazine, Adams Elementary School’s Brenna Tanksley, a 6th grader, interviewed internationally recognized Dr. Robert Ballard during his visit to Santa Barbara. Dr. Ballard is the founder of the JASON Project.