February 2004 News Archive
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Vacancy on the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Board of Education
With Ruth Green’s appointment to the state Board of Education, a vacancy now exists on the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Board of Education.
The Santa Barbara School Districts’ Board of Education will make an appointment to fill the vacancy on the board. Letters of interest are being accepted.
Interested candidates should:
Reside within the boundaries of the Santa Barbara Elementary School District or the Santa Barbara High School District and be a registered voter (18 years or older and a U.S. citizen).
Be prepared to serve from May 11 to December 6, 2004. Regularly scheduled evening meetings are held twice each month; special meetings, often held during the day, are scheduled as needed.
Submit a letter of interest by March 17, 2004. Please include a resume and statement on why you would like to serve on the Board of Education. Mail to the attention of Nancy Harter – Board President, Board of Education, Santa Barbara School Districts, 720 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.
Early Enrollment and Kindergarten Registration in the Santa Barbara Elementary School District
School year 2004-2005 is not far off. Kindergarten registration and early enrollment for new students in grades 1-5 is underway in the Santa Barbara Elementary School District. Parents are encouraged to take advantage of this early registration period, which continues through March 18, 2004.
Transfers from other schools in the district or from other districts are also a possibility. Most students in the Santa Barbara Elementary School District attend their neighborhood school, but enrollment at a different campus in the district is possible, if space is available. Enrollment is easy and applications should be obtained from the family’s neighborhood elementary school:
Adams (2701 Las Positas Road);
Cleveland (123 Alameda Padre Serra);
Franklin (1111 E. Mason Street);
Harding (1625 Robbins Street);
McKinley (350 Loma Alta Drive);
Monroe (431 Flora Vista Drive);
Open Alternative (4025 Foothill Road);
Peabody Charter (3018 Calle Noguerra);
Roosevelt (1990 Laguna Street);
Santa Barbara Community Academy (215 E. Ortega Street);
Washington (290 Lighthouse Road).
Santa Barbara High School’s VITA Students Assist the Taxpaying Community
This is the time of year when Room 32 at Santa Barbara High School is abuzz with activity. With April 15 just around the corner, it is the tax-paying season that VITA students have prepared long and hard for. VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) is a Santa Barbara High School Regional Occupational Program (ROP) that offers free income tax assistance to high school students, low-income taxpayers, non-English speaking families, and senior citizens. VITA was established at the school seven years ago and Santa Barbara High continues to be the ONLY high school in the nation with the capacity to file tax returns from the classroom. The Santa Barbara High program has its own Electronic Filing Identification Number, which is used to send returns directly to Ogden, Utah.
In 2002-2003, as part of VITA’s community outreach program, students filed 600 state and federal tax returns. VITA’s "clients" received $387,868 in refunds and $123,241 in earned income credit. Orlando Hernandez, an IRS senior tax specialist, estimated a value of $51,000 in costs that low-income taxpayers and seniors would have had to pay to have their taxes completed, were it not for the VITA program.
VITA is a Virtual Enterprise component at Santa Barbara High that helps students gain real-life experience in the world of business. Prospective students are recruited from ROP computer accounting classes as well as from the SBHS student body. Annually, local Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents and the VITA teacher, Ms. Lee Ann Ben-Kinney, select the top student to be the VITA student coordinator. This year, the student coordinator is senior Jhovany Mendoza, who was a VITA student last year. The student coordinator, previously certified through the IRS for tax preparation, serves as the liaison between the students and the IRS. The IRS agents who regularly monitor the students’ work are Bob Correa and Orlando Hernandez.
This project begins in late October, when the student coordinator selects an assistant and the two students begin training other students every Wednesday during the lunch period (this year, there are 23 VITA students). By January, the VITA students are ready to take a series of three consecutive 3-8 hour Saturday training classes at Santa Barbara City College’s Wake Center, along with the adult enrollees. At the end of the course, the VITA students take the test for certification.
Once certified, students gain real world experience when they spend 3-4 hours each Wednesday and Thursday after school, working with clients at the Westside Community Center (Wednesdays) and Franklin Community Center (Thursdays). According to Bob Correa, revenue agent with the IRS, students interview the taxpayer, gather the information they need, input the data into the computer, and do a diagnostic to make sure that all the forms are properly completed. They then print out a copy for the taxpayer’s records, making sure the paperwork is ready to e-file. If the taxpayer has a refund coming, students have to ask for the bank’s routing number and verify the account number for direct deposit. If the request for refund is processed in a timely manner, the taxpayer will get their refund in eight days, direct deposited in their checking or savings account. When the taxpayer owes money, the VITA student explains to the client their options for payment.
Mr. Correa stated, "The students are a little nervous at the beginning, but we work with them to give them the experience they need to be more confident. My hope is that we teach them the skills and that down the road, this may be a profession that they consider."
"This is a real life experience for students, because they have the opportunity to connect in a meaningful way with the community," noted Ms. Ben-Kinney. She continued, "They see the expressions of gratitude of those they have helped. Most important, they see, firsthand, how important education is and how the skills they learn in the classroom are linked to the business world." According to Ms. Ben-Kinney, during the program’s seven years, VITA has become a big family where former students come back to help with the annual tax preparation project.
Regional Occupational Programs (ROP) are provided through the Santa Barbara County Education Office. These programs offer state-of-the-art occupational training classes to area residents who are 16 years of age or older. All ROP classes count for high school graduation credit and many ROP classes provide students with community college credit. Program graduates receive a certificate that details the occupational skills they have mastered during their course of study. Approximately 3,000 students per year enroll in ROP classes.
Santa Barbara High School is located at 700 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.
New Phone Number for Child Development
The Child Development program, located on the Santa Barbara Junior High School campus (721 E. Cota Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103), has a new phone number: (805) 965-4633.
Two San Marcos High School Seniors Identified as National Hispanic Scholars
San Marcos High School seniors Elana Santana and Daniel Wilson have been identified by the College Board as Scholars in the National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP). In order to be eligible, students must be at least one-quarter Hispanic and must have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Each year, the College Board identifies outstanding Hispanic high school students, based on their exceptional academic achievement. The identification process is based on student Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) scores. That test is taken during a student’s junior year of high school. Last year, 124,000 Hispanic students nationwide took the test and approximately 4,300 of the highest scoring students were initially identified. From those 4,300 students, a group of 3,300 students were recognized as a Scholar or Honorable Mention Finalist. The students’ names are listed in an NHRP publication that has been released to colleges and universities, encouraging those institutions to consider these high achieving Hispanic Scholars or Honorable Mention Finalists as potential candidates for admission.
Elana Santana and Daniel Wilson have been active at their school site and in their community in the following ways:
In grades 9 and 10, Daniel Wilson was a member of the San Marcos High School concert band. He completed his community service requirement by tutoring in La Colina Junior High School’s Target Program. Next fall, he hopes to attend either Rochester School of Technology, University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), or MIT as a computer science major.
Elana Santana has been a member of the San Marcos High School Key Club (grades 10 and 11); water polo (grades 10-12); and Mock Trial (grades 10-12). She is the founder and co-president of the STAR Club (Students Talking About Respect). Elana amassed her community service hours by volunteering at the Birth Resource Center (grades 10-12) and helping with a preschool bilingual class (grade 10). In the fall, Elana hopes to study art, sociology, or creative writing at either Barnard, New York University, or the University of California, Berkeley.
Erin Powers: National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has selected Santa Barbara Junior High School’s Erin Powers as one of 8,195 elementary and secondary school teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2003. With her selection, there are now 32,130 National Board Certified Teachers.
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is a 16-year-old independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan, and nongovernmental organization governed by a board of directors, the majority of whom are classroom teachers. Its mission is to establish high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.
National Board Certification is achieved through a rigorous performance-based assessment that takes between one and three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.
NBPTS President Joseph Aguerrebere stated, "It is important to understand that the National Board Certification process not only identifies accomplished teachers, but also is a profound professional development experience." He continued, "This is a process that forces teachers to demonstrate how their activities, both inside and outside of the classroom, improve student achievement."
Erin Powers holds degrees in English and education, which she earned at UC Santa Barbara. She went on to teach 9th and 10th-grade English and ESL in Moorpark for two years; followed by one year of 10th grade English and ESL at Carpinteria High School. Ms. Powers joined the Santa Barbara High School District six years ago and she has been teaching English and reading at Santa Barbara Junior High.
Santa Barbara Junior High School is located at 721 E. Cota Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103.
Dos Pueblos High School Jazz Festival
Dos Pueblos High School will host its 35th Annual Jazz Festival on Saturday, March 6, 2004 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The event will take place on campus, 7266 Alameda Avenue, Goleta, CA. Tickets will be sold at the door. All-day admission is $6 for adults; students under 18 are admitted free. Food will be available for a fee. Proceeds benefit the Dos Pueblos High School instrumental music program.
Santa Barbara High School Mourns the Death of Former Principal J.R. Richards
Tragically, J.R. Richards, recently retired principal of Santa Barbara High School, died unexpectedly on Saturday, January 31, 2004. Known throughout the educational community as simply "J.R.", he was the only graduate of Santa Barbara High to serve as the school’s principal.
"J.R.’s untimely death is a shock to the entire school community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Richards family," stated Superintendent Deborah Flores. "J.R. was a much-beloved principal and he will be sorely missed by all. His commitment to Santa Barbara High School was unmatched and his contributions over a period of many years were tremendous. It is hard for me to think about Santa Barbara High School without thinking about J.R. and his dedication to the staff, students, and school community."
J.R. Richards attended Franklin, Roosevelt, and McKinley elementary schools. He went on to Santa Barbara Junior High, then Santa Barbara High. During his years at Santa Barbara High, J.R. played football, basketball, and was a diver on the swim team. He was the student body president during his senior year (1956-1957). He attended Stanford and the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He earned a secondary teaching credential from UCSB, administrative credential from Cal Lutheran, and a master’s degree in educational administration from Cal Lutheran.
No matter where life took him, he was immensely proud of his Santa Barbara High roots. In 1992, he said, "Serving as the principal of Santa Barbara High has been a personal and professional highlight of my life. As a former Associated Student Body president and 1957 graduate of Santa Barbara High, serving as the school’s principal has been such an honor. In fact my wife, her family, and the Richards family, beginning with my grandfather and mother, represent four generations of Dons. I am proud that my grandchildren will one day be part of that olive and gold tradition."
J.R. served as a mathematics teacher in the Santa Barbara high School District for 25 years, first at Santa Barbara Junior High, then at Dos Pueblos High, followed by Santa Barbara High. During that time, he was a math department chair at Dos Pueblos High School (seven years) and then at Santa Barbara High School (eight years). For eight years, he was the district’s mathematics coordinating chair. He was the principal author or co-author of district math objectives and has served as a mentor teacher. From 1993 until mid-September 1995, J.R. was an assistant principal at Santa Barbara High School. He served as the principal from mid-September 1995 until the summer of 2003.
J.R.’s contributions were recognized on several occasions. He received a Tandy Outstanding Teacher Award, 1996 Crystal Apple Award for Administrators, and was recognized by the Rotary Club for Outstanding Service to Santa Barbara High School.
This is going to be a very difficult and emotional time for Santa Barbara High. The staff and students will need time to mourn. Principal Dr. Kristine Robertson is focused on multiple ways for students and staff to express their grief. On Monday, February 2, 2004, the following steps will be taken:
- prior to the start of school, Principal Robertson will have a message ready for staff;
- during second period, Dr. Robertson will address every classroom via the school’s video system;
- there will be a school-wide moment of silence;
- school psychologists from throughout the Santa Barbara High School District will be on-site or on-call;
- students and staff will have specific gathering places where they can put their thoughts on paper and write messages of condolence to the Richards family.