March 2007 News Archive
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Student Safety is the Driving Force behind Upcoming Changes
At this evening’s meeting of the Santa Barbara School Districts’ Board of Education, Superintendent Brian Sarvis made it clear that the safety of students is the driving force behind changes that will be instituted at local schools in the days and weeks ahead.
Following last week’s tragic fatal attack during a gang fight in downtown Santa Barbara, Dr. Sarvis called for community-wide discussion and participation in solutions. He said, “We know that effectiveness in gang deterrence depends on a long-term commitment by the entire community.”
This morning, Dr. Sarvis met with Santa Barbara Chief of Police Cam Sanchez and Deputy Chief Rich Glaus; administrators from the Santa Barbara County Education Office, including El Puente Community School; district administrators as well as Santa Barbara High and Santa Barbara Junior High administrators. After the meeting, he indicated that the following steps would be taken:
- For the time being, minimum days in the Santa Barbara High School District have been cancelled. Minimum days have been used to provide time for staff training and to accommodate the testing schedule. The district will look at other ways to address these needs.
- The district will continue to encourage parents to see that their child is participating in positive after school activities.
- Using trained dogs, the district will introduce random sweeps for contraband and weapons.
- The district will continue to build a close working relationship with law enforcement.
- The district will continue to engage in dialogue and work with community and parent groups and agencies that serve youth.
- Former resident Richard Ramos, author of Got Gangs? Practical Guidance for Parents/Teachers on a Mission for Gang Prevention/Intervention, has been invited to the Santa Barbara School Districts for a series of meetings with parents, students, and staff.
“No gang activities, gang colors, or gang signs are tolerated on our campuses. There is zero tolerance for gang behavior in our schools,” stated Sarvis. “What guides us in our decisions is the safety of our students. Our schools must be safe places for learning. This is what the school district and the community rightfully expect.”
The Tamayo-Mobile, a Traveling Folk Art Installation, is now at Community Day School
Beginning today, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s traveling Tamayo-Mobile will be in operation next to Community Day School. The Tamayo-Mobile, a 24-foot container that has been transformed into a wandering art gallery, will be in place through Friday, March 23, 2007.
According to the museum, the Tamayo-inspired contents of the gallery are the result of efforts by 22 students ages 10-15. The murals on the exterior of the container were designed and executed by Jonathan Maya (14), inspired by Tamayo’s works. The Tamayo-Mobile was created in collaboration with students at University of California-Santa Barbara’s College of Creative Studies’ Arts Institute, an outreach program for local elementary through high school students.
Today, from 9:00 until 11:00 a.m., Tina Villadolid, artist from the Santa Barbara Art Museum, will guide Community Day School’s (CDS) 25 students in grades 7-8 through the exhibit. On Thursday, Ms. Villadolid’s will work with CDS students to create their own Tamayo-inspired art.
CDS counselor Debra Teton said, “We are delighted that the museum is bringing this wonderful educational opportunity to our students. An extra bonus is that the students will study the art of a world famous Oaxacan muralist with the expertise provided by Ms. Villadolid. We want our students to see how a mural can be a beautiful and expressive art form as well as exploring how they can develop their own talents and express themselves positively through art.”
During the week, seventh- and eighth-grade students enrolled in La Colina’s art program, taught by Susan Stroud, will also tour the Tamayo-Mobile.
Community Day School is located on the La Colina Junior High School campus. 4025 Foothill Road, Santa Barbara, CA.
For additional information about the Tamayo-Mobile, call Patsy Hicks, assistant direction of education, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, (805), 884-6432.
Santa Barbara High School District’s Graduation/Promotion Ceremony Schedule for the Class of 2007
Following is the graduation/promotion ceremony schedule for high schools and junior high schools in the Santa Barbara High School District.
Graduation Ceremonies - Wednesday, June 13, 2007- La Cuesta Continuation High School, 5:15 p.m., Santa Barbara Courthouse Sunken Gardens
- Dos Pueblos High School, 4:00 p.m., O’Leary Stadium at Dos Pueblos High
- San Marcos Graduation, 5:00 p.m., Valley Stadium at San Marcos High
- Santa Barbara High School, 6:00 p.m., Peabody Stadium at Santa Barbara High
- Goleta Valley Junior High School, 10:00 a.m., Art Circle at Goleta Valley Junior High
- La Colina Junior High School, 10:15 a.m., Palm Stage at La Colina Junior High
- La Cumbre Junior High School,10:00 a.m. in the front of La Cumbre Junior High
- Santa Barbara Junior High School, 11:00 a.m., Athletic Field at Santa Barbara Junior High
- La Cuesta Community Day School, 5:00 p.m. potluck dinner and ceremony, La Colina campus
Tri-County GATE Council Honors Barbie Evans, Janet Imel, and Kareem Battle
The Tri-County GATE Council, an affiliate of the California Association for the Gifted, annually solicits nominations for teachers, administrators, and parents who have made outstanding contributions to the education of gifted students. On March 9, three staff members of the Santa Barbara School Districts were among those recognized by Tri-County GATE as advocates for gifted education: Barbie Evans, district GATE elementary identification coordinator; Janet Imel, third-grade teacher at Washington Elementary School; and Kareem Battle, Santa Barbara Junior High School social studies teacher. The honorees received an award certificate, a plant, and were honored guests at a luncheon ceremony in Ventura.
BARBIE EVANS
Barbie Evans began her career in the Santa Barbara School District in 1948. She taught first- and second-grade students
at Roosevelt, Jefferson, Cleveland, and Washington elementary schools. She retired in 1998, but retirement only lasted
one day. She received a phone call offering a long-term substitute position at Washington Elementary School, the
GATE magnet school. It evolved into an assignment working as the GATE coordinator for the elementary school district.
Barbie Evans currently works part-time as the districts’ GATE elementary identification coordinator. As a retiree, she is limited to the number of hours she can work annually. Helping children is her life and she dedicates countless hours to the task of testing hundreds of local elementary school children.
JANET IMEL
Janet Imel is recognized for the high expectations she sets for her students. She consistently motivates them by providing
a challenging curriculum, one that embeds the pillars of Character Counts!
Teresa Koontz, the districts’ elementary GATE program coordinator, said, “The list of Janet’s outstanding accomplishments includes her creative approach to teaching almost anything. She makes the mundane magnificent. The children love her. She has touched their creativity, capacity, innocence and imaginations.”
KAREEM BATTLE
Eighth-grade social studies teacher Kareem Battle is known for placing a good deal of thought into what is essential
for students to learn. According to Santa Barbara Junior High School principal John Becchio, Battle delivers instruction
in an engaging way that captures students' attention; makes history come alive by delivering relevant lessons to
his students; and connects with students in the way that makes learning interesting.
Open Alternative will be a March 13th stop on the Nomadic Fruit Tree Tour
On Tuesday, March 13, 2007, Open Alternative School (OAS) will be one of several stops on Common Vision’s Nomadic Fruit Tree Tour. They will be at OAS at 10:00 a.m. and will stay through the school day.
Common Vision will put on a full day of interactive workshops and educational programs with OAS students, teachers, and parents around the theme of environmental protection and social awareness. Common Vision consists of 30 volunteer earth educators from Northern California, who travel to schools from Los Angeles to Sacramento in the largest known vegetable oil powered caravan: six vehicles, including three buses. The all volunteer crew travels as a nomadic community visiting schools to plant 1,000 fruit trees with urban youth.
The day-long programs at each school feature cultural story telling, West African agricultural drumming, earth conscious hip-hop, and hands-on involvement in the stewardship of the students schoolyard.
Living Flavor, a new local lifestyle company, and OAS have teamed up to bring Common Vision to the OAS campus. Living Flavor raised nearly $600 from local community members and businesses to pay for this event. Living Flavor is a lifestyle company offering a range of naturally inspiring products, lifestyle tips and services. Living Flavor will bring Common Vision to OAS as part of an effort to make positive impacts on local schools, students and families.
Open Alternative School is a part of the Santa Barbara School Districts. Founded in 1975 by parents and teachers who were interested in less-structured, more holistic education for young people, the school now has a permanent site at 4025 Foothill Road, on the south side of La Colina Junior High School. OAS students are ages 5 to 14, covering grade levels K-8. OAS is available to any family that chooses to become part of that school community.
The OAS Organic Healthy Lunch Garden is in its twelfth year. It provides students with the opportunity to learn garden arts by participating in a functioning garden that produces delicious, healthy, food and flowers. The garden has approximate. 600 lineal feet of four-foot wide double dug raised beds and half a dozen fruit trees. Extensive mulching, composting and vermicomposting are practiced.
Santa Barbara School Districts and SBTA Reach Tentative Agreement
Late yesterday, March 1, 2007, the Santa Barbara School Districts and the Santa Barbara Teachers Association (SBTA) reached a tentative agreement on a three-year salary agreement.
Determined to continue the dialogue in hopes of finding a common ground, both sides met again on Monday, February 26, and Thursday, March 1, when a tentative settlement was reached. The key points in the agreement are:
School Year 2006-07
- Three percent increase to the base salary schedule (retroactive to July 1, 2006), not including stipends, hourly rates and differentials)[differentials apply to certain specialized positions that require additional hours or days]
- Addition of two stipends: a robotics coach and assistant robotics coach
School Year 2007-08
- Three percent increase including salaries, stipends, hourly rates and differentials
- Class size increase:
- Grades 4-6, 28:1 with a cap of 30:1
- Grades 7-8 capped at 33:1
- Grades 9-12 capped at 35:1 (San Marcos 31:1)
School Year 2008-09
- Three percent increase including salaries, stipends, hourly rates, and differentials plus salary compaction including an additional $1,000 at the highest step [salary compaction involves adjustment to the step and class system on the salary schedule such that employees are able to reach the higher end of the salary schedule sooner than they have in the past].
- Both parties agreed in principle to a common school calendar start date (for elementary, secondary, and year round schools) for school year 2008-09.
Santa Barbara School Districts’ Superintendent Brian Sarvis stated, “I am very pleased that we have reached a negotiated settlement. I commend the bargaining teams on both sides for their hard work and determination to find a mutually agreeable solution.” Dr. Sarvis continued, “These are not easy times, particularly when we are in a period of declining enrollment. There are still tough decisions ahead to make this work financially, but I am confident that we are up to the challenge. We have a hardworking, dedicated staff and we all want to move forward so that we can continue to focus on a top notch academic program for our students.”
The next three steps, which will take place in the weeks ahead, are: (1) teacher ratification of the tentative agreement, (2) board of education approval of the tentative agreement, and (3) county education office approval of the agreement. Until all three steps have taken place and a successor agreement has been signed, the existing contract between the districts and the SBTA, effective through 2008, is still in place.
Each year, as part of negotiations, openers are presented for things that both sides would like to see accomplished. This year, when negotiations began in August 2006, the focus was on salary. The last bargaining session was held on October 4, 2006, at which point the SBTA bargaining team asked the regional director of the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to issue a formal declaration of impasse. When that happened, PERB assigned a neutral mediator from the State Mediation and Conciliation Service to facilitate talks between the two teams. From October 26 until February 14, five meetings were held with the mediator. At the February 14 mediation session, the mediator officially certified the parties to fact finding, which is the final step in the state’s impasse resolution process.