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Friday, February 8, 2013

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Large crowd lobbies against planned Sacramento City school closures




Education Headlines

Friday, February 8, 2013

Mira Monte student caught with gun on campus

A student was arrested Thursday after he brought a gun to Mira Monte High School, but authorities said they're not aware of any plans the boy had to actually use the weapon.

LAUSD, other districts, raid meal funds for poor students to cover other costs, state reports

Driven to desperation by historic funding shortfalls, school districts across the state in recent years have been illegally dipping into cafeteria funds meant to provide meals to poor students to pay other school expenses, according to a report released Wednesday by a state department.

Lucia Mar closer to getting millions of redevelopment dollars

A three-member board agreed unanimously this week to allow the Lucia Mar Unified School District to receive millions of dollars over the next two decades from the former Pismo Beach Redevelopment Agency.

School paper confiscated over front page story

Student journalists at Bear Creek High School were stunned to learn that their school principal confiscated 1,700 copies of the monthly The Bruin Voice newspaper Wednesday morning, citing concerns that a front-page article questioning campus safety policies would incite panic.

Schools push early retirement

Fifteen teachers age 55 or older could leave Sonora High at the end of this school year, perhaps to be replaced by less experienced -- and therefore less expensive — teachers.

Sylvan talks to parents about shifting school hours

Sylvan Union educators made their case to about 60 parents Wednesday night for shifting school day starts and stops through the week to give teachers time to work together.

Repeat gasoline theft hits Santa Rosa school district vehicles

Employees are now regularly monitoring surveillance cameras but some thefts are occurring in the dead of night with officials only finding out about the theft when they find their gas gauges bottoming out.

Another trophy in the case for Long Beach Unified

The state’s third-largest school district and winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education was named Thursday one of the five top school districts in the world by Battelle for Kids, a Columbus, Ohio-based nonprofit organization that counsels school districts on school improvement and innovation.

Large crowd lobbies against planned Sacramento City school closures

Where confusion and heartbreak filled the Jan. 18 meeting, those speaking against the closure plan at Thursday's board meeting came prepared with specific questions regarding their school closure or dissected the logic and financial figures used by the district.

Educators celebrate first six months of transitional kindergarten

At a statewide conference in Pasadena this week -- the first large gathering since the program was implemented -- teachers, administrators and advocates talked about best practices and cheered what they see as long-needed reform.

Southern California online academy progressing, officials say

The school, which opened in 2011, serves a wide range of students -- from 5 year olds in transitional kindergarten to seniors in high school -- using a computer based curriculum.

School district tackles obesity, inactivity

Using a $1 million federal grant, Alvord Unified School District teachers, administrators and nutrition experts will try to reach the hearts and minds of students to teach them the important role a healthy, fit body plays in their school career.

Outside spending pours into L.A school board race

Outside groups are mounting campaigns to influence the outcome of three races for seats on the Los Angeles Board of Education.
Thursday, February 7, 2013

K-8 charter plan withdrawn from Orange Unified

A group hoping to open a charter school that allows students of different ages to learn in the same classrooms has withdrawn its petition to the Orange Unified School District.

Rios testimony finishes, final arguments Thursday

Going from crying to combative, Moreno Valley School Board member Mike Rios denied from the witness stand he was a pimp, procurer and rapist. “I did not do anything illegal” he insisted during testimony Wednesday, Feb. 6, that was marked with sharp exchanges with the prosecutor during cross examination.

County schools board seeks to remove member

San Bernardino County school board member Gil Navarro says he will fight efforts by fellow board members to strip him of that office now that he has also been elected to a local water board.