The 818 Now

Classes at GCC have advanced since this photo was taken in May, 1948. (Photo by Los Angeles Times photographic archive, UCLA Library via Wikimedia Commons)

Glendale Community College will offer a range of Lifelong Learning Seminars Jan. 4 to Feb. 11.

The free classes are held across Glendale, including the Life Skills Building at the college main campus and Sparr Heights Community Center.

Classes feature discussions like Quality of Life, Where’s My Memory and Contemporary World Affairs. 

Seminars also promote healthy living, such as Health through Aerobics and Health and Exercise. Other courses include Art History, Beginning Sketching and Self-Discovery via Writing.

For course times and locations call 818-243-5196 or visit the website.

Students can register online or during class.

Pasadena City College hopes to identify former Japanese American students who were forced into internment camps during World War II so that they may be honored during the college’s commencement exercises next June.

The search is being done in coordination with the California Nisei College Diploma Project, which aims to bestow honorary degrees to those who are eligible to benefit from AB 37, a bill introduced by Assemblyman Warren Furutani (D-Long Beach) and signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

According to PCC officials, it is estimated that 123 of its former students (at the time the school was known as Pasadena Junior College) are eligible to benefit from AB 37.

The California Community College, California State University and University of California systems are all involved in the project.

For more information, go online to www.pasadena.edu/pccnisei or call (626) 585-7315.

Glendale Unified School District Board of Education is meeting in a special session tomorrow morning to discuss and possibly decide on its application for Race to the Top, a $4.35 billion competative grant that we’ve written about recently.

The Burbank Unified Board of Education approved 5-0 to apply for Race, but could opt out at a later date. Check out the story in Thursday’s News-Press.

Glendale officials last week announced the city’s Commission on the Status of Women is seeking local students to apply for their annual $1,000 scholarship, called the 2010 Gem of Glendale Award.

Here’s more from the city press release:

One outstanding high school senior will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship during the Sixth Annual Jewels of Glendale event on March 11, at the Glendale Hilton Hotel.

 The Gem of Glendale Award is a scholarship that will be awarded to one outstanding student (male or female) who is engaged in community service that reflects the core values and mission of the Commission on the Status of Women. The community service should include work involving women and/or girls in areas such as: homelessness, health, leadership, and financial literacy. Educators and organizations are encouraged to nominate eligible students for this scholarship. The deadline to submit applications is Jan. 20.

The nomination packet and more information can be found at the City of Glendale website. Interested parties may also call 818-548-4844 or email women@ci.glendale.ca.us for more information. 

For more information on the Gem of Glendale Award or sponsorship opportunities for the Sixth Annual Jewels of Glendale event, please contact Christine Baboomian at 818-548-4844 or women@ci.glendale.ca.us.  

Crescenta Valley High School (photo via Glendale Unified School District)

Nice work, Crescenta Valley.  

U.S. News and World Report placed Crescenta Valley High in the top 3% of schools in the country. The rankings rely on Advanced Placement scores and demographic information.  

Its ranking as 44th best in California puts it within the top 6% of schools in the state, which includes public, private, charter and competitive admission campuses.  

Even though California is close to being a failed state — especially when it comes to education funding — the state finished third (behind Massachusetts and Connecticut) in terms of the percent of schools that ranked highest in the magazine’s College Readiness Index.  

California and Massachusetts are considered to lead the nation in academic standards.

(Image via Creative Commons)

Party on, Marshall Elementary School. 

The 11th annual Jingle Jam Winter Holiday Concert is set for Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Teachers and staff will play and sing-a-long to seasonal favorites from multiple cultures and in several languages. 

The concert is open to the public for $3 per person. 

Parents listen up! 

Friday morning will feature all grade levels performing songs they’ve rehearsed for weeks. It is among the most memorable events of the year, organizers say. 

Be there… I just might make it myself.

La Cañada High School finished 80th in a recent U.S. News & World Report ranking of top public high schools in the nation. LCHS finished first among open-enrollment high schools in Southern California.

Open-enrollment schools are defined as schools that accept all students within district boundaries without specific admissions requirements and regardless of special education needs.

La Cañada Unified School district governing board president Jeanne Broberg said the ranking is an example of what can be accomplished when dedicated families and committed district staff come together.

“It is very exciting, and it represents hard work by everyone,” Broberg said. “It represents the efforts of the students, but also the faculty and the parents. It is an illustration of why we have all come to live in La Cañada, because almost everyone has moved here for the schools.”

The La Cañada Unified School District is in the process of forming a parcel tax oversight committee that will ensure that special tax funds are spent for their authorized purpose.

The LCUSD parcel tax, passed on June 30 by an overwhelming majority, will bring the district some $900,000 annually for the next five years.

The committee will consist of nine community members, including one schoolboard member who will serve as a liaison between the two bodies. The community members will include two local business organization members, one member active in a senior organization, one community member at large, one parent of a child enrolled in the district, one parent of a child enrolled in the district who is also a member of a parent-teacher organization and three site parent representatives.

Applications are available at the district office at 4490 Cornishon Ave., and can be requested via e-mail at kbergner@lcusd.net. The deadline is Jan. 8.

Glendale High School's symphonic orchestra will be one of several acts in a special concert Thursday at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. (Photo via Amy Rangel)

That’s right. The Glendale High School Instrumental Music Department is organizing a special winter concert Thursday at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. 

The 90-minute performance will feature the school marching band, jazz bands, concert band and orchestra. 

Eat your heart out, Gustavo Dudamel. 

General admission is $8 and children 5 and under get in free.  For more information visit: www.ghsmusiconline.com or www.ruslanbiryukov.com.

This is embarrassing. 

(Image by Lone Tree Elementary via Creative Commons)

Two female foreign-language teachers were caught naked together in the classroom while their students were in an assembly. 

The school, James Madison High in Brooklyn, New York, now nicknamed “Horndog High,” has become the butt of late night jokes. 

“The teachers, in their defense, said it was show and tell,” cracked David Letterman. 

Can you say, public relations nightmare? I can’t imagine what kind of blowback there’d be if something sexual happened in the 818.

Mountain Avenue students celebrate their performance. (Photo via Skip McNevin)

Mountain Avenue Elementary School jog-a-thon by the numbers: 

-150 students 

-$24,500 raised for the school 

-10,345 laps 

Not bad. 

Funds will go to improving the computer laboratory and library, providing grade-level grants and upgrading technology and playgrounds. 

Students who raised $100 or more were invited to a special reception where 125 prizes were raffled off. 

Up for grabs: a Lakers backpack complete with an autographed photo of Kobe Bryant.

Dr. Kevin Jolly, Burbank Unified School District superintendent. (Photo courtesy of the Burbank Unified School District)

It’s official. Burbank Unified School District superintendent, Kevin Jolly, will resign effective June 30.

Be sure to check out our story in tomorrow’s paper. For those who need to get up to speed, check out Saturday’s article.

The Board of Education has yet to decide the next step in finding a new superintendent.

What they do know is that they will not elaborate beyond the statement board President Dave Kemp released late Monday, which follows:

“Today, District Superintendent Dr. Kevin Jolly submitted, and I accepted, his resignation from the District effective June 30, 2010. He has announced his resignation now so that he is able to fully consider other opportunities and in order to allow the District time to find his replacement. Dr. Jolly brought passion, energy, and progressive ideas in his time with the District.  he remains committed to working with the Board in maintaining and building upon the many achievements of which the District community can be proud.

Board of Education

However, there is no doubt that the District faces challenges going forward.  In addition to Dr. Jolly’s resignation, there is the recent departure of Deputy Superintendent Mr. Joel Shapiro. Additionally, the District is once again faced with the challenge of further State budget cuts. These changes and challenges only reinforce the fact that the District’s focus must be forward-looking and on ensuring that a leadership team and structure is in place that is able to guide the District through this critical transitional period. To this end, the Board is carefully evaluating these issues and is committed to taking the actions necessary to maintain the quality of educational services the District community has worked so hard to provide.”

Dave Kemp, President

The Burbank Unified School Board of Eduction met as planned Monday morning, but did not settle on language that would “clear the air” (to use President Dave Kemp’s phrase) as to the employment of  Supt. Kevin Jolly.

We reported Saturday that Jolly was resigning after six months in office.

After this morning, it seems this statement will come later Monday or Tuesday, and likely to be issued by both Jolly and the board.

Asked whether Jolly was leaving, Kemp and Jolly both said the statement will explain everything.

Stay tuned.

Worth 1,000 words (cartoon by Steve Greenberg via LA Observed)

Pick your poison: more cuts to education or more taxes. 

Students mostly from Cal State Los Angeles protested outside Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s downtown office this morning against likely $21 billion in additional across-the-board cuts. 

Like the UC and community college systems, CSU schools have raised fees while reducing services. 

The state of education, and the state of the state more broadly, is forcing some to wonder, is California is the next Dubai?

(Image via Flickr user charity shopper)

‘Tis the season…. 

Three local schools are collecting books and toys for families in need in the Glendale area. 

Valley View and Glenoaks Elementary schools and Toll Middle School are collecting toys through Friday. 

You don’t have to be a parent to participate: Anyone can donate and help out. 

For more information, call Valley View, 236-3771; Glenoaks, 242-3747; and Toll, 244-8414.

The AIDS Ribbon (Image by WikiCommons)

HIV/AIDS remains an epidemic around the world. In this country, it has changed from being a mostly gay, white disease in the ’80s and ’90s to infecting many poor and minority people in the Southeastern and Southern U.S. 

World AIDS day began in 1988 by the United Nations organization that was renamed UNAIDS. 

According to the LA Gay & Lesbian Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation:

- As many as 7,000 Californians will become infected with AIDS this year.

- African-Americans make up 6% of California’s population, but account for nearly 19% of those living with HIV/AIDS. 

- Someone is infected with HIV every 9.5 minutes in the U.S. 

- An estimated 56,300 people will become infected with HIV this year. 

- 1.1 million people are currently living with AIDS, 21% of whom are unaware. 

- Americans ages 13-29 account for 34% of all new infections, most of which are through sexual contact. 

- Racial and ethnic minorities account for about 67% of those living with HIV and about 70% of AIDS deaths. 

- AIDS is the single leading cause of death of women globally. 

For more check out the AIDS/LifeCycle.

Seven Glendale Community College nursing students received a combined $11,000 in scholarships from Kaiser Permanente, the health provider announced.

The students were Mariana Aguero, Andrew Braga, Brittany Donofrio, Matthew Li, Reena Patel, Liza Schmit and Monika Talley. The money was to to help “ease the tuition increase and complete their nursing education,” according the announcement.

Kaiser Permanente said they were among 145 nursing students from 46 Southern California colleges and universities that have been granted a total of $256,500 in scholarships.

Need-based scholarships from $2,000 to $2,500 were awarded in the categories of Nursing as a Second Career, Underrepresented Groups in Nursing, Academic Excellence (3.9+ GPA), Graduate Studies and scholarships to students from schools with a Kaiser Permanente clinical affiliation.

(Image via WikiCommons)

A lot of things happening in Los Angeles Unified and South Pasadena Unified that mirror what’s happening, or will happen, in our own backyard.

Glendale and Burbank Board of Education members could follow South Pasadena, and other neighboring districts’ lead, in asking for a parcel tax.

If they do, here’s hoping they don’t make the same mistake as South Pasadena officials, who now must spend $15,000 unrestricted money to get the tax in the books of the Los Angeles County assessors office, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Glendale and Burbank education officials must also choose between cutting deals with their employees or layoffs. A deal was struck with LAUSD officials and some of their unionized employees, however none of them were teachers, which in Glendale’s and Burbank’s case, are the most influential union.

About 20,000 cafeteria workers, bus drivers and other support workers agreed to furlough days, which will save about $7.7 million for the district, according to union officials in the Times.

District officials also asked its union to accept a future 12% pay cut to in the face of this year’s $60-million shortfall and a forecasted $480-million deficit next year, the Times reports.

L.A. is making deals. In Glendale, not so much.

Students from Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada were busy preparing meals for the school’s annual Turkey Drive on Thursday morning. The drive, done in collaboration with Harvest Time Church in Pasadena, seeks to provide Thanksgiving dinners to those less fortunate. Enough food was made to feed 50 families, said Flintridge Prep senior Janice Park. 

Flintridge Prep senior Elizabeth Kim mashes potatoes during the school's annual Turkey Drive. According to the senior, it took about 10 sticks of butter and seven boxes of potatoes to make the amount she's churning. She has been at work since 7:30 a.m. (Michael J. Arvizu/Valley Sun)

Students measured water displacement and volume using graduated cylinders (image by WikiMedia Commons)

Teachers say the days leading up to Thanksgiving can be among the least productive of the school year.

Students are busy daydreaming of sleeping late and bingeing on mashed potatoes.

Not so at Dunsmore Elementary School on Monday and Tuesday.

Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders spent hours on science and math experiments in a Math Science Investigation that was both informative and messy.

“The objective of the event is to have the students use the scientific method to explore the world of the metric system,” said teacher Cindi Gardner. “Algebraic formulas are very abstract for them, but they have hands-on experiments, like this, they can bridge into the concepts.”

Students created tools to measure volume, water displacement, mass and more. There were eight stations devoted to scientific experimentation — students had a trill and learned something too.

“Whatever number’s left on the graduated cylinder, we subtract that from the starting number… that’s how much water the cup will hold,” said Amy Lim a sixth-grader.

“I think.”