Category: Education

—— It’s the beginning of the new semester at San Diego City College where I work, so I thought this would be a good time to evaluate some of Jerry Brown’s bold moves on the educational front. In terms of funding, the passage of Proposition 30 has stopped much of the bleeding in schools and colleges across the state, but it still does not do enough to restore all that has been cut in recent years. Therefore, despite some very good news, challenges remain ahead.

Class at Orchard Avenue Site Led by Garden Experts

As part of Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Gardens campaign, the San Diego Chapter will be holding a Garden Assistance Party (GAP) in Ocean Beach on Sunday, January 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event will take place at a Sunset Cliffs residence located at 4895 Orchard Avenue, at the end of Cable Street. Lead by garden experts, Surfrider volunteers will get hands-on experience reworking the home’s landscaping to apply the guiding CPR criteria of the Ocean Friendly Garden program – Conservation, Permeability and Retention.

Ocean Beach and Point Loma residents are familiar with the challenges of storm water flooding, an eroding coastline, and beaches polluted from rainwater runoff, and can help take part in mitigating these problems by incorporating conservation practices at home. The Garden Assistance Party ties into a three-part series addressing the economic, environmental and practical benefits of a garden designed to protect our region’s watersheds and oceans.

Other Live Tree on Campus Also Cut Down by Vandals

The Grinch is at it again. This time, he and his friends vandalized a student-initiated project of erecting a tall, 25 foot Christmas Tree on campus of the Point Loma High School. They also cut down a small live tree nearby – also on campus.

Campus police believe the vandalism occurred late Monday night or early Tuesday night.

The holiday-inspired tree was the brainchild of a group of students, who spent $700 of their own money to buy the tree at a farm in San Bernardino County, transport it down to the campus on a rented trailer, and erect it with decorations.

From San Diego Unified

San Diego’s Food Day School Passport Challenge brought nearly 1,000 San Diego Unified School District students, staff and families to three Farmers Markets around the city, with Sunset View Elementary winning the challenge over Rosa Parks, Central, Cherokee Point, Crown Point and Pacific Beach elementary schools. Sunset View received a healthy local food party catered by Chef Andrew Spurgin of Waters Fine Catering.

By Mel Freilicher/ San Diego Free Press

Gregg Robinson is running as a candidate for the County Board of Education. He has dedicated his life to addressing, and working toward redressing, the growing inaccessibility of educational opportunities due to poverty. This is reflected in his scholarly research and publications, his career as a teacher as well as his ongoing involvement in community organizations.

By Rachel Higgins / San Diego Politico / Nov. 2, 2012

While college students nationwide have contended with skyrocketing tuition prices in recent years, the growth of these costs has been particularly substantial in California. The increases have been primarily attributed to the state budget, and in response, many California congressmen have enacted various prescriptions intended to control costs more effectively.

Minority students, members of San Diego State cultural organizations and members of the the Residence Hall Association placed red duct tape over their mouths in a silent demonstration last week against the student government’s restructuring plan, a plan that they way will result in a loss of representation and votes for these students and their organizations.

During their assembly last week – the focus of the protest – the A.S. Council approved a proposed model for its governmental restructure through a majority vote—eliminating individual votes for cultural organizations. The current structure – the one just pushed aside – allowed for “cultural organizations” to sit on the council, giving each sitting representative one vote. The restructure model which was approved will be implemented once finished, combines the cultural representation in A.S. into what the restructuring committee called the “Student Diversity Commission”.

Midway School Brought in Bid of $16.5 Million

The leadership of the San Diego Unified School District voted Tuesday night – October 9th – to sell the property of the former Barnard Elementary School in the Midway area next to Ocean Beach. The property had brought in a high bid of $16.5 million. The sale was part of their plan to balance this year’s budget.

The School Board voted to sell the Barnard property along with another undeveloped parcel in Paradise Hills that had brought in $3.1 million at auction.

The Barnard site – 9.37 acres -is located at 930 Barnard Street, a block from West Point Loma Avenue in the Midway area. The “coastal zone” property was on the chopping block for a minimum bid of $9.14 million. Originally opened during World War II for Navy children, the elementary school had been acquired by the School District after the war, and used every since until recently.

By Kristin Rawls /Alternet

Just weeks into the 2012-2013 school year education issues are already playing a starring role in the national conversation about America’s future. Because it’s an election year, the presidential candidates have been busy pretending there are many substantial distinctions between them on education policy (actually, the differences are arguably minimal).

The San Diego School District is placing the Barnard Elementary School property up for auction, today, September 27th. Bids take place at 10 am at Annex 2, Normal Street for the former Midway area public school.

The site represents 9.37 acres, and is located at 930 Barnard Street, a block from West Point Loma Avenue in the Midway area. The parcel is in the “coastal zone” and is on the chopping block for a minimum bid of $9.14 million. Originally opened during World War II for Navy children, the elementary school was acquired by the District after the war.

See this great video of the early days of Point Loma High School – celebrating its 85th anniversary back in 2010. The school opened in 1925, and this video was made to commemorate it. Noah Trafolla narrates the vid. … Come inside to view video.

Here is a video from Occupy Wall Street. Plans are being made to hold a three day festival of protest and resistance beginning September 17th – the one year anniversary of the birth of the occupy movement in New York City.