Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Education

Mayor Pulido cited our progress at this year’s State of the City address

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Education, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Santa Ana’s longtime Mayor, Miguel Pulido, invited me to sit at his table yesterday as he delivered his 19th annual State of the City address, at the Bowers Museum. This is an annual event sponsored by the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce. The proceeds of the event are used to fund various youth programs run by the Chamber of Commerce.

The room we were in was packed, which is always the case at these events. We were served a bizarre Americanized version of chilaquiles which was heaped on a slice of sauteed ham and included corn tortilla chips (with no chili seasoning), scrambled eggs, shredded Monterey jack cheese and cilantro. No salsa was served. There were also mini muffins, cream cheese and what looked like raspberry jam. Continue reading→

Councilman Tinajero honored for his work as a speech and debate coach

Posted on by Posted in Education, Fullerton, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community Alert: Upon Retirement, Councilmember Tinajero Receives National Honor for Speech and Debate: Recipient of Harold Keller Award

Over the past weekend, at the National Speech and Debate Association’s 2016 National Tournament, Santa Ana Councilman Tinajero was announced as the recipient of the Harold C. Keller Award, a top honor provided to individuals for their dedication and development to speech and debate.  This great honor comes on the heels of Councilmember Tinajero’s retirement from being Director of the Fullerton Union High School Speech & Debate Team earlier this June after 15 years of dedicated service which included over 170 speech and debate tournaments, coaching of over 1,000 students, and numerous other prestigious accolades.

Councilmember Tinajero has an outstanding record of achievement including: Continue reading→

Record-breaking number of SAUSD grads earn a biliteracy certificate

Posted on by Posted in Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD 4 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 14, 2016

Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555 Office, (714) 673-4995 Mobile

News Release: Record-Breaking Number of Graduating Seniors Receive Certificate Certifying they are Fluent in Multiple Languages in SAUSD

(Santa Ana, CA) – Santa Ana Unified School District celebrates a record-breaking number of graduates receiving their Seal of Biliteracy when they receive their high school diplomas during graduation ceremonies to be held Tuesday, June 13 – Thursday, June 16, 2016. This year, 1, 013 students will be recognized for being fluent in at least one or more languages and English, an increase of 124 students from last year. Proficiency in the Spanish language was the most popular language followed by French. Continue reading→

B of A donates $10K to the Santa Ana Boys and Girls Club to help teens graduate

Posted on by Posted in Banking, Charities, Education, Santa Ana Leave a comment

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SANTA ANA RECEIVES $10,000 GRANT FROM BANK OF AMERICA TO HELP TEENS GRADUATE AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Grant Funds to Provide One on One Case Management for the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana’s Teen Empowerment Strategy – College Bound Program

Santa Ana, Calif. (June 10, 2016) – Boys & Girls Club of Santa Ana received today a $10,000 workforce development grant from Bank of America to support more than 120 teens in the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana’s Teen Empowerment Strategy – College Bound program. This program provides one-on-one case management for teens, ensuring that they progress from grade to grade on schedule and are on a path to graduate high school on time with a plan for their future. College Bound helps provide valuable resources to teens so they are prepared for all that life holds once they graduate.

“Bank of America’s generous donation will give teens unprecedented access to academic support and valuable resources they need to place them on the path to success after graduation,” said Robert Santana, CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Santa Ana. “Thanks to community partners like Bank of America, local youth have access to never-before-available opportunities that will help reinforce that college education is attainable.” Continue reading→

Dr. Rigo Rodríguez is running for the SAUSD School Board again this November

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, Education, Politics, Rigo Rodriguez, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 9, 2016

Contact: Rigo Rodríguez, (949) 478-4162

Dr. Rigo Rodríguez Announces Candidacy for Santa Ana School Board

(Santa Ana, CA) – CSU Long Beach professor and school district parent, Dr. Rigo Rodríguez announced his candidacy today for Santa Ana School Board.

“I want all students to have safe and excellent schools that prepare them for college and a career.” Dr. Rodriguez added, “As the youngest of 13 of a farmworker family, I experienced the economic hardships and social isolation that many families face in Santa Ana. Fortunately, I attended a great public grade school that inspired me and prepared me to stay on the path to success. Although I attended four different high schools in four years in two different countries and three states, I had the motivation and skills to get to college.” Continue reading→

The Delhi Center will host a Summer Enrichment Day Camp from June 20 to Aug. 18

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The Delhi Center, in partnership with Active Learning and MASA, is hosting a Summer Enrichment Day Camp in English and Spanish from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on June 20 through August 18, 2016. This day camp is for children from ages 6 to 13. Lunch and snacks will be provided daily.

The summer day camp will include visual and performing arts classes, media arts training, and an end of summer talent show.

Participants will learn interviewing and storytelling techniques and will explore the arts, culture and the use of mixed media to create a film to showcase the rich history of their lives and their community. Continue reading→

Middle College High School student recognized for her volunteer work as a Big Sister

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Big Brothers Big Sisters Names Inaugural ‘Angelitos Award’ Recipients

New award recognizes teen volunteers for dedication to the organization’s High School Bigs mentoring program

SANTA ANA, Calif., June 2, 2016 – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire, Orange County’s premier youth mentoring organization, is launching a new award named in honor of local auxiliary group Angelitos de Oro. The auxiliary is a major supporter of High School Bigs, one of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ three one-to-one mentoring programs offered to children facing adversity.

Receiving the inaugural award are two dedicated teen volunteers through High School Bigs. The program matches high school students one-to-one with children at local elementary schools in weekly site-based sessions facilitated by a BBBS program specialist. During these sessions, matches discuss academic achievement, self-esteem, bullying and relationship-building. Continue reading→

Young man from Santa Ana earns the Dean’s Award at Westmont College

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Evan Kramer of Santa Ana earned the Dean’s Award for excellence in the classroom, superior contributions to an intercollegiate athletic team, and deep faith in Christ.

Kramer, a cross country athlete, was president of Westmont’s chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an economics honor society. The Westmont Golden Eagle winner earned All-GSAC honors in cross country at the GSAC Championships and was named the GSAC Cross Country Runner of the Month in September. He served as an intern with the James L. Stamps Foundation and in the missions’ ministry at the Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa. He volunteered as the junior high worship leader and was a camp counselor at Forest Home Christian Camps and a cross country coach with Foothill High School in Santa Ana. He earned a degree in economics and business with a minor in communication studies and a 3.44 GPA. Continue reading→

Online volunteer tutors from businesses meet SAUSD 1st grade students for the first time

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 1, 2016

Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555 office, (714) 673-4995 mobile

ONLINE VOLUNTEER TUTORS FROM BUSINESSES MEET FIRST GRADE STUDENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME FACE TO FACE AFTER TUTORING THEM IN READING ALL SCHOOL YEAR

(Santa Ana) – With the goal of every child reading at grade level by the end of the third grade, the Santa Ana Unified School District, with the partnership of Innovations for Learning, and the support of Orange County United Way, launched “Read Santa Ana Read,” a volunteer program supporting nearly 250 first graders at reading at the beginning of the 2015- 2016 school year. Volunteer tutors from Wells Fargo and PIMCO will finally get an opportunity to meet the first graders face to face whom they have been tutoring in reading all year long on June 3, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. at Walker Elementary School, located at 811 E. Bishop Avenue in Santa Ana, and June 7, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. at Madison Elementary School, located at 1124 East Hobart Street in Santa Ana. For 30 minutes once a week, business volunteers from the community have helped first graders in the Santa Ana Unified School District learn to read without ever leaving their desk. Through an online tutoring program, Tutormate, volunteers have been able to interact with our students remotely from their computers and tablets and tutor and encourage them to become strong readers,” said, Michelle Rodriguez, Ed.D. Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning of the Santa Ana Unified School District. Continue reading→

New charter school opening in Orange this Fall will serve Santa Ana students

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A new charter school, Unity Middle College High School, is set to open this Fall. Spaces are filling fast! They only have room for 100 9th grade students.

The address is 671 North Poplar Street, in Orange. If you are interested, please pick up your enrollment packet at their mobile office at their site. They are open Monday – Friday from 9 am – 4 pm. Click here for more info.

Erin Craig, Ed.D. is their Founding Executive Director. She has over 12 years of experience in charter teaching, leading, and operating schools. She is the founder of E=MC2 Consulting, LLC. She specializes in K-12 charter schools, instructional leadership, middle and early colleges, innovative school reform, blended learning, and dual enrollment. Dr. Craig has redesigned the developmental math department at Golden West College and instructs a doctoral-level K-12 school finance course at USC’s Rossier School of Education. Continue reading→

Activists demand ethnic studies at Santa Ana’s public schools

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Community Gathers to Pack the Santa Ana School Board Meeting Tonight to Call for Ethnic Studies Requirement In All Santa Ana Unified Schools

SANTA ANA, CA—Tonight students, parents, teachers, professors, and community organizations will pack the Santa Ana School Board meeting to call for Ethnic Studies classes in all Santa Ana schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade, a high school graduation requirement, the expansion of restorative practices in Ethnic Studies classes as an alternative to suspension and expulsion, and the creation of an Ethnic Studies Summer Teacher Institute where teachers can engage in pedagogy and curriculum that is culturally relevant and responsive to the Santa Ana community.

Santa Ana is rich in diversity, with cultural roots from places like Cambodia, Vietnam, Samoa, Central America, Afghanistan, and one of the largest Mexican American populations outside of Mexico, yet the majority of our students’ histories and cultures have been pushed out of the curriculum. The community is calling for a curriculum that challenges eurocentrism and reflects the diversity and linguistic legacy of the students in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Lincoln Elementary School on lockout for police related activity in the area

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

Santa Ana School Police Department

Advisory: Lincoln Elementary School on Lockout for police related activity in the area. School Police on scene.

UPDATE: The Lockout has been lifted at Lincoln Elementary School.

As a precautionary measure only, Lincoln Elementary School is being placed on a “Lockout” for a police related matter in the area. There is no threat to the students or staff. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Latino Education Center to host local debut novelist on May 21

Posted on by Posted in Education, Literature, Santa Ana, Women Leave a comment

Spies at an Orange County Middle School

Santa Ana Latino Education Center to Host Local Debut Novelist May 21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 17, 2016

Media contact: btiritilli@yahoo.com; 714-292-2899; or 714-973-7900

Santa Ana’s newly renamed Centro Comunitario de Educación (formerly Libreria Martinez) will host the author of Spy in the Teachers’ Lounge at a book-signing and fundraising event Sat., May 21 from 6-8 p.m.

A Santa Ana barrio provides the backdrop for author Béa Tomaselli Tiritilli’s young-adult novel. The book’s protagonist is Rosie Fernandez, who escapes bullies at her middle school by finding a hiding spot at lunchtime—under the teachers’ lounge window. Although Rosie has plenty of challenges and drama at school and at the home she shares with her abuelita and nearly destitute parents, she soon learns her teachers face a crazy mix of predicaments in their own lives. The conversations Rosie overhears in the lounge are surprising and sometimes shocking: teachers’ suspicions that the assistant principal is drinking on the job; woes in teachers’ romantic lives; and much more. When Rosie shares her teachers’ secrets with her new friend Dominique Nguyen, Dominique’s inability to keep quiet creates a complex blend of chaos and comedy. Continue reading→

SAUSD Music Festival set for this Saturday

Posted on by Posted in Education, music, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: SAUSD Music Festival this Saturday, May 21st!

Spend a warm sunny afternoon enjoying the musical sounds from our talented students at the first SAUSD Musical Festival, to be held May 21, 2016, at Memorial Park from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Memorial Park is located at Flower and Anahurst, in Santa Ana.

This is a free event open to all residents of Santa Ana. It will be a day to relax, enjoy a picnic, and listen to some of the best musical groups in the Santa Ana Unified School District. Food trucks will be available with a variety of selections. Guests can enjoy the concert in their lawn chairs. Continue reading→

Poll – should Santa Ana spend $2.5M to help Mater Dei’s expansion?

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Education, Politics, Santa Ana 15 Comments

The City of Santa Ana has spent a fortune over the years accommodating the requests of Mater Dei High School, a private Catholic school. Now Mater Dei is asking for more city funding, to the tune of $2.5 million dollars, to come out of our city’s beleaguered General Fund, to help them as they go about building a new parking structure and a 30K sq. ft. academic building. They are asking the City to pay for construction and engineering work associated with the removal/realignment of several streets where homes have been acquired by Mater Dei High School, to expand their campus.

Is this an appropriate expenditure for our City?  Consider that Mater Dei is a private, not public school. While they do give out scholarships to low income students, the reality is that many of Mater Dei’s students don’t live in our city and quite a few of them come from high income families. Continue reading→