Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: SAUSD

Saddleback High School student’s artwork to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol

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Linda Yanez

SADDLEBACK STUDENT’S ARTWORK TO BE DISPLAYED IN U.S. CAPITOL

Linda Yanez, a photography student at Saddleback High School, has won First Place in the Congressional Photography contest sponsored by Congressman Lou Correa representing the 46th Congressional District. The award ceremony was held May 20, 2017 at the Cal State Fullerton Grand Central exhibition space on Second Street in Santa Ana.

Linda is a 10th grade student who created the work, “Barrio Logan: Remembering the Fallen.” The photograph depicts the commemorative community mural in the Logan neighborhood. Linda and her parents will be honored at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. at a ceremony on June 29, 2017 and the work will be hung in a gallery/corridor setting in the Capitol Building along with student artwork from other U.S. Congressional Districts. Congratulations Linda! Continue reading→

The SAUSD’s graduation rates have increased by 11.5%

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Saddleback High School 2016 graduates

Santa Ana Unified School District Celebrates 11.5% Gain In Graduation Rates, Surpassing Both State And Orange County Averages

The District is using unique methods – including online learning, evening school and more intervention services – to help students recoup lost credits

(May 10, 2017) – As the school year winds down, and students are working hard to finish their final projects and exams, the Santa Ana Unified School District is celebrating a significant increase of 11.5% in graduation rates over the last seven years.

The District, which serves approximately 53,000 students in grades K-12, has a 91.6% graduation rate, surpassing the state average of 83.2% and the county average of 90.8%. Continue reading→

SAUSD Speech and Debate National Qualifying Championship Tournament set for May 6

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2, 2017

Santa Ana Unified Speech and Debate National Qualifying Championship Tournament

Producing Our Leaders of Tomorrow through the Art of Speech and Debate

SANTA ANA, CA (May 1, 2017) – More than 300 intermediate students in the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) will compete and demonstrate their oratorical skills during the District’s Speech and Debate National Qualifying Championship tournament to be held this Saturday, May 6, 2017, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Santa Ana High School, located at 520 West Walnut Street in Santa Ana.

“This is another example of the unique opportunities exclusive to Santa Ana Unified students. Our intermediate students are getting a jumpstart to speech and debate which is normally offered only at the high school level. They are learning early the skills and art that will benefit them not only during competitions but throughout their lives.” said, Stefanie P. Phillips, Ed.D., Superintendent. Continue reading→

McFadden Intermediate to celebrate the opening of their new Math/STEM building on 4/28

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McFadden Intermediate School Community to Celebrate Opening of Math/STEM Building with Public Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The building has 10 classrooms and a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) lab

(April 27, 2017) – The McFadden Intermediate School community will celebrate the opening of its new building and outdoor learning environment at a public Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 28, 2017 at the school, 2701 S. Raitt St. in Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Why we need more SAUSD Trustees like Ceci Iglesias

Posted on by Posted in Cecilia Iglesias, Education, Politics, Santa Ana 7 Comments

Recalling the status quo in education

By ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER EDITORIAL BOARD

Teachers, administrators and parents were naturally upset when they took to the lectern at the Santa Ana Unified School District board meeting last Tuesday to address the issuing of pink slips to 287 employees.

Most of those pink slips went to educators, and a number of teachers who received the notices, or knew a teacher who received a notice, spoke of the good work they and their fellow educators are doing, and how harmful the cuts would be to their schools. But, somehow, the only board member who voted against issuing the pink slips also seemed to be receiving most of the blame. Continue reading→

The SAUSD’s School Police Chief is retiring on March 31

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Retiring SAUSD Police Chief Hector Rodriguez

On the morning of March 29, 2017, the men and women of the Santa Ana School Police Department formally recognized the retirement of Chief of Police, Hector Rodriguez.

Chief Rodriguez will retire effective, March 31, 2017 after having had served in a variety of law enforcement roles for the past 29 years; includes the Los Angeles Police Department from 1988 to 2002, the Los Angeles School Police Department from 1991 to 2013, and retiring from the Santa Ana School Police Department as Chief of Police where he served from 2013-2017. Continue reading→

Local business and community leaders to act as Principals for the day at SAUSD schools on Friday

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 27, 2017

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

56 OC Business and Community Leaders to Experience a Day in the life of a Principal during SAUSD’s Principal for a Day Program

The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) will host “Principal for a Day” to provide members of the community an opportunity to experience the daily operation of a school. Each of the district’s 56 schools will have a guest principal from the community on campus. Following their morning assignments at their specified schools, the guest principals will join all the principals in the SAUSD for a luncheon and program at McFadden Intermediate School, where they will share their experiences as Principals for a Day. Continue reading→

KPMG employees will read books to the kids at Taft Elementary School on Wed.

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KPMG’s Nationwide “Read to Succeed” Initiative comes to Taft Elementary School in Santa Ana on March 29, 2017

KPMG volunteers will read to students; 1,000 new books to be distributed to children

As part of KPMG’s nationwide “Read to Succeed” initiative, its 100+ offices throughout the United States are conducting events in the coming weeks at schools and organizations in low-income communities at which KPMG people, spouses, family members, and alumni, will volunteer their time to get more than 150,000 new books into the hands of children who need them most.

In Santa Ana, KPMG volunteers will be reading to Taft’s K-6 general education, special education, deaf, and hard of hearing students and providing each of them with books. Continue reading→

Artspiration, benefiting arts and music at the SAUSD, set for 3/23 at the Bowers

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5TH ANNUAL ‘ARTSPIRATION’ BENEFITING SAUSD ARTS AND MUSIC PROGRAMS TO BE HELD MARCH 23

The Santa Ana Public Schools Foundation, in partnership with the Santa Ana Unified School District, will celebrate the success and creativity of the arts during the 5th Annual Artspiration event from 5 to 7 p.m. March 23, 2017 at Bowers Museum, 2002 N. Main St. in Santa Ana. RSVP on Facebook here.

Student artwork will be sold during the event, giving students an opportunity to understand the value of art. Guests will also have an opportunity to meet some of the winning artists. Continue reading→

SAUSD video says pink slips by March 15. When will Santa Ana Teacher/Councilman Tinajero say when city jail pink slips might be sent out?

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In previous articles, Shame on Santa Ana Teacher/Councilman Sal Tinajero for allowing worker layoffs and Councilman Tinajero claims he’s in minority, but he could have broken the tie vote, we talk about possible school and city union workers layoffs. Now the SAUSD Supertindent says that in addition to the 287 pink slips to be given out by this coming Wednesday, that many other pink slips will be given to other classified workers. So could the pink slips total be closer to 350 to 500? Scary figures and I feel bad for all the families that will be impacted by this, and we hope the final real layoff numbers are no where near this high.

Another question this week will be if Councilman Tinajero also cares about city worker jobs, and whether he or Councilman Vincent Sarmiento who skipped the last vote, will step up to stop the possible layoffs at the city jail. Big week and hope things get better soon! Continue reading→

SAUSD pink slips are evidence of a dysfunctional system

Posted on by Posted in Cecilia Iglesias, Education, Politics, Santa Ana 4 Comments

By: Steven Greenhut

c/o The Orange County Register

The news from the Santa Ana Unified School District board meeting should raise red flags for anyone with children in the district’s struggling school system. The board voted, 4-1, to hand out pink slips — i.e., layoff notices — to 287 teachers and other educators. The dissenting board member raised real fears of kids being herded into larger classrooms.

The notices are a state requirement. If there’s any possibility the district will lay off teachers this year, it must notify them now. There’s a good chance a smaller number — or none at all — will get the boot. Nevertheless, the vote says a lot about the way public-school systems are designed and about the priorities of the unions that help elect board members. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana teachers union is to blame for teacher layoffs at the SAUSD

Posted on by Posted in Cecilia Iglesias, Education, Labor, Politics, Santa Ana 20 Comments

By: Cecilia Iglesias

c/o The O.C. Register

Confronting a financial disaster they helped create, Santa Ana teachers union leaders did Tuesday what they’ve done for years: They blamed someone else.

In a newsletter they sent to all Santa Ana teachers, union leaders blamed me for the declining enrollment in the district’s schools. Continue reading→

The greedy Santa Ana teacher’s union pushed for raises that have resulted in firing 287 teachers

Posted on by Posted in Cecilia Iglesias, Education, Labor, Politics, Santa Ana 14 Comments

The teacher’s union blames a Trustee for the mess they created!

By: SAUSD Trustee Cecilia Iglesias

Just want to share on what is happening in SAUSD as I was rudely stopped from sharing during today’s Board meeting.

Confronting a financial DISASTER they helped create, teachers union leaders did today what they’ve done for years: They blamed someone else. And of course they blamed me. Continue reading→