Arcadia police officers Toni Caylor and Mike Cervantes introduced DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) to 5th graders in Arcadia in 1995. Those same students will be graduating from high school this month. Officers Brian Ortiz and John Bonomo are the current DARE officers.
The police department has a regular schedule of reorganizing with Officer Mike Cervantes returning to patrol duty after being a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officer. Filling the DARE position will be Officer Brian Ortiz. Officer Toni Caylor will be working with students as the YES (Youth and Educational Support) officer at Arcadia High School. Background information on each officer is provided.
Fifth graders pledge to avoid drugs as they graduate from the 17-week DARE program. Pictures and excerpts from essays of Galina Agayeve and Ingrid Pierre are printed.
Former Arcadia High School baseball coach Mike Parisi was arrested June 8 on suspicion of cocaine possession and of being under the influence of the drug. The Arcadia school board dismissed him. He will begin a 2-week trial period in drug court on August 7, where he will undergo counseling, drug testing, and a 12-step program.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a $125.6 billion budget for 2006-2007. He plans to increase spending on education and transportation and cut funding for some welfare and health programs, while not increasing taxes. Arcadia Mayor John Wuo agrees that California needs to make substantial investments in the state infrastructure.
An Associated Press investigation found more than 2500 educators whose credentials were revoked, denied, surrendered or sanctioned from 2001 through 2005, following allegations of sexual misconduct. Phillip Sutliff, an offender and teacher at Arcadia High School, is shown.
Arcadia residents will select three trustees today. Running for the Board of Education are challengers Roger Sonnenberg, Fred Peritore and Daniel Haste. Incumbents are James Romo, John McClain and Maryann Gibson.
Arcadia city council will vote on an ordinance prohibiting loitering by members of street gangs. The ordinance defines a "criminal street gang" as three or more people with a primary activity to commit offenses, such as murder, assault, robbery, or drug-related crimes. There are eight active Asian gangs within the city.
John Kemp, a native of Arcadia, will play for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program (NTDP). Kemp played for the Los Angeles Junior Kings last season.
The Arcadia Board of Education adopted a policy to prohibit the use of anabolic steroids and other controlled substances. It goes further to hold coaches responsible for educating students and parents about the dangers of using uncontrolled substances and diet supplements.
The Arcadia Board of Education has adopted a $63.9 million General Fund budget for the coming year. The budget contains reductions across the board, with 10% cuts at schools, a reduction in categorical programs and no cost of living increase from the state.
The Arcadia Board of Education approved a Local Agency Education plan to bring the district into compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind program, which requires that students meet state proficiency standards by 2013-2014. For California, the standard is 100% graduation with all requirements for University of California admission met.