The Early Childhood Education program in effect at Camino grove School since last fall has been ranked 19th out of 800 in the State. The program provides funds to expand the program from K through 3rd grade. It is the ultimate goal of California State School Superintendent Wilson Riles that all schools will be able to have ECE.
Volunteer aides make the Early Childhood Education program work. the State mandated and funded program aims at giving youngsters from pre-school through the 3rd grade better learning experiences. Camino Grove is the only school in the district with the pilot program.
A report to the Board of Education indicates that the Elementary Childhood Education (ECE) program has not lived up to its expectations. ECE schools in Arcadia are Camino Grove, Longley Way and Holly Avenue.
Teachers and parents at Camino Grove and Holly Avenue elementary schools are in communication with the Arcadia Board of Education to restore the School Improvement Program.
For the first time Arcadia has a counselor, Eric Mordin, at the elementary level this year. At the present time he serves only Highland Oaks and Camino Grove schools.
New principals have been named for three Arcadia elementary schools. Jim Gerhardt has been named to head Holly Avenue. Charles Jarboe requested a transfer from Highland Oaks and was assigned to Camino Grove. Mrs. Suzanne Burton will replace Mr. Jarboe at Highland Oaks.
The Arcadia School Improvement Program, successor to the Early Childhood Education Program, was dropped by the Arcadia School Board by a vote of 3-1, with one abstention.
The Early Childhood Education programs have been merged into the School Improvement Programs. A proposed consortium will consist of the Beverly Hills, La Canada, Arcadia, South Pasadena and Temple City districts.
The Arcadia Early Childhood Education (ECE) program may be at an end in Arcadia. Two schools have requested to terminate their programs and a 3rd school wished to make large changes in its program.
The Early Childhood Education program, set up in 1973 for a five year span, probably will get only enough money to keep existing programs going and not enough to expand to other schools.
A final tentative budget for the 1978-79 school year has been adopted by the Arcadia Board of Education. The final figure was set at $15.4 million, but will probably be revised as state formulas affect the budget during the year.
The Arcadia Board of Education has been studying the legal status and requirements of driver education. So far driver education has not been offered at Arcadia High School this year.
After 2 months of classes, enrollment for Arcadia schools is down 400 from last year at this time. The only enrollment increase has been in grades 4-6.
The Board of Education approved a $17 million budget for 1979-80, representing an increase of 8.2% over last year. The budget provides an 8.19% increase in salary and benefits for certificated employees. A major problem appears in special education, which the state has not fully funded.
On June 14 the School Board voted to spend $23,399 from the general fund to finance a program, formerly funded by Federal monies, for the culturally disadvantaged.
The need for more volunteer aides is cited by District Librarian Mrs. Julie Dresdner. In the last three years, beginning at Camino Grove, library-media centers have been developed and are in operation at all nine elementary schools.