Incumbents Maryann Gibson and Michael O. Lamb were re-elected to the Arcadia Unified School District board. They were joined by first-time candidate John McClain.
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.
This is the first Arcadia Board of Education election in six years in which candidates are contested. This is also the first to employ touch screen machines at six polling places.
The school board on Tuesday night unanimously approved a framework for change concerning grades. The details of the district's grading standards will be worked out over the coming months.
Debra Amos, Food Services Director for the Arcadia Unified School District for the last 20 years, recently earned the Silver Special Achievement Award from the National Food Service Achievement Management Excellence program. She discusses her job and how tastes have changed over the years.
Donna McCreadie, 62, of Arcadia is one of five recipients of the Horace Mann National Education Association Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence. She teaches economics at Temple City High School. Her award is $10,000.
23 Arcadia High School students capped third-place honors in the California State Finals of the National Bicentennial Competition. The students, in Ron Morris' advanced placement government class, last month won first place in the 22nd Congressional District contest, which included five local schools. Photo.
James Romo, an education attorney and school district volunteer, has been selected to fill the vacant seat on the Arcadia School board. He will replace Michael Lamb, who resigned from the board last month.
Arcadia City Manager Bill Kelly and Mayor Gary Kovacic met with school board members to discuss possible city-school district projects. School Board members questioned how much a new auditorium would be used and were cool to a joint plan.
The Arcadia Rotary Club awarded grants totaling $4,990 to 17 teachers at the February 13 Arcadia Board of Education meeting. Grants ranging from $175 to $300 were given to individual teachers to help with special classroom projects. The teachers represented 5 of the 6 Arcadia elementary schools, all 3 junior high schools and both Arcadia and Huntington high schools.
The Arcadia Board of Education has adopted a resolution opposing SB 1419, which would limit the authority of school boards to contract out for services. The bill is on the governor's desk for signature or veto. The bill would restrict districts from using personal services contracts if the duties can be performed by district employees.