Individual students and the Arcadia Educational Foundation (AEF) raised about $840,000 for the Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) during its annual appeal last year, enabling the district to reinstate 12 teaching positions. Budget cuts from the state have created "serious challenges" for Arcadia schools over the past 4 years, said AUSD superintendent Joel Shawn.
Christina Aragon, Assistant Superintendent of business services at Arcadia Unified School District, totaled her district car that she uses as a personal vehicle. It is part of her salary package. Arcadia School Board members and Superintendent Mimi Hennessy defended Aragon in media coverage.
Mimi Hennessy, Superintendent of Arcadia Unified School District, writes in response to anonymous letter about the district's vehicle perquisite, after a district vehicle was involved in an accident in Las Vegas.
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.
Arcadia Unified School District superintendent David Vannasdall will be paid $205,000 annually, agreed to for a 3-year contract. Vannasdall, 45, was named the district's new chief after Joel Shawn retired. Vannasdall had been deputy superintendent and previously principal of Arcadia High School from 2005 through 2012. His car allowance is $850/month, $150/month for expenses, and a $1,000 annual salary increase if he completes his doctorate degree.
Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) releases personalized learning thought exchange results. Personalized Learning is an innovative new campaign led by Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) Superintendent David Vannasdall. In May 2017 AUSD utilized a thought-sharing platform called Thought Exchange to facilitate community and student feedback. The report covers five major principles that personalized learning should constitute: 1) Differentiated Learning 2) Class Size and Assistance 3) Individual Learning 4) Students' Current Skill Assessment 5) Parent-Teacher Communication.
Arcadia Unified School District celebrates grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony of the Compressed Natural Gas Station. It was made possible by nearly $500,000 in grants from California Energy Commission and Mobile Source Air Pollution Review Committee. The new CNG station is estimated to save the district up to $40,000 in fuel and maintenance costs per year.
Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) introduced the new $7.5 million Facilities and Maintenance Yard Tuesday, which is the culminating project of the $218 million Measure I bond that spanned more than ten years. This school bond measure was voted on and passed by the Arcadia community in 2006. Jim Leahy, retired Executive Director of Facilities was honored for his contribution.
Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) caught in the web of Net-Neutrality preservation. On December 14, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to repeal net neutrality laws. AUSD is transitioning into technology-based platforms of learning with a focus on personalized learning using Chromebooks. Students using different ISPs at home may have varied access to educational means. It is unlikely to affect their access to educational resources while they are at school.
Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) staff and students delve into the world of virtual reality. Can VR change empathy toward others? Stanford University project, led by Elise Ogle, investigates.
Arcadia Unified School District has faced the reality of mid-year school budget cuts for the past 3 years. To prepare for a possible fourth year of mid-year cuts, the AUSD school board is exploring the option of a parcel tax, an amount to raise hopefully a few million dollars that would help offset what the State is expected to take away. Arcadia School Board Vice President Joann Steinmeier and colleagues are investigating the need for a parcel tax and what form it might take to get passed at the March election.
Arcadia's parcel tax, Measure A, is validated. It gives schools $17 million over the next 5 years. Residents, with a few exceptions (seniors and those who receive Social Security), will have to pay an additional $228/year to help offset the fiscal deficit the Arcadia Unified School District faces. This Measure A was on the March 13 ballot.
Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) hosted its first ever Fireside Chat to talk about personalized learning becoming the future of education. Keynote speakers were Superintendent David Vannasdall and Board of Education member Kay Kinsler.
Arcadia Unified School District Superintendent Dr. David Vannasdall gives a district update each month in this column. The district celebrated Arcadia Unified Teacher of the Year Jan Dickson.
Dr. Brent Forsee, Principal of Arcadia High School for seven years now, is being recommended as next Arcadia Unified School District Assistant Superintendent. If approved, Dr. Forsee would succeed Dr. Jeff Wilson, who is being recommended as next Superintendent of San Marino Unified School District.
Arcadia Unified School District will face a "belt tightening" year in 2003-2004. Christina Aragon, assistant superintendent for business, said the district faces the loss of $1.4 million.
Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) operates a cable television channel to communicate with parents and the community. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, within Arcadia's city boundaries on Adelphia's channel 96 (with cable-ready television) or channel 58 (with converter box). "School Matters" is a talk show produced by AUSD.