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.
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.
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.
New State Department of Health regulations require that all children entering first grade after July 1, 1975 have had a health check within the past year. This may be had at designated community health centers free of charge for those in need or otherwise by a family doctor at his regular fee.
Nine visitors to the Arboretum were injured when a large eucalyptus branch fell on them. They were taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital where all but two were treated and released. The more seriously injured had a broken right arm and spinal damage.
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.
Grace Clark has retired after more than 21 years with the Arcadia Public Library. She was City Librarian for a number of years and has been head of the Technical Services Department for the past 15 years.
Parents with children in the EMR (Educable Mentally Retarded) program in the Arcadia schools have written letters to the state, county and local school officials outlining the difficulties EMR teachers are having controlling their students without help from aides (lost due to Prop. 13).
The School Board and the Administration have debated optimum class size and decided that in any class where there are more than 32 students, a paid aide should be provided to assist the teacher.
Firemen have decided that the Memorial Day fire at First Avenue Junior High School was definitely the work of arsonists. All of the other possible causes have been eliminated.
Five tennis courts have been proposed for the top of two water reservoirs at the corner of Baldwin and Orange Grove. The Parks and Recreation Department has set aside $25,000 for the project. The City Council must approve.
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.
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.
All work on the east end of the Foothill Freeway in Pasadena should be completed in mid-February. Trains have been using the freeway median since August 12, 1975.