The State-administered Federal program which helped supplement reading and math skills for those youngsters with the lowest performances was rejected by a 3-2 vote of the School Board. Voting against were Board members May, Horstman and Clifford; voting for were Fickas and Harvey.
If the School Board approves, 1976-77 will be the 9th year that Arcadia has participated in Title I funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Primary usage for these federal funds is on those youngsters who fall below the 50th percentile in achievement tests.
Fire Chief Gene Mahoney, with City Council approval, is instituting an apprentice fireman program, in which the men will take training classes at PCC while actually employees of the Arcadia Fire Department.
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.
Two articles on the fire which damaged First Avenue Junior High School. The longer discusses the arson investigation, the second discusses the general fire investigation, seeking the beginning point for the fire.
Since October 1975 a committee of citizens, teachers and
administrators have been studying requirements for graduation from high school. They recommend raising the units needed to graduate from 160 to 170. The School Board will vote on this proposal on April 14.
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.
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.
An addition to the High School Little Theater has been approved for a bid of $67,350. The addition will be used for set design, etc. The $20,000 cost increase over what had been tentatively set did not please the School Board.
Feeling that career counseling should start early, Foothills Junior High has started a program of extensive exposure to many different careers. Involved were many parents, who shared their backgrounds.
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.
A new director has been hired to take the place of Dave Alstadt, who is moving to direct vocal music. The new man is John Work, currently band director at Pasadena High School.
The Juvenile Diversion Program, a Federally funded group of which Arcadia is a part, seeks to divert students who have been in minor problems from the courts and sent them to counseling and treatment. The program has come in for heavy criticism recently due to high administrative costs.