On Monday, February 24, 2014, in an effort to remain true to the original mission of an innovative California pathway high school whose vision is “Every student valued, every student challenged, every student prepared to succeed in a changing world,” a petition to convert to an independent public charter high school was filed with the Antioch Unified School District on behalf of the students, faculty, and staff of Dozier-Libbey Medical High School.  This petition was signed by 88% of the tenured teachers at the site, well above the required 50% needed to file, and is expected to be reviewed by district leadership over the next 30 days.

Reasons cited for the conversion included, among others, diverging philosophies between the district and site staffs for program implementation at this dynamic health career–themed school. While faculty and staff at this close-knit school serving just over 600 students regret having to part ways with their school district, most are very optimistic about what the future holds for them and the students as a California conversion charter school. None of the teachers were opposed to the charter conversion. Teachers are looking forward to carrying out the original vision of the school that has been clouded by the district’s cumbersome management and decision-making process. The school will continue to offer a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, with a health care career emphasis, that exceeds traditional academic instructions with a focus on mastery learning and in-class supports for struggling students.

The school will remain a public school with the same admission and enrollment policies that existed under the district.  All students currently enrolled at DLMHS will be guaranteed admission to the charter once converted. As evidenced by the strong show of support for the petition by permanent certificated staff, almost all of the faculty is expected to stay on. Reasons for not electing to stay are largely due to personal and professional considerations. Without exception, DLMHS teachers are in support of the charter conversion.

Dozier-Libbey Medical High School opened its doors to 9th graders in 2008 and subsequently added a grade level each year until full enrollment in 2012.  Founded in response to overcrowding in Antioch Unified School District’s two comprehensive high schools, the Superintendent at that time saw an opportunity to open a different kind of school. He was interested in building a high school that had a career focus. He convened community leaders and business people to investigate the labor force needs and they discovered that health care would have the highest employment possibility and that the land adjacent to the space where the new school would be built was going to have a medical facility built on it at the same time. The district made the decision to open a new small school with a healthcare focus. An advisory committee comprised of teachers, district representatives, community members, school founders, and a CEO of the local hospital was formed to oversee the school’s development.

By Luke Johnson

Antioch High principal Louie Rocha placed five baseball coaches, including seven-year varsity head coach Ben Juarez, on administrative leave last Wednesday, while the Antioch Unified School District investigates allegations of “inappropriate conduct.”

First-year Antioch High P.E. teacher and junior varsity head coach Carlos Gonzales has been appointed as interim varsity coach.

“I received written statements by a number of people about some of the serious allegations that were being made,” Rocha said. “Based on that, we decided to place the coaches on administrative leave.”

The allegations are about a situation that happened during last baseball season, and AUSD’s Superintendant of Human Resources Keith Rogenski is investigating the matter.

One returning Antioch High Senior varsity and All-BVAL baseball player posted a message on Twitter about the issue.

“Tbh [To be honest] those coaches have taught me everything I know for the last 6 years, and these ‘allegations’ being brought up are completely false,” said Jason “Sparky” Bray.

Juarez’s wife took to Facebook to express her thoughts on the matter.

“These allegations are false and are all brought about by a crazy parent whose son was being threatened to be cut from the team because he was suspended for sexual harassment and threatening to blow up the school,” Kristen Hammer Juarez stated in a post.

In the meantime, teachers at Antioch High with baseball experience along with alum and former World Series Champion Aaron Miles have stepped up as assistant coaches.

“The Antioch community is just so supportive,” Gonzales said. “For an ex-Major Leaguer to come back to his alma mater and help out and give his time, just to have him on the field, is a joy and a blessing.”

Rocha and Gonzales would not elaborate on the details, only saying the matter is under investigation.

In Juarez’s seven-year tenure at Antioch High he has posted a 61-106 record, without any playoff appearances or a single season with a winning record.

Two students from Antioch’s Paideia Academy, Haley Robles and Christian Abrojena, placed first and second, respectively, in the American Legion Oratorical District Level Competition held on Sunday, January 19^th, at the Veterans’ Memorial Hall in Vallejo. As the winner of the speaking contest, Robles now advances to the Area Level competition to be held in Woodlands.

The competition, put on annually by the American Legion, requires each student to give an eight to ten minute speech on some aspect of the Constitution with an emphasis on the responsibilities of Americans. This is followed by an impromptu speech on one of four possible clauses taken from the Constitution. Both speeches must be given without notes, making them particularly challenging.

“This is one of the most prestigious, and difficult, competitions available to high school students,” Sheri Crowder, the speech and debate coach at Paideia Academy, stated. “It requires much research and practice just to enter; but the rewards for the student make it very worthwhile.”

In addition to the invaluable public speaking experience gained, students are eligible for cash and scholarship prize money that ranges up to $30,000 at the national level.

Robles is a veteran of such competitions. Last year she won an award from the Fleet Reserve Association for an essay she wrote on Americanism. She was also the first place winner of an international essay competition sponsored by the Scottish Reformation Society. She currently competes on the Paideia Academy Debate Team along with her partner, Vanessa Urbina, on the issue of federal tax policy.

Paideia Academy, located in the King’s Chapel Annex at 320 Worrell Road in Antioch, has in recent years produced a number of champions in writing and speech competitions. The school administrator can be reached at (925) 628-4033.

By John Crowder

Parents, teachers, and staff returned again this month to the meeting of the Antioch Unified School District (AUSD) board meeting held on January 22nd to protest what they portrayed as “disrespect, disruption, and violence” by a group of out-of-control students at Black Diamond Middle School (BDMS). This time they were not alone, however, as a number of staff members from Dallas Ranch Middle School (DRMS) were also present, speaking out against aggressive behavior and violence by students at their school as well.

Early in the public comments section of the meeting Frank DeLuna, a long-time volunteer at BDMS, repeated the message he had given the board at their previous meeting held on December 18th, that about 20 students at the school continued to be serious discipline problems.

“It is not fair to the rest of the students who want to be there and learn,” he stated. DeLuna went on to fault a lack of consequences for bad behavior, noting that, “…they (disruptive students) know nothing is going to happen.”

The idea that a lack of consequences was driving the continuing problem was repeated by other speakers, notably a contingent of Girl Scouts, appearing in their uniforms as they addressed the Board. Another staff member, Joseph Vasquez, stated that he had been hired to help ensure security at the school, but with disruptive students returning the next day, “We’re more like baby-sitters.”

Staff members from Dallas Ranch also spoke out against problems with threatening and violent behavior by students. Two members of the physical education department at the school vowed not to return to work if a particular student they claimed had physically attacked one of them and threatened to attack another was going to be allowed to remain on campus. Other DRMS staff members spoke out in support of their colleagues.

In other public comments the RAAMP charter school was in the spotlight as two members of the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA), including Dr. Elizabeth Robitaille, asked the Board to not renew its charter, effectively to close the school. Dr. Robitaille characterized RAAMP as “chronically under performing,” also stating, “RAAMP is performing far below every other school in Antioch.”

The request to close the RAAMP school was countered by members of RAAMP’s board, also in attendance at the meeting. While acknowledging that the school had difficulties, they spoke about the hurdles they felt they had to overcome, including funding difficulties, the need to move locations three times, and a student demographic that was more challenging. The speakers in support of RAAMP’s charter being renewed told the Board that, while they faced difficulties, they had a plan to “turn things around” if given the chance.

Later in the meeting the Board agreed to adopt the Reading Wonders curriculum produced by McGraw-Hill for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders over the objections of Julie Young, a parent who claimed the curriculum had “many mistakes in the books.” Board Member Claire Smith, who cast the lone vote against approval, also spoke out against it. “I’m not terribly impressed,” she said, noting that there appeared to be no readings from classic literature in the books.

Finally, money issues were brought up several times. Toward the end of the meeting the Board discussed consideration of a parcel tax to be placed on the November, 2014 ballot. After considerable back-and-forth among the Board members, they directed school staff to return with more information on the issue, stopping short of authorizing a poll be conducted in order to determine whether or not such a measure would be able to receive the required 2/3 vote in the District to pass.

The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for February 12th. Meetings are held at the Antioch Unified School District Office located at 510 G Street.

Sacramento- StudentsFirst recently filed for an initiative to increase the firing of bad performing teachers in California school districts.

Michelle Rhee founded StudentsFirst that is based in Sacramento, CA. Rhee is married to Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. She is the ex-Washington DC Chancellor for Public Schools (2007-2010).

Rhee enacted basic reform such as easy firing bad performing teachers, principals, and administration. Rhee saved Washington DC taxpayer money by enacting efficiencies in the Washington DC public school system. The process to fire a bad performing teacher, or an administrator takes months, if not years. In the private sector, it occurs fast and at moment’s notice if performance is poor.

To learn more about StudentsFirst visit www.studentsfirst.org.

ANNUAL CRAB FEED & TRI-TIP DINNER

Saturday, February 1^st, 2013

Antioch Community Center * Community Hall * 4703 Lone Tree Way * Antioch

Doors open @ 6PM * Dinner served @ 7PM

MENU:

Marinated Seasonal Crab or Beef Tri-Tip, Mixed Green Salad, Oven Baked Pasta, Oven Baked Garlic Bread, and No Host Beverage Bar.

ENTERTAINMENT:

Live Performance by the Deer Valley Jazz Ensemble

DJ * Silent & Live Auctions * 50/50 Raffle * Dessert Auctions

GRAND PRIZE DRAWING:

Disneyland Trip for Four Including $150 Hotel Voucher

Grand Prize Value: $750

Donation: $10.00 per Grand Prize Drawing Ticket/ Do Not Need To Be Present To Win

ADVANCE PURCHASE REQUIRED. NO TICKETS SOLD AT THE DOOR.

Pre-Sale: $45.00 per ticket donation (order by 12/15/13)

Donation: $50.00 per ticket donation (order after 12/16/13-01/25/14)

For ticket information, please call (415) 342-0625

***** ALL TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE *****

Please download and the use the order form here. CRAB FEED order form

By Allen Payton

Givans Taekwondo has been serving the youth and adults of Antioch for over 10 years and has expanded their program over that time

Now, owner, and martial arts Master Instructor, Ed Givans, has expanded their programs, once again, to add after school homework assistance, as well.

“Our goal is to help kids and to provide them with great programs,” Givans said. “In order to better accomplish that, we have opened our new after school program.”

They have homework stations for students to do their after school work, an entertainment center, computers and more.

Because Antioch is a commuter city, they provide extended hours until 8 pm for pick-up so for parents who work outside the area.

Givans offers the first program with Olympic Taekwondo and an after school program. Taekwondo is the only Martial arts in the Olympic Games. Our program goes beyond just kicking and punching.

At Givans Taekwondo and Learning Center children and adults can learn martial arts, respect and discipline, and improve their education, all in one place. Please visit their new learning center at 4851 Lone Tree Way, Suite A1 (behind Uno Chicago Grill), call 925 777-0227 or visit their website at www.givanstkd.com.

Please download the attached flyer with vouchers by clicking here BookFairflyer2013, and use a voucher when making your purchase to support the effort. Thank you!