By Walter Ruehlig

A record-breaking crowd of 206 attended the 14th annual Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 6 Delta Charter awards dinner ceremony held March 8th at Lone Tree Golf and Event Center. Represented were Antioch, Brentwood, Byron, Knightsen, Liberty, Oakley and Pittsburg School Districts.

Diablo Vista Principal Melanie Jones emceed the event which was organized by ACSA Region 6 Board of Directors President Essence Phillips, Principal at John Muir Elementary; Secretary Jan Steed and Treasurer Yolanda Mendrek, with assistance from Representatives Laura Albano, Kelly Basmagian, Debra Harrington, Roger MacDonald, Cardenas Shackleford and Jeff Varner.

Guidance was also given by Jon Searles, Region 6 Consultant and Bob Gianni, Region 6 Executive.

Paul Rataczak, teacher from Park Middle School, provided the entertainment and Becky Bloomfield donated wine for all the honorees.

Honored were Anne Allen of Oakley Elementary School District for Curriculum and Instruction; Eileen Alterman of Antioch Unified as a Confidential Employee; Pat Boss of Liberty Union as a Central Office Administrator; Dorothy Epps of Pittsburg Unified for Personnel Human Resources; Amy Farias of Antioch Unified as Continuation and Educational Options; Erik Faulkner of Liberty Union as Secondary Principal; Dr.Merrill Grant of Brentwood Union as Superintendent; Roger Macdonald of Oakley Union as Middle Grades Principal; Bev Nicolaisen of Byron Union as Confidential Employee; Enrique Palacios of Pittsburg Unified for Business Services; Essence Phillips of Antioch Unified as Elementary Principal and Phyllis Thivierge of Brentwood Union as Classified Leader.

The group did extraordinary work in extraordinarily trying times.

By Dolly Ogawa-Amsk

The Antioch Charter Academy II, was renewed after several teachers and parents spoke in favor the petition at the Antioch School Board meeting on March 14. The ACA II drew several teachers to the hearing, including: Amber Hummel, who teaches 4th, 5th & 6th grade, Marianne Dubitsky, Julie Fajean and Michelle Mankewich who teach 1st through 3rd grades, and Matt Hagan who will be teaching 8^th grade beginning next year.

This year they served 188 students but by adding 8^th grade they will be at 198. With a long waiting list, the school received strong support from parents and teachers. The school has addressed the need for other learning options with project based learning, including several grades in one classroom. Their results have enthusiastic support from the teachers and parents.

Other important items on the agenda included the budget. The news regarding the Second Interim Report of the 2011-12 showed developments since the First Interim Report. The State Triggers have been pulled; transportation Funding has been reduced and other reductions that have had an impact. The staff recommendation is that “based on the information included in the Second Interim Report, the staff is able to certify that AUSD can meet its fiduciary responsibility to maintain fiscal solvency for the current and subsequent two fiscal years.”

The district is on a very tight budget and there are variables that could make it even harder. The staff is making tough decisions with the “current truth” while making sure that basic needs and programs are covered. The state itself has made it difficult but things could happen to make a more positive change.

Kay Power, Chairman of the Oversight Committee for Bond Measure C, said that they have met their responsibilities by “Following the bouncing ball…”

The Antioch Unified School District will have a new bond Measure proposed for the June ballot to cover needed improvements to the Antioch High School.

On February 24^th, 254 third graders, teachers and chaperones from the Antioch Unified School District (AUSD) enjoyed the one hour Concert For Kids show performed by the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco.  This field trip was organized by AUSD Music Specialist Geneva Payne and sponsored by the Antioch Music Foundation through a grant from the Thomas J. Long Foundation. Photo courtesy of Cynthia Ruehlig

2011 Antioch Youth of the Year Antonio Hernandez

Antonio Hernandez is currently a student at Dozier-Libbey Medical High School. In the past 4 years he has overcome many challenges to become a leader at Dozier-Libbey and Student President of California Health Occupations Students of America. Elected by 2,000 of his Cal-HOSA peers, he now presides over more than 3,500 members and also represents Cal-HOSA students at conferences and educational meetings around the state advocating for students to consider a career in health care.

He is on the tennis team at Antioch High School and assists with the girls’ tennis team as well. He participates in volunteer activities for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and is a member of the Young Entrepreneurs at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. Everywhere Antonio goes, he exudes confidence and professionalism. Antonio joined HOSA his freshman year, became the HOSA chapter president as a sophomore and was elected State President as a junior. During his freshman year, he and two of his classmates competed in the Medical Reading event at the Cal-HOSA State Leadership Convention. As a freshmen (unheard of!), his team earned a spot in the Top 10 Winners and a trip to Nashville, Tennessee to compete at the National HOSA Convention. As sophomores, they competed in the same event and in California took home the gold medal at Nationals!

Antonio has always struggled with his weight. After learning about nutrition and exercise at Dozier-Libbey in his health science class, he took it upon himself to lose 70 pounds and has kept it off. He is an example to all students on how to take control of their life and shine as leaders.

Antonio is the first in his family to apply to a 4-year college. His goal is to become a surgeon. Antonio has overcome socio-economic odds, shyness and obesity to become an outstanding leader at Dozier-Libbey in the Antioch community and at the State level for Cal-HOSA. He is a shining example of a student who rose up, met challenges, and overcame those odds beyond everyone’s expectations. “Coming to this high school as a freshman I thought I would just take this opportunity and if I didn’t like it I would go back to regular high school.” Apparently, he liked it and as one newspaper headline read, “Senior thrives at Dozier-Libbey.”

Divine Voices and Show Choir

Truth be told, when the vision was first introduced, many people thought it was truly the impossible dream — to pull off a first class, both kid- and adult-captivating Black History Celebration at an elementary school. With scant resources and nagging constraints of time, given burdensome teacher loads to address the ever pressing No Child Left Behind test mandates, the task seemed formidable.

DVHS Dancers

If you were within hearing distance of the Jack London Elementary School multi-use room the evening of February 28th you quickly discovered, though, the doubters proven wrong. A packed and enthusiastic crowd witnessed a soul-soaring tribute that was themed as “A Taste of African American Influence Through the Eyes of the Future”.

Second grade students

PTA Treasurer Velma Wilson was the visionary of the event and the spirited Mistress of Ceremonies. Behind the scenes making the event look easy, which these events never are, were PTA Board Members Principal Debra Harrington, Teacher Liason Carin Pantell, President Tanossa Miller, Vice President Debra White, 2nd Vice President Amy Diaz, and Secretary Marcita Enis.

1st grade students

In attendance were A.U.S.D. Superintendent Donald Gill, Board President Diane Gibson-Gray, Joy Mott and Walter Ruehlig. We were honored by the attendance of Brijet Finister, Miss Black USA 2011 – California, who gracefully took photos until her smile must have hurt. We were also gifted by the presence of actress and singer Bre’ly Evans, who is currently starring with Whitney Houston in the soon-to-be released movie ‘Sparkle’.

2nd grade performers

Acknowledgments go to the California PTA, NAACP, Clap Yo’ Hands Audio Production, Sticky Chicken & Ribs and, most importantly, to the children from all grade levels who performed so awesomely.

Kudos as well to Tanossa Miller for the peach cobbler, which I could have died for.

The program started with the National Anthem and then Mrs. Pantrell led the third graders in singing “My Country Tis of Thee.” The Negro National Anthem was performed by 5th graders Claryssa Wilson, Mariah Thomas and Sianne Enis, accompanied on keyboard by Darrel Thomas.

Principal Deborah Harrington and PTA President Tanossa Miller gave a history of the PTA followed by the Kucheza Ngoma II Dance Company performing a stirring dance and a surprise call on Superintendent Gill to strut his stuff to audience hoots and hollers.

Interspersed in the program were student performances; Jesse Wilson and Ezra Enis shared selections from MLK’s ” I Have a Dream” speech. The first graders sang Michael Jackson’s “We are the World”; the 2nd graders reprised a folk song from Ghana; the third grade did Louis Armstrong’s “It’s a Wonderful World”: and the fourth-fifth graders recited from biography posters of famous African-Americans.

Deer Valley High School Divine Voices and the Show Choir, led by Michelle Stark, then mesmerized the audience with a variety of numbers, culminating in a heart-grabbing blend of the civil rights classic “We Shall Overcome” and “Lean on Me.”

The Deer Valley High Advanced Dancers, led by Sharlene Sabonis, further electrified the audience.

It was a joyous night to remember and the naysayers obligingly ate crow, in between bites of sticky ribs. I look forward to Act II next year; by then the goose bumps may have settled.

Calling all parents and students!! Are you interested in furthering successful outcomes for the Antioch schools? Come and share concerns and suggestions for your children’s education; envision what equitable and quality education looks like; explore what you know and don’t know about the education system; identify possible solutions to improve the school district.

Meet at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church Social Hall Tuesday, February 28th at 3351 Contra Loma Blvd. from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. For more information contact Sara Aceves of CCISCO Education Focus Group at (925) 322-9070.

Antioch High School will be having career fair on March 9th and PASS workshops on Saturday March 10th.

For those who are able to return on March 10th and participate in the PASS workshop they are starting to prepare the program and need a brief description of your occupation to include (2-4 sentences is all that we require).

They are still in need of volunteers in many other professions if you would be willing to participate please contact Nicole Hunt at NicoleHunt@antioch.k12.ca.us or call (925) 756-5736. They are shooting for 75 professions to be represented.

The following is a list of professions that have yet to be represented: 1. Actor 2. Buyer from a clothing store 3. Chef 4. Child Development 5. Computer Graphics 6. Cosmetology 7. Dentist 8. Dental Assistant/Hygienist 9. Designer 10. EKG Technician 11. Electrician 12. EMT 13. Environmental Compliance 14. Flight Attendant15. Hospitality Worker 16. Hotel Management 17. HVAC 18. Journalist 19. Laboratory Technician 20. Landscaper 21. Lawyer 22. Mechanic 23. Medical Administration 24. Paralegal 25. Parks and Recreation 26. Phlebotomist 27. Photographer 28. Physical Therapist 29. Plumber 30. Restaurant Owner 31. Secretary 32. Sports Medicine 33. Stenographer 34. Vet 35. Vet Technician 36. Welder 37. X-Ray Technician

Download the AHS Career Day Flyer here: http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102742453013-152/ANTIOCH+HIGH+SCHOOL+CAREER+FAIR.pdf. For more information, contact NicoleHunt@antioch.k12.ca.us or call (925) 756-5736.