Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla encourages all high school seniors and their families to apply for a college scholarship from the revised Cal Grant program before the March 2, 2012 deadline.

Below are local workshops for students and parents can attend to receive assistance in applying for the Cal Grant. Qualifying students receive from the State of California Cal Grant awards, which provide full financing for tuition and fees at the California State University or the University of California.

Awards are also given to community college students and students entering private California colleges. Students attending community colleges have until September 2nd to submit a Cal Grant application.

Students must apply for a Cal Grant by submitting a Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Form and a Cal Grant Grade Point Average Verification Form. With a Cal Grant, students can be awarded up to $12,192 per year for University of California campus, up to $5,472 per year at California State University campus or $9,708 per year at an independent campus to pay for college or career technical learning, depending on the cost of their college or university, their financial need and the type of grant.

Cal Grants do not have to be repaid. For more information on the Cal Grant Program, how to obtain an application, or how to fill out an application, high school students can contact their college counselors, or call the California Student Aid Commission at 1-888-224-7268. Additionally, the commission has a web site at www.csac.ca.gov, and the website for the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) can be found http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. You can also contact Bonilla’s office at 925-521-1511.

1/30/12
6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Pittsburg High School
250 School Street
Pittsburg, CA 94565
Danni Le
925-473-2390

2/6/12
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Deer Valley High School
4700 Lone Tree Way
Antioch, CA 94531
Pamela Price
925-756-6792

By Amy Claire

The January 18 meeting of the Antioch Unified School District Board of Education included a report on the District’s audited financial statements for the previous school year..

“We look at a number of transactions throughout the year. The audit went very smoothly,” said Jeffrey Jensen, a representative from the auditing firm, to the board members. He expressed appreciation for the cooperation of staff members and district employees during the process.

The report was almost entirely positive.

“We did not have any audit adjustments, so that’s always good news,” said Jensen. “We didn’t have any uncorrected misstatements, either.”

District procedures and records were found to be adequate and accurate, and there were “no compliance-questioned costs” associated with the spending of funds acquired through voter-approved taxes. “Your internal control structure is operating the way you would like to see.”

A few issues were noted – one regarding compliance with state regulations, another regarding attendance and a third regarding Associated Student Body (ASB) issues. Jensen said that these were only minor concerns, and he did not go into detail about them during the meeting. “You had a clean audit this year.”

Tim Forrester, Associate Superintendent of Business and Operations, acknowledged the contribution that each staff member makes each day toward maintaining good accounting practices. “A clean audit report is a one-night look at all the good work that everybody does,” he said.

The firm, Crowe Horwath, served as an independent auditor to ensure that the District’s accounting and financial statements were done correctly.

The next school board meetings will be held on February 8 and February 22, at 7:00 pm, at 510 G Street in Antioch.

“Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics once gave a speech and it started with “Do not be afraid.” This was the jumping off point for Guy McIntyre’s keynote speech this morning at Dow’s Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King.

McIntyre, a former offensive lineman with the San Francisco 49ers was on hand to address the community and Dow employees about Dr. King – and he did through his experience as a pro athlete.

Though sports stories were only part of his twenty-minute address (citing the difficulties faced by Jackie Robinson and others), growing as human beings took center stage. He spoke about fear, courage, love and faith, saying, “The only way to master fear is with love … perfect love,” and ending with an old English proverb, “When fear knocked on the door, love answered and there was no one there.” No doubt, his words came from experience.

But just as inpiring was the essay read by Pittsburg High School sophomore, Bianka Machado, who took first place in Dow’s annual essay contest. The contest this year focused on civility, a value that the County Office of Education is working to restore in our schools.

Specifically, the question asked of students was “How has modern technology (cell phones, social media and the Internet) impacted civility?” Machado weaved Dr. King – and his era of no cell phones, no reality television shows and no Facebook – into an expose of how we have lost sight of civility.

“Modern technology has changed civility because we’ve inherited a shyness and timidity to meet people, so we add them on Facebook,” she writes. “Dr. King would go out and meet people to understand how they felt and reach a level of formality and kindness towards each other. We demolished that with new modern day technology.”

Also part of the packed program was noted jazz saxophonist Kevin Moore, who played two selections from his new CD “The Prayer Closet.”

Dow honored Silvester Henderson, Chair of the Music Department at Los Medanos College and a professor at UC Berkeley, with Dow’s MLK Community Award, for his decades of work using gospel to unite the community. Dow also presented the Dow MLK Employee Award to employee Jamie Polan, an engineer who has been a champion of diversity in the workplace and has promoted unity not only among her colleagues but across the entire site. As her supervisor, Paul Caizzi, said, “She inpires me to not only be a better employee but a better person.”

All attendees left with a gift – a journal. On the cover of the journal was the winning artwork from Deer Valley High School senior, Karla Rosales. Her art was chosen over more than 50 submissions in Dow’s first Poster Contest, asking students to illustrate one aspect of civility.

This was Dow’s 12th annual Celebration of Dr. King and is indicative of the company’s commitment to all Dr. King espoused – respect for others, tolerance, love, acceptance, diversity and equality.

By Amy Claire

Lynda Sifford, Director of Classified Human Resources for the Antioch Unified School District, delivered the 2010 – 2011 Personnel Commission Annual Report at the January 11 meeting of the school board. “The mission of the Personnel Commission is to provide the best qualified candidates for employment in a timely and efficient manner to support the District’s goal to advance student achievement,” Sifford said.

The report revealed an increase in the number of applicants for classified positions in the district – 1,201, compared to 713 in the 2009-2010 school year. The commission filled 117 positions during the year, including limited term appointments and re-employments of previously laid-off employees. The commission also established eligibility lists of qualified applicants for future positions ranging from bus drivers to administrative assistants. There were 129 employees who ended their employment with the district during the year, for reasons including retirement and continued education.

Sifford drew special attention to the fact that there were no appeals or challenges made regarding the hiring process over the last two years. “Every i was dotted and every t was crossed,” she said. She also reported fewer employee absences and more service awards given out to employees who have worked in the district for multiples of five years.

Finally, she recognized the District’s Classified Employee of the Year, Kellie Cavallaro, and noted that another employee, Mike Casey, was nominated as a School Classified Employee of the Year at the County level in the category of Maintenance, Operations and Facilities.

Superintendent Donald Gill wished everyone a Happy New Year and announced that January is Board Appreciation Month. In honor of that, the board members were presented with business card holders embossed with their names. Dr. Gill thanked them for all of the time and effort they put into their jobs. “This is the hardest-working board I’ve ever seen.”

Board President Diane Gibson-Gray summed up the board members’ gratitude for the gesture: “Let the record reflect happiness and joy from the board.”

The next school board meeting will be held on January 18 at 7:00 pm at 510 G. Street in Antioch.

By Ray Faulkenberry

I grew up and went to school right here in the East Bay. Understand that although I was an excellent student grade-wise, I honestly feel that I got very, very little from our public school system from sixth grade on. I cannot tell you all of the reasons why – they were many. Overcrowded classrooms, lecture-based teaching, teacher burn-out, being a product/student of the 1960’s and 70’s…lots of things.

Having been an educator in some way, shape or form for the last thirty years has given me a wide view of how education is administered in this, our modern society. Having survived our public education system, I recently witnessed something that I didn’t think I would ever see in a public school – a mind blowing process that incorporates multiple styles of teaching and learning that is not even present in most expensive private schools.

As a school teacher for the last twenty years I have nothing but the ultimate respect for anyone who goes to work in education and puts their heart and soul into their job. The task of educating our young people in a time where our economy is down, most all parents – both sets work full time is by no means an easy job. Parents and educators are greatly challenged in trying to provide the best academic as well as emotional education possible to their kids and students. Massive cuts in the budget have done nothing to enhance this process.

This is why I am so impressed with the RAAMP Charter Academy, which sits at the back of Black Diamond Middle School. RAAMP stands for Raising Academic Achievement Multicultural Program. Originally designed for working with African-American males, RAAMP is now co-ed and open to anyone of any race.

I got a chance to visit the school and sat in every class from anywhere between five and fifty minutes. I witnessed the best math lesson I’ve ever seen by third grade teacher, Mr. Connor. Aside from being an incredible teacher and classroom organizer, Mr. Connor has an incredibly cool accent from Scotland, England, or Ireland.

I left Mr. Connors class and went from one class/grade (each classroom is a grade and a couple of classes are actually combined in 2 grades!) to another and saw more examples of excellent teachers doing an amazing job of not only relaying information, but as importantly if not more so, providing solid emotional education as well.

I place an incredibly high value on not only being able to read, write, and think with our minds, but to also be wise emotionally in being able to communicate, be polite, respectful, and compassionate. Both emotional and academic intelligence was equally on display by the teachers and students I visited.

My own kids struggled in the Antioch public school system before we got them enrolled in another of Antioch’s amazing Charter Schools – Antioch Charter Academy (ACA). At ACA my children flourished and have since graduated and moved onto to a third amazing school here in Antioch – Dozier Libbey Medical High school. However, what makes RAAMP so amazing is that in many cases they have taken kids who have struggled in school and at home and provided an environment for learning the likes of which I have never witnessed.

Founder and Executive Director Karla Branch is not only a tireless warrior when it comes to advocating what is best for her kids, she still gets in the classroom every day and works with her sixth and seventh graders and teaches them math. I know many principals and administrators were once teachers – many of them excellent at teaching. I don’t know of any of them who take on the role of a full-time administrator who also gets in the classroom day in and day out.

RAAMP is not a school that is only for kids who have struggled or kids of color. RAAMP is a school that provides education that is relevant, valuable, and taught from the heart. Speaking from my own experience, the best educational transfer comes from teachers who have shown respect, sensitivity, and love for their students. They speak, teach, and interact from that desire to guide, instruct, and love their students.

Some may point to the low API score that RAAMP has received. Students have come from public education and their initial scores reflect that. Once they come to RAAMP, their scores shoot straight up. In the school office they have a display, which indicates each grade’s math scores. It listed their entry level abilities and how many were behind, caught up and meeting the basics. Right next to it is an assessment seven weeks into the semester and every grade shows a huge improvement – in just a few short weeks!

Many of RAAMP’s kids come from a struggling background. Many have struggled in other schools and many come from single-parent homes. However, these kids, teachers and administrators are committed to providing and receiving the best education possible. I was honored and blown away by my visit to RAAMP. My heart goes out to the staff and students at the school.

I left a form with the administrator – a form that suggests a fund-raising project that I am interested in. It’s a project for me and Antioch as a whole, but, after hearing and seeing RAAMP, I would love to help them financially because, frankly, they deserve it.

Yes, indeed there is something magical happening here in Antioch. After witnessing the education and compassion in which it is delivered, I feel significantly more comfortable that the kids from RAAMP will do their part to help the world become a better place. To learn more about RAAMP you can go to www.RAAMP.com

Ray Faulkenberry, PhD is a business analyst, consultant, coach, author, and entrepreneur. Log onto his website and receive his books on success, leadership, and transformation for free. He can be reached at www.rayfaulkenberry.com or rayfaulkenberry@comcast.net.

More than $2,000 raised

By Walter Ruehlig

A community’s educational positioning is like a three legged stool; it balances by taking the support of students, teachers and parents/community. More so than ever, we can’t do it alone.

Before even contemplating the academic No Child Left Behind challenge let’s start with the financial dilemma facing the Antioch Unified School District and its AUSD has suffered a staggering $74 million in state cuts over the last four years, with no end in sight to the crippling attack.

It’s a heady challenge; needing to train a globally competitive workforce while in the societal throes of an endemic breakdown of the family and simultaneously adapting to the radical transition of youth’s attention to a wired world; all the while addressing tumultuous change with far scanter resources.

The recent arson and vandalism incidents that shut down the Diablo Vista Elementary School kitchen and decimated the playground at Lone Tree Elementary were low blows, then, to an already tottering budget and besieged morale. As if money was free and easy, the tab for some thug’s mindlessness is now running upwards of two hundred thousand dollars.

Monday evening January 8th Take Back Antioch, led by Brittney Gougeon and the Lone Tree Elementary PTA, led by Patty Ward, said no to victimhood mentality. They demonstrated a fighting, proactive community spirit by holding a spaghetti dinner and raffle at the Red Caboose Restaurant to raise funds for the damaged schools,
particularly for enhanced security measures.

Lone Tree Principal Melanie Jones, Diablo Vista Principal Wanda Appell and School Board Trustee Walter Ruehlig addressed a packed crowd that included Mayor Jim Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Wade Harper, Councilman Gary Agopian and School Board President Diane Gibson Gray.

Good company, good food, good cause.

The Deer Valley High School Band & Auxiliary Boosters will host an all-you-can-eat Crab Feed & Tri-Tip Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, Sunset Hall, 1201 W. 10th St., Antioch.

Tickets are $45 per person and includes Marinated Crab, Tri Tip, Salad, Pasta, Garlic Bread and Dessert. Full bar available. Raffles, auctions and Live Jazz. Doors open at 6PM with dinner at 7PM. All proceeds will benefit DVHS band programs.

For tickets and information, call Eric Wunderly at 925-755-2724. No tickets sold at the door.

Dallas Ranch PTSA will be having our 3rd annual Crab Feed and Raffle on Saturday, March 3rd from 6-10 p.m. and the new Community Center. Tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for kids 14 and under.

This includes all the crab you can eat, pasta, salad, bread, dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage. We will have a beer and wine bar as well. Funds raised from this event will be used to purchase much-needed school supplies at Dallas Ranch. The school has had $20,000 slashed from its budget this year, and the DRMS PTSA aims to replenish those monies.

To purchase tickets email mfuriosi@comcast.net.