Long-time Carlsbad Education Foundation Board Members Steve Pynes and Bill Walls (pictured above with former President Julie Baker and Board President Lisa Posard) were honored last night for their years of service, according to a press release. The two attorneys have concluded their service after nearly 10 years.
Honored last evening by immediate past president of the board Julie Baker and current board president Lisa Posard, along with many other board members attending the Board of Trustees meeting of the Carlsbad Unified School District, attorneys Pynes and Walls were publicly thanked for their many years of support to public education. . . .“We appreciate their many years of dedicated service to CEF,” said past President Julie Baker. “Bill and Steve were valued members of the foundation who helped us oversee the contribution of dollars which funded the schools with up-to-date computer equipment, theatre and band programs, libraries, the award-winning CHS-TV program, and more.”
It’s not like the robot battles out of the Steven Spielberg movie AI, but a kinder, gentler, smarter kind of robot competition as kids like Cameron Di Robertis from Team Evil Genius Too (pictured above) flock to Legoland to put their “autonomous robots” up against others in The First Lego League Tournament December 6-7, 2008..
On Dec. 6, 2008, LEGOLAND hosts the FLL Southern California Championship Tournament and as well as the FLL Los Angeles Region Championship Tournament on Dec. 7. Competition is expected to be fierce as 102 teams of children ages 9 to 14 compete in using robots to understand and create solutions for one of today’s most critical environmental issues: climate conditions. Winners from these tournaments advance to the FIRST World Festival. . . .The tournament challenges teams to use science and technology as they build, program and test an autonomous robot to compete with other teams’ robots in an obstacle course.
And yes, these events are more fun than they sound. All the info after the jump. [click to continue…]
Carlsbadistan resident Alex Kajitani, the Rappin’ Mathematician was named California Teacher of the Year yesterday, and while he actually teaches at Mission Middle School in Escondido, we’re still proud of him.
As the state Teacher of the Year, Kajitani will join other teachers in March in representing their states in a White House visit with the president. . . . “It’s such an honor and something I’m really looking forward to,” Kajitani said. “I think this country is on the verge of potentially great change, and I think the same is true for education as well.”
Several upset Carlsbadistan parents made their kids stay home from school to protest a $1.25 million donation made to the “No on Prop. 8” campaign by the California Teachers Association, according to a story on NBC San Diego.
The parents are upset because they say the union should be fighting for legislation that will actually affect schools — legislation like the budget and class size — not gay marriage. . . Anita Kelley’s family is one of many who received e-mails about the protest and said she believes the teachers union has no business supporting a social issue that doesn’t affect schools. . . “It’s nothing that will benefit students or teachers. It was just wasteful spending,” said Kelley. “I think the money could be better used and spent in areas that would have benefited more kids.”
Maybe the union represents a lot of gay teachers. . . guess Mrs. Kelley didn’t really think of that one, huh?
The Lancer Homecoming King and Queen of 2008 Ashston Barbour and Amber Singh were the closers on this year’s parade through the streets of Carlsbadistan.
For all the photos of today’s Lancer Day Parade “continue reading” link.
It’s interesting to see how Carlsbad’s Army and Navy Academy promotes itself to the outside world. In a recent press release that went out on the wire recently they asked a rhetorical question: “Does your son need structure?” Well, apparently, they can give it.
The Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad, California is a residential college preparatory school that uses a service academy model to teach leadership and character development for boys in grades 7-12. Students learn to take responsibility, adhere to a daily schedule, and develop good habits. Whether it is making their bed, studying for a test or practicing for a game, students understand that they will be accountable for their actions as well as supported as they confront challenges.
Yeah, kind of like the Army or the Navy, but for boys who are too young to enlist. For people who need a place to store problem children, The Army and Navy Academy is perfect, and after all it’s beachfront.
After a few words from Library Director Heather Pizzuto and comments from members of the City Council, at about 10:30 AM on August 23, 2008 Mayor Pro Tem Ann Kulchin cut the ribbon to officially open Carlsbad City Library’s newest addition: The Learning Center at 3368 Eureka Place.
Close to 200 people were on hand for the celebration and the tour of the facilities that followed.
The Library Learning Center is both the new home of the Centro de Información and the Adult Learning Program, as well as a warm, comfortable community gathering place where life-long learning is supported for all ages.
The Learning Center will provide public computer and Internet access, computer classes for adults and students, literacy tutoring for adults, Homework assistance for students, study rooms, space for special events and a Spanish, English and bilingual library collection including books, audiobooks, DVDs and CDs for people of all ages.
Everyone involved with this project (The City of Carlsbad Staff,The Library Board of Trustees, The Carlsbad Library & Arts Foundation, Friends of the Carlsbad Library, Manuel Oncina Architects, Inc, and Telacu Construction) should be extremely proud. The building is attractively designed on the outside and more importantly on the inside.
For a photo tour of the new facility, please follow the jump (and remember to click the images to see the full size).
The Carlsbad Library will be hosting a grand opening party for the new Learning Center Saturday August 23, 2008 from 10 AM to 3 PM. The celebration will include tours, story times, and crafts for children, plus entertainment by the Mariachi Divas.
The 11,000-square-foot Library Learning Center will open for business on Monday, August 25 at 11am. It is located at 3368 Eureka Place, on the east side of Holiday Park. The Library Learning Center hours will be 11am to 6pm Monday through Thursday and 11am to 5pm on Friday, with additional literacy tutoring appointments available mornings and evenings.
Thanks to the “discovery of two endagered birds” during an environmental review on the planned site of Carlsbad’s new High School, the opening date is going to be pushed off until 2011.
Two nests of least Bell’s vireo, which primarily inhabits riparian woodlands, scrub, and thickets for breeding, were found on city property between the high school site and College Boulevard, district Superintendent John Roach said. . . . The birds were discovered as part of an environmental review of the 57-acre site at College Boulevard and Cannon Road. The Carlsbad Unified School District is building the new campus to reduce overcrowding at Carlsbad High.
That means a little more time in the porta-classes, kids.
Thanks to Propsition P, the Carlsbad Unified School District will get $14 million in much needed elementary school upgrades beginning next summer according to a Stacy Brandt story in the North County Times.
“It’s really exciting.” Trustee Nicole Pappas said Monday about seeing the projects beginning to take shape. “This is what we’ve been waiting for.” . . . District officials are expected to ask the board at Wednesday’s meeting to choose Trittipo Architecture and Planning to design the plans for overhauling four elementary school campuses. The district would pay the San Marcos-based company $915,000 for the work.
Work would begin on Buena Vista, Hope, Kelly and Magnolia elementary schools next summer, so kids will have to endure one more school year in the old buildings.
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