Brown’s Budget Revise Pins More Hopes on Tax Hikes

Education faces drastic cuts ahead if tax initiatives fail to receive voter approval in November.

Governor Jerry Brown’s May Budget Revise has raised the stakes for voters to pass Brown’s tax initiatives in November, or public school education will face even deeper cuts than expected. Local school districts have been waiting on the May Revise to gauge the impacts the projected cuts will have on schools. If the ballot initiatives to raise taxes fail, the automatic triggers will increase from $657 million to $5.5 billion. The new trigger includes a $2.8 billion deferral and a reduction in program funding of $2.7 billion. This equates to a reduction of 15 days to the school year. Brown said the state deficit has ballooned from $9 billion in January to $16 billion. Local school districts are still analyzing how the numbers will affect them…

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FGUS Raises Money For Schools at Auction, Dinner

The Foundation for Glendora Unified Schools hosted its 5th annual Food For Thought dinner and auction Friday.

The Foundation for Glendora Unified Schools hosted its 5th annual fundraising event Food for Thought Friday night. The event is FGUS’ biggest fundraising event with last year’s auction and dinner raking in more than $200,000. Dining was provided by a variety of Glendora eateries, while GUSD students provided the entertainment. Items for the silent auction were donated by local businesses. “Importantly, what we wanted to do, is try to help people be a little more knowledgeable on what we’re doing, enjoy what we’re all about through events like this and raise money for kids,” said FGUS President Mike Beckman. FGUS has raised about $1.4 million for Glendora schools since the organization was initiated in 2004. Last year, the group raised a …

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Stanton Elem. Seeks Greater Resources to Increase Achievement

School seeks to implement Title I Schoolwide status for the 2012-2013 year, offer more resources to low-income students.

To better aid students throughout the school and improve state and federal testing standards, Stanton Elementary School is working to implement a Schoolwide Title I Program effective next school year. Schoolwide Title I programs offer a comprehensive strategy, reforming the school's entire educational plan, allowing all students, including those specified and low-achieving students, to become proficient and advanced on state academic achievement standards, according to the California Department of Education. The change in status is a year-long process that also requires school site council approval, according to Stanton Principal Sara Najarro. Stanton is a Title I targeted assistance school, offering resources and aid to specific groups of…

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School District Defends Commitment to Transparency

Amid allegations of teacher misconduct, the Glendora Unified School District maintains student safety is its priority.

As school districts across the San Gabriel Valley are asked to release information on teacher misconduct, Glendora Unified School District’s commitment to transparency is questioned as one of its teachers is accused of inappropriate behavior with a former student. Recently, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune published allegations from 20-year-old former Glendora High School student Amy McElroy and an unidentified former student that teacher Paul Zigan initiated inappropriate conduct with them while they were minors. According to a Glendora Police report, the police investigation determined that Zigan had engaged in “acts that were annoying” to McElroy. However, according to Director of Personnel Dominic DiGrazia, a school district …

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Glendora Unified Averts Layoffs

For the first time since 2009, Glendora Unified will not send pink slips to teachers.

With an expected increase of new average daily attendance, the Glendora Unified School district was able to stave off sending out pink slips to certificated staff this year. The district anticipates 162 new ADA for the next school year, allowing the district to avoid layoffs for the first time since 2009. “That’s a big relief and a big joy for the district and all the teachers as well,” said Dominic DiGrazia, director of personnel services. Despite the district's continued declining enrollment, an increase in District of Choice enrollment boosted ADA, which is used to determine state funding to school districts. “We are expecting more students next year and if we are maintaining similar class sizes, we’re going to need more teachers,” said…

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B.K. Holthaus

1:56 pm on Saturday, March 17, 2012

I don't think any district would accept students from other areas if they were financially stable enough to survive with just the local students. I'm assuming that Glendora Unified is not that fortunate. They most likely need the revenue that these other students are generating just to stay afloat.   more ›

Glendora Unified Seeks Permission to Exceed Class-Size Limits

The waiver would push the class-size limit to 33 students per class.

Parents Reminded to Plan Ahead For Earlier School Year

If ratified in the spring, the school year for Glendora Unified students will begin Aug. 15 and end May 30.

Parents of Glendora Unified School District students are being asked to plan ahead for the impending earlier start to the academic year next year. For the 2012-2013 year, school would begin Aug. 15 and end May 30. Notices of the new schedule were sent home to parents before winter break. According to Michelle Hunter, assistant superintendent of educational services, the earlier schedule is a tentative agreement with the district’s unions and should be ratified in the spring contract if the unions accept the agreement. “Right now it’s a tentative calendar for the upcoming school year,” said Hunter. ”But we’re letting our parents know at this point that it looks like that is what the start date will be.” She added that the unions were in …

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Tyler

9:14 pm on Wednesday, January 18, 2012

This is horrible! For the vast majority of families, this will mean one month less of the warm summer. The weather isn't warm and nice until July. Now everyone has to end their vacations that they work so hard to have for to get their kids back in school during the peak of the wonderful southern California weather. School should let out just before the 4th of July and summer should end in mid …   more ›

Glendora Unified Moving Closer to Earlier Start Next Year

With the calendar, GUSD strives to mimic college semester format, help students with exam preparation and maximize instructional days.

Next year, schools in Glendora Unified may start four days earlier in an effort by administrators to give students an edge in testing and college preparation. For the 2012-2013 year, school would begin Aug. 15 and end May 30. District officials also said the change would be necessary to allow students, including those in Advanced Placement courses, to complete projects and prep for tests without worrying about working over winter break. The spacing of the new calendar will mimic college semester calendars, according to Dominic DiGrazia, director of personnel. "When you start to look at the calendar, you realize we are only a few days away from lining up the calendar with our college-going culture," DiGrazia said. "That's a really huge …

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Sandburg Fine Arts Students Get Into Holiday Spirit

Choir and orchestra students put on a Christmas-themed show for family and administrators.

Family members braved a chilly night in Glendora to get in the holiday mood, courtesy of the Golden Notes and Orchestra, Wednesday night. The Holiday Concert took place at Sandburg Middle School. Family and administrators were treated to vivacious vocals and marvelous music. Some of the middle school students prepped for weeks and some for several months for the show, according to Steven Clark, music director. "The arts are very important," said Clark, a 30-year veteran of the program. "The school district really supports the arts very well." The hour-long show featured some tunes as "White Christmas," "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."

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Cupcakes For Sale Today at Glendora High

The first annual Kids Cupcake Camp event -- sponsored by The Cake Mamas of Glendora -- begins 1 p.m. at Glendora High School.

Local Bakers -- professional and amateur alike -- will display their cupcakes for sampling at Glendora High School, 1600 E. Foothill Blvd., beginning 1 p.m. today. The first annual Kids Cupcake Camp event -- sponsored by The Cake Mamas of Glendora -- is intended as a fundraiser for San Gabriel Valley-based Shepherd's Pantry. Joining the adult bakers will be student bakers from Charter Oak and Glendora Unified School districts; The kids will be intent on raising money to go to their schools, according to publicist Nicholle Brang. Admission to the Cupcake Camp will be a new, unwrapped toy worth $10 or greater, organizers said. The donation will also cover four tickets to buy four cupcakes from any of the more than 30 bakers, Brang said. …

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