Hear our interview with GUHSD member Priscilla Schreiber and Nick Marinovich, who says he was pressured to resign off the district's Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, on why they want to see new candidates step forward to run for the board:

https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

By Miriam Raftery

August 7, 2014 (San Diego's East County) -- Tomorrow, August 8 at 5 p.m. is the deadline to file for running for most local offices in East County--though if an incumbent opts not to file for reelection, that deadline can be extended for several more days. 

Some local districts don't have enough people running to fill the seats--including the Grossmont Union High School District, where at last check only two challengers have filed for three seats, despite controversy including a Grand Jury admonishment.  One of those challengers, Dr. Gary Woods, opposes a high school for Alpine and was previously voted out; his election would solidify the anti-Alpine high school majority on the board.  (Note: incumbent Dick Hoy has said he won't seek reelection, thus this filing deadline will likely be extended.)

Alpine's Community Planning Group has just 5 candidates so for to fill 7 seats.

These are just two examples of a race where the balance of power could shift--or not--depending on which candidates if any step forward to run.

Local seats on the November ballot include school boards, planning groups, water boards, fire boards, mayor and city councils across East County.  Currently a numberof these positions have no candidates filed to run, or only one candidate, leaving voters without a choice.  

East County News Service

August 6, 2014 (San Diego)--San Diego State University is launching  a new program aimed at empowering music studies to run successful businesses.

Grossmont CBOC Member Nick Marinovich Resigns After Pressure From Asking Tough Questions

By Sharon Penny

July 13, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--The Grossmont Union High School District’s (GUHSD) Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) serves on behalf of  San Diego County taxpayers to  “independently review the planning and execution of the Proposition H and Proposition U bond programs to validate to the public and the Governing Board that bond funds are spent within the intent of the bond measure.” East County Magazine has raised questions over problems with the CBOC’s watchdog role in a radio interview a few months ago.

Since his appointment to CBOC in June 2013, Nick Marinovich has a history of questioning the GUHSD Board about what many view as its inadequate responses for plans for an Alpine High School (funded by Proposition U) and for not properly addressing the Grand Jury’s report criticizing the Boardm as ECM has reported.

Effective June 19, Marinovich “resigned” from the CBOC. GUHSD Board member Priscilla Schreiber has told East County Magazine that she believes Marinovich was ”indirectly forced” to resign due to his probing questions and failure of the board to respond to his follow-up efforts.

June 27, 2014 (El Cajon) - From student body president at Grossmont College during the 1960s to his fundraising efforts on behalf of students over the past 10 years, Ernest Ewin is the gift to East County’s community colleges that keeps on giving.

By Jaden Jimenez

June 16, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) -- Following last year’s plan that was signed by Governor Brown, districts will have the ability to direct funds to specific areas in their schools rather than being told by the state for direction.

The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) creates concentration grants in place of the existing funding plans giving districts more say in how money should be spent on education in their specific district. This eliminates revenue limits and will cut out three quarters of state categorical programs which are currently deciding what funds are needed for specific expenditures, without any consideration to the needs of each individual district.

By Miriam Raftery

June 11, 2014 (Washington D.C.)-- Students graduating from college today face an increasing burden of debt. The average undergraduate student must borrow $30,000 and for graduate students, the burden is many times worse. The high cost of tuition, even at public colleges and universities, has made college unaffordable for many students.

June 10, 2014 (El Cajon)--More than 2,000 graduates have received a record number of degrees and certificates from Cuyamaca and Grossmont colleges in the annual celebrations of academic accomplishment, evenings made memorable by inspirational speeches, congratulatory moments, proud families and joyous graduates.

By Leon Thompson



May 30, 2014 (Lakeside) -- “Heartland Charter School helped me get a job,”  said Andy Casteruita.  “I learned good work habits and leadership skills.” Andy is one of 49 students at the Heartland Coalition’s one year old Youth Build Charter High School with classes and an office on Orange Avenue in City Heights.

May 24, 2014 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Grand Jury has issued a report “Say what you’ll do and then do what you say.”  It urges the County Office of Education and the City of San Diego to each establish an implementation review committee.  The report notes pointedly, “The 2013/2014  Grand Jury believes that all agencies within the county should be held accountable for implementing those Grand Jury recommendations to which they have agreed.”

Book Review by Dennis Moore

Every Child in America deserves a world-class education. Today, more than ever, a world-class education is a prerequisite for success. America was once the best-educated nation in the world. A generation ago, we led all nations in college completion, but today, ten countries have passed us. The issue is not that their students are smarter than ours. It is that these countries are being smarter about how to educate their students. And the countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow.

We must do better. Together we must achieve a new goal, that by 2020, the United States will once again lead the world in college completion. We must raise the expectations for our students, our schools, and ourselves – this must be a national priority. We must ensure that every student graduate from high school well prepared for college and a career. -- President Barack Obama (2010), 44^th President of the United States

“A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act”

This is one in an occasional series of profiles of Grossmont and Cuyamaca College students who exemplify student success.

May 14, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Grossmont College was Tamara McMillan’s destiny. It just took her a little while to get there.

May 15, 2014 (San Diego) - California adopted nationally-recommended standards for English-language arts and mathematics in 2013 as a condition for receiving federal education funds. These state standards are generally referred to as the Common Core curriculum that all California schools must now follow. While there are many benefits that can be attributed to the new curriculum, one downside is that beginning with the 2014-2015 school year all future statewide student achievement testing must be done on-line, utilizing computers instead of manually completed pen-and-ink forms.

Source: San Diego County Grand Jury

May 10, 2014 (San Diego)--Recent changes in how at-risk youngsters in custody in San Diego County’s six juvenile detention facilities are educated violates state law, according to a report released May 8^th by the San Diego County Grand Jury. The facilities are operated by the San Diego County Probation Department, with the educational component provided by the San Diego County Office of Education.

$12,500 NEA Arts Work Grant will bring music to at risk Communities

May 10, 2014 (La Mesa)--The National Endowment for the Arts recently awarded SDSU’s Heartpower Performances a $12,500 Art Works Grant to fund its unique combination of music performances, classes and clinics for at-risk audiences throughout Southern California.

By: Janis Russell

May 3, 2014 (El Cajon)- Students, faculty, alumni of the schools in GUHSD, and the community turned out Thursday May 1 to celebrate the dedication of the district’s new district office.