By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

First Class Graduation!

May 8, 2017 (San Diego) -- Graduation is upon us and we want to make sure we graduate with our class safely this year.

Let’s start with the first class:  underage drinking can result in tragedy so let’s keep those critical lines of communication open when it comes to talking about the dangers of underage drinking, driving and graduation parties and events.

Source: Assemblyman Randy Voepel

May 6, 2017 (Sacramento) - Assemblyman Randy Voepel requested a legislative subpoena for all financial records and correspondence related to the secret $175 million fund maintained by the Office of the President of the University of California on Tuesday. Additionally, Voepel requested an independent forensic audit to determine if UC administrators engaged in criminal activity.                                             

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

April 27, 2017 (El Cajon) – A “homemade smoke device” set off in a boy’s restroom at Granite Hills High School this morning at 10:10 a.m. tripped a fire alarm, according to Grossmont Union High School District spokesperson Catherine Martin on Twitter.

“I disagree with all of these assertions.” -- UC President Janet Napolitano

By Miriam Raftery

April 25, 2017 (Sacramento) – A report by California’s state auditor claims that the University of California hid $175 million in secret reserves while it raised administrative spending by 28 percent.  The hidden reserves were not disclosed to the board or regents over the past several years, meaning regents were voting to hike tuitions without knowing about significant funds that might have alleviated the need to force students to pay more.

East County News Service

April 17, 2017 (Sacramento) -- A California bill aims to crack down on profiteering by private charter schools that have been pocketing public funds while providing a poor quality education to students, Cal Matters reports.

AMCHA Initiative’s 2016 report indicates two main sources are responsible for anti-Semitism on campus

East County News Service

April 15, 2017 (Santa Cruz) -- Anti-Semitism on campus increased 40% and genocidal expression doubled in 2016, according to the AMCHA Initiative’s annual study, released earlier this month.  The study examines anti-Semitism at more than 100 public and private colleges and universities with the largest Jewish undergraduate populations.

Kathryn Worley and Daemein Patterson to represent GUHSD in prestigious San Diego County Teacher of the Year Competition

East County News Service

April 8, 2017 (El Cajon) -- At the Governing Board meeting on Thursday, April 6, 2017, the Grossmont Union High School District honored Teacher of the Year nominees from each of its schools. This is a great honor, as each nominee was selected by their peers.

East County News Service

April 4, 2017 (El Cajon) --Both Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are hosting free career fairs this month for students and the community to network with employers and to learn what jobs are on the horizon. A public service career day will be held on April 19th and a sustainability resource fair with information on sustainability careers is slated for April 27.  Below are details:

East County News Service

March 24, 2017 (Sacramento) – California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson filed a court brief Wednesday  in the Ninth Circuit federal court supporting Santa Clara County’s request for a preliminary injunction to halt an executive order by President Donald Trump. Trump’s order aimed at deporting many undocumented immigrants threatens to stop federal funding for California cities, counties, and possibly public schools.

East County News Service

March 17, 2017 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD), a public agency that supports various health-related community programs and services in San Diego’s East County region, awarded $88,500 in scholarships to 39 high school students who have expressed interest in a career as a healthcare professional. The scholarships were presented at the GHD board meeting on Friday, March 17.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: The school’s first “campus” was located in downtown San Diego on the southwest corner of Sixth and F streets. (Credit: SDSU Special Collections and University Archives)

March 15, 2017 (San Diego) – Back in 1897, President William McKinley was sworn in as President of the United States. Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in England. The Klondike gold rush began, and San Diego State University was born. This week, the university is celebrating it 120^th anniversary.

By Jonathan Goetz

March 10, 2017 (El Cajon) -- The Grossmont Union High School District Board voted yesterday to send pink slips to at least 35 teachers and eliminate another 10 vacancies within the 22,000-student district.

Governing Board member Jim Kelly asked if the District could begin special education earlier than ninth grade to prevent having to pay for private school for special education students transferring in from districts before 9^th grade.  He was told by a member of the audience “At Elite Academy we can take kids in seventh grade, we even have one sixth grader.”

By SDSU News Team

March 8, 2017 (San Diego) -- San Diego State University President Elliot Hirshman announced this morning that he has accepted the presidency of Stevenson University Online in Maryland. His last day at SDSU will be June 30. Hirshman has served as the president of SDSU since 2011.

Family-friendly event hosted by San Diego Gulls and California Coast Credit Union

Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

February 27, 2017 (El Cajon) - For the second year in a row, community college alum in San Diego and Imperial counties have a big reason to celebrate and to have more fun than you can shake a hockey stick at. On Saturday, March 25, community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties are throwing Community College AlumniFest, hosted by California Coast Credit Union and the San Diego Gulls hockey club.