East County News Service



May 18, 2016 (El Cajon) - A busy academic year highlighted by new leadership at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges culminates with commencement ceremonies June 1 and 2, where more than 4,200 degrees and certificates will be awarded.

East County News Service

May 17, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- San Diego County Crime Stoppers and investigators from the Lemon Grove Sheriff's Substation want the public's help in identifying and locating those responsible for stealing 43 laptops from San Miguel Elementary School April 27^th or 28^th. 

East County News Service

Image from the Alpine High School Citizens Committee that has worked for years to get a high school built.  Now a judge’s ruling could deprive Alpine of bond money that voters approved for the school.

May 15, 2016 (Alpine) — An attorney representing the Alpine Taxpayers for Bond Accountability has told East County Magazine that his client is prepared to file an appeal if Judge Joel Pressman’s preliminary ruling setting aside a preliminary injunction against the Grossmont Union High School district stands. 

First-ever Zahn Spirit of Innovation Award among pomp and prizes at SDSU commencement celebrations on May 13 to 15 at Viejas Arena

By Jill Esterbrooks, SDSU News Center

May 13, 2016 (San Diego)--This year's crop of San Diego State University graduates is more diverse, determined and decorated than any in its 119-year history.

Take Austin Owens. He'll receive his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and the first-ever Zahn Spirit of Innovation Award at the College of Engineering's commencement ceremony on May 14 at 5:30 p.m. Owens, who is "passionate about solving problems and making things happen against all odds," has been a four-year SDSU standout for founding the on-campus Mechantronics Club, competing in international RoboSub competitions and landing a post-graduation job at SpaceX, a space exploration company founded by Elon Musk.

Updated May 11: Plaintiffs issue statement saying they will appeal the ruling.

By Miriam Raftery

May 6, 2016 (Alpine) – A preliminary ruling by Superior Court Judge Joel Pressman would set aside a preliminary injunction against the Grossmont District. If the ruling stands, it will allow Grossmont to keep $42 million that had been set aside for an Alpine High School that the district never built. The money is a portion of bond measure funds approved by voters in part for the long-promised school.

The suit was filed by the Alpine Union School District and Alpine Taxpayers for Bond Accountability. The groups have 15 days to file an appeal.

East County News Service

May 3, 2016 (Warner Springs) – Extensive vandalism forced closure today of the entire Warner Unified School District complex, which includes elementary through high school classrooms as well as district offices.  The district's website states it hopes to reopen soon and will notify parents when children can return to school.

A maintenance worker arriving at work Wednesday morning discovered the damage, which included graffiti, broken windows, classrooms ransacked, furniture overturned and fire extinguishers discharged.  The worker called  Sheriff’s deputies at 5:15 a.m.

By Ken Stone

Photo:  Tim Glover, new Grossmont Union High School District superintendent via GUHSD

Originally published in Times of San Diego, a San Diego Online News Association member

April 26, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- With a court verdict looming in its fight with Alpine residents, the Grossmont Union High School District board has chosen a longtime East County resident as its new superintendent.

East County News Service



April 24, 2016 (El Cajon) - More than 50 employers from throughout the region will converge on Cuyamaca College May 4 to recruit applicants for an array of available jobs during the 2016 East County Career Expo.

East County News Service

April 23, 2016 (Spring Valley) -- Students and staff at Monte Vista High School know that Mondays are special.  They are faculty work days; classes begin two hours later than usual so students get the chance to sleep in.  But this coming Monday, April 25^th, won’t be a typical one for the Monarch student body.  Instead of sleeping in, more than 200 students and staff members will work with “Stop Hunger Now” to package 40,000 meals for needy children in developing countries.  The students and staff are excited to be a part of this community service event hosted by their school and nearby Foothills United Methodist Church.

East County News Service

April 21, 2016 (San Diego's East County) -- Grossmont Union High School District is seeking applications to fill a vacancy within the eleven-member Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC). The CBOC oversees the implementation of Proposition U, the $417 million general obligation bond measure passed in November 2008, to bring facility improvements and renovations to the district’s schools.

The appointee will serve a two-year term beginning June 2016, in the capacity of “Parent-at-Large” and will be eligible for up to two additional two-year terms, with the condition that the appointee must have a child or children continuously enrolled in a District school for all term periods. Deadline to apply is May 24 and there is a June 9 hearing.

In order to apply, you must….

California Coast Credit Union launches social media video contest to benefit local schools

East County News Service

April 19, 2016 (San Diego) – California Coast Credit Union, the oldest financial institution based in San Diego, with over $2 billion in assets, has launched a superhero-themed video contest to help raise money

for local schools. The Superhero Video Contest runs from April 1 to July 31 and contestants can win up to $1,500 for a school of their choice located in San Diego or Riverside County, plus $1,500 for themselves.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: GUHSD trustee Priscilla Schreiber, losing her seat due to redistricting

April 14, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego County Board of Education’s Committee on School District Reorganization last night approved the Grossmont Union High School District’s plan to implement trustee elections and approve the map previously approved by the GUHSD board. 

Next up, the state Department of Education will consider Grossmont’s request for a waiver of a public vote.  If the waiver is approved, the transition to trustee districts will be in place for the 2016 election.  If denied, a public vote would take place and if approved by the public, the changes would be delayed until 2018.

East County News Service

April 13, 2016 (San Diego) -- Legislation co-authored by  San Diego Assemblymember Lorena Gonzales to protect students’ private information such as Social Security numbers passed the Assembly Education Committee today on a unanimous 7-0 vote.

100% of proceeds from the sale of the sunglasses to benefit local elementary art education 

April 13, 2016 (El Cajon) — Knockaround Sunglasses is pleased to announce the release of this year’s student-designed Class Acts sunglasses.  The sunglasses, titled “After the Storm,” were designed by a 5th grader named Jayden Crenshaw from Madison Elementary in El Cajon, California. 

Public encouraged to send letters to state and county decision makers

East County News Service

April 10, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Supervisor Dianne Jacob has sent a letter to the County Board of Education President Gregg Robinson PhD urging support for a public vote to determine the outcome of the Grossmont Union High School District’s proposal for “by trustee” area elections. The GUHSD board majority is seeking a waiver from a state requirement that would ordinarily require a public vote on any redistricting proposal. 

But Jacob writes, “The importance of representing the people through elections is paramount to the political process. Normally, election `by trustee’ is a fair way to ensure that constituents are being properly and proportionally represented. GUHSD’s proposal to move to a `by-trustee’ area election method is not something that is generally considered unusual, however, recent actions and decisions by GUHSD’s Board of Directors has created a sense of public distrust.”