May 19, 2011 (Alpine) -- The Boulder Oaks Elementary School PTA will be hosting its annual Western Days Carnival on Friday May 20, 2011 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The carnival will feature food, game booths, a silent auction, a cake walk, opportunity drawings, an air jumper, a rock wall, music and much more.

Money  raised from the carnival allows the BOES PTA to pay for such things as field trips, assemblies, and new technology items for students. Boulder Oaks Elementary is located at 2320 Tavern Road. For more information please contact BOES at 619-445-8676.

$5,000 Award Will Give Middle School Students Access to Laptop Computers

May 17, 2011 – Middle school students at Ramona Lutheran School are set to benefit from a $5,000 education grant awarded today by the Barona Band of Mission Indians.  Assemblyman Brian Jones (R-Santee) joined Principal Donna Myers in accepting the grant that was presented to the school by Edwin “Thorpe” Romero, Chairman of the Barona Band of Mission Indians. 

“Today’s teaching and learning process is being transformed by technology,” said Chairman Romero. “Barona is pleased to award this grant that will provide middle school students at Ramona Lutheran with access to computers.  Our hope is to enrich their educational experience and help prepare them for high school.”

May 10, 2011 (Santee) --The West Hills High School Foundation is hosting a Stand Up Comedy fundraising event Saturday,  May 14th at West Hills High's Bob Guess Theatre in Santee.  The doors open at 6:15 and the show starts promptly at 7:00.   Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.  Headliner and alumni Dat Phan will be performing with a variety of other comedians.  Dat was the season 1 winner of NBC's hit show, "Last Comic Standing."

Advanced tickets can be purchased at Al's Sport Shop in Santee or online at www.WHHSFoundation.org

May 8, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – Looking to start a green business—or find a job in a green industry?

Learn the keys to success at the Green Business Symposium hosted by Cuyamaca College on May 26th.  For program details and information on registration, scroll down.

The Green Potential

 May 4, 2001 (San Diego) --The California State University Board of Trustees today announced three finalists for the presidency of San Diego State University. The finalists and the dates they will visit the campus for all-day meetings with various groups are:

·        

Elliot Hirshman, provost and senior vice president, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will visit on Monday, May 2.

·        

Steven Leath, vice president for research and sponsored programs, University of North Carolina system, will visit on Tuesday, May 3.

·        

Paul J. Zingg, president of California State University, Chico, will visit onThursday, May 5.

·        

 May 2, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Summer class schedules are available now for  camps, enrichment classes, and youth aquatic classes. There’s something for every child and teen’s interests—from “Mad Science” camp to camp programs in fencing, flag football, theatre, and surf camp, to name just a few.  See schedule for class dates and times. For convenience in enrolling, there is a blue Enroll Online link on the Community Services web page.

Sandra Galea-Martinez and Paula Delgado Selected to Represent GUHSD in Prestigious San Diego County Teacher of the Year Competition

April 27, 2011 (El Cajon)—At its Governing Board Meeting on Thursday, April 14, the Grossmont Union High School District honored Teacher of the Year nominees from its school sites. These nominees are selected by their peers.

April 12, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) introduced legislation to restore cuts made to education aid for veterans going to college. The Post 9/11 GI Bill Payment Restoration Act (H.R. 1451) would reinstate living expense stipends during school breaks.

“Our service members earned and deserve their educational benefits,” said Davis, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. “We have a responsibility to keep these benefits worthy of their dedication and sacrifices to the nation.”

SDJA was the big winner at the 2011 Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair, with 50% of its high school entries taking home the grand prize, or Sweepstakes Awards, and over half of its middle school entries receiving a first place award.

March 30, 2011 (Sacramento)--Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) announced today that the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, which he chairs, has approved his bill to improve the campus climates for LGBT students at public colleges and universities. AB 620 would require the California State University and California Community Colleges, and request the University of California, to adopt policies on harassment, intimidation and bullying in their student codes of conduct.

You can help by collecting Box Tops, Campbell Soup Labels, Coke Rewards and joining Target’s Take Charge of Education program

March 27, 2011 (Alpine)--Public schools are getting hit with major budget cuts. Now, Alpine Elementary School hopes to raise its own money--with your help. 

“Each fundraiser brings lots of money and educational items to our school and requires minimal effort and almost no cost to you,” says spokesperson Sharmin Self, who said teachers are currently having to pay for many school supplies out of their own pockets.

Scroll down for details that Self provided on how you can help.

March 25, 2011 (El Cajon)--Grossmont College is soliciting assistance from the public for photos of campus activities from the 1990s for inclusion in its 50th anniversary commemorative book. The soon-to-be-published book will highlight the college’s history since it opened in 1961, and more photos are needed from the 1990s, college officials said.

Photos can be placed on flash drives or CDs or sent to the college via e-mail by Tuesday, March 29.

Fundraiser to provide Japan relief set for March 25

By Jeremy Los

March 16, 2011 (San Diego) -- Following the destruction of the 9.0 magnitude quake and tsunami that hit Japan last Thursday,  many on the San Diego State campus feared for those studying abroad and for the families of the over 100 Japanese students at SDSU.  Shortly after the tsunami, SDSU confirmed on its website that at least 12 of the 16 students studying in Japan were safe and unharmed. The other 4 students were also believed safe because they were studying hundreds of miles away from the areas hardest hit.

“As it stands now all sixteen students traveling abroad in Japan are safe and we’ve communicated to each directly,” SDSU Media Relations Manager Gina Jacobs advised ECM in a subsequent update.

By Jeremy Los

March 11, 2011 (Alpine)--The Alpine Unified School District will face tough decisions when it comes to passing its annual budget. Like many other school districts, AUSD is facing a budgetary gap that could force the district to enforce deep cuts and increase class sizes. The preliminary budget was passed in February, with the official budget on the docket for June.

ECM has learned that many teachers have already received their pink slips, with one e-mail from a teacher stating that 40% of Joan McQueen Middle School’s staff had received the lay-off notices as of March 4. The district must issue lay-off notices prior to March 15 to comply with state law for any positions that may be cut this year.

By Doug Deane

March 8, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- The following local, state and national education news items are excerpted from a very informative e-newsletter published by Doug Deane, chair of the Business Education Committee at the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce.

 Our picks for Deane’s top education stories from the latest issue include: