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CUSD meeting focuses on Common Core, Measure U
Blue Crew
BY PETER DUGRÉ
A great change is underway for Carpinteria Unified School District. At the annual Community Meeting on Nov. 17, district administrators caught parents up to speed on the main principles of the newly implemented Common Core State Standards and what to expect now that Measure U, the $90 million school bond to improve facilities, passed on Nov. 4.
Measure U oversight
It could be several years before ground breaks on any Measure U projects, and according to Assistant Superintendent Cindy Abbott, the time between now and groundbreaking will be dedicated to careful planning. She emphasized that while flexibility on how to spend the $90 million was intentionally built into the ballot measure, the details are in the Facilities Master Plan, which was 18 months in the making and a product of extensive analysis of all school sites. “If anyone wants to know what we’re going to be doing, it’s all there in the Facilities Master Plan,” she said. Another point of emphasis was in the formation of an Independent Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, a requirement of the education code meant to ensure monitoring of bond expenditures. Within the priority
CUSD MEETING continued on page 14
BILL SWING
The girls on the court for Cate School volleyball had a secret weapon in their home win over Summit High School on Nov. 18, their fans, affectionately known as the Blue Crew. Fans, from left, Luke Beckmen, Antonio Schwartz, Ryan Borchardt, Noah Somaratne and Cole Brennan (in the blue suit) were some of the most uplifting of the fans who have supported the team all the way to CIF finals, which are scheduled for this Friday, Nov. 21, at 5 p.m. at Cerritos College. Cate will take on Duarte High School, which knocked Carpinteria High School out of the tournament in round two. Turn to sports on page 15 for more volleyball coverage.
Fire board brings $10.65 million bond measure to voters BY LEA BOYD
The road leading to a unanimous decision by the fire board for a bond measure was longer and rockier than anyone anticipated; nonetheless, on Nov. 18 a once divided board came together to bring before voters a $10.65 million bond measure to construct a new fire station in Summerland and remodel the existing fire station in Carpinteria. The mail-in election will take place in May of 2015, and passage of the measure will require two-thirds voter approval. If approved, the bond would add $9.80 per $100,000 in assessed value to property taxes within the boundaries of the district, which spans from Ortega Ridge to Rincon Creek. A small but supportive audience attended the meeting of the CarpinteriaSummerland Fire Protection District’s Board of Directors, and several attendees advocated for the long awaited decision.
“I’m kind of overwhelmed with happiness at this point,” said Summerland resident Reeve Woolpert. For outgoing boardmembers Craig Price, Ben Miller and Lisa Guravitz— none of whom sought reelection—approval of the bond measure resolution was a gratifying end to a long process that threatened to derail completely in the last couple years. After receiving a plaque in thanks for his service to the district, Price said, “The best going away present that I can think of is having this board pass a unanimous resolution to put a bond measure on the ballot.” Momentum toward new stations had been fairly steady until, in early 2013, the firefighters announced their hesitation to support a bond measure that would improve facilities but do nothing to restore
FIRE BOARD Continued on page 18
BOYD
From left, Fire Chief Mike Mingee presents outgoing board members Craig Price and Ben Miller with plaques to thank them for their service. The third outgoing board member, Lisa Guravitz, received a plaque after serving a full term and leaving the board in 2012. She was reappointed to her seat after boardmember Bob Duncan passed away earlier this year.