Schools’ accreditations will last until June 2029

Schools

Continued from Page A3 a successful future,” Dare Holdren, the San Marcos High School principal, said in a news release. “The committee report also serves as a valuable tool to help identify areas of improvement as we continue the work of making San Marcos into the best high school it can be.”

Staff members at all three schools celebrated the accreditation with cake Tuesday.

“Learning we received our sixyear accreditation is a testament to the collective efforts of our entire Dos Pueblos staff and families and is evidence of our commitment to providing the highest quality education to our students,” said Bill Woodard, Dos Pueblos High School principal. “I am extremely proud of the hard work that went into our successful accreditation process, which I know will make our school even stronger in the coming years.”

The accreditation was also celebrated at Tuesday’s Santa Barbara Unified School District board meeting.

“I have always appreciated the rigorous and intense WASC

Williams: Transporting material would be more environmentally damaging

BEACH

Continued from Page A1 protects us all from debris flows,” Supervisor Williams said. “We cannot leave material in there without endangering the people of Carpinteria. The material being placed at Ash Beach comes from the watershed above Carpinteria.”

Supervisor Williams said a beach is the correct place to deposit the material, which includes mud.

“Beach scientists have advised us this is exactly what our beaches, typically starved of new sand, need to protect them against erosion,” he said. “Placing it elsewhere would be far more environmentally damaging due to the pollution caused by long-distance heavy truck trips.

“Estimates show the alternative sites would create as much as 98,400 vehicle miles traveled (vs. 1,700 to Ash beach), which is too much traffic and air pollution to inflict upon the community,” Supervisor Williams said.

But Ms. Carlen noted, “Santa Barbara Channelkeeper has been advocating to stop emergency permitting. It is not safe to dump those materials in the ocean. The composite of sediment is not what would be found in the ocean. We don’t know what kind of chemicals are in the debris.”

Ted Morton, executive director of Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, echoed her concern in an email to the News-Press.

“Channelkeeper is concerned about the impacts of mud dumping at Carpinteria and Goleta beaches,” Mr. Morton said. “The constant, daily dumping of mud and debris impairs water quality and affects fish, wildlife and other biological resources by increasing silt, turbidity and contaminants such as ammonia nitrogen in coastal waters.

“We believe there are better options that should be explored and put in place,” Mr. Morton said. “We will be doing more outreach to county officials to explore these alternatives and a more protective, long-term solution.”

Heal the Ocean did not respond to the NewsPress’ request for comment.

“According to the county, the materials being dumped are safe and do not raise the bacteria levels,” Ms. Carlen told the News-Press.

“However, when I contacted the Environmental Health Services in Santa Barbara, the reports indicate that tests are showing harmful levels. The California state parks have posted signs at their beach to stay out of the water —

‘hazardous materials submerged.’”

The News-Press asked Ms. Carlen where else she would like to see the debris dumped.

“Let’s get the great minds of Santa Barbara County together and come up with a solution,” she answered. “To say there is no other option is insanity. This state claims to care about the environment. So how can something like this continue?

“Every time we have a rain event, we have an emergency permit and dump it at the beach,” Ms. Carlen said. “That’s not environmentally friendly, and it’s not a solution. It’s a Band-Aid.”

“I think people should do some research and contact organizations involved in environmental studies and marine life which understand that putting sediment in the ocean at this rate is not normal,” Ms. Carlen said. “People that are aware of the problem are doing the work, but the resistance is ‘It’s an emergency,’ but it doesn’t have to be an emergency.

“People need a voice; the people should make the decision about where emergency permits are going,” Ms. Carlen said. “Let’s put this on the ballot, and get this decision to the people.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Book intended to help readers suffering from anxiety or depression

Fri.

accreditation process,” said Elise Simmons, principal of Santa Barbara High School.

“It requires us to bring all our stakeholders together in a focused and collaborative manner to describe, evaluate and celebrate the amazing programs, staff, and actions we take to ensure that all students are supported, cared for, and thriving. Receiving accreditation shows our community that Santa Barbara High School is providing a quality education and experience.” As part of the accreditation process, the schools must do a progress report to confirm continued progress and positive academic outcomes. The accreditation for all three schools will last through June 30, 2029.

La Cuesta Continuation High School was granted six years of accreditation in March 2020, with a mid-cycle progress report due June 1. Alta Vista Alternative High School had a mid-cycle report last year where accreditation was reaffirmed. Its next visit will happen during the 2024-2025 school year.

email: kzehnder@newspress.com dam holds 188,030 acre-feet. An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, equivalent to the amount of water consumed annually by

Surfer

Continued from Page A1 said his experience has been that those involved with surfing and other sports tend to be accepting of diverse races and religious groups.

But Mr. Tomson applauded Mr. Greene’s efforts to shine light on anti-Semitism, which Mr. Tomson said is contrary to surfing’s spiritual philosophy.

Mr. Tomson appears twice in Mr. Greene’s film. In another segment, Mr. Tomson talks about how surfing helped him to heal after he and his wife Carla lost their son Matthew in

Shaun Tomson is known for his longtime surfing expertise.

2006. Matthew died when he was 15.

“When I went surfing, I saw the sun rising,” Mr. Tomson said about the first time he surfed after Matthew’s death. That moment took Mr. Tomson back to a beautiful essay his son had written about surfing. As he thought about his son’s words, Mr. Tomson found a path to healing.

Mr. Tomson writes about overcoming life’s obstacles in “The Surfer and the Sage: A Guide to Survive & Ride Life’s Waves” (Familius Publishing).

He told the News-Press that his book, which is designed to help readers suffering from anxiety or depression, is selling well at Chaucer’s in Santa Barbara and

Tecolote Book Shop in Montecito. (The book is not intended to be a clinical book, but is designed to be an inspirational guidebook.)

Mr. Tomson, who today has a 13-year-old son, Luke, said many people have told him the book has helped them. “It’s very gratifying to hear that.” email: dmason@newspress.com