School News November 19, 2009
Volume 6 Number 1
Naomi Isaak, the clinical coordinator for Building Heart-Safe Communities, Community Regional Medical Center, demonstrated the automated external defibrillator (AED) at the Yosemite Unified School District board meeting November 9. The new unit was recently purchased to be placed at Rivergold Elementary School through donations from YUSD staff members. Assisting with the demonstration is Kevyn Moberly, YUSD director of maintenance, operations, and transportation.
“This will stay with me the rest of my life,” commented Yosemite Unified School District Trustee Greg Schoonard after he and the rest of the board members witnessed a presentation to the four staff members who were doing the actual medical assistance to a Yosemite High student October 14. District 5 Madera County Supervisor Tom Wheeler presented certificates to Bob Kernaghan, Terri LeQuia, Lina Moberly, and Denise Trappen at the beginning of the November 9 YUSD board meeting. These four staff members have been recognized for the work they did “on the floor” with YHS junior Doug Berg after he experienced a medical emergency during his fourth period Spanish class. Numerous other staff members and some students participated in the life-saving event. YHS Principal Ed Van Hoose calls it a true team effort that included office staff, administrators, campus supervisors, the Spanish teacher Rebecca Brokaw, and some of the students in the class. Van Hoose was not on
campus when the event took place and he said later that it was a very good feeling to know the school staff was so capable. “We have a truly special staff on campus,” he said at a staff meeting following the incident. “The people who responded did so well and I commend everyone who was involved.” YHS Vice Principal Diane Adney was the administrator - in charge for the incident. Those involved in, and affected by, the incident believe Berg is back in school today because staff members have been trained, they acted calmly and efficiently, they had the proper equipment, and they knew how to use it. The school’s emergency plan just “fell into place,” commented Tony Misner, who teaches the Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Emergency Medical Technician class for the district. Some have been impressed by how things happened. LeQuia, who is a licensed vocational nurse in the Navy Reserves, and who has several years experience working in an emergency room, should not have been aware of the
event as it began, but she was doing something she says she never does and she saw the emergency just as it began to unfold. She rushed to the classroom to assist. LeQuia, who is a paraeducator for the Madera County Office of Education, was in a nearby classroom with a YHS student when she noticed a message on her cell phone. She says she never responds to calls during class unless it is from her teacher. However, she noticed that it was from a person with whom she shares transportation duties for their children and she decided she should take the call. She stepped outside the classroom, called the person, and just as she answered a campus supervisor ran from Rebecca Brokaw’s class with a look of panic on her face, then she saw Kernaghan leave his classroom and go to the other class. She hung up the phone and ran to the room where she began to help Moberly with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). She later learned that her friend had called her by mistake. Kernaghan, who has 27 years experience as a
paid-call firefighter, was only a couple doors away, so students could run quickly to his room to get him. Berg’s best friend, Brandon Cummins, was seated across the aisle from him and immediately went to his aid when he noticed him hitting his head on the desk behind him. One of the school’s three Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) was located nearby in the school office and campus supervisor Laurie Kenyon was able to get it to the classroom within minutes. Kernaghan was trained to use the AED and it worked perfectly, telling him to administer a shock. After the shock,
best kind.” YUSD Superintendent Steve Raupp says this event emphasizes the importance of all types of safety training and planning and this, he says, is a district priority. “We know that being prepared and being trained in the proper response is critical,” he says. Sierra Telephone donated an AED to Yosemite High School several years ago and everyone hoped it would never have to be used, but when it was needed, it proved to be a lifesaver. “That is the way we look at all the work we put into safety planning,” Raupp said. “We
YUSD Director of Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Kevyn Moberly, accepted a new AED for Rivergold. This unit was made possible through district staff donations. Naomi Isaak, RN, clinical coordinator for Building Heart-Safe Communities, with the Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, brought the unit and gave a demonstration to the board and other staff members in attendance. She emphasized that anyone can use the device because it tells a person exactly what to do and how to do it. She pointed out that the Good Samaritan law pro-
District 5 Madera County Supervisor Tom Wheeler, back left, presented certificates from the board to the staff members who gave medical aid to Doug Berg, a Yosemite High School student, during his medical emergency October 14. Pictured are, front row L to R, Terri LeQuia, Lina Moberly, and Denise Trappen. Back row L to R, Wheeler, and Bob Kernaghan. CPR was resumed and moments later they noticed that Berg was trying to breathe and that he had a pulse. He was taken by ambulance to Children’s Hospital of Central California and later transferred to Stanford Medical Center where an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was implanted. He returned to school November 3 and reported that he felt just fine. At the board meeting, the entire incident was called “team work of the
hope we never have to use it, but we know if the time comes when we do have to respond to an emergency, we must be prepared.” Coarsegold Elementary School has one AED on site and, after the November 9 board meeting, Rivergold Elementary has one. Misner says he would like to see three more for the YHS campus because it is so large and spread out (95 acres). He would like for each school site in the district to have an AED. At the board meeting,
vides protection for those who use it (California Health and Safety Code 1799.102). The unit converts quickly and easily to a pediatric unit, something very necessary for the elementary schools. Doug Berg’s father, Jerry, says the family is “so appreciative of the way things were handled,” at YHS that day. “Everyone knowing what to do, doing it at the right time and in the right way” made all the difference for his son, he said.
Irene Keener, the food service manager for Yosemite Unified School District, retired October 31, ending a 22-year career with the district. She started working for Coarsegold Elementary School District in 1987, but worked for just a short time in the kitchen. After that she moved on to a variety of jobs throughout a career that ended with her overseeing the nutritional needs of the district’s more than 2,000 students along with all other food service activities. These duties included making sure the district complied with all guidelines established by the state and federal governments. These issues included food safety, nutritional requirements, governmental mandates about what schools could and could not serve to students, and
Irene Keener the federal free and reduced meal program. She also administered the food service budget. Keener said she thoroughly enjoyed her career, especially working around the students, many of whom referred to her as “Miss Irene.” After her short time in the Coarsegold kitchen, she became the cafeteria clerk. In 1995 she was named food service director for Coarsegold School District. Her many other duties through the years included teaching home economics for seventh
and eighth grades; serving as detention monitor; assistant track coach, working with the long distance runners; team teaching a latch key program; teaching a cooking class for adults (one of her favorite positions, she said); and being the mother on the ski bus for a number of years. Each of these duties holds fond memories for Keener. She mentions one outstanding memory from riding on the bus for the Mountain Area Ski School trips. They were caught in a snow storm as they returned home and she recalls standing at the front of the bus wiping the inside of the windshield with tissue so the driver could see to get the students home safely. When Yosemite High School started planning its cafeteria in the late 1990s, that district hired Keener part time to over-
see the final stages of planning and then to be the food service director as a job-share with Coarsegold School District. When those two districts unified in 2006, she
became the food service manager for the newly formed district. In her retirement, Keener looks forward to spending more time with her family and traveling with her husband in
their recreational vehicle. Srini Vasan, the district’s chief business officer, will manage the food service department. John Houldridge has been hired as the food service director.
Rivergold School second grade students formed lines through which the area veterans entered the school’s auditorium November 10 for a celebration to honor those who have served their country. Approximately 50 veterans attended the recognition by the three second grade classes. See story on Page 4.
2
Calm - Storm - Calm - Storm. The 2008-2009 fiscal year saw that cycle repeat several times. It was a year of roller coaster funding, uncertainty not only about the future but also of the past. How can you be uncertain about the past, you may ask. Let me explain. It can happen and has happened in school funding. It is called retroactive funding reductions. At the very beginning of the year, the state determines what the funding formula will be for the next year. But, when the state’s coffers do not get enough “capital” from taxes and other income such as property tax, capital gains tax, sales and used tax, “capitol” paralysis occurs. These tax revenues are essential to make Sacramento and the rest of the state function. When these taxes don’t come in as estimated, the state starts making mid-year corrections. The districts go into panic mode because they have already built their budget for staffing and other operations based on a certain funding model provided by the state, and now they have to make mid-year corrections. Can they take back
what they gave? Yes, they can! The “storm” started last October when Sacramento announced the $25 billion budget crisis. T h e “calm” started when the governor expressed his confidence that the various ballot measures in the Novem-ber election would provide relief. The “storm” came back when “vox populi” (a Latin phrase for voice of the people) delivered a stunning defeat on all ballot measures in the November 2008 elections. The New Year delivered “calm” when the President Obama hinted possible federal help. Then it was “storm” when the governor announced that because of federal funding, the state would seek relief and cut its share of funding to schools. Then it was “calm” once again when the governor announced that for 2008-2009 there would be less funding cuts, followed by “storm” that there will be more cuts for 2009-2010. When the deadline to adopt state budget passed us by, there were more concerns that there could be more cuts. Even after the state budget
was adopted, there are still concerns that there could be mid-year cuts. If your head is spinning due to the flip flop, so is ours. What made the task more difficult was the June 30 deadline to adopt the district budget (the deadline does not apply to state budget adoption). Two major factors played a big role in our 2008-2009 closing. The one time ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), also known as Federal Stimulus Funding State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, Title I and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA). The second one is the deficit factor reduction that the state was going to impose for 2008-2009 but was deferred to 20092010. This means less cuts in 2008-2009 and more cuts in 2009-2010 instead of more cuts in 2008-2009 and less cuts in 20092010. With so many unanticipated changes happening, the district is working hard to preserve quality of education while maintaining fiscal stability and positive certification. My children always made fun of me when I refused to go on the roller coaster rides, but after riding the budget roller coaster, Magic Mountain and Six Flags should be a piece of cake.
PHOTO
BY
DEBORAH BROWN
YHS senior Ben Siverly carved a pumpkin that represents the 3/5 Compromise reached in 1787. The pumpkin shows a slave who, through the compromise, counted as 3/5 of a person in population counts for the states to determine how many representatives each state would have in the US House of Representatives.
The road to the adoption of the US Constitution is paved with pumpkins, or at least it was as Yosemite High School’s US Government classes and Rivergold and Coarsegold’s eighth grade classes united October 30 to teach and learn about the US Constitution and Federalism. Eighth grade students listened to the senior government class students describe how the US Constitution and Federalism came to be. After the seniors completed their presentations, it was questions from the eighth graders. Much to the seniors’ surprise, some questions actually stumped them, and they had to look to the eighth graders to supply the answers.
When I asked the eighth graders why they thought they had to study the constitution in eighth and 12th grade and then again in college, one student replied “so we can have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” At the conclusion of the presentations, students were offered carved pumpkins of their choice. YHS students had carved pumpkins in the theme of the constitution and federalism. Over 100 carved pumpkins glowed all around the eighth graders, with some boasting States Rights, the 3/5ths Compromise and some depicting the country’s founding fathers such as James Madison and Benjamin Franklin Eighth grad teachers Sherry Graves, Rich Sischo, and Gina Hansen -
Sedor, along with YHS teachers Deborah Brown and Phil Branstetter felt that this gave students on both ends of the grade spectrum an opportunity to share and have mutual conversations about our government. Any citizen would have been proud to see over 200 students engaged in active learning and the sharing of their knowledge of our government. This activity was part of the ongoing vertical articulation with district schools, which is coordinating studies from grade to grade. This spring another reunion of sorts has been planned to include all 200 students to review for the Constitution test that both the eighth graders and seniors in high school must take to graduate.
PHOTO COURTESY
OF
FFA
Yosemite High FFA members who attended the National Convention in October are, left to right: Amanda Bagwell, Emily Goldman, Clayton Guillemen, Cody Gambril, Steven Zimmerman, and Clayton Gambril.
This year Yosemite Future Farmers of America traveled across the country to Indianapolis, Indiana to attend the National FFA Convention with 20,000 other FFA members. Students who went were Steven Zimmerman, Amanda Bagwell, Emily Goldman, Clayton Gambril, Cody Gambril and Clayton Guillemin. They were there from
October 20- 24. They went to one of the largest career shows for youth that included many colleges and universities from around the country and many agriculture companies sharing information about their products or employment opportunities. Students got to attend large FFA sessions and one of those sessions had Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs on Discovery channel as a motivational speaker.
Four Yosemite High graduates received their American FFA Degree, which is the highest degree any FFA member can receive. Receiving degrees were Jessica Gambril, Robert Zimmerman, Ashley Christensen and Rachel Olsten. All Yosemite FFA members who went to this once-in-a-life time trip had fun and came back with a great experience.
A publication of the Bass Lake School District, and Yosemite Unified School District An insert to the Sierra Star and Sierra Home Advertiser Published at YUSD offices, 50200 Road 427, Oakhurst, CA 93644
Phone 559-683-8801 ext. 338
www.yosemiteuhsd.com
A group of Yosemite High School students will be participating in an intensive eight-hour Teen Survival Driving class December 12 in San Bernardino at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Emergency Vehicle Operation Course Training Center. The students in the Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Criminal Justice class will attend the class along with their teacher, Madera County Sheriff’s Deputy Roy Broomfield, who is also the school’s resource officer. Broomfield says this is extremely valuable training for teenage drivers, particularly those who must travel the mountain roads. “I wish every student at YHS could attend this training,” he said. “The students will learn skills that they will use the rest of their lives any time they drive any type of motor vehicle.” Broomfield notes that YHS students have much more dangerous driving conditions than students
the same age in the valley. Students driving in the mountains must contend with winter driving conditions including ice, snow, and black ice; animals on the road; poor visibility because there is not lighting along the roads; and the narrow, winding roads. During the one day training, the students will spend 90 minutes in the classroom learning about how a car handles at various speeds. They will spend the rest of the time driving on a closed course that covers about 300 acres. They will drive the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department vehicles. The class includes precision driving, accident avoidance, vehicular control, emergency lane changes, skid recovery, controlled braking, and state of the art computer based classrooms. At each station of the course, students will ride through the course with an instructor and then they will be put in a car
by themselves to drive the same course with a certificate. The instructor is able to talk to them by radio to make suggestions. It is a pass - fail program and those who successfully complete it will be given a certificate. Broomfield says some insurance companies could give student drivers a deduction once they have passed this course with a certificate. He stresses that this is the same instruction that law enforcement officers and police academy cadets receive. Law enforcement officers spend nine days at the school, however, with additional focus on driving skills teenagers do not need, such as pursuit driving and cornering. This is the second year Broomfield has taken his students to the class. He says it is a very time-consuming and expensive program. The cost of the class and lodging is covered through ROP but students are responsible for buying their meals.
Yosemite Community Education Center will offer pre-registration for the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic class starting December 1. The class will be held January 12 through May
27 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-10 p.m. Cost is $200. There is a mandatory laboratory class on Wednesdays from 6-9:30 p.m. starting January 26. Registration will be available online at
www.adultreg.com/yos emite or at the Educational Options Office, Road 427, Oakhurst (located near Yosemite High School), or by calling Lawnna Porter at 683-8801 ext. 366.
OES PHOTO
Students in Scarlett Bullock’s fifth grade classroom are displaying their “High on Nature” attitudes.
Then, we learned hiked up Sentinel Dome. about geology. We Our legs ached, and our
On October 30, the fifth grade students from Scarlett Bullock’s and Sherrie Clark’s classes from Oakhurst Elementary School went to Glacier Point to study rocks and nature with Yosemite Institute. While we were in Yosemite National Park, we visited Glacier Point, hiked up Sentinel Dome and learned about Yosemite. We went to Glacier Point first and gazed over the most stunning view. There were massive mountains piercing the sky and shadows dancing across the valley. But suddenly, we were all staring at the landmarks. Half Dome stood tall and mighty, rising higher than the clouds. Right above it was Mount Lyell. Majestic and colossal, it took our breath away, towering higher than all the other mountains.
learned that Half Dome is not really half. Yosemite was formed from a glacier coming through and carving sharp jagged edges in Yosemite making a Ushape valley. But if froze and melted leaving a big lake in Yosemite Valley along with waterfalls. We’ll bet you didn’t know there is a whole song about the rock cycle, too! There is heating and cooling, breaking down, layering, heat and pressure. We also learned how animals connect to one another. For example, the chipmunks connect to nuts and then nuts connect to the trees. The trees connect to the soil and the soil connects to insects. Maybe you’ll want to become “hard-cored.” The environmentalists in Yosemite eat the core of apples so that helpless animals won’t depend on others to feed them. After a while, we
eyes felt like they weighed 10 pounds, but the view was worth it. At 8,117 feet, you can peer over all of Yosemite Valley. There in front of us was Half Dome, Mount Lyell, El Capitan and so much more! In awe, we trotted around when our eyes stumbled upon a dead Jeffrey Pine tree. We thought about what we learned - how the points won’t hurt you on a Jeffrey pine cone because they are turned under. By the end of our day, we all got to know Yosemite a little better because the field trip was so much fun. This was one of the best trips we have ever experienced. We thank the naturalists from Yosemite Institute for teaching us about nature through hands - on activities, songs, lectures and hiking.
Shannon Ecklund, and essay and speech coach Larissa Bond. The pentathlon team is sponsored by PTA. Wasuma Elementary Wasuma is very proud is moving full steam to have made a huge ahead this fall. Students and teachers are enjoying fall festivities and are working diligently, learning about everything from the changing of the seasons in kindergarten to Medieval China in junior high. Our academic pentathlon team is gearing up for competition which will be held in Madera in March. The theme this year is also jump in our academic Medieval China. There test scores this year on are five categories for the the STAR, the California competition including standardized tests. In math, speech, essay, 2007-2009 our Academic Super Quiz, and litera- Performance Index (API) was 785. For the 2008ture. Wasuma has per- 2009 school year our API formed well over the jumped to 810. We credit our new past two years and we are expecting a success- Response to Intervention ful and exciting experi- (RtI) program, new math ence this year as well. adoption, a strong culThe pentathlon team is ture of collaboration, and led by Elaine Solomon, so many families commath coach John Dewey, mitted to the education Super Quiz coach of their children for this
improvement. Our junior high students recently participated in Challenge Day in the school cafeteria. Challenge Day is a dynamic motivational day that gives students an opportunity to discover each other’s differences and challenges and celebrates them. In order for Challenge Day to take place many volunteers had to come forward and students had to be very brave in order to face their feelings and fears. The outcome was incredibly positive. Several students apologized for mistreating their classmates and new friendships were forged. The next step for Challenge Day is the formation of the “Be the Change” group that keeps “the change” moving and keeps the promises made on Challenge Day present. Special thanks to our Challenge Day coordinator Jean Smith.
Estimated at over 300 years old, the giant oak of Oak Creek Intermediate recently became someone’s treasure for only $2. The oak that towered over the school parking lot had been showing signs of weakening for the past year. The old timer finally gave up its fight against gravity a month ago and came crashing down on to the parking lot. The tree, hollowed from age, exploded into pieces that consumed the entire parking area.
It took crews several weeks to finally clean up the entire mess, but they were able to retrieve a few cords of good firewood. No doubt this king of the oaks had seen its own share of fires through the valley over the years. He has stood proud but silent as he saw the Oakhurst valley develop into a bustling little mountain town from his perch overlooking the Fresno Flats Historical sight. It is from the presence of these giant monarchs that we acquired the
name of our town and the very name of the school, Oak Creek Intermediate, of which he presided over. The oak has been reigning there since before the founding of our nation. The firewood was auctioned off at the Oak Creek Intermediate annual Spaghetti Dinner and Auction November 13. The raffle tickets sold for $2 each and the winner received a cord of history for their donation.
PHOTO
BY
RICK SLAYTON
The Yosemite High School marching band participated in the Veterans’ Day Parade in Fresno November 11.
The Yosemite High School marching band is busier than ever this year. The new uniforms which the band acquired allow the students to participate in events that were not open to them before they had uniforms, notes YHS Music Director Randy Hyatt. One such event is Band Day at Fresno State Saturday, November 21. YHS students will spend the day participating in various activities and then will be part of the half-time show at the CSUF vs. Louisiana Tech
game at 2 p.m. in Bulldog Stadium. The band has been in the Heritage Day parade, at the 9-11 observance, the Veterans’ Day parade in Fresno, and at football games, in addition to the Fall Band and Choir Concert at YHS. Area resident Rick Slayton attended the Veterans’ Day parade and said he overheard a person say, “Wow, they have a great band,” as Yosemite marched by. Slayton said “I couldn’t have been more proud of Randy Hyatt and our students. They
represented Yosemite and our mountain community well!” The band will perform at the December 8 Winter Concert to close out the fall semester. Spring semester will find the students in a number of concerts and other activities: February 27, Night on the Town Dinner Theater; March 16, Spring Concert; March 25, Spring Concert and Honor Bands Performance; May 6, Jazz and Percussion performance; May 26, end of the year concert band and percussion.
Hyatt says a major effort this year is to recruit current eighth grade students to be part of the program next year. He is working with elementary schools to let students know what is available and to encourage them to be part of either the band or choir classes offered at YHS. The school was able to purchase 200 used uniforms through the Internet for $6,000 from a high school in Georgia. Community fundraisers were held to make the purchase possible.
PHOTO
BY
JOE SMITH
The Yosemite High School Cadet Corps participated in the Veterans’ Day Parade in Fresno November 11. The group also marched in the local Heritage Days Parade and at the 9-11 observance. In February they will go to Camp Pendleton to watch two former Cadets graduate, they will sleep and eat on the base, tour the facility and tour a nuclear submarine.
The students at Meadowbrook Community Cay School participated in the International Day of Peace (Peace Day) September 21. The students in Paula McCabe’s class participated in the Pinwheels for Peach activity and made pinwheels that were displayed in and outside the classroom.
McCabe says peace doesn’t necessarily have to be associated with war, but can be related to violence and tolerance in one’s daily life, and to peace of mind. The students in the class also participated in conflict resolution workshops and team work activities.
Mountain Area Championship Volleyball Team from Coarsegold School: Top row L to R: MicKenzie Stretch, Mara Long, Amanda Fouch, Eirena Ewert, Robert Jackson, Cassie Salisbury, Sierra Dominici, Sabrina Lovett, Hannah Medrano, Justise Martin, Cierra Bordwine, and Taylor Ferguson. Bottom row L to R: Jewel Crosson, Kayal Furin, Mataya Brown, Christina Kieffer, Kesley Cooper, Kayleigh Skerce, Jane Wood, Riley McConnell, Ali Boyer, McKenna Hunziker, Olivia Pearson, and Kelsi Stieler.
The Coarsegold girls’ volleyball team worked hard to win the Mountain Area Championship
this year. Throughout the season the girls exemplified sportsmanship and teamwork. Under the guidance of
Coaches Robert Jackson and Amanda Fouch, they created a strong bond and learned to rely on each other, thinking in sync with one another.
COARSEGOLD SCHOOL PHOTO
Approximately 50 mountain area veterans, many with children or grandchildren at Rivergold School, were honored November 10 by the second grade students during a morning assembly. The students from the classrooms of Kori Davis, Chris McMillen, and JoAnne Steffke sang songs, told the history of the American flag, and served cake to the veterans. As the assembly opened, the students formed two lines through which the veterans entered the auditorium. As the veterans entered, smiles broke across many faces at the sight of the children standing respectfully to honor them. Some stopped to greet the children, others gave a hug and kiss to their child or grandchild. Cub Scout Pack 341 led the flag salute and then the students sang the Star Spangled Banner. Waving flags, the students sang a number of patriotic songs, including God Bless the USA. McMillen told the veterans that it was truly an honor to recog-
Rivergold School second grade teacher Chris McMillen welcomes a veteran to their celebration as two students look on. nize them and the service they performed for their country and for the sacrifices they made for the common good. Rivergold Principal Al Nocciolo noted that the day was the birthday of the United States Marine Corps which was formed November 10, 1775. “I’m in awe of you women and men who have served,” he said. After the program,
one veteran called the morning “very touching,” adding that “I really enjoyed it.” He noted that some tears had been shed by the veterans during the recognition. Veterans who attended ranged from those who served in World War II to some who are currently serving their country in the military reserves.
Coarsegold students, left to right, who participated in the Summer Reading program include Madison Stretch, Lillian O’Day, and Jenna Barrayo.
teaching my students On the second about the 50 states, the day of
school, as I walked from the staff lounge to the administration building, I looked up at the flag pole and what I saw made me gasp. Over summer vacaAt the top of the staff tion, 29 students particiflew the United States pated in the Coarsegold flag, dwarfed by the School Summer Reading California State flag by at Program. least three times. The We were required to symbol of our country read four books over looked like a postage summer vacation and stamp on top of the Bear Flag! I simply couldn’t believe my eyes! What an injustice! Not believing what I saw, I asked some of my fellow teachers if they had noticed the flag. No, they hadn’t, but when they did their reaction was the same. “That’s just wrong,” I heard time and time again. I was full of regret for what was flying over our campus. Something had to be done. I printed the United COARSEGOLD SCHOOL PHOTO States Rules for Flag Jayden Wilson and Taylor Gowdy are shown with one of the Red Etiquette which states that other flags may be Ribbon Week signs at Coarsegold School. smaller than the United States flag, but none may be larger. I showed that inforThis is the 10-year know that Red Ribbon have given so that stu- mation to our principal, anniversary of the Red Week is more than dents have another rea- Al Nocciolo, who sugRibbon Coalition. Every- singing a song and wear- son to say no. day families are affected ing a red ribbon. It is Throughout the week by the use of illegal making tough choices of Nov. 2-6, Coarsegold drugs and illegal use of when your friend asks students participated in legal drugs. This year’s you to drink or do drugs. numerous activities. theme was “Dream, Yosemite High School The goal of the week Believe, Achieve, and has made great strides Succeed.” this year with its drug was to support them in If one drives out the At Coarsegold School testing program. Thank making healthy choices back gate of Yosemite the leadership class you to those businesses and being a positive role Lakes Park, or if you wants the community to and individuals that model for their friends. drive down River Road, you will come upon a kindergarten through eighth grade school. As you drive into the parkkindness. new Wii console. Help ing lot you will find Parents, help your someone this year who is yourself saying, “This child learn the gift of giv- in need. doesn’t look like a typi I would like to thank cal school,” but then ing by supporting local Everyday I see stuour local Toys for Tots, again you see children dents and families who organizations that help Elks, and Manna House gleefully playing on the others in need. If you do are overcoming extremefor providing toys, playground. not know who to contact, ly difficult situations. I clothes and food for You have found call your local school and have a challenge for all they will make sure that needy families through- Rivergold School, the mountain area families: Give as much as you it gets to someone in out the mountain com- school with the best test munity. scores in Eastern Madera get. need. The spirit of giving is County for K-8 schools All good things start We are so blessed in with “one:” one can of the mountain area. We alive and well in the with an API of 818. For that matter, food, one book read, one have so much; show mountain community, homework assignment your kids that the holi- you can make a differ- Rivergold School has the best test scores for a completed or one act of days are more than a ence with only “one.”
then write a page and a half book summary or pass an Accelerated Reader test with a score of 80 percent or better. Incoming fourth through eighth graders were able to participate. The year before only 17 students participated, so it was good to see more students reading over the summer.
All students who fulfilled the requirements got to go on a trip to Island Water Park. It was not a contest. All we had to do was read four books and complete summaries or tests. I hope we can do it again this year, and I hope more kids will participate.
gested I look into finding a replacement flag. I wrote a letter to the Ladies Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8743 explaining that as a fifth grade teacher I was responsible for
Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution, and the US Constitution. I also told them that as a proud American, I taught flag etiquette. My husband served in the Army in Operation Desert Storm and had been a member of VFW. I asked if there was anything they could do to donate a flag that Rivergold could fly with pride. The day after I mailed my letter, Bud Russell, the commander of VFW Post 8743 called to tell me the letter had been passed along to him and the VFW would be proud to donate a flag to the school. On September 10, Mr. Russell and his wife presented my class with a new American flag, 5 feet by 9.5 feet. My students gave up their recess to accept the flag and thank Mr. Russell. I wish more people could have been witness to the cheers of my class as our beautiful flag was raised over the school.
school with over 100 students in Eastern Madera County. Rivergold School is proud of our students and the families who choose to send their children to us. Rivergold staff expects the best out of themselves and, yes, we expect the best out of the children we serve. One will see best efforts not only in the classroom but also in the musical / theatrical performances such as Urban Circus or Tribute to Our Veterans performed and dedicated by our second grade students and teachers. Come and enjoy the winter and spring student performances on the Rivergold stage. If athletics is an inter-
est, Rivergold students demonstrated their best as they have garnered football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, and track championships. The Rivergold family has much to be proud of: Dedicated teachers who teach and motivate children, parents who support the best efforts of teachers while also encouraging their children to do their best work, and the community and parents and teachers who dedicate their time and effort for the success of the Hawk Festival, the Hawk Walk and other fundraising activities designed by parents for the simple purpose to support the Three A’s - Academics, Activities, and Athletics.