August 28, 2020

INSIDE: Crib to College: A guide to your child’s success SPECIAL SECTION

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SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO AND RANCHO MISSION VIEJO

AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • VOLUME 18, ISSUE 16

Back to School

Teachers, Students Reflect on Start of Unusual School Year E Y E O N S J C / PAG E 7

JSerra Catholic High School English teacher Amy Hemphill talks to her students during a virtual class on Friday, Aug. 21. Photo: Collin Breaux

‘Dispatch’ Founder Reflects on Paper’s 18-Year Legacy SOAPBOX/PAGE 21

County Removed from State’s Coronavirus Monitoring List EYE ON SJC/PAGE 3

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Inn at the Mission Opens Tuesday EYE ON SJC/PAGE 6

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28–September 10, 2020

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EYE ON SJC

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

Five things San Juan should know this week

County Removed from State’s Coronavirus Monitoring List THE LATEST: After weeks of staying on the state’s monitoring list for rising coronavirus cases, Orange County was removed from the list on Sunday, Aug. 23, highlighting a reversal from the surge of COVID-19 cases in July that set new records for daily cases and hospitalization rates.

The removal from the watch list came within days of the Orange County Health Care Agency announcing that for the first time in weeks, the county was “below all of (the) State’s data monitoring thresholds” and was, therefore, likely to come off the list.

If Orange County remains off the watch list for 14 consecutive days, schools will be allowed to physically reopen for inperson classes. Simply coming off the list, however, doesn’t reopen other sectors yet, as any other reopenings would require a revised state order.

In a tweet regarding the removal from the watch list on Sunday, Orange County Board Supervisor Michelle Steel encouraged county residents to continue practicing social distancing and hygiene methods to stem the transmission of the virus.

“We must continue to follow health guidelines on facial coverings, hygiene, and social distancing to keep going in the right direction,” Steel tweeted. “We must all work together as a community to ensure the safe reopening of OC.”

Amid the rising surge in cases, the state had added the county to the dreaded watch list back in late June, putting in place renewed restrictions on several economic sectors to try stem the wave of cases and hospitalizations.

Restaurants, wineries and movie theaters, among others, within the counties on the watch list had been ordered to close but could operate outdoors. A few weeks later, Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded those restrictions, ordering those same sectors to close indoor operations statewide.

In his July 13 order, Newsom also had ordered the closure of indoor operations for fitness centers, places of worship, offices for non-critical sectors, personal care services (including hair salons and barbershops), and indoor malls within the counties on the monitoring list.

According to county officials on Monday, the governor’s July 13 order is to remain in effect for those economic sectors in Orange County, regardless of whether it comes off the monitoring list.

“When a county comes off the County Data Monitoring list, they are still subject to the statewide closure orders issued on July 13,” the county health office explained in an email. “The closure orders issued July 13 will remain in effect until the State Public Health Officer determines it is appropriate to modify the order based on public health conditions.”

Newsom, during a press conference on Monday, said adjustments to his order will be made and announced in the coming days.

“Real progress was made over the weekend, (and) we had some good dialogue; we’re making some adjustments based on the feedback we received on Saturday and Sunday,” Newsom said. “We had a meeting this morning on those guidelines, and we will be working with other, not only industry, but outside our local health officers and state health authorities, to socialize these guidelines, and we look forward to having them out this week.”

—Shawn Raymundo and Zach Cavanagh

San Juan Capistrano COVID-19 TRACKER

Confirmed cases Deaths

A construction contract has been awarded for Putuidem Cultural Village, which will be built on the Northwest Open Space. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

Construction Contract Awarded for Putuidem Cultural Village

THE LATEST: The Putuidem Cultural Village moved one step closer to becoming a reality after the San Juan Capistrano City Council approved awarding a construction contract for the project during a regular meeting on Aug. 18.

The contract will be awarded to C.S. Legacy Construction, which handled the recent Verdugo Street Beautification Project and will also expand a parking lot near the Los Rios and downtown area. The village will pay tribute to the Native American Acjachemen tribe on a portion of the Northwest Open Space. Construction is expected to be done by late fall.

“The Putuidem Cultural Village Park is a very unique concept,” Public Works Director Tom Toman said. “The majority of the project involves a cultural area that will include a presentation area with seating, a discovery trail that meanders through the site, beautiful shade trees and various depictions of Acjachemen culture that pay homage to the history of the land.”

Other features will include directional markers, interpretive educational signs,

Students, Community Continue to Call for AntiRacist Changes in CUSD THE LATEST: Students, parents and community members continued to call for anti-racist action within Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) during a CUSD Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

Members of the student-led group CUSD Against Racism had recently held a protest and called in to comment during previous meetings to advocate for anti-bias training within CUSD, a more diverse curriculum incorporating Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC) and a zero-tolerance policy for students or teachers making racist remarks or displaying discriminatory behavior.

Olivia Fu, a member of CUSD Against Racism and alumna of the San Juan Hills High School Class of 2018, said they have been inspired by the open-mindedness

Rancho Mission Viejo

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COVID-19 TRACKER

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for daily local & county statistics. *Information as of 8/26/20. Source: Orange County Health Care Agency

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

and an amphitheater area that will have a stage with a decomposed granite surface and will be decorated by native plants used by the Acjachemen people.

The contract with C.S. Legacy Construction is for approximately $1.179 million. Anticipated budget savings from the Putuidem project will be transferred to another city project that will beautify the Ortega Highway/Del Obispo Street intersection, considered a key entry point into downtown. The intersection beautification project is expected to be ready for construction bids later this fall.

Bids for construction on the Putuidem project were received in March. The city subsequently delayed awarding a contract while determining the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in July authorized moving forward on the village.

—Collin Breaux

(Cont. on page 4)

Confirmed cases

56

Deaths

<5

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for daily local & county statistics. *Information as of 8/26/20. Source: Orange County Health Care Agency

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EYE ON SJC (Cont. from page 3) from CUSD officials, administrations and teachers when personally meeting with them to discuss concerns. Fu said there is a lot of work to be done, that CUSD should go “above and beyond” the commitments already made, and the work done should ensure lasting change.

Four issue areas have been identified by CUSD Against Racism for targets of reform: curriculum, restorative justice, educational equity and student voices and well-being.

“The top four patterns of racism students face were verbal racism from student to student, no consequences for racism, inadequate curriculum and unequal treatment based off race from an authority figure,” Fu said when citing research by another CUSD Against Racism member.

Other members of CUSD Against Racism who also called in said Native American culture should be recognized and not always placed in the context of being victims of colonial oppression; Latinx and White students should be encouraged to have conversations with each other; and the novels students read should not only be ones written by White males.

Trustees subsequently made suggestions and discussed recommendations.

“Unfortunately, as it turns out, our disparities in the students who are suspended or expelled does fall even more heavily on our Hispanic population in our schools,” Trustee Patricia Holloway said when discussing research on the issue conducted by CUSD Against Racism and district staff. “That’s something I really do think we need to take a close look at and methodically understand that situation, so that we can maybe make some changes in how we identify students for suspension and expulsion.”

Board President Jim Reardon said a broader representation of people and cultures in instructional material starts with teachers. Reardon said a resource center used by teachers could be stocked with potential texts that teachers could use.

“The supplemental texts are reviewed all the time, and I think that’s the place where we can get the quickest and most obvious result,” Reardon said. “Frankly, we have to find a way to communicate with the people making those recommendations (about) what kinds of things we’d like to see happen in the classroom.”

Reardon also suggested forming student-led disciplinary boards that could be used in high schools.

“This would not be a substitute for normal district discipline, but a place where students would go and talk to their peers to try to resolve social and racial problems that arise at the school,” Reardon said.

Trustee Amy Hanacek said she would dedicate the next four years of her term toward concerns raised by students and that CUSD should be no place for hate.

Hanacek also said Black lives matter.

WHAT’S NEXT: Trustee Gila Jones requested a renaming of Serra High School, which is in San Juan Capistrano, be placed on the

An anti-racism protest was held outside the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) offices in June.

Students and community members continued to call for anti-racist measures from CUSD during an Aug. 19 Board of Trustees meeting. Photo: Collin Breaux

agenda for a September meeting. Serra High School is named for Saint Junipero Serra, whose legacy has come under scrutiny for his treatment of Indigenous people in California during his missionary work.

“I’m not advocating Junipero Serra’s name be erased from history,” Jones said.

“There will always be Catholic institutions to carry his name, and it’s none of this board’s business to try to influence that.

What’s more, I don’t believe it’s appropriate for me or this board to change the name of the school without input from descendants of the Mission Indians.”

Jones plans to bring letters from members of the Acjachemen Nation and CUSD’s Native American Education Committee in support of renaming the school.—CB

Levin Discusses Climate Action Plan; Maryott Announces Environmental Platform THE LATEST: While discussing a new congressional report recently released by the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) said the financial impact of not acting on climate change is estimated at $25 trillion to $35 trillion.

“The cost of doing nothing is massive,” Levin said during a Zoom meeting on Monday, Aug. 17, when he, other members of the committee and regional community leaders in the 49th Congressional District held talks over the congressional action plan to address climate change.

During the Zoom discussion, Levin called the committee’s report a comprehensive look at climate change. The report’s recommendations include the use of wind and solar energy, as well as other “zero-carbon energy sources, and construction of new transmission infrastructure to deliver clean energy to homes.”

The report also supports investment in clean infrastructure to protect people’s health and to ensure building codes are adequate to address potential impacts from climate change.

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

A day after the Zoom discussion, San Juan Capistrano Councilmember Brian Maryott—a Republican who is challenging Levin in the November election for the district seat—released his campaign’s environmental platform and announced his support of the American Climate Contract.

In a press release, Maryott announced that he is joining a dozen U.S. Representatives in supporting the American Conservation Coalition’s climate pledge, whose measures include developing affordable and exportable clean energy technologies.

During Monday’s Zoom discussion, House Select Committee Chair Kathy Castor (D-FL) said while she was grateful for the entrepreneurs and others who have taken measures regarding climate change, Congress and the federal government must act, too.

“Our task is urgent,” Castor said.

Recommended public health measures could save more than 620,000 lives, Castor said. Topics mentioned by Castor included investments in water systems, cleaning up the power energy sector and reducing emissions.

The report’s recommendations include the establishment of new water infrastructure standards by Congress that account for droughts, floods and erosion and supporting tax credits for clean energy use.

Goals laid out are to achieve 100% sales of zero emission cars by 2035 and net-zero emissions from power generation by 2040.

“Every recommendation we make focuses on environmental justice,” Castor said.

Evan Marks, executive director and founder of The Ecology Center, a community farm in San Juan Capistrano, was also on the Zoom conference call. Marks emphasized agriculture as a way people can connect to the environment, saying he would like to see more people get into farming.

Vista City Councilmember Corinna Contreras said bipartisanship is important when talking about environmental justice. Contreras brought up the importance of access to green spaces for residents and is grateful for the federal representation by Levin. Contreras supports having a climate resiliency plan and said she sees young people that are disconnected and don’t have support systems that

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connect them to green jobs.

Contreras said her constituents, who tend to work in agriculture, have asked about equity, a matter she wants to preserve.

“Agriculture should provide good jobs,” Contreras said. “My constituents should not be exploited and exposed to harmful chemicals.”

As for Maryott, he said he takes seriously his responsibility to be a good steward of our world and to balance the economic priorities of the nation with the duty to safeguard the environment for future generations.

Maryott’s environmental platform includes support for providing research and development credits to explore new technologies that lower greenhouse gas emissions, opposition to nationalizing the energy sector, a focus on removing radioactive waste from the San Onofre nuclear plant and standing against additional offshore drilling in Southern California.

“I pledge to be an advocate for an environmental agenda that rises above petty partisan politics and big government mandates,” Maryott said.—CB

SJC Officials Set Plans for Distributing COVID-19 Assistance Funds THE LATEST: San Juan Capistrano officials discussed how to administer coronavirusrelated assistance funding received under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, during a regular city council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

The funding was provided to states by Congress, with California and Orange County subsequently sharing portions of their funding with the City of San Juan Capistrano. The county provided $313,000 and the state provided $450,000.

Of that, proposed uses in San Juan would be $200,000 for small business and nonprofit grants, $200,000 for individual and family rental assistance and $50,000 for food distribution in the community. The funds are intended to go to those people financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To administer (this rental assistance) program, staff proposes that the city use South County Outreach, who already has a well-functioning established program to provide rental assistance in our area,” said Ken Al-Imam, the city’s chief financial officer. “South County Outreach would handle intake eligibility determination. They would award disbursements and address the documentation requirements of the CARES Act.” Staff recommendations are to limit disbursements per family to one month’s worth of rent to benefit as many families as possible. As for the food distribution, staff proposed using existing nonprofits that regularly provide food for San Juan residents.

The city council approved the funding recommendations. Councilmember Sergio Farias suggested they rename the funding source San Juan Capistrano CARES.—CB thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28â&#x20AC;&#x201C;September 10, 2020

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EYE ON SJC

NEWS BITES

Community Meetings

COMPILED BY STAFF

Boutique Downtown Hotel Opening Next Week

TUESDAY, SEPT. 1

Inn at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, Autograph Collection will open on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The new boutique hotel is next to Mission San Juan Capistrano and near the Ortega Highway/Del Obispo Street intersection.

The address is 31692 El Camino Real. Visit innatthemissionsjc.com for more information.

City Council Meeting 5 p.m. The San Juan Capistrano City Council will hold a meeting. The meeting can be viewed on the city website for those who can’t attend in person.

City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

City Council Cancels District 1 Election The San Juan Capistrano City Council approved canceling the District 1 election during an Aug. 18 meeting, because incumbent Sergio Farias is running unopposed. Mayor Troy Bourne and Mayor Pro Tem John Taylor voted yes, while Farias abstained since he felt voting on the item would be self-serving. Councilmembers Brian Maryott and Derek Reeve were not at the meeting.

“I do appreciate the residents of District 1 for their support and essentially allowing me to have another four years,” Farias said. “I’m thankful to my family for allowing me to have been a candidate again. It’s not an easy decision.”

Farias will be officially sworn in this December, when his next four-year term will commence. The District 5 election is still on, with candidates John Alpay and Howard Hart campaigning. The seat is currently held by Maryott, who is running in the 49th Congressional District race against incumbent Mike Levin.

Fairmont Schools, St. Margaret’s Given Waivers for In-Person Elementary Instruction Two private schools in San Juan Capistrano were among numerous schools recently given waivers for in-person instruction for elementary grades, according to OC Health Care Agency.

According to news reports, St. Margaret’s Episcopal School and Fairmont Schools were given waivers for transitional/junior kindergarten through sixth grade. Campuses in Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) have been closed to in-person instruction since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The fact that our waiver application was granted is a testament to the rigorous protocols that we have put in place to protect the safety of our students and staff,” said David Jackson, Fairmont’s chairman. “Our reopening task force has been working around the clock since the

The District 1 election for the San Juan Capistrano City Council has been canceled, because incumbent Sergio Farias is running unopposed. Photo: File

early stages of the pandemic, developing a comprehensive plan which meets and, in many cases, exceeds federal, state and local requirements.”

Fairmont Schools is also offering remote learning for families who choose to remain at home and will continue to do so for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year.

CUSD schools began the 2020-21 school year on Aug. 18 with continued online learning per a mandate from Gov. Gavin Newsom stipulating that campuses can only open for in-person instruction when their county is off the state’s COVID-19 monitoring list for 14 consecutive days.

Orange County came off the watchlist on Aug. 23, opening up the possibility of campuses reopening.

Virtual Festival of Butterflies a Sign of COVID-19 Times Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Festival of Butterflies in San Juan Capistrano had to be broadcast virtually this year. Even though the fundraising event understandably raised less money, the festival video still raised awareness for gardening and the environment.

“We knew we had to go forward with our message,” said Mary Crawford, chair of the board of directors for Goin’ Native Therapeutic Gardens, which collaborated with Tree of Life Nursery and the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association on this year’s event.

The Festival of the Butterflies raised $2,800 on the day of the event, plus $16,000 in sponsorships, according to Goin’ Native officials, who acknowledged the total raised was less than in previous years.

The event was broadcast online on Aug. 4 and a revised replay is available on the Goin’ Native website. Orange County

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

Supervisor Lisa Bartlett and San Juan Capistrano Mayor Troy Bourne were among those featured in the virtual festival.

Goin’ Native, which helps disabled people and others through gardening activities, started raising money at the end of last year and continued in early 2020 before the festival.

It’s hoped the days of COVID-19 will pass so the festival can go live again, said Marianne Taylor, founder and executive director of Goin’ Native.

“We are not going to be defeated,” Crawford said. “We want to get the message out that the environment is important.”

Mural, Triptych Celebrate SJC Culture, History A long-time San Juan Capistrano family is celebrating a new mural and triptych in town that pays tribute to the area’s culture and legacy.

A mural saying “Made in the OC” has been painted by artist Aja Richardson at Plaza Del Obispo, owned by the Thomsom family. The design incorporates swallows and other local features.

Melissa Thomson and her wife Patricia Waterman created a tile triptych at the corner of Del Obispo Street and Ortega Highway that represents Native Americans, local history and their great grandparents’ orange and walnut farm.

Melissa Thomson is a ceramist who owns The Ceramist Studio.

“Our family has been in San Juan since 1887 on the same property,” Ben Thomson said. “My sisters and I take pride in our San Juan heritage.”

Have something interesting for the community? Send your information to editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com.

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Because I Love You (BILY) 6:30-8:30 p.m. The organization Because I Love You (BILY), which helps parents navigate through whatever parenting challenges they may be facing (e.g., failure to launch, drug abuse, disrespect), will continue conducting its weekly meetings on Tuesdays via video conference. BILY’s video conference will be held through Zoom. For detailed instructions on how to participate, email bilysanclemente@gmail.com.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 4 Coffee Chat 9 a.m. A spirited town hall forum on community issues. Occurs virtually on Fridays through Zoom. Follow Coffee Chat SJC on Facebook for more information.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 8 Planning Commission Meeting 6:30 p.m. The city’s Planning Commission will hold a meeting. Face masks or coverings are required of attendees, and social distancing and other pandemic health guidelines will be in place. The meeting can be viewed on the city website for those who can’t attend in person. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 10 Design Review Committee Meeting 4:30 p.m. The city’s Design Review Committee will hold a meeting. The meeting can be viewed on the city website for those who can’t attend in person. City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. sanjuancapistrano.org.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 11 The next print issue of The Capistrano Dispatch publishes Editor’s note: This information is subject to change as pandemic conditions evolve. Visit thecapistranodispatch.com for updates.

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EYE ON SJC

Education During a Pandemic Students, Teachers Navigate Virtual Learning and Shifting Conditions

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

A

my Hemphill spent the end of the first week of the new school year teaching in an empty classroom—sort of.

Hemphill, an English teacher at JSerra Catholic High School, a private school in San Juan Capistrano, was conducting a virtual class with her students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A screen of their faces was displayed on a board in her classroom, which was unusually quiet. Hemphill communicated with them through a laptop computer.

“For every teacher, this was like being a first-year teacher, even though we did this last year. We just did it a little differently,” Hemphill said when reflecting on the start of an unusual school year. “As soon as we get off at the end of the day, we’re not done. It’s double the work, just preparing for all the technology.

We’ve had a few rolling blackouts.”

Despite those and other challenges, teachers are pushing through and have “amazing tools.” Still, Hemphill noted they’re “dog tired” and feeling like they’re back in March, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most facets of life.

There is excitement, though, since students could return to campus with Orange County off the state watchlist. Even then, questions pop up, such as how do teachers teach a hybrid curriculum for both in-person and online instruction, considering that some families may not feel comfortable returning to in-person instruction, and there’s uncertainty about how teachers would instruct students while wearing a mask.

Most students and teachers in San Juan Capistrano and South Orange County started the 2020-21 school year last week the same way they ended the previous school year—with online learning. A mandate from Gov. Gavin Newsom stipulates campuses can only open for in-person instruction when their county is off the state’s COVID-19 monitoring list for 14 consecutive days. Orange County came off that list on Sunday, Aug. 23, potentially paving the way for campuses reopening after Labor Day. Some schools already have been granted waivers to conduct in-person instruction for elementary grades.

“I would like to see students return as safely as they can,” Hemphill said, when asked if she’d like to see in-person instruction return on campus. “Right now, I can teach them perfectly the way my technology is working.”

Students will still get a quality education if they choose to remain on campus if campuses are allowed to reopen, Hemphill said. Hemphill doesn’t want her students to feel alone and had a guest speaker in her class on Friday, Aug. 21, to alleviate that feeling.

“It’s night and day,” Hemphill said of how virtual learning is different from her usual in-person classes. “It’s a little bit harder. You have to do all the prep work in advance.”

Hemphill loves coming to her classroom to teach, because it was harder to manage being a mom, wife and worker at home.

She also asked for understanding and empathy from parents and people who don’t work in the classroom.

“We are learning new tools. We are learning new tricks,” Hemphill said. “At the end of the day, we’re just there for the students. That’s our No. 1 priority.”

JSerra senior student Daniel “Danny” Day said while the new school year has been an odd experience for everyone, JSerra has fortunately invested in a lot of innovative technology that was working really well. That investment made the experience better than he had expected.

“I was homeschooled before my freshman year at JSerra, so I have had several online classes. Overall, I’m fine with them and learn from them,” Day said. “However, it is a different way to learn and takes more self-motivation. The lack of in-person socialization is a downside to online education. Online classes are definitely something that takes some getting used to.”

Day wants to return to in-person instruction on campus and thinks everyone will do better once they get back in school.

Over in the public school system, students and teachers at San Juan Hills High School are also grappling with an unusual

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

Top: San Juan Hills High School senior student Siena Chacón demonstrates on her computer what virtual learning is like. Bottom: JSerra Catholic High School English teacher Amy Hemphill teaches a virtual class of students while alone in her classroom on Friday, Aug. 21. Photos: Collin Breaux

start to their school year. Siena Chacón and Tommy Burleson, senior students and members of the school’s Associated Student Body, both said it’s definitely been a different experience and weird transition.

Chacón said her teachers are doing well with virtual learning, though she would prefer to be back on campus for in-person learning, since a big part of learning comes from peer interaction.

“Social interaction is a big part of learning social skills,” Chacón said.

Burleson noted he had a few technical issues on the first day of school.

“It was off to a rough start,” said Burleson, who would also prefer to be back on campus.

Burleson said having to stay inside the house all day gets frustrating, but seeing his friends is motivating. Chacón has seen friends in-person after the initial few months of quarantine passed and said kids are affected when they don’t see their friends face-to-face.

Burleson said he’s never related more to his teachers than he does now. Chacón has passed by the San Juan Hills campus, which has been devoid of students since March. It felt like a ghost town to her.

“It feels like the school is waiting for us to get back,” Burleson said.

Both said they would be upset if there

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was a drive-through graduation ceremony for the Class of 2021 instead of a traditional ceremony. The Class of 2020 recently had a drive-through ceremony. They’ve already had to miss out on other senior events, Burleson said.

Jinwoo Lee, a math teacher at San Juan Hills, also reflected on the 2020-21 school year starting in the midst of a pandemic.

Lee said the first day of school this year went well, all things considered.

The past school year was a shocking moment, Lee said. He assisted students when it became clear then that learning would go online.

“It was the lack of face-to-face contact I missed,” Lee said.

With Capistrano Unified School District’s flexible reopening plan that provides guidelines for both in-person and virtual instruction that can be implemented if campuses are allowed to reopen, Lee feels instruction will go well this year.

When asked how he feels about returning to in-person instruction, Lee said he misses his students but also recognizes there is a sense of responsibility to his family. He is comfortable with in-person instruction returning when the time is appropriate to do so and with students taking the necessary precautions. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

EYE ON RMV

NEWS & HAPPENINGS AT THE RANCH

Assisted Living Director Joins The Orchards Team

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

T

he Orchards Health Center, an assisted living and memory care community scheduled to open in October at Rancho Mission Viejo, has announced another integral member of its operations.

Amy T. Cole is their director of assisted living, and in that role will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day care of the new health center’s assisted living and

memory care residents, a press release said.

“Cole joins The Orchards with more than 10 years of experience working in diverse health care environments, including assisted living and independent living communities,” the press release said. “She also worked in urgent care and hospital settings.”

Cole will supervise medical workers and caregivers, oversee resident needs as assisted living director and have a hands-on role with clinical programs.

Kelly Conk, administrator for The Orchards, said Cole has demonstrated a strong commitment to quality resident care and ensuring the safety of all residents and staff members.

“She also brings excellent interpersonal skills—critical to communicating effectively with residents and their families—and offers extensive experience with diverse resident communities,” Conk said. “Most importantly, she has a passion for working with seniors and achieving maximum resident satisfaction.”

Events at The Ranch SEPTEMBER 9

Outdoor Yoga at The Reserve

Amy T. Cole brings plenty of health care experience to her new role as the assisted living director at The Orchards Health Center. Photo: Courtesy of The Orchards

Call 949.545.2260 or check online at visitorchards.com for more information on The Orchards. CD

10-11 a.m. Stretch while surrounded by the scenic beauty of The Reserve. The area will have plenty of room to accommodate social distancing. Increase your flexibility, get guidance on centering yourself and take the opportunity to meet new people. A signed release waiver must be submitted to participate. The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo Headquarters, 28811 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano.

949.489.9778. rmvreserve.org.

2020 Annual RMV Rodeo Canceled; Virtual Rodeo Video Airing Instead

BY COLLIN BREAUX, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

U

sually, rodeo riders, Western wear and fun times take over the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in August during the Ranch’s annual rodeo.

Like with many things affected by the COVID-19 health crisis, though, this year is different. The 2020 Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo has been canceled.

An online video—considered a virtual rodeo of sorts—will air in its place on Saturday, Aug. 29, at noon at ranchomissionviejo.com, rmvrodeo.com and on Rancho Mission Viejo’s YouTube channel. The virtual rodeo will pay tribute to the history of the rodeo and the Ranch and feature remarks from Ranch officials and others.

“It’s sad we’re not having it,” Ranch Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Anthony Moiso said of the canceled rodeo.

The COVID-19 health crisis has caused the cancellation of many events, including the 2020 Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo. Photo: Allison Jarrell

“You see the pictures (on the video) and realize what a good event it is.”

The 19th annual rodeo was held in 2019.

The rodeo generally features top contestants in various events, including bull riding and competitive roping. Moiso said it brings the equestrian community together and is a great local event.

“It helps us as Rancho Mission Viejo celebrates our history of ranching,” Moiso said.

Gilbert Aguirre, Executive Vice President

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

of Ranch Operations and President of the Rodeo, said it’s a way to share their Western and cowboy traditions with everyone.

“We’ve taken it to some great heights in the 19 years we’ve had it,” Aguirre said.

The RMV Rodeo has also helped the Ranch raise money for various charities, including the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center.

The event requires an arena and takes money and time, and is only possible with sponsors and financial contributors. Those

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backers now face economic challenges in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Asking them to contribute as usual during these hard times didn’t feel appropriate, Moiso said.

Saturday’s virtual rodeo is expected to keep the event topical and could be a kickoff to the rodeo returning proper in 2021, conditions permitting.

“We bring a lot of our pals from all over the West,” Moiso said of the usual in-person events. CD thecapistranodispatch.com

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Resources for Students Learning English As the education model transitions toward distance learning, educators adapt their resources for students who are learning English as a second language.

Students are identified as English learners upon taking the English Learner Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC). Programs include Structured English Immersion (SEI), which allow for English language development support, as well as either integrated or designated English language development, depending on the student’s proficiency.

For more information on English Learner (EL) support, visit dhhs.schoolloop.com/ elsupport.

Presentations in English, Spanish, Farsi and Mandarin are available for parents at els-capousd-ca.schoolloop.com. Students and families can also find more information on bilingual community service liaisons (BCSLs).

WELCOME TO CRIB TO COLLEGE The COVID-19 pandemic has created plenty of challenges when it comes to education. Children and families, though, are rising to the occasion and still working to ensure the younger generation is getting the best learning experience possible. In this edition of our annual education guide, “Crib to College,” we have information to help guide parents through the tough but rewarding educational journey. The following articles look at what will happen with SATs, services offered by local tutoring centers and other relevant resources. No matter what, a child’s curiosity is a powerful force. We hope this guide helps as you watch them go from an infant in your arms to an adult who makes you proud.

Dual Immersion Programs Capistrano Unified School District has incorporated language immersion instruction since 1992 and currently offers programs in Spanish and Mandarin. The Two Way Immersion program in Spanish is offered at four elementary sites, including at R.H. Dana Elementary School in Dana Point, while the One Way Immersion program in Mandarin is offered at Marian Bergeson Elementary School in Laguna Niguel.

Students from both programs matriculate into middle and high school programs that support them with further study in each of the target languages.

Additional Resources Resources from the California Department of Education (CDE) English Learner Support Division are available to local educational agencies as they support English learner, immigrant, newcomer, and migratory students during distance learning and the transition to schools reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The webpage for Alaz y Voz (californianstogether.com/alaz-y-voz) provides resources to families in Spanish, including home learning resources and information about physical and mental health during times of crisis.

The Future of SAT Testing I

BY COLLIN BREAUX

n the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, what will happen to SAT testing, once a common prerequisite for students applying for college?

The College Board, a nonprofit organization that administers the SAT, will continue to do so. But the University of California Board of Regents recently voted to do away with requiring the SAT in student applications, a move that was in the works for years.

“The August 29 administration is scheduled to proceed as planned. There is limited testing capacity in certain areas due to public health restrictions and high demand,” The College Board said in a statement.

“While the College Board cannot directly

control test center capacity and availability, we’re working to ensure as many students as possible are able to test safely.”

Local schools and test centers make individual decisions about whether to administer the SAT, and the College Board is asking test centers to report closures as soon as possible. Students are advised to check directly with their test center, including the test center’s website, on the morning of the test.

It is also recommended that students check college websites for the most current information on application requirements.

The College Board will support higher education members as they transition back to requiring test scores or implement permanent new policies in the long-term as the admission process takes shape postpandemic.

The UC Board of Regents unanimously

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

voted in May to suspend standardized test requirements, which includes the ACT and SAT, for all California freshman applicants until the fall of 2024. UC will work to come up with a new test in the interim that more adequately reflects the material incoming students are expected to know.

However, UC will eliminate the standardized testing requirement altogether for California students if a new test does not meet specified criteria in time for fall 2025 admission, a press release said.

In March, current standardized test requirements for fall 2021 UC applicants were suspended due to the ongoing health crisis. Tests will be optional through 2022 and test scores from applicants will not be considered in admissions for fall 2023 and fall 2024.

The May vote “marks the culmination of a two-year, research-based effort by UC to

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evaluate the value and use of standardized tests in admissions,” a press release said.

A report in February by the UC Academic Senate discussed numerous aspects of standardized test scores and admission processes, including how African American, Latino, and Native American students are underrepresented.

“Concern has grown in recent months and years that the consideration of standardized test scores in UC’s admissions process might be a contributing cause of underrepresentation in particular of African American and Latino students,” the report said.

Despite many California students coming from Spanish-speaking homes, research has shown that standardized tests “likely underestimate these students’ capabilities because of lack of sensitivity of the tests to issues of language difference,” the report said. thecapistranodispatch.com

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g n i r o t u T e h t g n i Dur c i m e d Pan

T

BY COLLIN BREAUX

he COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted just about every aspect of daily life and education. What about tutoring?

Local tutoring centers vary on how exactly they’re operating during the ongoing health crisis, but they are continuing to help students. Education has entered uncharted territory as everyone learns on the fly while face-to-face gatherings are discouraged, people communicate remotely and details seemingly change by the day.

Under Pressure Homework Help helps students in all grades and almost all subjects.

They offer in-person tutoring from their Dana Point studio, as well as virtual tutoring.

For the school year, they are also offering homeschool (K-5th grades) and a homework club. They have many tutors ready to help students, and parents, be successful with all of the changes this school year.

In response to the pandemic, Dana Point’s Mathnasium is offering their services inCenter or online with Mathnasium@Home.

Mathnasium@home learning offers flexibil-

ity with a student’s schedule and is available anywhere. Mathnasium works to assure that each child advances in their math learning journey at the pace they need to maximize their growth—helping kids stay on grade level and even get ahead through this crisis.

In addition, Mathnasium will be introducing Prime Study Space, a comfortable workspace with a private desk, fast Internet, and power outlet so students can focus on remote classroom learning. Students will be kept safe through strict social distancing, disinfecting protocols, and mask and temperature checks. The program is offered Monday through Friday mornings for four hours, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Prime Study Space is month-to-month; no long-term contract required. Mathnasium’s background-checked facilitators keep them on task, so parents can focus on their day.

Tutoring at the Huntington Learning Center in Laguna Niguel has been surprisingly smooth, said Assistant Director Melissa Ogdon. The franchise location has launched Zoom tutoring and implemented safety

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

guidelines while staying open for in-person instruction. They never offered virtual learning before the pandemic.

A “good number” of students have stayed with them during the transition, and the center has even had some new students.

Ogdon said the changes were initially challenging, but they got up and running once they figured out the logistics.

“It worked out well,” Ogdon said.

Some of their regular students have been with the Huntington Learning Center for years and normally need extra support.

Students may deal with learning gaps caused by a lack of in-person instruction.

One-on-one help incorporating social distancing is being provided to children.

Huntington Learning Center is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily and primarily focuses on reading, math, writing, study skills and test preparation.

Most of the students they help are still utilizing in-person services and may otherwise get distracted at home if attempting virtual learning, Ogdon said. The center

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was servicing approximately 15 families, as of press time. Students are productive and tend to make progress, Ogdon said.

Meanwhile, the Kumon Math and Reading Center of Aliso Viejo has started to offer in-center classes with limited availability while continuing their online classes, after previously offering only online learning.

Kumon is defined as a supplemental enrichment program, which is a bit different than tutoring. In the words of Center Director Angel Ko, “Instead of waiting until children fall behind, families enroll their kids in the program to get ahead.” Kumon’s programs cover math and reading.

“During the time the center has been closed to visitors, we have invested in numerous safety measures, such as the installation of plexiglass dividers, sanitization stations and more,” Ko said.

The Kumon Center has remained busy during the pandemic, with staff putting in many hours to adapt to the new normal.

Very little in terms of processes has reportedly changed—generally, a student would come to the center and do work, staff would observe and grade the work and then students would leave.

“This stayed the same with virtual classes, besides commuting to and from the center,” Ko said. “Our goal is to keep the experience as consistent as possible for the student.”

Consistency is important for children during this unusual period, Ko said. Parents can count on Kumon activities being something their child is doing every day, since it is so routine-based, Ko said.

In addition, Kumon can be a light for kids during a time when they may be physically separated from their teachers and friends, and away from familiar classroom surroundings.

“It’s important to keep children on track right now because of our efforts to combat the ‘COVID Slide’,” Ko said. “A report released by the NWEA suggests that because of the break from the classroom caused by COVID-19, there’s a risk for some students returning to school in the fall with only 70% of the reading knowledge they acquired from the previous school year, and just half of what they learned in math.”

Incorporating consistent academic enrichment into a child’s education is also crucial due to the uncertainty surrounding what school will be like this year, Ko said.

Editor’s note: These details may change as conditions develop.

thecapistranodispatch.com

The JuCo Route Community colleges have gained popularity with those looking to save on costs

A

BY ZACH CAVANAGH

s a college education becomes more important and more expensive, and college admissions become more competitive, a prudent option for graduating high school seniors—or anyone getting back into higher education—is the junior college route.

The route is also becoming a popular one.

Freshman applications dropped 5.4% from 2018 to 2019 across the nine campuses of the University of California system, with the declines coming at UCLA, UC Davis, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz. However, the system also saw a 4.8% increase in transfer applications, with UCLA receiving a 12.5% increase in transfer applications from Californian students, according to the Los Angeles Times.

California’s community college system is the largest system of higher education in the country, with nine colleges in Orange County. Saddleback College in Mission Viejo and Irvine Valley College in Irvine make up the two local options in the South Orange County Community College District.

Saddleback College boasts a robust amount of resources for its more than 3,500 students who transfer to four-year universities every year.

Students who choose the junior college route will find two major benefits: significant tuition costs saved and transfer admission guarantees and partnerships with many major universities.

Cost has been seen by many as the biggest contributing factor to the growth in popularity of the transfer route.

According to Saddleback College, students who complete two years at Saddleback save thousands of dollars in tuition at Southern California’s biggest universities.

Based on 2018-19 tuition and fees, Saddleback says those who complete four-year degrees at Cal State Fullerton save more than $11,000, more than $24,000 at UC Irvine and more than $100,000 at USC.

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One of Saddleback’s main goals is to help facilitate those transfers, to make sure the hard hours of effort aren’t wasted in the competitive race for college admissions.

The biggest way the college has done this is with the development of articulation agreements with Cal State and University of California campuses, as well as many major out-of-state and private schools. These agreements assure that the courses taken at Saddleback will transfer to the student’s school of choice, and that the courses will satisfy degree requirements at the chosen institution. Students at Saddleback can earn special Associate Degrees for Transfer in more than 25 majors of varying disciplines.

Beyond just making sure the classes will count at the next school, Saddleback has agreements with several in-state schools, as well as out-of-state and private universities.

Saddleback offers Transfer Admission Guarantees with six UC campuses—Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz—as well as transfer partnerships with 11 institutions, some in only particular programs.

Saddleback has partnerships with Arizona State University, Cal Baptist and Chapman University for Health Services and with Pepperdine University for the Graziadio School of Business and Management, among others.

To assist students with fulfilling their requirements and taking advantage of those guarantees, the Saddleback College Transfer Center offers plenty of resources and counselors that can help through any step of the transfer process.

In the COVID-19 era, even Saddleback College’s transfer center has had to adapt.

In addition to phone and email, students can virtually contact the transfer center via Zoom video calls, and Saddleback and Irvine Valley College will join to host a virtual transfer college fair on Sept. 15.

For more information about transferring through Saddleback College, call 949.582.4328, email sctransfer@saddleback.edu or visit saddleback.edu/transfer. thecapistranodispatch.com

Ranking

Local Schools

A

BY COSTA BEAVIN-PAPPAS

s the beginning of a new school year begins for many local South Orange County residents, many start their academic careers in first grade while others go off to middle school and high school. It is often difficult to decide where to send your child. The following are the rankings for public elementary, middle and high schools in the region.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS • Moulton Elementary School, located in Laguna Niguel, has 603 students and is ranked #408 in Best Public Elementary School in California.

• Hidden Hills Elementary, located in Laguna Niguel, has 366 students with a student-toteacher ratio of 28 to 1. The school is ranked #529 among Los Angeles area schools.

• Clarence Lobo Elementary, located in San Clemente, has 366 students with a studentteacher ratio of 26 to 1. The school is ranked #603.

• Marblehead Elementary School, located in San Clemente, has 354 students with a student-teacher ratio of 27 to 1. The school is ranked #728 in Best Public Schools in the Los Angeles area.

28 to 1. The school is ranked #739 in Best Schools in California.

• Concordia Elementary School, located in San Clemente, has 575 students in grades K-5 with a student-teacher ratio of 34 to 1.

The school is ranked #494 in Best Schools in California.

• Las Palmas Elementary School, located in San Clemente, has 889 students in grades K-5 with a student-teacher ratio of 30 to 1.

The school is ranked #591 in Best Schools in Los Angeles area.

• Harold Ambuehl Elementary School, located in San Juan Capistrano, has 358 students in grades K-5 with a student-teacher ratio of 28 to 1. The school is ranked #616 in Best Schools in Los Angeles area.

• Kinoshita Elementary School, located in San Juan Capistrano, has 534 students in grades K-5 and a student-teacher ratio of 27 to 1. The school is not listed in any ranking according to Niche.com.

• Esencia Elementary School, located in Rancho Mission Viejo, has 449 students in grades K-5 and a student-teacher ratio of 28 to 1. There are no available rankings for this school according to Niche.com.

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

• San Juan Elementary School, located in San Juan Capistrano, has 785 students in grades K-5 with a student-teacher ratio of 27 to 1. The school is ranked #852 in Best Public Schools in the Los Angeles area.

• Vista Del Mar Middle School, located in San Clemente, has 683 students with a student-teacher ratio of 24 to 1. It is ranked #4 among schools in the district and #144 among statewide middle schools.

• Palisades Elementary School, located in Capistrano Beach, has 445 students in grades K-5 with a student-teacher ratio of 28 to 1. The school is ranked #648 in Best Public Schools in the Los Angeles area.

• Niguel Hills Middle School, located in Laguna Niguel, is ranked #9 out of 12 middle schools in the district and #324 out of 2,155 middle schools in the state.

• RH Dana Elementary School, located in Dana Point, has students in grades with a student-teacher ratio of. The school is ranked #3,222 out of 5,288 California elementary schools.

• Truman Benedict Elementary School, located in San Clemente, has 671 students in grades K-5 with a student-teacher ratio of

• Bernice Ayer Middle School, located in San Clemente, has 929 students with a studentteacher ratio of 24 to 1. The school is ranked #10 out of the 12 middle schools in the district and #328 out of middle schools statewide.

• Shorecliffs Middle School, located in San Clemente, has 929 students with a studentteacher ratio of of 25 to 1. It is ranked #11 out of 12 middle schools in the district and

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

#362 out of 2,155 middle schools statewide.

California high schools.

• Marco Forster Middle School, located in San Juan Capistrano, has 1,403 students and is ranked #666 of 2,155 California public schools. The middle school is ranked #12 among middle schools in the district and #666 of the 2,155 middle schools in California.

• San Clemente High School is ranked #5 out of the nine high schools in the district and # 209 out of 1,727 California high schools.

HIGH SCHOOL • San Juan Hills High, located in in San Juan Capistrano, is ranked #3 among the nine high schools in the district and #159 of 1,727 California high schools.

• Dana Hills High, located in Dana Point, is ranked #4 out of the nine high schools in the district and #201 out of the 1,727

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• Junipero Serra High School is an above average, public, alternative school located in San Juan Capistrano. It has 161 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. It ranks #237 in Best High Schools for the Arts in America.

The rankings were compiled through Niche.com and SchoolDigger, websites that use test scores, district boundaries, student/teacher ratios and scores to help parents evaluate the performance and quality of education for schools around the United States.

thecapistranodispatch.com

Y

BY GINA COUSINEAU

YOU ARE YOUR CHILD’S

NUTRITION INFLUENCER

ou can’t deny that we parents are the ones who control what our children eat the majority of the time, especially in the midst of a pandemic, when we are together 24/7. While I am an evidence- and sciencebased practitioner, when it comes to nutrition and our food choices, there are a whole host of emotions attached to those decisions. And I am not talking about the tantrum your toddler throws when wanting one more cookie, or even your teenager, who has decided to be a vegan this week, when you put chicken on their plate.

If we, the parents, have no idea how to feed ourselves— let’s face it, folks, we were sitting in the midst of an obesity pandemic before COVID-19 hit—how in the world can we feed our kids? I am utterly dismayed by the amount of attention paid to breast/bottle feeding infants in that first year of life, compared to how little care is given to the food we feed our toddlers and Instagram and Facebook: beyond. @mamagslifestyle So, as you are inundated @kids.eat.in.color with trying to keep house, @healthy.mom.healthy.kids homeschool your kids, work, @feedinglittles exercise, and more, I am go@foodsciencebabe ing to suggest you use social @babyledweanteam media to help guide your way with feeding your kids more Podcasts: wholesome food. In all cases, The Nourished Child you really should look to a Liz’s Healthy Table registered dietitian-nutritionist, or a nutritionist like myself, who has a Master of Science in nutrition, to guide your way. Your fitness guru, the author with an MD after their name, or your favorite celebrity, chef, designer or blogger does not have the extensive education and training in the field of nutrition needed to make real-life decisions on what you should consider feeding your family, regardless of the credentials they throw your way.

Resources

TAKE THE ROLE SERIOUSLY

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

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I also believe we must bring the family back around the kitchen table, and it should really start with gathering in the kitchen to prepare a meal. Back in the day, we had Home Economics in school teaching us the basics of running a home.

Today, the ease of grabbing take-away food, paired with our crazy schedules, makes the kitchen obsolete. Here are a few tips to move toward improving your family’s nutrition: 1. Start by including a shopping/cooking lesson to your homeschool routine at least once a week. Great lessons in math, nutrition, economics, planning, dexterity, patience and more are waiting for you here—all critical life skills.

2. Find a family-friendly cooking show to watch together or, better yet, join “Mama G LIVE” for complimentary cooking classes via Zoom. Allow everyone to participate in making a meal plan for the week, choosing their favorite meals, with theme nights leading the way, such as Taco Tuesday and Friday Pizza Night.

3. Eat more plants, choosing minimally processed options, with fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains leading the way. Adding in a variety of dairy will help get the much-needed protein and calcium humans of all ages need for optimum health.

4. And if you need direction, consider hiring one of the professionals I spoke of above to help guide your way.

Variety is the spice of life; it is also the precursor to a balanced diet, which will drive the health of your family.

Gina Cousineau sees clients virtually out of her San Clemente office. Her extensive education (a BS in dietetics and MS in integrative and functional nutrition), chef training, and 30-plus years as a fitness professional allow her to help clients lose weight and improve their health. You can reach her at mamag@mamagslifestyle.com, 949.842.9975, and on Instagram/Facebook @mamagslifestyle. Sign up for complimentary Zoom cooking classes on her website.

thecapistranodispatch.com

no longer acceptable. Parents are demanding more from their schools. They are considering all options. They are looking to schools for real solutions that address students’ needs right now and make it possible for children to continue learning, growing and thriving in the midst of present challenges.

A globally recognized private school with a new preschool-through-grade-12 campus in San Juan Capistrano, Fairmont offers many programs to meet a wide range of educational needs. Fairmont starts with the student—meeting children where they are—and prepares an educational pathway that takes them farther than they imagined possible.

S PEC I A L A DVE RT IS ING S ECT IO N

Great Opportunities

Imagine What’s Possible.

Expect the Extraordinary.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced educators into uncharted waters. But thinking outside of the box is nothing new for Fairmont. Since its inception in 1953, Fairmont has weathered many storms that have impacted the landscape of education.

Its staying power speaks to the strength of its tried and tested methods, as well as its relentless pursuit of innovation.

prepared for life and leadership.

Schedule a tour today by contacting admissions@cvcs.org, by calling 949.493.5683 or by visiting our website at cvcs.org.

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools The dreams we have for our children are based on hopes for a lifetime of success, happiness, and purpose. At Capistrano Valley Christian Schools, we believe the foundations of those dreams are built on a rich academic program coupled with an emphasis on spiritual and moral development. Our students learn through a program that values and develops critical thinking, innovation, creativity and foundational skills to prepare them for life after graduation.

Though academic success is important to us, it is meaningless unless we also develop students who are positive contributors to our society’s moral fabric. We instill Christian faith, virtue, and character in our children by weaving Biblical principles into every component of our program. The outstanding CVCS staff authentically cares for the students who grace our halls, which creates a deeply connected sense of community, setting us apart from other schools in South Orange County.

In addition to academic rigor and spiritual development, CVCS maintains an athletic program that has won multiple CIF championships while teaching athletes integrity and discipline, and maintains award-winning fine arts and performing arts departments.

Capistrano Valley Christian Schools, founded in 1973, is a nonprofit Christian, college-preparatory, co-ed school serving Junior Kindergarten through 12th grade located in San Juan Capistrano, California.

CVCS provides educational excellence in a Christ-centered environment. The result of a CVCS education is a student who is truly

Capistrano Unified School District Welcome Back to the 2020-21 School Year!

By Kirsten Vital, Superintendent, Capistrano Unified School District The start of a new school year is always an exciting time! And, although we opened very differently than what we were all used to, I want to assure you that we remain committed to supporting our students, families, and staff as we begin this adventure together.

This school year will truly be like no other.

However, our promise to provide an extraordinary teaching and learning experience to our 47,000 young people remains the same, whether online or in the classroom.

We are committed to supporting our working families while providing engaging and flexible learning options for all students.

Our rigorous and engaging curriculum will initially be delivered online, and later, as guidelines allow, in the classroom.

We will continue to place a strong emphasis and integration on mental health, emotional support, and social emotional learning, while continuing to foster cultural diversity. Our school counselors will be providing webinars and other resources for our students and families who may be experiencing anxieties or stresses through these challenging times.

We will continue to take proactive and re-

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

sponsive measures to ensure the health and safety of our students, families and staff, and we will continue to align ourselves with the California Department of Public Health and the Orange County Health Care Agency to ensure our schools and classrooms follow all safety protocols.

And, we will continue to innovate our oncampus learning models to be implemented once Orange County meets the California Department of Public Health criteria for reopening.

Thank you for entrusting your child’s education to our CUSD family of educators. We thank you for your patience, support and understanding as we navigate this journey together.

Stay safe and healthy and welcome back!

Fairmont Schools Meeting the Moment: Fairmont Answers Demand for Student-Centered Learning Back to school 2020 is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. As teachers, students and parents come to terms with our “new normal,” questions remain over what is best for kids. Are children falling behind?

Are remote programs rigorous enough? Will our children suffer long-term consequences from this unprecedented disruption to their education?

These are the questions Fairmont’s team of educators has been wrestling with for months. While the harsh realities are clear enough, the solutions are less obvious.

What is clear is that children can’t wait.

This school year matters.

We also know that “education as usual” is

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Empowering Students and Their Parents Parents have an intuitive understanding of what works best for their child. Fairmont honors parent involvement and comes alongside families to offer guidance in identifying strengths and suggesting programs that maximize student success. Education is not a “one-size-fits-all” proposition. That’s why Fairmont focuses on providing a variety of programs to meet the needs of students: • Traditional School Day Program— Fairmont’s reopening plan offers two options for parents: remote learning via livestreamed classrooms or a fully on-campus alternative. County health authorities recently granted the school a waiver (a testament to its safety protocols), allowing students in grades K-6 to return for on-campus, in-person instruction. For families who have opted to learn from home, the school offers a remote option that balances academic needs with social-emotional learning.

• Fairmont Select Academy—This home education program provides a solution for parents who want the flexibility of a traditional “homeschool” platform, but need the additional support of highly trained educators. Instead of parents and students struggling to navigate educational excellence on their own, they have a team of educators with years of experience at their side, leading the way.

• Fairmont Athletic Academy—What if your elite athlete could receive both academic instruction and athletic training all within their regular school day?

Students enrolled in this innovative program at the San Juan Capistrano campus benefit from Fairmont’s acclaimed faculty and curriculum, while receiving world-class athletic training through its partner, The Treigning Lab. • Fairmont Music & Dance Academy— This program embodies the intersection between the arts and academics.

Students spend half the day receiving a premier Fairmont education and the thecapistranodispatch.com

other half receiving instruction at OC Music & Dance, a renowned conservatory in Irvine.

• Academic Learning Assistance—One of the core tenets of a Fairmont education is “meeting students where they are.”

The Academic Learning Assistance program empowers, encourages, and enhances student achievement, and promotes success of students who need extra attention.

• Foundations—Foundations is a groundbreaking Fairmont partner school for students with learning challenges, such as dyslexia, ADD, auditory processing, and comprehension difficulties. It is grounded in 30 years of cognitive brain research and moves past traditional symptom management to addressing the root cause.

Fairmont is now enrolling P-12th grade students across its family of schools in Anaheim, Anaheim Hills, North Tustin and San Juan Capistrano. To learn more, visit fairmontschools. com or call 714.790.3989

Kidcreate Studio

Kidcreate Studio is an art studio just for kids. We specialize in classes, camps and parties for children ages 18 months to 12 years. We offer classes in our bright, beautiful studio in Dana Point, as well as live virtual classes, and classes and events on-

the-go through our mobile studio.

Kidcreate is a great way to introduce your child to the wonderful world of art.

We provide a positive, self-esteem-building environment for children to explore the visual arts. Kidcreate’s curriculum was designed by art education professionals and offers projects and classes tailored to match the developmental needs of kids at different ages. Toddler classes are fast-moving, energized, playful; preschool classes begin to build in basic art concepts and encourage kids’ growing independence; and schoolaged classes encourage self-confidence and creativity, while taking projects in more sophisticated directions with more advanced materials and techniques. Our age groupings are flexible and allow us to meet the individual needs of children and sibling groupings.

At all of our classes, camps and even birthday parties, kids learn about the elements of art and explore a wide range of artistic styles and lots of different materials.

Some classes are more classical in nature, while others explore fun themes from kids’ popular culture. Children create with paint, clay, and so much more. We love to give little ones the opportunity to get messy with things such as plaster, tie-dye, and slime, which maybe aren’t for every family to try at home.

Exploring art, feeling free to make some messes, and having fun—that’s basically what Kidcreate Studio is all about.

34255 Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 113, Dana Point, 949.370.9509, kidcreate.com/dana-point.

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

South Coast Conservatory’s All-New Kids Club Since COVID has impacted our collective communities, South Coast Conservatory (SCC) has expanded its offerings to include a comprehensive online training program, outdoor classrooms, virtual performances and an all-new “Kids Club.” This exciting program offers tutoring, arts enrichment, physical education and stress management classes to children of students of essential workers starting in September.

949.367.0099, scconservatory.com

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Academic Excellence | Culture of Innovation | Transformative Tartan Experience We believe in our students—their natural curiosity, talents, interests and intellectual vitality. St. Margaret’s surrounds students with a vibrant and engaging learning environ-

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ment that guides their individual development, character, well-being and intellectual pursuits. St. Margaret’s is active and alive with students who are motivated and excited to be here, learning and growing together. From Early Childhood to Upper School, our everyday leaves a lifetime impact on our students.

A vigorous liberal arts academic program and expert faculty challenge and inspire students to discover, learn, grow and excel to their fullest potential. Opportunities abound in arts, athletics, STEAM, experiential and service learning, and leadership.

We advance our academic program with a student-centered innovation process. We invest in new curriculum and teaching strategies, modern technologies, world-class learning environments, community partnerships and collaborations that pave exciting and rewarding paths for students.

St. Margaret’s students are known for their character, poise, thoughtfulness and integrity.

An inclusive, loving community rooted in shared values and our Episcopal identity is the foundation for a transformative student life program that fosters belonging, life skills, purpose and well-being, instills a strong moral compass and inspires responsibility, leadership and service to the world.

St. Margaret’s is a premier, independent school educating 1,245 students, preschool through grade 12. The school’s reputation for the depth and quality of its education brings more than 150 colleges and universities to campus annually to recruit its graduates.

31641 La Novia San Juan Capistrano, 949.661.0108, smes.org. thecapistranodispatch.com

Local Foundation Funds Educational Programs The San Clemente High School Education Foundation, an academic booster club and all-volunteer organization, works to fund a handful of various programs and services through the local high school that are designed to support high-achieving students and ensure they reach their maximum potential.

Through donations and the philanthropic efforts of the local community, the SCEF has funded after-school tutoring sessions and field trip support, as well as hosting seminars for college applications and curriculums, college and career planning, to name a few. Here are just some of the other services SCEF funds: Freshman Focus Freshman students and their parents can meet with a San Clemente High teacher to develop an educational path toward their college goals.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Test Prep These after-school seminars, held in April, help to prepare students for national and international testing in two dozen advanced subjects.

Academic Decathlon Funding Support SCEF subsidizes expenses for this program, which gives San Clemente High students an opportunity to compete in an academic competition against other high schools.

Classroom Chromebooks Fundraising drives have allowed the SCEF to provide hundreds of students with Chromebooks, providing them access to 21st century technology for learning.

College Essay and Application Workshop Students who need help with drafting their college essays and applications can meet with counselors, advisors and AP English teachers for guidance.

The SCEF is regularly in need of volunteers interested in supporting the academic programs at San Clemente High. To learn more on how to volunteer with the organization, contact info@schsef.org.

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

FINANCIAL PLANNERS:

I

INVEST AND SAVE EARLY FOR COLLEGE EXPENSES

BY SHAWN RAYMUNDO

t’s never too early to start planning and saving for your child’s college education, according to a couple of the area’s top financial advisors.

“The best way (to save and invest) would be the sooner, the better,” said Corrine LaFollette, a certified retirement counselor and director of Financial Operations for Arlon Enmeier in San Clemente.

Ryan Krause, a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Dana Point, echoes that sentiment, stating that “starting early is paramount.”

“So, realistically, when the child is born, you have 18 years” to save, he said, adding that “the biggest determinant of an investment’s success is your time horizon, as each year has a compounding interest.”

According to the University of California school system, the cost of tuition for an instate undergraduate student attending a UC school in the 2020-2021 school year is $14,100. That’s not factoring in other costs such as books and supplies, room and board and transportation.

When factoring in all of those anticipated expenses for the single year, UC officials estimate the total average cost ranging from $34,100 to $36,700, depending on whether the student is living on or off campus. And the price, of course, nearly doubles for non-California residents.

If those prices are perceived to be steep now, imagine what new parents today will be expected to pay by the time their child becomes an undergrad.

“College prices continue to rise faster than inflation, averaging 5% per year,” Krause said. “While no one can predict if this pace will continue, parents need to understand and incorporate these rising cost estimates into their savings strategies.”

That’s why, Krause stresses, it’s important to start early, even if it’s just by putting in about $50 every month to start.

The next step for parents, he says, is to also make sure they

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know what investment plans are available.

Both Krause and LaFollette agree that a 529 college savings plan is the best investment option, as it’s the most flexible and tax-free as long as the funds are used toward a beneficiary’s qualified educational expenses.

LaFollette explains that anyone—whether it’s the accountholder, a parent, a grandparent, relative or family friend—can each contribute up to $15,000 a year toward the account.

It’s also flexible in that the accountholder can designate the funds to go to a new beneficiary, such as another child or relative for their schooling, if per se, the first child didn’t need to use all of the money or opted not to pursue a higher degree at all.

“It’s so flexible you can move (the 529) over to any sibling, any family member,” she said. “Also, it doesn’t have to be for a four-year college; it can be a vocational school, any institution that accepts federal scholarships like Pell grants,” as an example.

Such qualifying expenses include tuition and fees, supplies, equipment such as computers and laptops, as well as room and board, or rent.

Should an accountholder withdraw funds for non-education expenses, they’d be hit with a 10% tax penalty.

LaFollette and Krause also advise that parents should make sure to find the right balance in their investments, not putting aside all of their savings into their child’s education while neglecting their own plan for retirement.

Parents are “dealing with current expenses, but they’re also trying to fund their own retirements, they’re trying to save for long-term goals, and they know their child’s college is looming; it’s getting closer and closer,” LaFollette said. “So we use the bucket analogy a bit, to make sure you’re contributing into each of the buckets.”

For Krause, what he often sees are parents dealing with regret for not planning ahead of time.

“The biggest thing I see across the board is the regret of (parents) not starting something sooner and not educating or becoming aware of what’s available,” Krause said.

thecapistranodispatch.com

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

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SOAPBOX

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

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HOW TO REACH US C I T Y E D I TO R Collin Breaux • 949.388.7700, x109 cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com

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PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett

Advertising Sales (SJC) Debra Wells

EDITORIAL

ART + DESIGN

City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch Collin Breaux

Art Director Jasmine Smith

Senior City Editor, DP Times Lillian Boyd City Editor, SC Times Shawn Raymundo

Graphic Designer Chelsie Rex

General Manager Alyssa Garrett Group Operations & Production Coordinator Inna Cazares

Columnist Fred Swegles

FINANCE

Copy Editor Randy Youngman ADVERTISING Associate Publisher Lauralyn Loynes

‘The Dispatch’s’ 18th Anniversary

T

he date August 22, 2002 was a long time ago. A lot has changed.

George W. Bush was President.

Facebook didn’t exist. Monsignor Paul Martin was in the Mission. Sarducci’s was by the railroad tracks. The Mission Inn motel was open next to Walnut Grove.

No matter who was on city council, Tony Forster was the unofficial mayor.

That was a long time ago. Today’s San Juan Capistrano is led by new people.

New places. Not necessarily worse, not necessarily better.

The date August 22, 2002 also marked the first edition of The Capistrano Dispatch. It was distributed on that Thursday, but friends and I passed out the first edition at a Concert in the Park the evening before. It was then, as it is now, entirely focused on San Juan Capistrano with the slogan “Our Community, Our Voice.” The first cover photo featured an artist painting at the Mission, the headline promising “A New Perspective.”

I believe The Dispatch has kept that promise, from the time I launched it until 2007, when the reins were passed to Norb Garrett and the team at Picket Fence Media, and since 2012, when I left the paper for a new career.

At one point, the Los Angeles Times had a bureau in San Juan Capistrano, battling the Register for dominance. A group of local businesses launched another community paper to take out The Dispatch.

Yet another group created another political paper. The Dispatch remains.

Partially because of that promise of a new perspective, part because of the team behind the paper, but mostly because of you, the residents who recognize Capistrano is a special place. The Dispatch helps keep us united, whether you were drawn here for the equestrian community, the Historical Society, MY TURN

By Jonathan the Native American Volzke community, one of our great schools or trails and open space.

I started The Dispatch with the support of the community. Local businesses advertised, but many residents did, too, sending checks with supportive notes and well wishes. No matter how much time has passed, I still have those notes.

Thank you, all.

We can all help again. Norb and

the team at Picket Fence, which also publishes the San Clemente Times and Dana Point Times, has done an amazing job keeping afloat during the coronavirus pandemic, even as other newspapers dropped as the Internet rose. Picket Fence has launched an “Insider” program—those of us who make a donation, as little as $5 a month—get special discounts at local restaurants and businesses. Get more information at thecapistranodispatch.com/insider/.

Yes, a lot has changed since 2002, but one thing has remained the same: we can count on The Dispatch to keep us informed about what’s going on around us, how we can get involved in those decisions and, first and foremost, that we live in a special place, a true small-town community.

Jonathan Volzke is the founder of The Capistrano Dispatch. He lives in San Juan Capistrano with his wife Trish. CD PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media.

If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com. The Capistrano Dispatch and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory.

O P E R AT I O N S

Sports Editor Zach Cavanagh

Special Projects Editor Andrea PapagianisCamacho

GUEST OPINION: My Turn by Jonathan Volzke

Finance Director Mike Reed Accounting & Finance Manager Tricia Zines CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco Jake Howard Tim Trent

The Capistrano Dispatch, Vol. 18, Issue 16. The Dispatch (thecapistranodispatch) is published twice monthly

by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the DP Times (danapointtimes.com) and the SC Times (sanclementetimes. com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

F O L L O W T H E C A P O D I S PATC H

GUEST OPINION: Bartlett Bulletin by OC Board Supervisor Lisa Bartlett

Voting During a Global Pandemic

O

n November 3, 2020, voters will have the opportunity to go to the polls and exercise their constitutional right to vote during one of the most challenging times in our nation’s history.

Faced with the uncertainties of a global pandemic, it is understandable why voters might be hesitant, or feel somewhat apprehensive, about going to a vote center to cast their ballot on election day. As such, I wanted to share with you some of the measures and protocols the Registrar of Voters office has undertaken to ensure in-person voting can be conducted safely and securely.

In consideration of the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Registrar of Voters released an extensive report on changes and procedures that will be implemented for the November 3 Presidential General Election.

The report covers a broad spectrum of election planning, including:

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• Candidate filing • Recruitment • Training • Services for voters with disabilities

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

• Language assistance services • Vote-by-mail voting • Vote Center locations • Ballot drop box locations • Post-election audits These changes are necessary in order to safely conduct the election in accordance with public health guidelines and maintain a secure and transparent election. California law requires that in-person voting be provided for the Presidential General Election.

As the pandemic began to take hold in Orange County, the Registrar’s office THE BARTLETT moved quickly to BULLETIN implement procedures

By Lisa Bartlett that would provide safe voting options for all voters and a safe work environment for staff.

Whether a voter prefers to vote at home or in-person at a Vote Center, every effort is being made to ensure they have a positive experience that promotes health and safety.

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Some of the changes include: • Detailed plans for disinfecting, maintaining physical distance, personal protective equipment and increased signage at all in-person voting locations • Increased online training for vote center customer service representatives • Leveraging technology to create remote public election observation opportunities In addition, the Registrar’s office recently opened a 1,125-square-foot Vote Center Lab. As a fully functional, permanent replica of an in-person voting location, the Vote Center Lab was built to serve multiple purposes, such as testing processes and procedures, training election staff, educating the general public and supporting research efforts in a controlled environment. Its timely completion allowed the Registrar of Voters to test new processes and other changes to existing operations necessary for the November 3 Presidential General Election.

Since opening, the lab has served as a testing site to determine the impact of physical distancing and proper cleaning and (Cont. on page 22) thecapistranodispatch.com

SOAPBOX (Cont. from page 21) disinfecting procedures on wait times for voters. It will also be used for training Vote Center Customer Service Representatives to ensure they receive hands-on practice and experience in a Vote Center environment prior to stepping into an actual Vote Center.

The COVID-19 Election Response Report can be viewed in the Election Library at ocvote.com/election-library.

All voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot for the November 3 Presidential General Election for safe and convenient voting at home. Voters can check their registration, re-register, and register to vote at ocvote.com. For more information, call 714.567.7600 or visit ocvote.com.

I hope you find this information helpful as you contemplate the options available to you for voting in November.

Be safe and stay healthy.

Lisa Bartlett sits on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, representing the 5th District. She was reelected in 2018. CD PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media.

If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com. The Capistrano Dispatch and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory.

Letters to the Editor IN RESPONSE TO ROSENFELDT'S AUG. 14 EDITORIAL COLUMN —BRONWYN SEWARD, San Juan Capistrano My original response to Ms. Siegel's "Malice Toward None" was a call to correct misinformation—specifically the removal of the Mission's Serra statue. I went a step further to condemn Ms. Siegel for comparing her fellow countrymen to the Taliban and Nazis. Nobody should be likened to these two groups, except for . . . these two groups.

Holding someone accountable for the words they use is not "cancel culture" or "shooting the messenger”—things Ms. Siegel's loyal friend, Ms. Rosenfeldt, accused me of in last week's editorial. Instead of saying we should boycott The Dispatch or Ms. Siegel, I called for correction. This is not erasure or silencing. It's an acknowledgement of the vitriol associated with a particular worldview that would seek to cancel out the voices of Black lives in this country.

I have an open and evolving opinion on the appropriateness of certain statues, and have not acted or written in any way to align myself for or against the recent toppling of troublesome monuments here in America. I called for clarification on a specific statue near and dear to us here in the city and an apology for a dangerous hyperbolic comparison. This did

GUEST OPINION: From the Inside by Dale Rosenfeldt

AB5 in the Time of COVID-19

I

n California, we have gone from the ridiculous to the absurd in education, energy, the environment and in terms of employment. Take Assembly Bill 5—called AB5 or the “gig law” for example—enacted in 2019 to define which California workers should be categorized as contractors versus employees. The burden of proof rests with the hiring entity, and the strict “ABC” test is so onerous that few companies can pass. So at a time when jobs are most needed, many in the gig economy are out of work. Gigs were always meant to be a side hustle, just as minimum wage was meant to be a steppingstone, not a living wage.

While I do not drive for Uber or Lyft, I am a contractor. I welcomed in 2020 with two lucrative contracts with prestigious

not stop Ms. Rosenfeldt from assigning me the position of an opposing villain promoting something "egregious." She built up a straw man argument and then handily tackled it, ending by recalling a documentary she watched about a great statue on the Silk Road. This statue features people of different races working together. Great. But what does this have to do with slavery in America, the BLM movement, or the explosion of racial tension we currently experience?

The line of reasoning used by both Ms. Siegel and Ms. Rosenfeldt completely ignores the reality that some statues honor troubling individuals who enslaved, sold and mistreated Black people. Neither of their favorite statues—Siegel's Serra nor Rosenfeldt's Silk Road—have been toppled or are in danger. So defending these examples misses the heart of the issue and instead serves as a red herring stalling any helpful conversation. Tack on some name-calling (e.g., Nazi, Taliban, cancel culture generation, silencer), and you have yourself a doomed exchange of viewpoints from the get-go in our own little microcosm here.

Yes, we need a dialogue about the place of questionable statues, their role in a nation's collective memory and their meaning to future generations. But before Ms. Siegel, Ms. Rosenfeldt, the SJC community, and I can even have that discussion, the truth that San Juan's J. Serra statue is safe and that BLM protestors are not the Taliban or Nazis needs to be acknowledged. This is all I originally intended to address. Maybe then we can move to agree that slavery was/is

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

companies: JD Power and an international speaker’s organization. Both entities dropped me like a hot potato once AB5 became law. By March, COVID-19 finally put a fork in me, but I digress.

Having nearly driven Uber and Lyft out of California, AB5 also says that your independent newspaper carrier (the nostalgic paperboy/girl on bicycle) should be classified as an employee. Newspapers simply cannot afford this increase of 60% to 80% in expenditures, especially now.

If you read me in The Capistrano Dispatch, and many of you have since 2007, you know that I love words, sentences, ideas and opposing opinion pieces. One of FROM my greatest pleasures is THE INSIDE

By Dale Rosenfeldt reading the newspaper the old school way: in print. On Sunday, I read both The Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times in the backyard, fighting the breeze if lucky enough to have one. AB5 will force publishers to eliminate print editions one or more days a week, reduce local coverage and eliminate coverage in outlying markets. While there is a digital version of The Dispatch, I have noted that many

of you also prefer to read the print edition found in your driveway.

What can be done? I’m glad you ask.

Assembly Bill 323, the “Save Local Journalism Act,” gives media companies two years to adapt their delivery models while increasing advertising contracts to ethnic and minority news outlets. But time is running out. Legislators must act by August 31. By reaching out to your local representative in support of AB 323, you may save The Capistrano Dispatch: Our Community, Our Voice as well as other print media you trust and value.

So much of what we are reading about in California is out of control. You can influence and exercise some control, so we can continue to read or hear other diverse voices, and be heard. Go to savemypaper. com.

Dale Rosenfeldt is a consultant and trainer who travels often but is happiest at home in her art studio and with her husband, their dog and tabby cat. Her husband operates a business in town and is a commissioner and influencer. CD

wrong and dishonorable? Should we start our malice toward none there?

As a reminder—there is no us versus them; there is only an us.

candidates.

Prejudice and hatred are not limited to race, however. Bigotry and hatred can, and are, directed at anyone perceived as “different.”

In 2017, President Trump focused his hate-filled rhetoric on the transgender community. Since then, violence has taken the lives of 25 trans women in 2017, 22 in 2018, 27 in 2019, and 25 in the first six months of 2020. Dissatisfied with the body count, the Trump administration moved to repeal part of the Affordable Care Act’s protections against LGBTQ discrimination in health care and health insurance.

We are a diverse species, and it is our diversity that makes us great. It is time we put our childish myths behind us, grow up, and learn to live together in peace, with mutual respect, equality, liberty, and justice for all.

And what better place to start than the classroom.

IT’S TIME TO SHED THE RACISM MYTH — JOANNA CLARK, San Juan Capistrano Despite the overwhelming biological evidence that humans are a single race that evolved out of Africa some 250,000 to 300,000 years ago, racism permeates our lives today.

Most of us today accept that our world is not flat and that it revolves around our sun, yet we remain convinced that we exist as different races. Additionally, over the past 500 years, we have been taught that a hierarchy exists between these races that makes the so-called “White” race superior to the others.

This “racism,” as pointed out by Robert Wald Sussman, author of The Myth of Race, has resulted in “prejudice, hatred, and great injustices to Jews and non-Christians during the Spanish Inquisition; to Blacks, Native Americans and others during colonial times; to African Americans during slavery and reconstruction; to Jews and other Europeans during the reign of the Nazi in Germany; and to groups from Latin America and the Middle East during modern political times.” More recent has been the loss of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rem’mie Fells, Riah Milton, Tony McDade, Rayshard Brooks, Oluwatoyin Salau, Jacob Blake, as well as the countless other Black lives lost to police brutality and racist violence.

We need better background checks and to look for history of racial bias in police

Page 22

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Capistrano Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the The Capistrano Dispatch or Picket Fence Media.

If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com. The Capistrano Dispatch and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

Have something you’d like to say? Email your letter to cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com no later than 8 a.m. on Monday morning. The Capistrano Dispatch reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or information written by the writers. Limit your letters to 350 words or less. Please send with your valid email, phone number and address for verification by staff. Your address and phone number will not be published. The Capistrano Dispatch and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory. thecapistranodispatch.com

GETTING OUT YOUR EVENT PLANNER

EDITOR’S PICK

At the Movies: Why Movie Theaters Can Still Matter in the 21st Century

Fresh produce is available at a farmers market held every Friday in San Juan Capistrano. Photo courtesy of Katie Hibbard

FRIDAY, SEPT. 4: SJC FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Enjoy the farmers market in town. Check out the produce, breads, cheeses, artisan craft vendors, and more.

The farmers market happens every Friday afternoon. Farmakis Farms, 29932 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.364.1270. farmakisfarms.com.

The List

What’s going on in and around town this week COMPILED BY STAFF

HAVE AN EVENT? Submit it to The Capistrano Dispatch by going to capistranodispatch.com, and clicking “Submit an Event” under the “Getting Out” tab.

Friday | 28 LIVE MUSIC AT TREVOR’S 3-6 p.m. Eat some food, grab a drink and unwind with some live music on the outdoor patio at Trevor’s at the Tracks.

Sawyer Auger will perform. Kai Kalama will also perform later that night, from 7-10 p.m. Trevor’s at the Tracks, 26701 Verdugo Street, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.9593. trevorsatthetracks.com.

Saturday | 29 LOW-COST PET VACCINE CLINIC 3:30-5 p.m. Pets Plus San Juan Capistrano is offering this clinic. There will be discounted vaccination packages, microchips, physical exams, prescription flea control, fecal exams and diagnostic testing available onsite. No appointment needed, and walk-ins are welcome. All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier. Pets Plus San Juan Capistrano, 32022 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 800.988.8387. vetcarepetclinic.com.

BlackWidow. Photo: Courtesy of Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures

BY MEGAN BIANCO, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

T

he past week has made my recurring frustration this year go from the denial of new movie releases—because of an unprecedented pandemic—to an old debate that I’ve seen argued for almost a decade, even before the coronavirus: whether the modern movie theater experience has become less enjoyable and a reason for streaming and home viewing to take over watching films. As a lifelong movie lover and traditionalist, I personally can’t imagine a world without the availability of a big screen with a dark room and snacks—a big part of why this crisis was a huge personal blow for me, on top of other reasons.

The arguments I’ve seen from naysayers about going to the theater to see new movies are pretty consistent: “People are too loud”; “The seats are dirty”; “Late attendees are distracting”; “It’s claustrophobic”; and so on. All of these things, I can agree, are obnoxious. The pro-streaming crowd has been happily predicting that with events such as the pandemic, new movies going straight to VOD or virtual cinemas will now be a norm much sooner. If this does happen soon, I feel the average price to view a movie at home right away will have to be somewhere in the $10-$20 range.

At home, I’m constantly distracted by my thoughts, surroundings and devices.

In a theater setting, I can absorb the full film experience with the huge scope and atmosphere of the feature with the dark setting, full sound system and giant screen.

This is the common divide among the general public. As was originally standard, TV shows are for the small screen, movies are for the big screen. So, while others are enjoying the few new releases in home viewing formats, I’ll continue waiting for the world to go back to normal, and that includes trying drive-in theaters if one ends up opening close to me. CD

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

Page 23

thecapistranodispatch.com

SJC LIVING PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

GUEST OPINION: On Life and Love After 50 by Tom Blake

Seniors, Beware: Some Companies Want Your Money I n writing this newspaper column, and my weekly eNewsletter blog, I am fortunate to hear from many seniors who are willing to share their questions and experiences.

Some readers have contacted me multiple times over the years. For example, Helen, who lives near Phoenix, has contacted me 19 times in the past 12 years.

On June 6, Helen emailed: “Phil, my significant other, is in the hospital. I have taken care of him physically since we met in 2003.

I am trying to get an Arizona long-term care program and VA benefits in place for him.

Today, I hired a company that does that. I feel guilty, but at 80 ½, I no longer have the physical mobility to take care of him.”

I asked Helen about the company she hired to help her get benefits for Phil.

Helen responded: “I ON LIFE AND looked online for senior LOVE AFTER 50 living and was contacted

By Tom Blake by some company that I signed up with for assistance. To begin, they required a $3,000 deposit.”

In mid-August, Helen emailed sad news.

“I lost Phil on June 27. He had been in the hospital for over a month, on hospice the last five days. I miss him terribly. I was stressed out, as he wanted to come home until near the last, and I was physically unable to take care of him.

“Phil is no longer enduring all the problems he had. He would have detested having to live in a nursing home or adult-

care center.

“With my lack of decent mobility, everything I do takes so long, but I am very blessed when I look around at what the world is going through.

“Regarding the company that has kept my $3,000, I suppose they are within their rights, but I learned a valuable lesson: Don’t blindly sign any ‘docu-sign’ things that are sent to one’s email without asking for and waiting to fully examine their contents.

“I asked for half the money back and made numerous phone calls and emails.

It was only when I wrote them private messages on their (Facebook) page that I got a response. I may write to the (Better Business Bureau), but doubt it will do any good, and I do not wish to create a problem. Some things are better put aside.”

Before sending my condolences to Helen, I checked the email archives. Her first email to me was on Oct. 24, 2008. In that email, she wrote, “Phil and I had been to some of the same places while in the military, and both were born in obscure little towns in northern CA and grew up in Oregon about 150 miles apart.”

I shared those first-email memories with her.

She responded: “I no longer feel the need for male companionship. Maybe it’s due to my age, but, also, Phil and I just clicked.

“Life is OK. The most difficult part is when a person has no close relatives or really good friends; it can make one feel insecure.

“I worry about our cat, even if that sounds silly. I can’t catch him to take him to the vet for routine appointments and to get his claws trimmed. He is so bored and

FROM THE ARCHIVES This photo depicts bells at Mission San Juan Capistrano. The year is unknown.

Every issue, The Capistrano Dispatch will publish a historical photo. Online, The Capistrano Dispatch will create a gallery of the month’s photos. To submit your historical photo for consideration, provide information about the photo along with your name, date, location and a small description to cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com.

wants out and misses Phil a lot. So Petey and I are now holding down the fort.”

I responded: “Even with your pain, you have a great attitude. I know you miss Phil terribly—I can only imagine the emptiness you feel after 17 years. But stand tall; you took care of him and were the strong one.

Be proud of what you did.”

A lesson for seniors. Be careful when engaging a company online to help find a senior living place. It can be expensive and a waste of money. Three weeks after Helen signed up, her Phil passed away. Thanks to Helen for sharing her story.

Tom Blake is a retired Dana Point business owner and Dana Point resident who has authored books on middle-aged dating.

See his website at findingloveafter50.com. To comment, email tompblake@gmail.com. CD PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, The Dispatch provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of The Dispatch or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@thecapistranodispatch.com. The Capistrano Dispatch and Picket Fence Media do not publish content that is defamatory.

Sudoku

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Elsa

BY MYLES MELLOR Solution:

THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

E

lsa is an especially sweet little girl who is now available for adoption. A 4-yearold Chihuahua mix, she bubbles over with happy energy. Whether she’s chasing fuzzy toys or cuddled in your lap, Elsa can always put a smile on your face. She would be a great fit in just about any home.

If you are interested in adopting Elsa, please visit petprojectfoundation.org to download an adoption application form.

Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org and you

Photo: Courtesy of OC Public Libraries

Elsa. Photo: Courtesy of San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter

will be contacted about making an interaction appointment. CD

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium

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BUSINESS DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS Submit your classified ad online at thecapistranodispatch.com GARAGE SALES GARAGE SALE LISTINGS ARE FREE! Email your listing to info@thecapistranodispatch.com Deadline 5pm Monday. No phone calls.

HELP WANTED PART TIME CAMPAIGN LIAISON NEEDED Part Time / WORK FROM HOME flexible schedule. $13 - $17 an hour (depending on experience). Work eligible high school and college students welcome! Contact Paloma Chacon: 949.312.2944 or Paloma@MaryottForCongress.com

Obituaries THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

Thomas J. Carney On Wednesday, August 5, 2020, Thomas James Carney, a loving husband, father of four children, grandfather of eight, and great-grandfather of six, passed away at the age of 87.

Known as Tom by most and affectionately as TC by a few, he was born on December 17, 1932, in Denver CO. On July 12, 1952, he married his high school sweetheart, Beverly (Beth) Paddock. She remained his touchstone, best friend, and love for over 68 years.

Together they lived up and down the Southern California coast, raising two daughters, Sheri and Melody and two sons, Craig and Mike.

He owned, Tom Carney Builders, for 50 years, responsible for building beautiful homes throughout Orange and LA Counties; he and Beth also had a garment business, Anything Goes, for 22 years. Tom was the heart and strength of his family, known for his quick wit, infectious laugh, and kind and generous spirit.

He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life with immediate family will be held at Dana Point Harbor with ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean. An Irish Wake will be held later this year, exact date dependent on Covid-19 travel recommendations.

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28-September 10, 2020

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SPORTS & OUTDOORS STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Return to Play High school teams back on the field with COVID-19 protocols

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

H

igh school football is back, but not how it was thought it would be at this point in August.

Five months ago, most would have assumed this week would have been the second full week of high school football games—officially, Week 1 on the original CIF-SS calendar. However, most monthsold assumptions have been upturned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead, as high school sports teams returned to the field over the past two weeks, teams began with the bare minimums: socially distanced conditioning camps. There’s no equipment, no contact, no high-fives or handshakes, but after five months of Zoom calls and at-home workouts, teams very much welcomed the beginning of their return to play.

“It was awesome, absolutely awesome,” San Juan Hills football coach Rob Frith

said. “I forget how much I really love coaching and the relationships with players. When everything’s distanced, you feel like you’re connected, but there’s nothing like being face-to-face with the kids and being able to communicate.

“It’s one of the highlights of the last few months.”

Frith’s reigning CIF-SS champion Stallions had their first workouts on Tuesday, August 25, and like most, they’re doing what they can within the limitations.

San Juan Hills is conducting only two days of workouts a week—40 minutes each on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesday, the Stallions worked on speed and agility training, getting out of a stance and being explosive. They rounded out the session with some individual position drills, again mostly focused on movement and positioning.

In the Capistrano Unified School District, teams are limited to operating in groups of 10—nine players and one coach—that arrive in 15-minute increments to ensure the groups are distanced.

Upon arrival, the groups go through a check-in procedure to make sure they haven’t been exposed to the coronavirus or aren’t experiencing any symptoms.

Even Frith and his coaching staff have adapted even the simplest action they have

The Capistrano Dispatch August 28–September 10, 2020

on the field. The Stallions’ coaching staff is using electronic whistles, in accordance with a National Federation of State High Schools Associations suggestion. In lieu of traditional pellet whistles that involve a bit more spit, NFHS has suggested that electronic whistles or air horns provide one more level of precaution and safety.

In all of the protocols, whether it’s distancing or masks or arrival times, Frith said his group adapted well, but it’s a learning experience and part of the contract of being able to play school sports in these times.

“They’re kids, so they need reminders,” Frith said. “The world that we live in, education-based athletics is different. Even in normal times, when you’re here, we always ask them to do stuff that’s a little bit different. Now, we’re just asking you to be socially distant and have your masks on.

The No. 1 most important thing for this school district is to maintain the safety of them and their families.”

While everyone in high school sports is mostly operating under the same safety principles, some programs have become creative.

Capistrano Valley Christian’s football team found a way to incorporate a football and some general football actions into their workouts. CUSD schools are unable to use any equipment at all, but as a private school,

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Capistrano Valley Christian football has become creative without the ability to share equipment, but most teams have returned with no equipment at all.

Photo: Eric Preszler

CVC has allowed the football to be used without having to actually complete a pass.

In the drill, the quarterback is able to go through his motions and throw the ball toward a receiver who has lined up and run his route. However, the quarterback is throwing to a mesh screen that the receiver is running behind, so the ball can be on line but not reach its target.

While creativity is welcome in these days, most hope to be able to get back to straightforward workouts and practices sooner than later. There’s hope that these workouts can ramp up to include weight training and equipment, but as of now, it’s back to basics. CD

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The Capistrano Dispatch August 28â&#x20AC;&#x201C;September 10, 2020

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The Capistrano Dispatch August 28â&#x20AC;&#x201C;September 10, 2020

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