School District Helping Kids Learn About Water Sustainability, By Rebecca Gold Rubin

FEATURED COLUMNIST Helping Kids Learn About Water Sustainability

By Rebecca Gold Rubin

The District is involved in many partnerships, as we carry out our mission of providing a clean, safe, reliable water supply for today and the future. And when it comes to the future, we think about what kind of world we’ll leave to today’s children in our community, as well as their children, and beyond.

One of our community partners, which also thinks along these lines, is the Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery (MOD). This beloved local nonprofit focuses on creating an interactive learning environment to inspire and challenge kids and families about the world around us – including the value of water, water sustainability, and using water wisely. We’re proud to partner with MOD in the creation of its remarkable new environmental education/water conservation “Eco Home” interactive exhibit.

Construction of this creative, fun, and educational exhibit got underway at the museum in mid-2019. With some periodic work continuing during the pandemic, the project is now complete. The District, the MOD staff, and the families of Santa Cruz and other coastside communities are all looking forward with great anticipation to the post-pandemic day when everyone can come together to experience the Eco Home together.

The Eco Home is a 15’ x 15’ three-wall miniature house designed to demonstrate sustainable living concepts to kids and their parents or caregivers, with an emphasis on water conservation.

The MOD applied to the District for a $2,000 Water Education Promotion MiniGrant to help with the cost of creating the Eco Home. We were very pleased to award this grant, as the project supports local water-related educational events and programs with a major theme or activity promoting water education and conservation, drinking water quality, and/or local water supply issues – everything we want the community to better understand and embrace!

In the true spirit of partnership, the District did more than provide this small, but useful, grant. We were actively involved as this project came together – our staff attended planning meetings, helped to connect the MOD staff with other companies for additional funding and assistance, and provided some technical support as the exhibit came together.

We’re all very proud of the truly incredible results! When kids enter the Eco Home, some of the key water-related features they’ll experience include: • Interpretive materials around “Five

Ways to Save Water in Our Homes” and “Ten Ways You Can Make Your

Landscape More Sustainable.” • An interactive rainwater catchment system with a “rain cloud,” rain barrel, and rain gutters to introduce the concept of reusing rainwater to decrease the use of groundwater, and reducing flow into storm sewers and water treatment systems.

“Water Sustainability” page 27

March Madness

ACROSS

1. Theories 5. T in Greek 8. Tarzan’s mother, e.g. 11. Mohammad Reza

Pahlavi, e.g. 12. Ingredient in talcum powder 13. Spectator 15. 5,280 feet 16. Tiny river 17. Note taker 18. *Last NCAA basketball winner 20. Any day now 21. Antiquarian’s concern, pl. 22. Diana Ross and

Michael Jackson movie, with The 23. Saw a nightmare 26. Caribbean rattles 30. Witch’s spell 31. Flocked-to destinations 34. Goo or slime 35. Plural of ostium 37. Leo mo. 38. Eurasian goat-like antelope 39. Showing signs of use 40. “Yo, ____!” 42. *Nothing but it 43. Wrap a baby 45. *____-elimination 47. Outrage 48. Fraternity K 50. One of the Bridges 52. *____ 1 schools only 55. ____less but pennywise 56. Decanter 57. In a frenzy 59. Threesome 60. Turkish monetary unit, plural 61. Dumpy establishment 62. Common conjunction 63. New York time 64. Male deer

DOWN

1. Singular of #1 Across 2. Rikers Island weapon 3. Burkina Faso neighbor 4. Himalayan mountaineer 5. Tarnish 6. “____ ____ fair in love and war” 7. *School with most

NCAA basketball titles 8. Choir member 9. Hammer part 10. Blunder 12. Sad, to mademoiselle 13. Radio studio sign 14. *Mid-major school that’s become major powerhouse 19. Kind of ray 22. Is no longer 23. Arabian sailing vessels 24. Restart from seed 25. Uncredited actor 26. The Wise Men 27. Acting as a prompter 28. Snow impression 29. Eric Heiden’s “shoe” 32. *Oklahoma State’s super freshman ____

Cunningham 33. Mixed breed puppy 36. *2021 NCAA

Tournament location 38. What Edward Scissorhands does 40. Stout relative 41. Dream big 44. Ancient Celtic priest 46. Water nymphs 48. Fuzzy fruit, pl. 49. Deflect 50. Sanders’ campaign slogan “Feel the ____” 51. “National Velvet” author Bagnold 52. Expunge 53. Fail to mention 54. Scotia preceder 55. School-related org. 58. Liquor store pony

With Ash Wednesday (“from dust thou art and unto dust we shall return”), the day after Mardi Gras, we began the season of Lent (Old English for “springtime”), forty days and nights of purification, preparing us for the Three Spring Festivals (Aries, Taurus, Gemini), for spring equinox, for Holy Week, Passion Week, Palm Sunday and for Easter.

Everything is holy, everything biblical. During Lent we create new rhythms, overriding the old habit, no longer useful.

Whether we know, understand, comprehend or recognize it or not, everything is holy. Everything is biblical. And the events, the crisis we are all experiencing at this time in the history of our country and our world, they too are biblical. And the outcome will be biblical.

Whereas our history books are the history of wars, the reality is humanity’s true history is the history of our awakening, a history of consciousness and of slow development towards a greater state of knowing.

The history of humanity is the history of its religions. Each religion within each Age is the history of humanity’s developmental stages for the last eighteen million years.

We (humanity) have been here on Earth for eighteen million years. And will be continuing on for eighteen million more years, reincarnating thousands of times, in every culture, in all races, in different colors, speaking different languages. The kingdom is colorful, and we, humanity, the most colorful of all. Here we are beginning the Age of Aquarius. Aquarius is everyone’s friend. As Aquarius serves the world, Pisces saves it. Mercury was retrograde when Lent began. Mercury remains in its retrograde shadow until March 13th. Things move very slowly forward till then. During Mercury’s shadow phase, new information approaches us. We continue to assess, order and organize, eliminate what is no longer needed, so the future has room to make its appearance.

Lent is a time to create new rhythms. When we create new rhythms, what is no longer useful falls away. What new rhythms can we think about creating for Lent? What can we cultivate that is good, creating a new circulatory flow?

ARIES

A time of great change has arrived for you personally. You will find yourself in time, breaking with the past, attempting new endeavors and different ways of presenting yourself to the world. All relationships will assume different priorities, themes and hues, meaning everything becomes unconventional. Including your appearance. You will love it all.

TAURUS

Someone or something is asking you to adopt a new and different value system, one that is not your usual, traditional, conventional and learned way of being. You resist. That’s OK. However, there may be consequences. Perhaps you don’t know what they are yet. It’s a good idea to ponder upon these things. The old ways are in the way, everywhere, hindering you. There must be a clearing, cleansing, elimination. You can do it.

LEO

Do you sense the new economy coming forth? Do you sense money, finances, investments and legal issues affecting your life are changing, becoming somewhat erratic without controls? We are told these days to use our money for education and future safety. Your keen intuition is telling you to keep track of all market ups and downs and realize sudden changes may occur in business and relationship interactions. What is there for you to hold onto?

VIRGO

Some Virgos may unexpectedly fall into relationships, marry perhaps, without much thought. Some will divorce with even less. Other Virgos will be aware that strange things could occur within all interactions and relationship; erratic behaviors, a need for independence, major upsets and unexpected changes. Some Virgos will be shocked. Others will take this in stride. Astrologically aware Virgos will know that all’s well. And love underlies all happenings.

GEMINI

Flashes of insight become commonplace and grow each day. They give you information concerning decisions and what action is best to take. More and more your ideas are unusual and unique. This could lead somewhat to opposition from others, especially those in charge. They don’t understand your choices. Each day you seek more independence. You are not afraid anymore. The new era is here.

CANCER

Amidst the sudden decision to travel or have an adventure, you realize you’re seeking a utopia to live in. Not for you the conventional path. So customs and traditions are set aside so new independent ideas can flow, exotic places can appear that reflect the new era advanced ways of living and thinking. It’s an experiment. Caution is advised. Not too much though.

LIBRA

Your daily work environment, routines, schedules and also your health may become unpredictable, moving toward irregular. Some Librans love this for it allows for more freedom. Others need the structure, with reliable and regular agendas in place. You might become somewhat impatient, anxious and nervous. You sometimes learn the hard way, through sorrow and loss. Gather loved one around you. Be forgiving.

SCORPIO

You’re inventive and creative. At times you sense the need for a bit more self-control. You’ll learn this eventually. We all do. Selfknowledge sometimes comes through being reckless and foolhardy. Are you this way with relationships, perhaps? You want most of all at this time, freedom and independence and a retreat where you can work in solitude. Perhaps fish a bit. Visualize what and where that would be. Write it down, draw and color it. It will all appear, all that you need, in time. •••

SAGITTARIUS

Perhaps there will be another change to your home life. You want freedom to come and go at will, tending to all needs and phases of your life. You want different and unusual living conditions. More structured leisure, too. Although you love family traditions, they are counter to your needs at this time. The foundations of your entire life feel unreliable and changeable. This persists. It’s difficult but proves to be part of what creates your unexpected bright future.

CAPRICORN

Your thinking and communicating might become quite revolutionary to those around you. Gradually, spontaneously or unexpectedly (Uranian words) you realize the need the freedom, the gift of Uranus. You become involved in advanced, new thought thinking. Very few may think like you. A sense of aloneness develops until you stand on your own, assert your rights and find your group. Off you go, at a moment’s notice. People smile as you speed by.

AQUARIUS

Aquarius is the friend to everyone. When you hear someone in need you always say with graciousness, “How can I help? Call me. I’ll help you.” In the work of the Wisdom teachings, the disciple is always asked to “look for, see and recognize the need” in all situations and to assist in filling that need. In this way the Aquarian task of serving others (humanity) is always in the forefront. When one serves, one is also “served.” What one gives, one receives.

PISCES

You develop a deep need to be independent and completely free, working best without anyone over you. Your environments must be orderly, clean and clear so that your mind can synthesize information, unobstructed, effortlessly, with ease and skill. You need to be in the company of creative people, artists and musicians. People like yourself. Do not place yourself in limiting circumstances. That brings radical discomfort. You also need the beauty and fragrance of flowers. How can all this come about? “PVUSD Q&A” from page 24

They had the opportunity to preregister and schedule an appointment. In addition, all district office classified and certificated employees were also provided the opportunity to be vaccinated as they work in person. The final pre-registration for the remaining instructional assistants and behavior technicians currently working at home went out on Thursday Feb. 18.

Why on Instagram’s “pajarovalleyusd” page it was stated that 970 of 2,432 employees have been vaccinated and everyone has had the option of doing so before Feb. 28 when not everyone has received the pre-register link that has been sent out by email to employees and not others?

Approximately 1,600 PVUSD employees will have received access to the vaccine by the end of this weekend. Over the last two weeks, we were providing the pre-register link to groups of employees as we are provided access to specific amounts of vaccine supply and appointment dates.

By now, every permanent PVUSD employee should have received the preregister link and will be provided the opportunity to receive the vaccine by Feb. 28.

Can we get our spouses vaccinated before we get back to in-person? I am excited to get back to in-person but I will be a carrier which means my husband can get it from me, especially teaching kinder.

Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to provide vaccination appointments to people not identified within tier 1B. Spouses will have to acquire the vaccine through their medical provider or place of employment.

We were saddened to hear that Aptos Junior High will not have a Yearbook made for the 2020-2021 school year. Even though I’m sure a lot of folks would like to just forget about the year I do see my 6th Grader at Rio Del Mar is getting one. What was the reason for not having a yearbook at AJHS? Thank you.

We understand the importance of traditions such as yearbooks. Some school sites were able to identify unique ways to acquire sufficient material for their yearbook.

This year, Aptos Junior chose not to create a yearbook as they do not have current school photos for a portion of their student body.

In addition, they do not have photos that are traditionally supplied by clubs, students and staff that attend the typical functions such as athletics, assemblies, and rallies.

Next year, the yearbook at Aptos Junior will once again be produced by staff, parent volunteers and our students through afterschool clubs. n