Ask the Superintendent

HUSD to launch "Freedom Academy of Imperial Valley"

2012-01-30T12:50:00.000-08:00

New school will provide Home School and Online High School Options

In a continuing effort to meet the varied needs of the students of Imperial County, the Holtville Unified School District will open a new school this August.

The school, named The Freedom Academy of Imperial Valley will provide students in all grades, K-12 with several pathways to meet their educational needs.

The district has been working on the school for the past two years and the HUSD Board of Trustees approved the formal creation of the new school at their December 2011 meeting. “It’s very important that we provide numerous options for students to be successful,” stated Jon LeDoux, Superintendent.

The school, which has the official designation as an “Alternative School of Choice” will provide students the following options:

Grades K-12: HOME SCHOOL

This option will provide students and parents the tools they need to successfully complete their school work at home under the direction of the students’ parents. The Freedom Academy of Imperial Valley will provide all the textbooks, instructional materials and training for parents to be successful. In addition, the school will provide workshops in the areas of math, language arts, foreign languages, fine arts, and other subjects of interest. Field trips, sports days and other activities will also be planned.

Students who enroll in the Freedom Academy Home School at the elementary or middle school level will also be able to participate in on-campus electives, sports and other activities at either Finley or Holtville Middle Schools. The school will also provide Academy-based tutoring for those students who need one-on-one or small group help, and will also maintain “drop-off, drop-in” hours where students can come in for enrichment activities or have a quiet place to do their school work while their parents run errands or attend to other activities.

Parents and students will choose which workshops and activities their children will be involved in. Besides the mandatory school work, every activity will be optional. The Academy will support our parents who choose to home school in every way possible; actively listening and addressing the unique needs home school students might have.

Grades 9-12: Online Center-based Schooling

This option will provide Imperial County with its first online/on-campus “hybrid high school”. Students will attend class at the Freedom Academy’s center, where they will have their own designated study area, complete with the technology needed to complete their coursework online. Highly qualified teachers will provide the basis of instruction through outstanding courses delivered through state of the art technology. Every student will have an individualized course of study to ensure they stay on course to graduate.

All students who complete their work through the Academy will meet the University of California’s “A-G” requirements for freshman college admission. This will be accomplished through taking some courses on the Holtville High School campus. Courses such as “wet-lab” science, visual and performing arts and physical education cannot be completed online to meet A-G requirements so students who need these courses will be allowed to take them on the adjacent high school campus. Students who choose this option will complete approximately 85% of their coursework online.

Students who attend the Academy under this option will be assigned a highly qualified classroom teacher to support them in their online studies. The student to HUSD teacher ratio will be the same as the other schools in the District, ensuring that each student is provided as much support as necessary to be successful. Field trips, workshops and student support will be provided to those students who wish to participate. Additionally, students may take electives at Holtville High School as their schedules allow. These courses will include music, fine arts, business technology, foreign language, agriculture and other classes. Students will also have access to HHS clubs and committees if they choose to participate.

In addition to the online courses at the school, the most unique characteristic is that students will be able to work at their own pace, taking courses in the order that interests them. For example, while a student may take seven courses a semester, he/she may choose to work on each course daily, or, he/she may choose to complete each specific course for the semester before moving on to the next subject. This allows students to have great flexibility in how they work through their schedule.

“The quality of the programs that we will be offering will be very high,” stated LeDoux. “The courses are rigorous, challenging, and ensure those students who complete the program will feel quite a sense of accomplishment. The program is not for those who believe this is an easier way to get through high school. It is simply a different way, providing an option for those who believe it will work better for their learning style.”

The Holtville Unified School District has a proud tradition of leading with quality programs. This is evidenced by the many choices already available to students, such as our very popular and successful Dual-Immersion program, now in its fourth year at Finley Elementary School. In addition, HUSD provides two outstanding school options for our junior high aged students; a traditional 6-8^th grade middle school (Holtville Middle School), and a Kindergarten through 8^th grade country school (Pine School). We are also home to one of the most outstanding Agriculture programs in the state of California at Holtville High School, a California Distinguished School. The creation of the Freedom Academy of Imperial Valley is simply an extension of our commitment to meeting the many needs of our diverse students.

Parent/student informational meetings will be held in February and March. Students from throughout Imperial County are welcome to attend to see if either one of these programs would work for them.

Game, Set, Unmatched....

2012-01-23T14:16:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, January 19th, our Board of Trustees took up an item on their agenda that only took about 30 seconds to pass, but will have an impact for generations to come. The Board took the time to honor one of our own. In a rare, but fitting tribute to a great educator of yesteryear, the Trustees voted to name the new tennis courts after Madeline Magin, one of the most successful coaches to ever don the Green and Gold. Coach Magin believed in her kids and in return, those students gave her their all.

From the Green and Gold Hall of Fame website:

"Holtville High School girls’ tennis coach for 15 years, 1974-1989, winning five consecutive league championships from 1975 to 1979 while losing only two matches to Valley teams in those five seasons. The Viking girls became a highly successful tennis team in the 1970’s with annual runs in the Southern California CIF playoffs. In 1975 they were semi-finalist, in 1976 the team placed second, in 1977 they beat Carpenteria for the SCCIF Championship becoming the only Holtville High School team of any sport to win a 2A title, and in 1978 they were once again a semi-finalist. Madeline was born in Oakland, CA, 1930, and moved to San Diego in 1941 where she graduated from San Diego High School in 1948 and then earned her teaching credential at San Diego State College. In 1955 she began teaching in Holtville’s elementary school district but continued her education and completed her B.S. degree in 1966 and soon after took a teaching position at Holtville’s new Junior High School where she taught physical education and coached all the girls’ sports. In 1974 she took over the girls’ and boys’ tennis teams at the high school but concentrated just on the girls in 1975 and began a tennis dynasty for the Vikings. Madeline retired from teaching in 1991 but continued to be active by singing in the Imperial Valley Master Chorale."

Latest News!

2011-10-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

NEWLY REVISED CALENDAR NOW AVAILABLE

Click here for our revised school calendar for this year.

On this calendar you will notice that we now have two days dedicated to staff development on Friday, December 9th and Monday, January 30th. Please note that while we will not be having school those days (including the ASES afterschool program), all other activities, sports, etc. will take place. Teachers and staff will be at school those days participating in high-quality professional development.

PARENT-LINK ABOUT TO GO LIVE!

ParentLink is a new program for all of our schools in Holtville. This program will allow us to make mass calls to all of our parents to let them know about events at schools, emergencies and/or school closings due to weather. Teachers will also have access to the system to send messages home about upcoming events, missed homework assignment and other messages. After the program launches, you may get a "test" message on your phone. If you have any problems regarding this program, please don't hesitate to ask. In the near future you will be given the option to ask for your updates to be sent via e-mail or text.

This is simply another way for us to keep in contact with you in regards to your children and their progress at school.

FOOD SERVICE UPDATE:

Has your child mentioned to you the changes in our school cafeteria food? Chef Travis and his staff have been adding more fresh fruit and vegetables, leaner cuts of chicken and more of the foods kids love to the menu.

He is just getting started and has many more ideas in store. At the high school we will soon see burrito carts where students can choose what goes in their burritos and choose the sides that they like.

After the Winter Break, you will see even more changes as the high school works toward faster, fresher food service with ready made fresh salads, sandwiches and more. We are also beginning to plan the changes to the food service area, with seating plans and more shade.

FOCUS ON RESULTS IN THE CLASSROOM

Holtville Schools have always been among the top performers in Imperial County. Our teachers are second to none in dedication, knowledge and desire to have their students be top achievers. To continue to provide the support they need in our ever-changing world, HUSD has hired a full-time Director of Curriculum and Program Improvement. Joy Caesar recently joined our staff and is providing support in those areas of need as identified by the teaching staff, administrators and recent test data. As always, we are working towards meeting the needs of each and every child's unique way of learning.

Hopefully, you, as parents and community members will take the time to spend some time in our classrooms and schools, helping out and using your expertise as we work towards our goal of 100% of students being proficient in all subjects.

A NOTE OR TWO ON SPORTS

Have you have a chance to see our many sports teams in action this fall? Our football, volleyball and cross-country teams have provided a great deal of excitement for our community. Please take time to cheer on our Vikings as they work hard to excel. Viking athletics have always been the pride of our community and this year is no exception. We're proud of our kids and appreciate all the adults that mentor and support them.

If you have been to a football game this year, you already appreciate the lighting on the field. Recently we had the thrill of turning on the lights not only at our football field but also on our baseball and softball fields. This is a first in the history of our District.

Up next for the high school:

We are out to bid on new tennis courts, basketball courts and volleyball courts. Work will begin in early December with a completion date of February 1.

GO VIKINGS!

Wow, what a big year ahead of us!

2011-08-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

With a brand new year, our school board has been busy working on lots of new projects for our schools. Here are a few of the things going on:

1. New graduation requirement - At our last school board meeting, the Board added a Community Service requirement. The policy is below. Current seniors are exempted from the policy and then each class has a certain number of hours to complete. We believe that our students must be well-rounded when they leave our high school and being involved in the community is of vital importance. Students will have many opportunities to complete their service on campus, but some may wish to perform the service off-campus. The school will work with local service clubs to identify appropriate opportunities for our students.

Here's the language from the policy, adding this requirement to graduate from HHS:

Community Service or A Service Project of 45 hours or more

Students may have up to 20 hours per year applied to meet this requirement. The school will develop and provide forms and processes to implement this requirement. Parents and students shall be provided information on this requirement along with approved suggested community service projects and activities on at least an annual basis. The school shall provide on-campus community service opportunities for at least the minimum number of hours required for students to complete this requirement (minimum of 15 hours per year).

Students may also propose to the principal and his/her designees other on or off-campus community services activities and projects.

No hours towards this requirement shall be credited for projects or activities not pre-approved by the principal and/or his/her designees or for activities in which the student is in a paid position or for those hours required for credit or a grade in any class.

Students shall be encouraged to perform at least 15 hours of service each year.

In order to facilitate the transition to these requirements, the following shall be required for students enrolled in the following graduating classes:

Graduating class of 2015 and beyond: 45 hours

Graduating class of 2014: 30 hours

Graduating class of 2013: 15 hours

Graduating class of 2012: 0 hours

Effective with the 2012-2013 school year, students who enroll in the school after 9^th grade shall be required to complete the following hours:

Entering in 10^th grade: 35 hours

Entering in 11^th grade: 20 hours

Entering 12^th grade: 10 hours

2. Quality School Construction Bond

Through the use of a Quality School Construction Bond, the Board approved many improvements to District facilities:

Background

The school district was recently awarded the opportunity to participate in the Quality School Construction Bond program provided by the Federal Government. This program restricts the use of funds obtained by this program to capital facility projects in the District. The following have been approved for the use of the QSCB funds in the amount of $1,500,000.

Proposed Projects with estimated costs – Projects are in priority order and would be funded as needed. Funds not utilized would go down to augment next item as needed.

1.Field Lighting Project ------ $460,000

Lighting for football, football practice field, softball and baseball, include lighting standards, extensive underground wiring, scoreboard, pressbox wiring, conduit for future use, IID fees, architect, DSA, etc. Amount listed excludes funds provided by FEMA for project, of Approximately $180,000.

2.New/upgraded physical education facilities at HHS –Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis

------ $575,000

Approximately 40-50,000 square feet of concrete for basketball and volleyball courts. Would include fencing, backboards, standards, striping, etc. In addition, resurface existing asphalt courts, which have deteriorated to the point of being a hazard. Would involve grinding current surface down, filling in cracks, applying new asphalt on top. Includes fencing. In addition, provide supplies, materials, infrastructure to construct storage for PE programs.

3. Food Service Facility Improvements $250,000

Some of the current facilities are over 50 years old. These funds would be used for new equipment for all kitchens as needed and to convert the high school home-ec room into a food service facility to improve the food service program at the high school. It would also add improvements to seating areas for students as well as provide new tables, shade, landscaping, hardscaping, etc.

4. Shade cover/ tables/benches/physical education equipment or other improvements at each site (site amounts would be increased proportionally if savings occurs on above projects): $215,000

Site allocations: Pine $25,000

Finley (includes Dist. Office) $85,000

HMS $30,000

SWHS $15,000

HHS $60,000 (includes AG, maint. areas)

3. New Cafeteria management structure, including executive chef.

The cafeteria management has been changed to include a Director of Food Services/Executive Chef and a new position of Food Services Operations Manager.

We are continually looking for ways to improve the operations of the school district and the food services area is one that we are tackling now. The cafeteria program is self-sufficient, in that it raises its own revenue to operate and does not encroach on the general funds of the District. By separating the duties of the management into two positions, we believe we will be able to dramatically improve the food quality and raise the number of students choosing to eat in the cafeteria.

Travis Jennings has been hired by the District as our new Director of Food Services and Executive Chef. He will working hard to offer more of a variety for students with a focus on taste, quality and nutrition. He will be adding more fresh foods to the menu and will be working hard to ensure the students have a say in what is being served. He will be working with staff, parents and students to help him prioritize what the students want from the cafeteria.

Erika Allen, a long-time district employee has been promoted to the position of Food Service Operations Manager. Erika’s duties will be ensure that all state and federal regulations are being met by the department. She will also be in charge of the Food Service meal reporting and will assist in personnel.

With the school board’s investment in facilities through the use of the Qualified School Construction Bond, the eating area at the high school will be entirely revamped with the old Home-Economcs room becoming part of the food preparation and serving area. A total remodel of this area is planned and will be completed during the school year. By the end of the school year, the high school students will have much more variety to choose from and a more comfortable seating area. They will also be served in a much more efficient manner, allowing them more time to eat their lunch.

4.Update on the field lighting project.

The high school field lighting project, which began as a repair project after the 2009 earthquake, is now a full-scale replacement and addition project. In addition to football field lighting, the project now includes the practice field, softball and baseball fields. The project is expected to be completed in time for the second football game of the season on September 9^th.

We are also raising funds for a new football scoreboard. Through generous donations by the Holtville Athletic Club and private donors, $12,000 has been raised for the scoreboard which has an estimated cost of approximately $20 - 26,000. Hopefully we will have the new scoreboard sometime this school year.

Have a safe summer!

2011-07-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, another year of school has just whizzed by. It seems like just yesterday we were starting school and before you know it, we had promotion and graduation ceremonies. I certainly wish my very best to all of our graduates.

** I've been enjoying reading in the papers about the many graduates who have been accepted at various colleges and universities. I know that as a parent, I'm going to have to face the reality that my little (?) girls are not far behind. Sigh.

** If you haven't noticed, our Summer food service program is underway. Each day, everyone that lives in our district up to age 18 can eat free in the Finley cafeteria both breakfast and lunch. We are serving about 200 meals per day. Speaking of the cafeteria, our long-time Food Services Director Isabel Jessee is retiring at the end of July. Her retirement is a big loss for the District but she definitely has earned her right to retirement. We are going to miss her greatly as she has helped prepare literally over a million meals during her career. Also retiring from our food services department is long-time employee Shirley Enz. One of our most dependable, hard working employees, Shirley will also be missed greatly. Congratulations to both of these wonderful women!

** Juan Aguilera, who has served as our assistant principal for both Finley and HMS, is moving to the Principal's seat at Finley Elementary. Mr. Aguilera loves the kids of Holtville and has the heart and ability to continue working with the fine staff at Finley, moving the school forward. Congratulations to Mr. Aguilera!

** Please take every precaution this summer in regards to the excessive heat we are experience every year. Hydration, shade, and staying indoors are imperative to stay well in this climate.

** Encourage your child to read and stay active.

Enjoy your family every day this summer!

Calendar for 2011-2012 Approved - (click below for larger image)

2011-04-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

New Home School Charter School Under Consideration

2011-04-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Due to the current state of the state budget, we are no longer considering a charter school for the 2011-12 school year. We will begin planning for a new school for the 2012 - 2013 school year this fall.

Thank you.

HUSD is currently exploring the idea of starting a K-12 “District Dependent” Home School/Independent Study Charter School for the 2011-2012 school year.

The school would offer parents another option for their child(ren)’s education. The school would provide materials, activities, training and technology for students who would benefit from home schooling. Each student would have a personal education plan tailored to their individual needs. The curriculum may be in the form of books, work packets, online study and/or in-class tutoring. Since the program is parent-directed, each student may have an entirely different plan based on what their abilities and needs are. Parent-teacher training would be offered and support provided for those who would like it. Students enrolled would be allowed to participate in our music and arts programs and most sports activities (at the high school level, the sport participation level would be determined by CIF and board policy) as well as other activities as appropriate.

The term “District Dependent” means that the Charter would be run by the school district, not an outside agency, and would become another District school. District policies and personnel would be utilized. By Ed Code we must staff the school at the same ratio of students to teachers as our regular schools. Students would be required to take the STAR test, CELDT, etc. and will be in regular contact with their teachers via in-school conferences, video conferences, phone calls and/or home visits as appropriate.

The advantages for parents who choose to home-school would be that the curriculum would be provided to them, as well as a “menu” of monthly opportunities. Any other services or activities would be optional and at the discretion of the parents. We will encourage parents to form their own PTO style group, but again that will be optional.

For the District, the advantage would be that we may draw students not just from Holtville who home-school, but from around the county. This program would provide new opportunities for our teachers and support staff. In addition to providing the curriculum and planning activities, teachers from around the district will be offered opportunities to provide hourly group or individual tutoring sessions for those students who might need it. As the program grows, we hope to offer many more programs based on what the parents indicate would be valuable for their children.

If you have any questions or comments about this concept, please send me an e-mail as soon as possible. We are working hard to determine if this is viable for our district. We will be having an informational/scoping meeting sometime next week. A note will be going home and posted on our website in the next day or two as to the date, time and place.

Thank you,
Jon LeDoux
Superintendent

jledoux@holtville.k12.ca.us

Holtville High School Tops in Graduation Rate and College Acceptance Rate

2011-03-11T10:32:00.000-08:00

.

It's hard to not be proud of our High School teachers, staff and students. Recently, we were informed that HHS has one of the highest graduation rates in the entire state of California. This is no surprise to us at the District as our teachers and administrators work very hard to make sure our students' needs are being met. Any time a student even mentions that they may drop out or "pursue other interests" our staff springs into action, identifying areas the student needs help in and then working to resolve the issues at play in such a decision. Of course, there are students who slip through and don't see the value of an education. Despite our best work, we lose a few students each year. That's why we are diligently exploring new learning possibilities for our students, including the use of independent study, online virtual courses and blended (in class and home-school) study plan to meet our students diverse needs. Check back here regularly for updates on these new programs coming soon to our schools.

Another area we are very proud of is that the state just released California college acceptance rates for each high school in the state. Holtville High boasts a 69% California college acceptance rate (percent of students who are accepted at colleges in the state of California) as calculated by the state. We believe the numbers to be higher, but when you see that the county average for high schools is less than 50%, our rate is pretty impressive. In fact, the next highest high school in the county has a 58% acceptance rate. Out of the state's approximately 1,870 high schools, HHS is ranked number 189th in this category. This list includes private schools and academies that can choose their students.

Just two more reasons to be proud of HHS!

What's happening with the Football Field lighting?!?!?!?!

2011-02-15T08:03:00.000-08:00

.

Great question!

As you know, our lights were basically condemned after last April's earthquake. All the wooden poles had to be removed and we played this year's football games using portable lighting.

Since the earthquake, we have been very diligent in seeking funding to pay for the replacement of the lighting. Fortunately, FEMA and Cal-EMA stepped up and is providing funding for most of the lighting. However, due to federal regulations, several surveys and studies have to be completed before we put up new lights. These studies included soil testing, compaction tests, historical reviews and archaeological surveys. Right now, we are at the last stage of reviews, waiting to hear if we passed the archaeological survey. Hopefully, we will receive clearance on that soon.

In addition to the above, we also have to have the State Architect approve our plans. Right after the Christmas break our district architect sent in the plans for approval.

The big news is that we are not simply submitting plans for the football field. The plans we submitted include the SOFTBALL and BASEBALL fields as well as the practice field (which is also used for JV Softball).

When the project is complete, using grant funds, we will have all sports fields lighted for the first time in our recent history. We are committed to getting all the lights installed prior to our first football game this fall. Hopefully, all the agencies involved will complete their work so we can make this happen.

.

Let us know what you think!

2010-12-13T10:12:00.000-08:00

.
Please take a moment to either click on the survey located at www.holtville.k12.ca.us or simply make a comment here on your opinion of the school calendar. As you know, this year we had a different calendar than most other school districts in Imperial County. We started a week later and shortened our Thanksgiving Break to make up the days. As we begin work on next year's calendar, I value your input regarding the calendar and the breaks that are important to you. Please visit our homepage or e-mail me your preferences as soon as you can. I will post (appropriate) comments here as I receive them.

Thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-23T15:25:00.001-08:00

What I'm Thankful for....

- A loving family; a very supportive, beautiful wife and two great daughters who absolutely make life worthwhile.

- Wonderful friends who care and share in good times and bad.

- A great job where I can work doing what I love to do.

- The great community of Holtville; where the schools are valued and appreciated.

- A great staff where the employees are concerned about the needs of the students and are focused on constant improvement.

- A school board that worries about the individual student, appreciates the hard work being done by those in the district, sets high expectations for me and keeps focused on what's truly important.

and of course -----

- Sunshine (might as well enjoy it since its all the weather we get around here...)

I hope you get a chance to think about what you are thankful for this next week. Try to stay positive and spend some quality time with those you love.

(reposted from last year - everything's still true!)

Why don't we have the whole week off for Thanksgiving?

2010-11-17T21:10:00.000-08:00

.

This is a great question. Let me explain how we ended up with only two and a half days off for Thanksgiving and what reactions we have received so far.

The School Board each year sets the calendar for the District, usually between March and May. The Board members represent the community and asked for a lot of input to make their calendar decision. We also had principals discuss the proposed dates at faculty meetings. After all the input was provided, here are some of the thoughts that went into that decision.

This year our school year started a week later than most districts in the County. While we started on August 30th, most districts began either August 16th or 23rd. This was in response to many requests that we return to a traditional calendar where the school year begins later to allow families to continue their vacations or simply spend more time together. We had a tremendously positive reaction to the late start date, with not a single complaint. People really seemed to enjoy and appreciate the late start date.

Of course, this means, if we want to get out of school early in June instead of later, we would have to trim days during the school year. Since traditionally around the country Thanksgiving is a two day holiday and since the Christmas break is only a few weeks after that, it was decided that this was the time to do it.

What has the response to this change been? Mixed. Many parents have commented how relieved they are that they do not have to worry about child care during the Thanksgiving week. Others have expressed disappointment that there was a change and/or that travel plans were disrupted. Those comments have only come up in the past few days, with the number happy about the change considerably higher than those upset.

Once the Board set the calendar for the year, a note was posted with the calendar on our website, on this blog and a paper calendar sent home at the end of last year. On the first day of school this year, magnetic refrigerator magnets were sent home with all students with the entire year's calendar on it. If you didn't receive one, check your child's backpack (that's where I usually discover my kid's notes...) and then contact the school your child attends. They either have more magnets or can provide you with a paper copy. You can also download the calendar from the District website at www.holtville.k12.ca.us and click on "CALENDARS" on the main menu.

Be assured that all comments I receive about the calendar, both positive and negative will be provided to the school board prior to their setting the calendar for next year. If you like or hate the late start date and shorter Thanksgiving Break, please let me know. I'll be glad to pass on your opinion.

Note: There are two other Districts in the county that have the 2 day Thanksgiving holiday break: San Pasqual and IVROP. In San Diego County 6 districts have two days off for Thanksgiving.

.

Thank you, Veterans!

2010-11-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

.

November 11th is a very special day. It's not special because our students and staff get the day off. It's special for the reason we all have the day off.

Our Veterans, who have served our country throughout the past two centuries - who fought for our freedoms and our way of life, deserve every "thank you" they can get. This Veteran's Day, please make the effort to thank at least one veteran for what they have done FOR YOU and YOUR country.

In every war, every police action and every conflict we have that involves our military, many more men and women become veterans. Too often, we think of only those who served in wars long past as our true veterans, but every man and woman who puts their life on the line for our country in times of conflict become veterans.

Recently, one of my family members was on an airplane, flying cross country. In the seat next to her was a young member of our armed forces in uniform. As she chatted with this young man, he talked about how he had been away serving on the other side of the world and was on his way home to see his family. She decided to buy him lunch when she noticed that he hadn't ordered one. She then thanked him for his service and how proud she was to sit by someone who was willing to give so much to his country. His eyes became watery and he took out a napkin and wrote a thank you to her for her generosity and how much it meant to him that someone recognized his service. He told her how he had been sending his money home to support his family and couldn't afford to buy a lunch. He told her that he was very touched that a stranger would take a few minutes to honor him in such a way. When the plane landed they exchanged a hug and the young soldier went to meet his family. Both lives were changed that day with a simple "thank you". That napkin, with the special note, is now framed and hanging in her office and serves as a reminder that there are so many people looking out for us in this world and that we owe it to them to let them know how much we appreciate it.

My father, a veteran of World War II, never talked much about his experiences there. It was a duty to him that he serve his country. He never thought twice about enlisting and even lied about his age to get in. The pride he had in his country was obvious, and fortunately, that spirit still lives on in those who choose to wear the uniform of the United States military.

It's wonderful to know that we still have people that understand that freedom isn't free; that sacrifices are made daily.

Thank you to all who have served our country and continue to do so. I salute you all!

.

Thank you Mrs. Rolfe!

2010-10-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

..

At our last Board meeting,we were sorry to hear from Rochelle Rolfe, who informed the rest of the board and the audience that she was in the process of moving out of the District and would have to resign her position on the board.

The rest of the board and administration present gave Rochelle a standing ovation for her tireless work on behalf of the students of Holtville Schools. Rochelle has been a strong advocate for the students of our District, often bringing concerns from the community and working with us to provide solutions. Rochelle understood that to solve problems people must work with and not against all of her constituents and those that work for our District. We are all very sad to lose such a strong presence on our board.

Fortunately, Rochelle has committed to continue working in our schools as a parent-leader and supporter of all things Viking.

Thank you Rochelle. Holtville Unified is a stronger District because of you!

.

Take a walk, Buddy!

2010-09-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

.

Lately, I've been taking early morning (4:45) walks around my neighborhood. Not only is it incredibly peaceful with the moon staring back at me and a hopeful (but warm) breeze on my back, but I noticed I'm a little more focused during the day, with a lot more energy.

Coincidentally, today, while waiting for a meeting to start, I watched a TV show I've never seen before. It's called, "The Doctors" and the topic was rather interesting.

It was about a school that took students who were struggling and put them in intervention classes. Not traditional intervention, but a unique, exercise-based class. Yes, exercise. The students rode stationary bicycles, stood on balancing boards and walked on treadmills, all the while studying vocabulary and memorizing formulas. The school found that those students gained an average of 20 points higher on the standardized tests then they did prior to the "exercise curriculum." The doctors then talked about how hard it is for kids to sit all day with pent up energy. They recommended that parents really work hard to encourage students to run, play sports and stay active during recesses at school and when they first get home. A 30 minute play period prior to doing homework with maybe a little backyard soccer or a jog with mom or dad around the block will get their blood pumping and their brains working.

At school, we're always trying to find ways to reach those hard to convince students who don't understand the value or school or just don't get the work. Maybe a little more activity is the key.

Give me your thoughts on how we can make school more active for our students. I look forward to hearing from you.

.

.

Patriotism alive and well in both Holtvilles!

2010-09-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

.
Friday morning brought patriotism to not only Finley School in Holtville, but Holtville Elementary in Deastsville, Alabama! Connecting by phone, both schools sang God Bless America together during a ceremony marking Patriot's Day. An article appearing in the Wetumpka Herald describes the event.

http://www.thewetumpkaherald.com/news/article_a71c5dae-bd28-11df-8eb8-001cc4c002e0.html#user-comment-area

Under the lights....

2010-09-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

.

Last Friday saw the completion of our second week of school, and what a week it was! On Tuesday, the High School welcomed hundreds of students, parents and community members eager to meet teachers, see the campus and catch up with neighbors who were also attending.

On Thursday, Sam Webb High School opened its doors to visitors. With about 21 students enrolled, this tiny high school welcomed parents and district staff for a mid-day Open House. Lemonade and cake welcomed visitors as the students casually chatted about their school work and their plans for after graduation. Some students are just weeks away from completing their credits to graduate and meet the world head on.

Also on Thursday, it was standing room only at the Middle School as their evening Back to School event kicked off with Mr. Garcia welcoming guests and introducing staff. This was one of the best attended Open Houses at HMS in recent memory as hundreds of people came to see what made this school so special. HMS had the most growth on state tests last year and you could see why on Thursday. A dedicated teaching and support staff really pour their hearts out for the kids at HMS. The campus has a great feel to it and the kids seem very proud to attend there.

This past week also brought the big-time return of home-town sports. After spending the first week on the road, our teams had home games that sparked a lot of excitement. Volleyball, football and cross country all had competition this past week. Both of our football teams are undefeated at 2-0 with impressive wins. Friday night brought one of the largest crowds in years to Birger Field to cheer on the Vikes as they routed the Rams from Antelope, Arizona 38-6.

We're off to a great start at HUSD! Please ask your child's principal how you can get involved.

Don't forget, we are on facebook at: Holtville Unified School District
Twitter: HoltvilleUSD
and of course our district webpage at: www.holtville.k12.ca.us

.

In our effort to continually improve all aspects of our district.....

2010-09-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

.
Please search for and become a fan of our facebook page under user name "Holtville Unified School District" to complete a survey on cafeteria food!

.

On your mark, get set, GO!!!!!!!!!!

2010-08-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

.

Wow, another first day of school at Holville Unified! Walking around each of our campuses today, I saw an incredible amount of excitement, joy, and maybe even a little fear in the eyes of our almost 1700 students.

The excitement and joy coming from the first day of seeing friends after a long summer, with hugs being exchanged, high fives and smiles all around. The fear of the unknown seen in a few of the eyes of some of our new students that quickly changed to smiles of relief as they met new friends and found their way around our schools.

So we were short a few desks in a few classrooms...(sorry Deb).....today's first day of school was fabulous!

I could go on and on about the first day, but to be honest, it's way too nice outside to be in the office.........

.

A Grieving Community.

2010-08-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

.
I can't possibly imagine the grief one of our local families is going through today. Yesterday morning we lost two of our recent graduates in an incredibly tragic accident on the corner of Worthington Road and highway 115. Armando and Alfonso Martinez were both killed while apparently driving to IVC for classes. As a parent of two children, I can't imagine my life without my girls. A parent's grief for a child is unimaginable and my heart cries out for the families of these two young men.

At the high school, Mrs. Hester has made preparations to help our students who are affected by this horrific accident. She will make sure counselors and teachers are available for those who need someone to help them through this or just need someone to talk to.

If we hear of any fundraising activities or of other ways to help this family, we will pass them along to our school community.

Thank you.

Are you ready? We are!

2010-08-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

.
I'm still having a hard time believing summer vacation is almost over for our students.

I hope everyone found a way to beat the heat the past two months!

Here at the school district, we've been very active as we prepare for another school year for your children. We have our maintenance crews scrubbing, painting, waxing and washing to make sure we have clean, well maintained classrooms for your children. Our outstanding gardeners are greening up every site and our cafeteria is gearing up for some exciting changes. School secretaries have returned and are enrolling new students every day. Books, materials and other supplies are being delivered by the pallet every week.

We are so ready to get back to our only purpose - educating YOUR children.

Here some of the things we've been up to and are working to improve in your school district:

We've demolished the old sports field house located adjacent to the football field. In it's place we are working to make new multiple use sports courts for students and community members to use. We are currently seeking new funding sources for this job.

Our cafeteria staff is working on a new program called "Breakfast in the Classroom." This program, when implemented, will allow students to have a nutritious breakfast in their classroom the first ten to fifteen minutes of the school day. Many reports link proper nutrition to academic achievement. We are hoping to have this program begin first with the high school sometime during the first two months of school. After the high school, we will work at each of our other schools to get this off the ground. Other schools that are involved in this program have very high participation rates and extremely positive feedback from students and parents.

In addition, the cafeteria staff is preparing a survey to see what kids like about the cafeteria and what foods are their favorites. We will use the survey results to create menus of foods students most like to eat. We are aware that many students don't eat in the cafeteria and we are hoping to tap into their brains to see what we can do to get them to eat.

Our goal at the District is to continue improving in all areas to make sure we are the best choice for your child.

Also-------

DID YOU KNOW?
1.You can choose which school in our District your child attends. If your child is in Grades K-8, you can choose to send them to Pine or HMS (gr. 6-8) or Finley (K-5). If you would like to transfer your child to these schools, just let your school office staff know. We will verify there is room at your school of choice and get right back to you.

2. We are on facebook. You can find us and "like" us under the username: Holtville Unified School District. On Twitter you can follow us at HoltvilleUSD.

3. Check our our brand new, interactive website at www.holtville.k12.ca.us You will find calendars, menus, parent forms, employment opportunities, policies and a whole lot more! You will also find links to this page, community news and links to each of our school websites. Mr. Drye, our technology and projects director has been working hard to make the site better each day.

Now that we are back in full operation, you will see this blog updated regularly. You might want to bookmark it to make it easy to find.

New Website....Patience Required

2010-07-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our Projects/Technology Director Mitch Drye, HUSD has a totally new website, located at www.holtville.k12.ca.us

The website is dynamic and will soon be filled with lots of information about our school district, including calendars, agendas and policies.

Over the next few months, we will be adding an incredible amount of content. In the meantime, please check the website regularly and be patient as there will be quite a few blanks for a while.

Thanks!

Fireworks and other pyrotechnics.....

2010-07-05T10:03:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their Fourth of July celebration and reflected on how truly lucky we are to live in this great country.

At HUSD, we continue to work hard on maintaining programs for the coming year. Even though we are facing about $3 million dollars less in revenue this coming year, over what we are due, we are committed to keeping programs open and active.

Our sports programs are all in tact and our arts program is even more vibrant than it was a few years ago. Mr. Macon is returning to his "retirement" job as band teacher at the middle school and all other arts programs are continuing.

We have not had to lay off teachers due to retirements and other natural staff changes. We are, however, increasing class sizes. This is so all of our "optional" programs that we know are great for kids, can continue. Also, at this point, we are keeping our school year at 180 days. You will notice that many districts are reducing the school year by up to five days.

With the state budget up in the air, it's hard to predict how long we can keep all of our programs going as they are now. We are working hard to live within what they give us, but as education seems to not be a high priority for the state right now, it's hard to know what the future might bring.

Fortunately, we have a great community that understands and appreciates the hard work our teachers and staff do. Together we'll weather out this economic storm.

Please support one of our most valued teachers and community members.

2010-06-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

.

The School Board Members, Administrators and staff ask that you join in with us and many community organizations and citizens in helping the Strong family during this difficult time. David is a valued member of our community and has served in so many capacities for the school district.

A special fund has been set up for David Strong and his family at Sun Community Federal Credit Union. Please write checks out to "David Strong Medical Fund" and deliver or mail to any branch of the credit union.

Thank you.

.

Varsity Softball Team Honored

2010-06-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

Continuing the tradition of excellence, Holtville High School received word of yet another honor this past month. San Diego - CIF, our sports authority in So. California, recently awarded our softball team the award for highest GPA, officially naming the team, The CIF All Academic Team. This is the FIRST time a school in Imperial County has earned the award.

Soon, a new banner will hang in the high school gym to forever memorialize this accomplishment. At HUSD we honor not just athletes but STUDENT-ATHLETES.

Below is a link from the IVPress about the award.

http://http://www.ivpressonline.com/articles/2010/06/20/local_news/news06.txt

.

Way to Go Benji!

2010-06-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

from the IVPress:

Holtville High’s Benji Angulo wanted to be the best golfer in Imperial Valley League this season — he dominated, winning five of six league matches to be named the All-Imperial Valley Press boys’ golf Player of the Year.

Player of the Year

Benji Angulo, Holtville High

The 18-year-old senior had one goal of being the best this season and finished his high school career as just that — the best.

Out of six Imperial Valley League matches, Angulo won the medalist honor five times and was named the IVL medalist.

“I wish I could have gotten a scholarship to keep playing but I still accomplished one of my goals so I’m still satisfied,” Angulo said of his season.

He made the CIF-San Diego Section playoffs as an individual where he made the cut to the second day.

“I played rather well. I was kind of happy with my play,” Angulo said of the CIF tournament.

Angulo, who also played football with the Vikings, will study kinesiology at San Diego Mesa College in La Mesa.

“I wanna study sports medicine since I like sports so much,” Angulo said.

He will not play golf or any other sport with Mesa, but instead play in amateur golf tournaments while in college.

Until then, he will practice during the summer.

“It’s two summers where I’ve played almost every day,” Angulo said. “It’s my favorite sport.”

Now on Facebook!

2010-06-04T21:24:00.001-07:00

For a quick glance of what's happening, check out our Facebook page. Become a fan by clicking the icon to the left or searching on Facebook for Holtville Unified School District and then clicking the "Like" button.

Summer School Limited.....

2010-06-02T11:16:00.001-07:00

.

Due to on-going state budget issues, HUSD is not offering its complete summer school program as it has in the past. However, we have been actively seeking innovative programs using outside funding to provide a program to many of our students. By utilizing other funding streams, we are saving about $105,000. This savings will fund approximately 1.5 teachers next year, allowing us to continue to offer all of our current programs during the regular school year, despite the miserable budget the state is giving us to work with.

While I think it is totally unacceptable what our state is doing to education through the diminishing funds they are allocating to us, I am glad that we have partners that are willing to help us out.

The following are programs that we will be offering:

Migrant Summer School – this is funded through the Imperial County Office of Education Migrant Department and will be available to all identified migrant students.

College Begins in Kindergarten (CBK) Program. Funded through the College-Going Initiative Program, we will have four classrooms for students entering kindergarten this fall. This program offers an incredible academy style program where our future students learn what they need to be successful in kindergarten. It’s an incredibly fun, action packed day for the students, and we encourage parents to have their future Lil Vikes enroll for these classes.

Special Education Program Summer School - This is for identified special needs students who need the enrichment and on-going schooling as per their Individualized Education Program plan.

Algebra Academy – This program is being offered through a partnership with the Imperial County Office of Education for interested 7th and 8th grade students. This program will take place on the Finley campus.

Credit Recovery Program – This is a program for certain high school students who need additional credits to graduate. The priority for this program is seniors who are lacking the credits to graduate in June. Attending and completing the program should allow them to receive their high school diploma by the end of the program.

Adult Education Summer School - This federally funded program will offer English as a Second Language (ESL), Citizenship Classes and High School Diploma track classes for interested adults in the community.

The above summer programs will run from June 14th to July 9th, with July 5th as the Independence Day Holiday.

In addition, the Food Services Department will be offering free breakfast and lunch to all in the community under the age of 18, every Monday through Friday (except July 5th). This program began at HUSD last year and proved to be very popular with the community. The meals will be served at the Finley Cafeteria.

.

School Calendar 2010-2011

2010-05-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

Below is the school calendar for 2010-2011. You will notice that it has some changes from this year's calendar. Most noticeable is that we will have a two day and a half day Thanksgiving Break instead of five. We will also be having a five and a half day Spring Break instead of six. This will allow us to have an extra week of summer vacation. We will be starting about a week after the other districts in the county, but will be getting out for summer about the same time. In addition to the extra summer time, we will also have a cost savings due to the fact that August is the hottest month of the year, and with our monthly electric bill about $50,000 in a typical August, we will experience some savings with the change. I hope you enjoy your extra week of summer!

August 30* - First Day of School

September 6 - Labor Day

Nov. 11, 12 - Veterans Day

Nov. 25, 26 ** - Thanksgiving Break

December 20 - 31** - Winter Vacation

January 17 - Martin Luther King, Jr.

February 14 - Lincoln's Birthday

February 21 - Presidents' Day

March 4 - Fair Day

April 18-22** - Spring Break

May 30 - Memorial Day

June 10* - Last Day of School

* - Minimum Day (12:00 Dismissal)
** - Special Minimum Days 11/24, 12/17, 4/15 (12:00 Dismissal)

.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll --- Lights OUT!

2010-05-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

.

In an extremely unfortunate outcome of the April 4th earthquake, our football field lighting has been deemed unsafe and will have to be taken down as soon as possible. If you've driven down Eighth Street by Birger Field, you will notice that the city has erected no parking signs the entire length of the school grounds. This is to ensure the safety of those who may normally park there and to make sure the large cranes and other equipment needed to remove the decades old light standards have a place to park and set up.

We are already working with our architect and FEMA on determining an appropriate replacement system. It will be costly and may take time. We may have to either play day games or use another facility for football and soccer next school year.

As far as graduation goes, we should be okay. As long as the bleachers are determined to be okay, we will bring in portable lighting for graduation. We should know about the status of the bleachers after the lighting post directly behind the bleachers is removed. Currently, that light post is leaning on the bleachers/announcers booth so we won't know if there is any damage until it has been removed.

Since there's nothing we can do to stop the earthquakes, we just have to be diligent in responding to any damage that surfaces.

As always, I thank each of you in our community that has supported us throughout the process.

.

The Big Game....and ..... Wrestling Mats....(quite a combination)

2010-05-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

.

I hope you were able to get tickets to this Saturday's BIG day for our baseball team, as they suit up for their big league experience.

Saturday, May 8th, 2010 will be a day that our kids will remember for a lifetime as they face the Palo Verde Yellow Jackets at PETCO PARK. Yes, THE PETCO Park, where the (current) NL West Leaders, the San Diego Padres play.

This once in a lifetime experience is courtesy of the San Diego Padres, CIF, HUSD, Palo Verde High School and YOU, the supporters of all things Holtville! Our kids had the task of selling 500 tickets for the game to make it happen, and of course, you all stepped in and bought the tickets.

Several of our community members and staff bought lots of tickets for the game, giving away many of them to those who couldn't otherwise afford to go. At one Rotary Club meeting alone, over 40 tickets were purchased. It's heartwarming to know that our community really does care about our kids, and buying tickets to this fabulous opportunity is one small example of that.

Another example of the largess of the Holtville community has to do with wrestling. If you've followed the District happenings lately, you know that a new wrestling room and weight lifting room were added to the High School gym a few years ago. Unfortunately, at the time, there were no funds for wall mats in the wrestling room. The wall mats for the room cost about $8,000, and withing a few weeks of our wrestling coach looking for funds, the entire amount was covered, thanks to some very large donations by our friends and clubs in the community.

Thanks again for all your support!

I hope to see you at the big game on Saturday!

.

Thank you

2010-04-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

During times of crisis, such as we are currently experiencing with the seemingly non-stop earthquakes and aftershocks, it is good to know that we live in a community where good people make things happen and support each other. The Holtville School District received damages to one of our schools that would normally close a school for a few weeks. By working with our staff, outside agencies and local contractors, we were able to have the school ready for students the first day after spring break.

On behalf of the Holtville Unified School District, I would like to thank some of those who have been assisting us in ensuring that our students have a safe, stable learning environment.

ICOE Superintendent Anne Mallory and her Assistant Superintendent Denise Smith have been fantastic representing all school districts in the valley through their work with the Office of Emergency Services, including their advocacy with state and federal agencies. Mrs. Mallory offered her office’s services immediately after the first quake and has consistently followed up to see what else her office can do to help us.

California’s Division of the State Architect’s office was equally impressive, sending structural engineers out on a one day notice to carefully look over our schools, educate our staff on what to look for and offer instant approvals for repairs which would normally take several weeks to obtain.

Contractors D. W. Hibbert Electric and AM Desert Storm began work on the repairs within an hour of being approved. They stayed late and worked very long hours to make sure the job was done on time. Their work was deemed outstanding by the state licensed inspector and they did everything they could to contain costs to ensure the job could be completed immediately.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees I would also like to thank the Holtville Fire Department and Sheriff’s department for their generous assistance as well as our own staff, including our various department administrators, teachers and classified staff that were at the school within minutes of the earthquake, beginning initial inspections and cleaning up classrooms and offices.

This is truly a remarkable county, where people come together to lend a hand. Thank you to all who are working on behalf of our children.

What's with the cracks on the band room?

2010-04-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

.
I found the new cracks on the high school band room very troubling - at first. On Sunday, a week after the 7.2 quake, cracks appeared from the foundation of the band room to the top of the roof, with identical cracks on the other side. This sudden appearance of cracks on a major building caused enough concern that we called the Division of State Architect's office and requested that a structural engineer visit the high school and inspect the building.

His first question had to do with the age of the building. Unfortunately, the building is so old that we could not locate any documents on it all. That is, until we began going through old year books to see if the building was in any of the photographs in the annuals. Luckily, we not only found pictures, but the yearbook had pictures of the construction of the building and the original wall plaque for the building.

It turns out the building was built as an agricultural building with funds from the “Federal Emergency Administrator of Public Works”, the largest "New Deal" agency that built thousands of buildings under President Roosevelt's plan. The building, it turns out, was built in 1938, making it the oldest occupied classroom in the district.

Now back to the cracks. Thankfully, the cracks have a good reason for being there. The band room is not one, but two buildings, built side-to-side, connected so closely together that it is impossible to tell there are two buildings there. The cracks occured because at some point in the last 72 years, the second building was built and the two rooms were "married" together using stucco. The cracks were a natural extension of a large building's foundation moving during an earthquake and the stucco attempting to stay in its place. According the structural engineer, the cracks are a good sign that the foundation is continuing to do its job. He also noted that the original ag building where the band and choir practice is one of the most solid buildings he's seen. Apparently, no expense was held back when it was built using federal funds.

So not only did we ensure the buildings were safe, we learned a great deal of history about the Lendal Macon Music and Arts Center.

Of course we also had the structural engineer look over the entire campus to ensure it is safe for our kids. It is.

.

.

Is there school on Monday, April 12th?/¿Hay escuela en Lunes, 12 de abril?

2010-04-09T20:16:00.001-07:00

.

Yes, all schools in the HUSD have been inspected and cleared for occupancy. We will be resuming classes as usual. Some students at HMS may be directed to different classes while electrical repairs are being completed.

We look forward to seeing your child on Monday!

¿Hay escuela en Lunes, 12 de abril?
Sí, todas las escuelas del HUSD han sido inspeccionadas y autorizadas para su ocupación. Vamos a reanudar las clases como de costumbre. Algunos estudiantes de la HMS pueden ser dirigidos a diferentes clases, mientras que las reparaciones eléctricas que se hayan completado.

.

Any reports of damage after all these aftershocks?

2010-04-08T18:11:00.000-07:00

.

Apparently, we didn’t get off as easily as we initially thought. The Middle School, either from the initial 7.2 quake or one of the aftershocks, has a major electrical problem. One of our underground wires that supplies power to 12 classrooms has shorted out, most likely from a shift in the underground conduit. We have had electricians on scene and they estimate repairs could take up to two weeks.

On Friday, the Division of State Architects Office will be on site to assist us in deciding which solution is best and authorize us to complete the work under an emergency order. Unfortunately, we have no guarantee as to whether or not we will be reimbursed for the work that has to be completed.

As for students, by late Friday, we will decide how to house the students that will be displaced during the repairs necessary. It is possible that we will have to move some of the students to the Finley campus for up to two weeks. If this is the case, our maintenance and janitorial crews will set up furniture in classrooms on Saturday and we will have students move their supplies over on Monday.

Hopefully, after another inspection tomorrow, no other problems will arise.

The most important thing to remember and be thankful for is that no has been injured and that the earthquake took place during a non-school day.

¿Algún informes de daños después de todos estos temblores?

Al parecer, no fue tan fácilmente la situación como se pensaba inicialmente. La Escuela Secundaria (HMS), ya sea desde el terremoto inicial de 7,2 o una de las réplicas, tiene un problema eléctrico importante. Uno de nuestros cables subterráneos que suministra energía a 12 aulas ha sufrido un cortocircuito, muy probablemente de un cambio en el conducto subterráneo. Hemos tenido electricistas en la escuela y calculan que las reparaciones podrían tomar hasta dos semanas.

El viernes, la División de Estado de la Oficina de Arquitectos estará en el lugar para ayudarnos a decidir qué solución es mejor y nos autoriza a concluir los trabajos bajo de una orden de emergencia. Por desgracia, no tenemos ninguna garantía en cuanto a si seremos o no reembolsado por el trabajo que tiene que ser completado.

En cuanto a los estudiantes, por la noche del viernes, vamos a decidir la forma que los vamos a establecer para que los estudiantes se desplacen durante las reparaciones necesarias. Es posible que tendremos que mover algunos de los estudiantes a la escuela Finley para un máximo de dos semanas. Si este es el caso, nuestros servicios de mantenimiento y limpieza llevaran muebles a las aulas el sábado y vamos a hacer que los estudiantes mueven sus útiles el lunes.

Esperemos que, después de otra inspección mañana, no haya más problemas. Lo más importante para recordar y agradecer es que no hay heridos y que el terremoto tuvo lugar durante un día no escolar.

.

How did the schools survive the earthquake?

2010-04-04T19:48:00.000-07:00

.

I certainly hope everyone reading this is safe and sound, without injury or damage. That was quite an earthquake with numerous aftershocks.

It appears that we escaped damage at the schools, besides the expected messes of books and things falling off shelves and counters. Our maintenance supervisor, technology and projects director, high school principals and some teachers, immediately, once they knew their own family was safe, came to the various schools and helped spot any structural damage. Fortunately, none was found. While we heard of extensive damage to homes and businesses throughout the county, our schools fared very well.

In the next few days, every classroom will be checked for damage and we will work hard to make sure our schools are ready for your child by the time spring break is over.

Ýo espero que todos los que lean esto esten sanos y salvo, sin lesiones o daños. Este fue todo un terremoto con numerosas réplicas.

Parece que no hubo daños en las escuelas, solamente la caida de unos los libros y las cosas caen de los estantes y mostradores. Nuestro supervisor de mantenimiento, el director de proyectos, los directores de escuelas y algunos profesores, de inmediato, una vez que supieron de su propia familia estaba a salvo, llegaron a las diversas escuelas para ayudar a detectar cualquier daño estructural. Afortunadamente, no se encontró. Si bien nos enteramos de daños a casas y negocios en todo el condado, nuestras escuelas les fue muy bien.

En los próximos días, todas las aulas serán inspecionadas por los daños y trabajaremos duro para asegurarnos de que nuestras escuelas esten listas para cuando sus hijos regresen de vacaciones de primavera.

.

What is HUSD doing to address the state budget crisis?

2010-03-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

.

Kids didn't cause the budget crisis, and at HUSD we're making sure they don't get punished for it.

No matter what happens at the state and federal level as far as funding goes, we will be here for your kids. We will find a way to make sure your child gets the best education possible.

Here are some of the things we are dealing with today at Holtville Unified:

1. The state has not yet passed a budget, but the governor has proposed MAJOR cuts to our schools and our district.

2. The federal government, which provided us some assistance last year in the form of "recovery funds" has not committed to providing us any further funding.

3. Based on the Governor's proposed budget, we must find a way to cover a deficit of approximately $1,115,700

To cover this shortfall, the following funding/program shifts have been approved by the school board:

- We offered a retirement incentive for our teachers. Four teachers took the opportunity to retire. Savings to the district next year ------ $325,565

- We have at least three teachers who will be leaving the district for various reasons. At this point, we will not be filling these positions. Savings - $203,931

- We are shifting funds that would normally be used for specific maintenance projects to the general fund. Savings -- $297,906

- Many of the programs that have been paid out of district funds will now be paid through school site funds. Savings --- $288,298

In addition to the above, the following programs will be impacted:

Adult Education - Only programs paid by Federal Funds will be offered. This means we will continue to offer some language classes, citizenship classes, and job-skills classes.

Summer School - We will only be offering summer school to students eligible for the Migrant Program. This program does not use district funds and is paid for by the Federal Government.

Our commitment to you

We are working hard to make sure the following happens. Absent further cuts from the state, we will continue to provide every program (including the arts and sports) that we currently have. We will continue to provide counseling services, transportation,and outstanding classroom instruction.

Unfortunately, we will have to increase class sizes by 2-3 students to keep every school and program open. Also, if the state cuts much deeper than they already have, we may have to consider shortening the school year 1-5 days. This, of course is not acceptable, but we may have no choice if the state continues to slash the funds needed to educate your child.

When the state budget stabilizes, one of our highest priorities will be to reduce class sizes to where they were two years ago.

If you ever have any questions about the district, our finances or priorities, please do not hesitate to ask!

Thank you.

.

PETCO or bust!

2010-03-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

.

Plan to join our men's varsity baseball team as they take on the Yellow Jackets from Palo Verde High School at PETCO Park in San Diego on Saturday, May 8th.

It's quite an honor to be invited to play in on of the premiere major league parks and this event will undoubtedly create lifetime memories for our players.

Tickets go on sale soon, so PLEASE show your support by buying a few tickets for the game. We must sell at least 500 tickets and I'm confident our community will once again rise to the challenge to support our boys.

Viking Pride at PETCO Park!

.

Thanks for the great time!

2010-03-08T09:16:00.001-08:00

.

This past Wednesday, several hundred fans showed up at Birger Field to cheer on our men's soccer team. It was a great show, with our boys coming up short 5-2, ending their dream season. It was wonderful to see so many our community members, teachers, staff and students there to show support for the great season our boys had.

Thanks guys for a wonderful season. We all look forward to next year's run at the championship!

.

Be here for FREE!

2010-03-02T18:12:00.001-08:00

.

Join us in supporting our boys' soccer team as they take on La Jolla Country Day School Wednesday at 5PM. Once again, to support our boys, admission will be FREE!

Let's Cheer on our Vikes!

.

SOCCER - Here! Support our men's soccer team!

2010-03-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

.

Our Varsity boys' soccer team continued its winning ways Saturday with a decisive victory over Vincent Memorial High School. Vincent put up a good fight and ended their stellar season at Birger Field, losing to the Vikings 4-0.

This Wednesday, our boys take on the winner of the La Jolla Country Day School/Frances Parker High School game which will take place tonight (Monday) at LCDS.

Please join us in cheering on our boys this Wednesday. If victorious, our team will play in the CIF Championship Game Saturday at Cathedral Catholic in San Diego.

Go Vikes!

.

Basketball Teams Make Big Progress This Season

2010-02-25T10:31:00.000-08:00

.

Both the boys and girls varsity teams made improvements this year and we're looking for even more excitement in the future!

Our girls' varsity basketball team ended the regular season at 11-9 and making the playoffs.

Last night the girls NARROWLY lost to Santa Fe Christian 46-50. According to those able to see the game, the girls played with a lot of heart and should be proud of their season.

Our boys' varsity team also improved, ending their season at 10-12 and 3-3 in league play.

Thanks to all of you who supported our basketball teams this year.
.

FREE Admission this Saturday --- Come Cheer the Vikings On in Their Playoff Run!

2010-02-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

.

This Saturday's Boy's Soccer playoff game against Vincent Memorial High School should be a good one. VM has a stellar record of 14-1-1 and will be taking on OUR VIKINGS, who are the number ONE seed in the tournament with an 18-2 record. The game is scheduled to begin at 5PM and ADMISSION FOR THIS ONE GAME IS FREE!

I hope to see a big turn out for our boys!

Go Vikings!
.

Boys Soccer Comes Up with BIG Win! Girls Season Ends Strong.

2010-02-25T10:16:00.000-08:00

.

The boys soccer team is ripping up the field in the CIF Playoffs.

Here is from the IVPRESS:

Top-seeded Vikings dominate Tri-City Christian, 7-0
By MARIO RENTERÍA, Sports Editor

HOLTVILLE — The Holtville High boys’ soccer team is in an unfamiliar spot — the top team to beat — and it is loving it.
The Vikings are at the top in the CIF-San Diego Section Division-IV tournament and proved it with a 7-0 thumping over Tri-City Christian High in the first round of the playoffs here Wednesday.

The normally underdog Vikings aren’t use to the position they’re in.

“We’re used to traveling and being the underdogs,” Vikings head coach Juan Arroyo said. “It feels different.”

Holtville is loving it mainly because the team gets to play at home. On Wednesday, the game brought out a large home crowd.

“It’s an advantage for us especially when we get these large crowds,” Arroyo said.

In Wednesday’s game, the Vikings faced a limited squad that offered very little resistance.

Three goals by the team’s leading scorer forward Isaac Burgos, three from defender Jose Luzania and one from midfielder Eric Sierra was all the Vikings needed to seal the game.

Senior Luzania, normally the team’s sweeper, played at forward for the game.

“It feels great. It’s just a feeling … it’s unexplainable,” Luzania said of scoring three goals in the game.

Holtville improves to 18-2 overall and finished second in the Imperial Valley League (8-2).

The Vikings advance to the quarterfinals where they will face a familiar opponent — Vincent Memorial High.

The Scots, which finished 8-0 to clinch the Citrus East League title — beat High Tech High, 3-1, in Calexico on Wednesday to improve to 14-1-1.

The Vikings will host the No. 8 Scots at a tentative time of 5 p.m. Saturday in Holtville.

With the game being in Holtville the Vikings will again look for support from their home crowd.

“It’s very important. We have home-field advantage and it motivates us when we have our family and friends there,” Luzania said. “It gets us pumped up for the game."

In Girls' Varsity Soccer, our girls finished the season with a record of 7-8 overall and 5-5 in league.

Thanks for an exciting season go out to both our boys and girls teams!

.

BIG NEWS !

2010-02-06T08:27:00.000-08:00

.

We have just received the following FANTASTIC news:

Our grant application for the new cafeteria/careertech-ed facility for the high school was approved for submission of consideration for funding!

We scored high and may be awarded a little over $2,000,000. This is a great opportunity, as it would allow us to build a new state-of-art 12,000+ square foot facility at the high school that will serve as a culinary arts center and multipurpose room/cafeteria (we already have state approved plans for the building).

Once the building is completed, we will begin an all new career pathways program in culinary arts and hospitality.

The challenge is that we have to come up with a $2 million match for the project. We have a short window to identify the matching funds to receive the state share. The state must receive our plan by the end of March. We are determined to find these funds without impacting any of our current K-12 Programs.

While we have a big challenge ahead of us, I know that together we can find a way to make this happen.

Thank you all for your support of this project and your commitment to the students of Holtville!

.

It's a Beautiful Monday Morning in Holtville!

2010-01-25T08:07:00.001-08:00

.

Yes, It is.

.

NO SCHOOL FRIDAY

2010-01-22T06:24:00.000-08:00

All Schools and Programs are canceled for today for the Holtville Unified School District. Please call friends and neighbors and let them know that school has been canceled for Friday only.

This decision is based on the following:

1.The National Weather Service, at 4:00AM this morning, issued the following Hazardous Weather Outlook for Holtville and eastern Imperial County:

Holtville CA
Hazardous Weather Outlook

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
500 AM MST FRI JAN 22 2010

CAZ030-032-033-231200-
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS-
IMPERIAL COUNTY-
400 AM PST FRI JAN 22 2010

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EXTREME SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A CHANCE OF AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS. IF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP...SOME
STORMS COULD PRODUCE HAIL...STRONG WINDS TO NEAR 45 MPH...AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING.

2. Our grounds are saturated from yesterday's storm. Any additional rain will cause more hazardous conditions for our students.

HOY NO ESCUELA
Todas las escuelas y los programas se cancelan por hoy para el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Holtville. Por favor, llamar a amigos y vecinos y hacerles saber que la escuela ha sido cancelada por este viernes solamente.

Esta decisión se basa en lo siguiente:

1.El Servicio Nacional de Meteorología, a las 4:00 horas de esta mañana, emitió el siguiente PERSPECTIVA DE TIEMPO PELIGROSO para Holtville y oriente del Condado de Imperial:

Holtville CA

PERSPECTIVA DE TIEMPO PELIGROSO

PERSPECTIVA DE TIEMPO PELIGROSO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
500 AM MST vie 22 de enero 2010

CAZ030-032-033-231200 -
Parque Nacional Joshua Tree-Riverside County / ORIENTAL desiertos -
CONDADO DE IMPERIAL -
400 AM PST vie 22 de enero 2010

ESTA PERSPECTIVA DE TIEMPO PELIGROSO ES PARA ÁREAS DE extremo sureste
DE CALIFORNIA Y SURESTE DE CALIFORNIA.

.PRIMER DÍA ... HOY Y ESTA NOCHE

UNA OPORTUNIDAD DE TARDE tormentas eléctricas. SI ALGUNAS TORMENTAS SE DESARROLLAN ESTASTORMENTAS PODRIAN PRODUCIR GRANIZO... VIENTOS FUERTES A CERCA DE 45 MPH ... y mortales y Rayos.

2. Nuestros motivos son campus saturados por la tormenta de ayer. Cualquier lluvia adicional provocará que las condiciones sean peligrosas para nuestros estudiantes

Weather Notice

2010-01-21T09:40:00.001-08:00

.
*** IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ***

Due to a severe weather alert from the National Weather Service, and the possibility of thunder, lightning, and flooding tomorrow, there is a slight possibility that schools will be closed tomorrow. Please make a plan for your children in the event this occurs. If we do decide to close the schools, we will post that announcement no later than 6:30AM on the following website:
www.askthesuperintendent.com
We will also be notifying the following radio stations. Please do not call the radio stations, but listen in the morning for any announcements regarding this.
KXO – AM 1230 KXO – FM107.5 KGBA 100.1 FM
THANK YOU

*** AVISO IMPORTANTE ***
Debido a una alerta de mal tiempo de el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, y la posibilidad de truenos, rayos, inundaciones para mañana, hay una ligera posibilidad de que las escuelas estarán cerradas mañana. Por favor, haga un plan para sus hijos en caso de que esto ocurra. Si se decide cerrar las escuelas, publicaremos el anuncio a más tardar a las 6:30 AM en el siguiente sitio web:

www.askthesuperintendent.com

También vamos a notificar a las siguientes estaciones de radio. Por favor, no llame a las emisoras de radio, pero escúchelas en la mañana para los anuncios relativos a esta alerta.

KXO - AM 1230 KXO - FM107.5 KGBA 100.1 FM

GRACIAS

.

Resolution for the New Year

2010-01-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

.

"I shall pass through this world
but once;

any good thing therefore
I can do,

or any kindness I can show,
to any human being

let me do it now,
let me not defer it or neglect it,

for I shall not pass this way again."

-Stephen Grellet

.

A Merry Christmas to All.....

2009-12-18T11:04:00.001-08:00

.

And to All a Good Night

and Happy Holidays to Everyone!

I look forward to seeing you all in the new year!

(School begins anew on Monday, January 4th, 2010)

.

Just like fast food, only pricklier.....

2009-12-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

H1N1 DRIVE-THRU FLU CLINIC

Open to All

Saturday, December 19, 2009

8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Imperial Valley Expo

North End Parking Lot

200 East Second Street, Imperial, CA

This clinic will have the 2009 H1N1 vaccine available for all individuals
interested in receiving the vaccine.

Booster shots will be available for children who need the second dose of the H1N1
vaccine.

Please wear a short sleeve shirt for convenience of administering the flu shot at this clinic. There will be no cost for those attending this vaccination event.

For more information, contact the Public Health Department at (760) 482-4968

Get on The List!

2009-12-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

.
Parents – Students – Community Members – District Staff

Be informed - Get on The List!
• Would you like to be informed about what is happening in our school district?
• Would you like a regular update of activities planned at each school?

If you said yes, then you need to be on The List!

The List is our District’s new community e-mail list, which will allow us to send you updates about our schools and the District.

If you sign up for The List, you will receive our e-newsletter, “The District Communicator” on a regular basis.

Signing up for The List is easy.

Simply send an e-mail to:

thelist@holtville.k12.ca.us

In the subject line, simply put “add to The List” and we will add you. In the body of the e-mail, please note your preferred e-mail address you would like us to use.

We will not share your e-mail address with anyone.

Also – Holtville High School now has a blog you can visit at:

www.underthetree-hhs.blogspot.com

At Holtville Schools we are determined to keep you informed and involved as we work to make our schools the best!

.

....and now, some of your e-mails.......

2009-12-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

.
Recent comments from parents sent to me via e-mail:

"Just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate the traditional Christmas program that the Pine School kindergarten performs each year."

"My son is a student at Pine school and I wanted to write a quick note to express my support for the Christmas program that is put on by the kindergarten teacher there. I feel that it is very appropriate that the true meaning of Christmas be incorporated into the program. The teacher does a wonderful job with her program and I hope to see it continue."

Thanks for your comments. I appreciate hearing from you!

.

Time for another round of H1N1 Vaccine!

2009-11-30T21:55:00.000-08:00

.
Working with the Public Health Department, HUSD has been able to secure another date for H1N1 vaccinations, this time for our high school students.

Date: December 9th
Time: 3:30PM - 6:00PM
Location: High School Gymnasium area

Again, at this point we are advised that ONLY HUSD High School students will be eligible for the vaccination. If this changes, we will let you know.

Thank you!

.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-20T14:17:00.000-08:00

*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*

What I'm Thankful for....

- A loving family; a very supportive, beautiful wife and two great daughters who absolutely make life worthwhile.

- Wonderful friends who care and share in good times and bad.

- A great job where I can work doing what I love to do.

- The great community of Holtville; where the schools are valued and appreciated.

- A great staff where the employees are concerned about the needs of the students and are focused on constant improvement.

- A school board that worries about the individual student, appreciates the hard work being done by those in the district, sets high expectations for me and keeps focused on what's truly important.

and of course -----

- Sunshine (might as well enjoy it since its all the weather we get around here...)

I hope you get a chance to think about what you are thankful for this next week. Try to stay positive and spend some quality time with those you love.

.

Tuesday Night Action!

2009-11-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

.

Tuesday, November 9, 2009 is a day that provided excitement for some, not so much for others....

You see, on Tuesday we had both the H1N1 Vaccination Clinic AND our first Varsity Girls' Volleyball CIF Home Playoff Game.

Both went very well, with over 375 of our students receiving the vaccine and the girls volleyball team sweeping the Crusaders of Mater Dei in three games.

Working with both the Public Health Department and El Centro Regional Medical Center Hospital, our students at the clinic were well taken care of. Our cafeteria and maintenance staff provided water and iced tea for parents and students alike and our district and school staff provided candy for those vaccinated, and world-famous George's Pizza for all the Health Department, hospital and school staff, as well as students working at the clinic. We were also very fortunate to have the outstanding ASB officers from HHS helping out. A few smiles from the students and a lot of thank yous from the parents told us that we had had a successful clinic.

The volleyball game was all positive. Mater Dei was a classy team with incredible sportsmanship even as our Vikings overwhelmingly dominated the match. Both teams showed great team spirit and represented their schools in an outstanding manner.

Congratulations to both teams for making the playoffs!

Our team now advances to the quarterfinals of the CIF playoffs this Friday, traveling to Santa Fe Christian in Solana Beach.

We wish them the best!!!

.

Tonight at 7 --------- Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee there!

2009-11-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

.

I can't tell you how proud everyone is of our Girls Varsity Volleyball Team. They finished the regular season at 18-6 (10-2 in League play) and made the playoffs! Their first playoff game is tonight at the High School Gym at 7PM. we hope you can be there to help cheer on our girls as they face Mater Dei High School from Chula Vista.

.

H1N1 Clinic Update

2009-11-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

.
Holtville Unified School District, working with El Centro Regional Medical Center, in conjunction with the Imperial County Health Department will be hosting an H1N1 Vaccine Clinic as follows:

When: Tuesday, November 10th, from 3:30 - 6:30PM
Where: Holtville High School Gymnasium
Who: Only students in grades K-8 who are enrolled in either Pine, Finley or Holtville Middle Schools.

Cost: There is no cost for the vaccine, but it will be administered on a first come, first served basis. The District has been allocated a certain number of vaccines and once they are gone, individuals will have to seek the vaccine through other means, such as from their doctors or commercial sources.

NOTE: THIS IS ONLY FOR STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN OUR SCHOOLS IN GRADES K-8. High School students, parents, babies, preschools and others will not be able to receive the vaccine at this clinic. It is possible that another clinic will be held to vaccinate our high school students. Check back here often for that information.

.

In a League of Her Own.....Mrs. Hester Nominated....

2009-11-03T10:08:00.000-08:00

.
I just received exciting news that our very own High School Principal Jacki Hester has been named a finalist to receive the outstanding Educator of the Year Award from the California League of High Schools. Mrs. Hester is the first finalist from Imperial County for this award in several year. A total of ten educators - teachers, administrators, counselors, etc. are named finalists for the entire region which consists of Imperial and San Diego Counties.

Mrs. Hester was nominated based on all the improvements Holtville High School has seen since she took over as principal. This award acknowledges ALL the people who have worked hard to see the high school make gains academically over the past few years.

Congratulations Mrs. Hester on this much deserved recognition!

.

H1N1 Vaccination at a school near you!

2009-10-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

.

Working with the Public Health Department and El Centro Regional Medical Center, HUSD will be hosting an H1N1 Vaccination clinic for students in grades K-8, hopefully within the next two weeks. As the vaccine becomes more available, high school students will also be offered the opportunity to be vaccinated. The vaccinations are voluntary only and parents or guardians will need to come with their children to receive the vaccine.

We will send notes home and post more information here once the dates have been finalized.

.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3

2009-10-27T10:19:00.001-07:00

.

Don't forget to vote!

.

.....and we're back to Friday

2009-10-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

Recently I wrote that we moved the Calipatria-Holtville football game to Thursday, November 12th. Calipat High School had made the request and we agreed to do it. They have now requested the game be moved back to Friday, due to many complaints about the rescheduled game. Since they are hosting, Friday it is.

I hope you can join us on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13th at Calipatria High for the renewed AXE GAME!

Mandatory Finger Exercises for Everyone!

2009-10-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

All residents in the 760 area code must begin using the area code when making all telephone calls as part of the new 442 overlay.

The California Public Utilities Commission approved the overlay last year to meet growing demand for phone numbers in the 760 area code.

The commission decided against forcing existing 760 phone users to change their numbers. Instead, it allowed a new area code, 442, to be used within the same region as 760.

The result is that callers must dial the full number — 1 plus 760 — to make local calls.

The same procedure will apply to the 442 area code when those numbers are issued starting Nov. 21.

Although the full number, including area code, will be required, long-distance rates will not be applied when calling other 760/442 numbers.

These will remain local calls regardless of the number of digits dialed.

Important Update from the Health Department

2009-10-16T10:38:00.001-07:00

The demand for seasonal flu vaccinations this flu season is extraordinarily high. The Imperial County Public Health Department hosted the first seasonal flu vaccination clinic this past Saturday at the Imperial Valley Mall. The public really showed an interest in getting a seasonal flu shot this year with over 4,000 individuals vaccinated at Saturday’s clinic. The Department is extremely appreciative of all the partner agencies that participated in the event and assisted with the vaccination event, we could not have done it without all your help.
Flu Information Update
Thursday October 15, 2009
The Imperial County Public Health Department will be hosting two more seasonal flu vaccination clinics this month. Flu shots at these two clinics will be prioritized for high risk individuals. High risk individuals include:
o Children 6 months-18 years of age
o Adults 50 years of age and older
o Pregnant women
o Healthcare workers
o Those with chronic illnesses including asthma and diabetes
o The immunosuppressed
o Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities
o Contacts and caregivers of children younger than 5 & adults 50 or older and household contacts and caregivers of children younger than 6 months
• The next seasonal flu vaccination clinics will take place on Saturday, October 17th at the Calexico High School Gym and on Saturday, October 24th at the Brawley Lion’s Center. Both clinics are scheduled to start at 8:00 am.
• The same number of flu shot doses has been allocated for each clinic.
• The cost for the flu shot is $2.00 at seasonal flu vaccination clinics.
• The seasonal flu shot is also available at community clinics, local pharmacies and with some local providers. The seasonal flu shot will not be offered at the Public Health Department on a walk-in basis until after the clinics. Given the high demand this year at scheduled clinics there might be a limited supply available. Flu shots are also available at scheduled senior flu clinics (see attached).
• The H1N1 vaccine in the form of a nasal spray has arrived in limited quantities in Imperial County and is available with local providers. The H1N1 nasal spray is not being offered at the October seasonal flu vaccination clinics and it is not available at the Public Health Department.
• It is expected that H1N1 vaccinations in Imperial County will start in November once the injectable form of the vaccine arrives. The start date will depend on the arrival of the vaccine in the community. H1N1 vaccine clinics will be held in a variety of ways including drive-thru clinics and school based clinics.
• Individuals who have questions about upcoming vaccination clinics can call the Imperial County Flu Information Hotline at (760) 482-4968.

Same Game, Different Day

2009-10-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

Our football game with Calipatria High School will take place November 12th, Not the 13th as originally scheduled.

Both schools have agreed to change this game to a Thursday night matchup due to the Central-Brawley Bell Game scheduled for Friday. The Bell Game, as you are aware, is the biggest sporting event to take place in the valley (besides every Holtville sporting event), and worries about traffic and the ability for our fans to get to Calipatria that night have caused us to reschedule the game.

However, it is going to be a BIG GAME for us. A few decades ago, Calipatria was Holtville's biggest rivalry in football. Over the years, Calipatria has not always had an 11-man football team and the rivalry for Holtville shifted over to the Imperial Tigers. With the Tigers move to the large school division, and Calipatria now rededicated to 11-man football, they again become our natural friendly-rivals.

Stay-tuned for more information on this game, which will revive the tradition of the "Axe Game".

The Worldwide (Sam) Webb....

2009-10-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

.

Over the course of the next year, you will see many improvements to our websites.

I challenged each of our principals to work on making their school webpages more informative and up to date. Holtville High School and Sam Webb are the first to unveil their new websites. You can find them here:

Holtville High School

Sam Webb High School

In addition, Mr. Pechtl is hosting a new high school blog, located at:
www.underthetree-hhs.blogspot.com

Check them out and learn more about both of these great schools!

.

Nice!

2009-10-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

.

Another great story on the fantastic kids at HHS!
From the IVPress

Ries helps squad finish second at tournament

By RYAN LEON, Sports Writer

Last week had two Imperial Valley League wins and a second place tournament finish for the Holtville High volleyball team, aided by the leadership of senior Kalli Ries.

The Vikings beat Imperial and Palo Verde Valley and competed in the Mission Bay Buccaneer Bash in San Diego on Saturday, and in that week Ries tallied 22 kills, 65 assists, 22 digs, 30 service points, four aces and three blocks.

“I think this week I just wanted to step up and push our young team and just be a leader,” the 17-year-old Ries said. “It was a big week for us and I think I was just able to help the team overall, and that’s what I wanted to do.”

At the Buccaneer Bash, the Vikings played in the gold bracket where they beat El Capitan, Mission Bay, Madison and El Camino before losing to Mission Bay in the championship.

“I think I was able to just play as a leader in the tournament trying to help the whole team,” Ries said. “As a team I think we played really well, we came together as a team and it took us to the championship.”

This year Ries has worked on all aspects of her game but she still feels she has some way to go.

“Well, this year I feel I’ve become a better overall player,” Ries said. “But I still need to work on my blocking and just getting better overall at everything.”

Coming into this her senior year Ries wanted to accomplish a few goals.

“This year I wanted to be a leader and, I think more importantly, win league because I know we have what it takes to do that,” Ries said. “Last year I thought we would be in each game, but we would just fall short, and this year we are winning all those game so I think we can do it.”

So far this season the Vikings are 3-0 in league play but they have a big test in front of them today as they host undefeated Brawley Union at 6 p.m. in Holtville.

“Well, they are a tough team and we all know we are going to have to play our best volleyball against them,” Ries said. “But with the way we’ve been playing I think we have a good chance again. I think we just need to be ready on all levels.”

.

Way to go Vikings!

2009-10-03T10:30:00.001-07:00

.

The Volleyball team is continuing their winning ways! They won their last three contests to Central, Palo Verde and Imperial! Great going girls!

The Varsity Football team picked up their first win in the Pacific League....
Story from the IVPress.....

HOLTVILLE — In a battle of winless teams, Holtville High recorded its first win of the season, 31-0, in its Pacific League opener against Vincent Memorial High here Friday.
“I think overall we played good as a team tonight. It wasn’t our best but I still think we did a good job,” Holtville junior running back Ethan Ming said. “It just feels awesome to finally get the momentum that comes with the first win and hopefully we can ride it into our next game.”

Heading into the game, both Holtville and Vincent Memorial had yet to have a win on the season and Holtville wanted to come out and make a statement early.

In the first quarter, the Vikings were able to hold the Scots to a three-and-out then drove the ball down inside the 5-yard line, where Ming scored on a 2-yard run to make it a 6-0 game after a failed PAT.

In the second quarter, Holtville found the end zone on a Ming 3-yard run to make it a 12-0 ballgame. Ming finished with 75 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 14 carries.

“I felt I did good tonight but then again it was all about my line. If they weren’t there I would have never had the chance to run,” Ming said. “They did a good job blocking and I think I just got lucky with the ball tonight.”

The Scots were able to move the ball on the Vikings in the first half but with every big play came a penalty that would negate its gain.

“I think in the first half we were able to come out and move the ball quite well against them,” Vincent Memorial head coach Richard Solis said. “But it was the penalties that killed us. We just couldn’t put any drives together.”

After a first half that had only 12 points, the Vikings broke out in the third quarter, scoring three more touchdowns.

The first of the three came on a 1-yard run by Ming, then a 34-yard touchdown pass to wingback Benji Angulo from quarterback Sammie Nelson and finally running back Robert Gibbs would punch it in on a 2-yard run to go up 31-0 over the Scots.

The Vikings’ strong offensive output was matched by the strong defense that held the Scots to a total 73 yards in the game.

“I think the boys played a great game tonight. It was just an awesome game,” Holtville head coach Keith Smith Jr. said. “We came together tonight and played a complete game. We were a little slow in the first half but we turned it up in the second half and got a good first win.”

Holtville (1-3, 1-0 PL) will host Tri-City Christian and Vincent Memorial (0-3, 0-1 PL) will travel to play Calipatria on Friday. Both games are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

“So far this season I think our team has been making big strides every week and that’s good to see,” Solis said. “We finally have a good-sized team and we are out on the field every Friday gaining experience and having fun.”

Newly named........

2009-09-29T07:33:00.001-07:00

2009-09-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

Why Can't I Post Comments to Your Blog?

2009-09-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

.

It's come to my attention that some people have not been allowed to post comments to this blog when they see something that catches their eye. This occurs when someone on the District's network attempts to comment. The reason for this is quite simple. Our internet connection at the school sites is filtered, limiting access to some services that the internet provides. Commenting or participating in blogs is one such filtered service. Unfortunately, the District does not entirely control the filtering software which is a federal requirement to receive technology funding. The law establishing the filter's original purpose was to keep objectionable (pornography, etc.) content away from our children. As the internet has evolved, people have found new ways to circumvent the filter and access the prohibited content. This includes finding ways to obtain personal information about computer users through their comments on blogs and other websites; hence the reason you cannot comment on my blog when accessing it on our internal network.

In other words.....

I love getting your comments and feedback. As you can see we are getting more comments each week that are published on the blog. If you wish to comment, just remember you must do it from a computer not connected through the District's internet connection.

I appreciate the question and look forward to lots of comments in the future!

.

Press Box Mini-Redo/Band Room Upgrades

2009-09-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

.

You may notice when you go to the football game this Friday that the press box has undergone a little face lift. Windows were added and an air conditioner installed. This was due to a recent trip I took to the football field and visited the box at the top of the bleachers. What I found was not good. Carpet had been hung from the walls and attached to the ceiling, apparently to help keep the heat out. The musty smell from the carpet filled the box and it wasn't pleasant. We're now working to seal up the building as much as possible to keep moisture out and make the building as safe as possible for those using it.

If you haven't noticed the new murals going up at the band room, I encourage you to drive by and take a look. The Holtville Band of Pride mural is the first and over the next week you should see more, adding to the fresh look of this building.

I've made an effort the past year to get out to all of our facilities and see what we can do to improve the appearance, safety and functionality of our school buildings.

Please let me know of any facility concerns you have so we can address them as funding permits.

.

The Waiting Game Begins......

2009-09-24T09:54:00.001-07:00

I'm happy to report that at its last meeting, the school board authorized the submission of a Career-Tech Facilities grant that could bring a whole new program and building to the Holtville High School Campus.

This grant, which is for just over $2 million, would provide a building of over 12,000 square feet, to be located between the Gym and the Agriculture Department at HHS. The facility would house a very large kitchen (over 3,000 square feet), a classroom (1800 square feet - about double a typical classroom) and a seating/lab area of over 5,000 square feet. The building will house a new "culinary arts" program at the school which will, if funded and built, provide a "career pathway" for those students interested in the Hospitality and Tourism industry. In addition to cooking and baking classes, students will be exposed to business management concepts, food science, accounting and other fields relating to the industry. When the facility is not being used for this primary purpose, the High School and community will use it for a multitude of activities.

We will be notified by the end of February 2010 if we were selected for funding. Fortunately, this program is funded through state bond programs and should not be impacted by the current state fiscal crisis.

We're keeping our fingers crossed that this very ambitious grant is funded, bringing countless opportunities for our students.

A very special thank you for the tremendous outpouring of support from local businesses, individual community members and service clubs. Your support pushes us on in our drive to be the most successful educational institution in the Valley!

.

....the game....and the band...plays on...

2009-09-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

Did you get a chance to make it to the football game last Friday night?

If you did, you discovered two things.

Our football team, in spite of its rough start, showed great courage and improvement. The other thing you would have noticed is that the band is continuing with its great tradition of excellence.

As to the football team, Coach Smith and his boys really gave Desert Mirage High School a run for it Friday. Desert Mirage High School has over 1800 students, compared to Holtville's 585. Even with that obvious advantage, our team came within one touchdown toward a win. In the previous week, Desert Mirage beat Calexico, another large school, by a score of 42-21. We're looking for some exciting games ahead, including this Friday when the Southwest High School Eagles from El Centro come to town.

On another note....did you hear the Viking Band of Pride Friday night? Under Mr. Thiessen's direction, the band is living up to its name. The spirit of the great band is living on. There were many questions about how our band would survive after Mr. Macon (semi)retired last year. Those questions were answered with a spirited performance at the football game. This Friday we will again see the Band of Pride perform for the home crowd.

I hope you can make it Friday to see both our team and our band as they give it their all for the hometown crowd!

A Moment to Remember

2009-09-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Finley Students participate in Patriot Day ceremonies September 11, 2009.

Today our schools took a few moments to remember the events of September 11, 2001.

Our students took part in various events at each school, including reverently hearing stories and essays written by students, singing patriotic songs and hearing of the tragic events that created a need for such a day.

As I stood among the students at Finley School as they recited the pledge of allegiance, sang several inspiring songs and heard from our Fire Chief of the sacrifices made that day eight years ago, I couldn't help but notice the age of our students. We are at a time now where the majority of our elementary students were not yet born when this historic event fell upon our country.

In a way, I think that's a good thing. They don't have to remember that day of terror that so many of us vividly remember. They don't have to remember the panic that ensued, or have memories of the days of fear that followed.

But, it is important they learn about this day when so many people lost their lives, so many families lost loved ones and the country lost so many heroes who thought only of others as they gave their lives to save them. It's a day in our history none of us wanted, and it's a day we never want to repeat.

That's why it's important to remember and learn.

.

Just another great Holtville student story!

2009-09-04T08:27:00.001-07:00

FROM THE IMPERIAL VALLEY PRESS

GRIDIRON PROFILES: Vera inspires Vikings
By TOM RONCO, Special to this Newspaper

Thursday, September 3, 2009 10:53 PM PDT

Every team can use an inspiration.
Some teams are inspired by their coaches but this year’s Holtville High football team’s coaches are inspired by a player — Ignacio Vera.

Vera will be playing wide receiver and defensive back and when you meet him you might be tempted to question his coaches about those particular positions.

That’s because while Vera has decent size and speed for the positions and the requisite two arms and two legs, he plays them with the only hand — his right — with which he was born.

“My freshman year they needed someone to play wide receiver and I’m not sure I caught a pass,” Vera said. “Last year I wanted to play both (positions) on (junior varsity), but they put me on varsity as a cornerback.”

If the receivers he defended noticed anything, they never mentioned it.

“I’m sure they noticed but I’m sure they were thinking that I’m on varsity for a reason,” Vega said.

The reason was obvious to his coaches.

“He is one of the hardest workers on this team,” said Viking head coach Keith Smith Jr. “He worked hard all spring and summer and some of the things he does just amazes us.”

It wasn’t always so.

“I started playing softball, basketball and soccer at the middle school in the eighth grade basically to have fun that year and get to know more people,” Vera said. “Until then I had held back … I basically played soccer, where hands didn’t matter.”

Vera credits his Holtville Middle School coaches with turning his athletic life around.

“My coaches supported and encouraged me. They worked with me on my skills … like Miss Estrada, who taught me to shoot a basketball with one hand,” Vera said. “I gained confidence when I started doing things and then as I did them I gained more confidence.”

Arriving at Holtville High, Vera decided he was on a par with the other freshmen going out for football.

“There were not many of us who played Pop Warner, so we were all new to the sport and learned together,” Vera said.

His commitment to the sport caught everyone’s attention, especially when Smith took over this year and emphasized weight-training.

“I started bench-pressing this year and I was worried about how to do it, but my coaches and the other players helped me and they have ideas for my biceps and other muscles,” Vera said.

Vera also gets help at home.

“My younger brother is a freshman and he throws me passes and helps me out, and my parents and everyone support me,” Vera said.

Smith thinks Vera helps the team on many levels.

“He’ll help us on both offense (flanker) and defense (cornerback) ... he’s one determined kid,” Smith said.

“He doesn’t have a disability … he’s got heart and everyone should have his attitude and work ethic.”

What's new with the swine flu?

2009-09-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

As you may know, the new H1N1 flu has been circulating throughout the state of California, and it is likely now that children are back in school, we will see an increase in flu cases spreading from child to child.

We are all hoping that the fall flu season will be mild, but we encourage you to be diligent in helping us to stop the spread of the virus.

At this time, state and local public health officials have advised that students can-- and should - continue to come to school, as long as they are not sick and do not have flu symptoms. Flu-like symptoms include: fever (over 100 degrees F), feverishness, cough, sore throat, runny nose, or stuffy nose. Additional symptoms may be experienced with swine flu, including body aches, feeling very tired, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend that all individuals with an influenza-like illness or symptoms should remain home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen), and should avoid contact with others.

It is also important to teach your children how to reduce their risk of getting the flu and how to protect others from becoming infected. If we all practice good hygiene, health officials believe we can limit the spread of swine flu in our schools and child care centers.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when sick and maintain distance from other people to prevent the spread of illness.
• Wash hands often, with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds (that is about as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice). Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective in reducing the spread of the flu.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow. Wash hands after blowing nose or coughing into a tissue, and dispose of tissues after use.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth to prevent the spread of germs.

Public health officials stress that it is very important to get separate vaccinations for seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu this year. The seasonal flu vaccines were already in production when the new H1N1 flu broke out, and it may be available as early as August or September. It is recommended that you and your family get this vaccination as soon as it is available from your health care provider or local clinic. The H1N1 vaccine is currently being tested, and may be available sometime between October and January. The H1N1 vaccine may require two shots given several weeks apart to provide adequate protection. Initially there may be limited supplies, and high-risk groups may be vaccinated first.

We at Holtville Unified are diligently working to slow the spread of all viruses on our campus. We are making sure all student contact areas such as doorknobs, drinking fountains and computer keyboard and mouses (mice?) are wiped down on a regular basis.

If you would like to help by sending kleenex and antibacterial wipes to school with your child, it would be greatly appreciated!

The Big 1 - 0 - 0!

2009-08-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

.

Happy 100th Birthday to Holtville High School! Let's make this our best year yet!

.

Welcome Back!

2009-08-20T07:24:00.000-07:00

To the parents, students and staff of the Holtville Unified School District:

I truly hope you enjoyed your summer with family and loved ones, traveling, relaxing around the house, playing games, or finding other ways to re-energize yourselves for the coming year.

Last year we made great progress towards ensuring that every student in our District receives a high-quality, worthwhile education. STAR test scores, just one of the ways we measure success, are coming back strong, showing great progress in many areas. While we have some areas needing improvement, I know that with all of us working together we can continue the Holtville tradition of having great schools.

This year brings new challenges. As you have probably heard, education took quite a beating in the state budget. We are working with about 20%+ less funding than we should have for this school year. For our District that means that we will be receiving about $3,000,000 less than we would normally be working with. This has required us to tighten our belts district-wide. For the past year, we have been diligently monitoring and adjusting our staffing levels and other expenditures to make sure we can get through this difficult time. Through these efforts we have mostly succeeded in keeping the cuts away from the classroom. We have a smaller administrative team, less custodians and maintenance employees and fewer support positions. In addition, through attrition, our teaching staff is smaller to reflect the decline in enrollment over the past several years. Even with all these cuts, however, we are still able to provide music and arts education, a vibrant athletic program and course offerings not typically found in a district our size.

I look forward to another fantastic year for the students and staff of Holtville Unified School District!

We had to paint the bleachers RED - blame the fire code, not Celso!

2009-08-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

I've been getting some flak about having "Imperial Red" on our football field bleachers. This certainly wasn't our idea....we'd love to paint them Kelley Green, but we are simply following the fire code which requires us to paint all aisle ways red.....

speaking of Imperial.....

I have had many questions as to why Imperial is no longer on the football schedule. Imperial has moved up to big school status and is now in a different division. We are hoping that within a year or two we can play a non-league game with them.

The schedules for boys Varsity Football and Girls Volleyball are now posted at the bottom of this page. As you can see, our first home game for Varsity Volleyball will be on September 3, 2009 against Yuma Catholic, and our first home varsity football game will be against Desert Mirage on September 18th.

I hope to see you at the games cheering our Vikings on!

Summer Vacation is Almost Over! (sorry, kids...)

2009-08-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

The first day of school for students is Monday, August 24th. That day we will see lots of eager, well-dressed, happy students, looking for their classrooms and meeting up with their friends, some of whom they haven't seen for over two months!

Over the summer, we've been busy - hiring new teachers and support staff, ordering supplies and completing our summer maintenance projects.

Unfortunately, due to the sad state of our state budget, we have had to limit what we can accomplish with our facilities. Still our maintenance crew, under the direction of Miguel Mata, has been very busy. Fresh paint is all over our schools, cracked concrete is being patched, and some classes are getting long-overdue "mini-remodels" with new ceilings, flooring and paint.

This past year, our district was awarded over $800,000 from the federal "e-rate program" to update our computer network. With the new equipment, we have blazing internet speed and a direct fiber link to the Imperial Valley Telecommunications Authority network. The work on this project is almost complete and we are happy that we can provide this sort of technology to our students.

So what does the new state budget mean to Holtville Schools?

Due to the state and national economy, our budget has been severely cut. Holtville Schools will work with a budget that is about $3,000,000 less than what we should have received.

Our school board and administration, however, did not wait until the budget was passed to address the shortfall. Throughout last year, we became much more lean, working to cut expenses as far from the classroom as possible. We did not lay any employees off, but we did not fill all the positions that became vacant during the year. We are working with a much smaller staff now, but the students will not be denied a great education.

Despite the budget situation, each of our schools will still be offering great educational opportunities for our students. Music, art and athletics will still be going strong this year, despite the fact that many other districts have had to cut these programs. We have recently hired a new band director who is eager to carry on the tradition of the Viking Band of Pride, located in the newly named "Lendal Macon Music and Arts Center." Mr. Cato continues in his role as Athletic Director and assures me that we are going to have an outstanding program this year.

Our principals are also busy preparing for a great year!

I hope you and your families have enjoyed your time together this summer as we all look forward to another productive year at Holtville Schools!

Keep Cool!

2009-06-25T14:46:00.001-07:00

With temperatures now close to 110, it's time to find a place to keep cool and take care of yourself, friends and neighbors. The Public Health Department provides the following advice.

There are several steps individuals can take to protect themselves during extreme hot weather. Residents are urged to take precautionary measures to prevent heat related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. These steps include:
• Dress in lightweight, loose fitting clothing,
• Drink a variety of fluids, including water, fruit juice and sports drinks,
• Check on neighbors, especially seniors, children, and neighbors who live alone,
• Keep physical activities to a minimum during the hottest part of the day,
• Stay indoors and out of the sun during the hottest part of the day,
• Use fans as appropriate,
• Use cool showers, baths, misting and washcloths,
• Avoid hot foods and heavy meals.

Individuals are advised to stay indoors with cool air during the hottest hours of the day and be even more vigilant when they do spend time outdoors. Going to air conditioned areas is an alternative when facing extreme heat, however, for those who live in remote areas this is not always possible and a number of community agencies have come together once again this year to provide cool centers that are conveniently located.

If you must go out to the heat, take the following precautions.

• Try to go out before noon or in the evening.
• Reduce your physical activity. If you must participate in a physical activity outdoors, make sure you drink plenty of water. Sports drinks may replenish the salt and minerals that you lose when you sweat.
• Try to rest regularly in shaded areas.
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses and apply sun block containing a protection level of SPF of 15 or greater (the more effective products indicate “UVA/UVB protection” on the label.)

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, weakness, fainting and vomiting. Heat stroke is considered a severe medical emergency. The symptoms due to heat stroke include hot dry skin, rapid and strong pulse and possible unconsciousness. Emergency medical assistance should be summoned immediately or the victim should be taken to the hospital immediately if suffering from heat stroke.

If your house is "under air conditioned", the County Health Department has set up various "Cool Centers" around the county. For more information on the Cool Centers and the various locations in Imperial County please call (760) 482-4968.

Onward and Upward

2009-06-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

June is a special time for most of our students. While almost all of our students dream of long, lazy summer days filled with swimming, traveling, watching movies or just kicking back at home, there is a large group of students who will be facing new challenges next year.

Whether they are being promoted to the high school from Pine or Finley Schools or have reached the end of their high school career at HHS or Sam Webb HS, this is an exciting time of year.

At the various end-of-the-year events I attended this year, I was impressed with the optimism and forward thinking our students display. There are those who are excited about the possibility of making a sports team next year, cheerleading, joining the Viking Band of Pride, or taking the challenges of High School head on.

At a recent band concert, Mr. Macon asked each senior what they were planning to do next year. One by one they stated which college or trade school they were going to attend. With only one exception, every student had plans to go to college. This speaks highly of the college-going culture we have been working on in our district the last several years.

At each promotion exercise I attended, there was a common theme of thanks. Thank yous to parents and teachers were endless. This is evidence that our students are connecting and appreciating the hard work that our teachers and staff are doing for our kids.

I think we had an outstanding school year, and based on the commitment and dedication each of our teachers has exhibited this year, combined with the incredible community support we have, next year looks to be even better.

Enjoy your summer, enjoy your kids. Take time to appreciate all that you have, because the gift of parenthood is special.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

.

Officially Distinguished

2009-06-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, May 29, 2009, Holtville High School officially received its plaque and was honored by the California Department of Education as a Distinguished School. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this happen!

.

2009-2010 Calendar Approved

2009-05-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Comment: I think a more traditional calendar would be better. Only have Wed., Thurs., and Fri. off for Thanksgiving and instead of two holidays for presidents just have the one. There are too many days off in the year as it is.

I completely agree with you on this. The calendar we sent to the School Board for approval is the calendar that our local Uniserve Office worked out with ICOE so that we could have a more uniform calendar throughout the county. Unfortunately, not all districts are following it, so next year we may be more on our own and can possibly compress the calendar a little bit. I’m planning to survey employees in the fall to see which vacation days are the most important to them. As far as the presidents’ holidays, that’s a quirky requirement of the Education Code.

You can click on the calendar above to get a full size copy of next year's school calendar.

Mr. Macon Honored

2009-05-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 is a day that I'm sure will forever be etched into our fantastic musical arts director Lendal Macon's memory. It was the day that the school board met and passed the following resolution:

Resolution of the Holtville Unified School District

Whereas; Mr. Lendal Macon began his career at Holtville Unified School District in 1976 and has served the students of Holtville for over 33 years; and

Whereas; Mr. Macon has taught Band, Chorus, Drama, World History and numerous other classes for thousands of students in a superior manner; and

Whereas; Mr. Macon honorably represented the school by conducting the Viking Band of Pride as they played for President Ronald Reagan; and

Whereas; Mr. Macon’s band program is highly regarded throughout the region, and has received numerous awards and accolades, including first place at the Holiday Bowl Parade and the Perpetual Sweepstakes trophy at the Cattle Call Parade; and

Whereas; Mr. Macon has a great love for his school and students, shown repeatedly through his actions, and represented by his induction into the Holtville High School Hall of Fame; and

Whereas; Mr. Macon is greatly respected by his colleagues, parents, students, and the community at large for his dedication to his profession; and

Whereas; Mr. Macon, a graduate of Holtville High School himself, has upheld and promoted the great Holtville High School tradition of a commitment to excellence;

Now Therefore, Be It Resolved that from this day forward, that the classroom previously known as
"The Band Room" be forever known as,

"The Lendal Macon Music and Arts Center"

Presented by the Holtville Unified School District Board of Trustees
May 2009

The resolution was signed by our Board President, Kevin Grizzle, Board Clerk John Hawk, Members Rochelle Rolfe, Ben Abatti, Jr. and Matt Hester. Student Board Member Sarah Jane Abatti and I also had the honor of signing the resolution.

After the resolution was read, Mr. Macon was shown the very large plaque that will be displayed on the building in his honor. The resolution and plaque resulted in a standing ovation for Mr. Macon, one of several during the evening's concert event.

At the concert, Mr. Macon was honored by the Band Boosters, who joined with Laura Goodsell to provide him with a special three day vacation to Las Vegas, including tickets to a great show.

In addition, the senior girls in the Chorus presented Mr. Macon with a single rose each, accompanied by a hug for their long time teacher.

Mr. Macon was also honored by alumni who played with the band as well as by Mrs. Hester, the principal at HHS who presented Mr. Macon with a lifetime pass to all events held at the high school.

Mr. Macon's wife Victoria was on hand for the occasion, as were many dignitaries from the community, including the city council and Chamber of Commerce.

In addition, the concert was FANTASTIC. We have a tremendous amount of talent in this community and the students were allowed to show it off last night through their voices and instruments.

A very fitting farewell concert for one of Holtville's treasures.

...And now a musical interlude.....

2009-05-15T11:54:00.001-07:00

I hope you will all be able to join us on Tuesday, May 19^th at 7:00 PM at the Finley Auditorium for Mr. Macon’s farewell performance as the director of the Holtville High School Band and Chorus. Based on the performances held throughout this year, I know it will be a spectacular concert.

In addition to the wonderful music, there will be a special presentation made to honor Mr. Macon for his 33+ years of dedicated service to the students, parents and community of Holtville.

Retiree Dinner Coming Up, Get your tickets NOW!

2009-05-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating the contributions and professionalism of six of our outstanding teachers who have decided to retire this year. On Tuesday, May 26, we will be holding a retirement dinner at the Swiss Club honoring these wonderful individuals. EVERYONE is invited to attend. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased from Carol Stevens at the District Office. You can reserve your space by calling her at 356-2974 or dropping by the District Office at 621 E. 6th Street.

Our honorees include:

Glenn Cox
John Reschert
Lendal Macon
Susan Massey
Elizabeth Medeiros
Betty Rodahl

I hope you are able to join us in this festive occasion!!

Celebrating the Day of the Teacher - Wednesday, May 13, 2009

2009-05-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

The California Day of the Teacher is Wednesday, May 13!

Celebrate Excellence Every Day!

2009-05-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

This is the "Week of the Teacher" - a national designation to salute those who work so hard to educate our kids. Next Wednesday is California's Day of the Teacher. While the District is having a "Dessert Day" for our staff on Wednesday, it's a good time to reflect on the year we have had and whether or not we are truly making a difference in the lives of the kids of our District. Whenever I get a chance, I go to schools to see our teachers in action. Every time I step on a campus I see dedicated, hard working individuals who are working together to make sure our kids succeed.I know that the teachers of the Holtville Unified School District are making a difference, each and every day.

If you get a chance, I would encourage you to have your child write a note to their teacher, thanking them for a great year and how much they appreciate the hard work our teachers do for them. I know I've received hundreds of these notes over the past 20+ years and I never get tired of them. Whenever I come across an old note, it brings me back to that frozen place in time. I can remember the face of the student who wrote the note, where they sat in class and what made them unique. If I run into one of those "kids," who now may have families of their own, I remind them of the note they wrote me and how much it still means to me. Usually I get a smile back that tells me they meant what they wrote. After all these years it stills means a lot.

So, if you get a chance, take a few minutes to let your child's teacher know what they mean to you and your children. I know it will be appreciated!

CDC Changes guidance on Swine Flu

2009-05-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Encouraging news. Probably no more closures, BUT we need to be diligent in prevention.

Recommendations from the Center for Disease Control:

School closure is not advised for a suspected or confirmed case of novel influenza A (H1N1) and, in general, is not advised unless there is a magnitude of faculty or student absenteeism that interferes with the school’s ability to function.
Schools that were closed based on previous interim CDC guidance related to this outbreak may reopen.
Students, faculty or staff with influenza-like illness (fever with a cough or sore throat) should stay home and not attend school or go into the community except to seek medical care for at least 7 days even if symptoms resolve sooner.
Students, faculty and staff who are still sick 7 days after they become ill should continue to stay home from school until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved.
Students, faculty and staff who appear to have an influenza-like illness at arrival or become ill during the school day should be isolated promptly in a room separate from other students and sent home.
Parents and guardians should monitor their school-aged children, and faculty and staff should self-monitor every morning for symptoms of influenza-like illness.
Ill students should not attend alternative child care or congregate in settings other than school.
School administrators should communicate regularly with local public health officials to obtain guidance about reporting of influenza-like illnesses in the school.
Schools can help serve as a focus for educational activities aimed at promoting ways to reduce the spread of influenza, including hand hygiene and cough etiquette.
Students, faculty and staff should stringently follow sanitary measures to reduce the spread of influenza, including covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or coughing or sneezing into their sleeve if a tissue isn’t available), frequently washing hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer if hand washing with soap and water is not possible.

Further guidance can be found in:

Questions and Answers About Novel H1N1 Flu at
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm

Thank you!

2009-05-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some web based resources regarding the H1N1 Virus

2009-05-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

Center for Disease Control

California Department of Public Health

California Department of Education

H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) Update

2009-05-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

There have been numerous questions about the possible closing of our schools due to the H1N1 Virus, commonly known as Swine Flu. At this point, we do not have any students or staff who have been positively diagnosed, or even considered "probable" for the virus. Of course, as testing continues, this could change at any time. In an effort to let schools know what procedures are to take place, a teleconference with the state's education and health departments was held today. Some of the highlights are below: (Note that all information given out at any given time is subject to immediate change as conditions warrant)

• There are approximately 15 schools in California that are reported to be closed. El Centro, as you know, dismissed students at McKinley, Sunflower and Washington Schools.

• The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has announced that when a school is closed or a “student dismissal” period is announced, schools may be closed for up to 14 days. This was decided this morning and extends the initial 7 day advisory that was in effect up to this time.

• If schools are closed or students dismissed, it will be on the recommendation of the County Health Officer. The School District cannot close schools without the recommendation from this officer.

• Contrary to rumors circulating about, there is no plan to unilaterally close all schools in California. Schools will only be recommended for closing if a “probable” or “confirmed” case of the N1H1 Virus is found to be present. “Probable” is a medical term referring to specific guidelines and medical testing outcomes. It is not based on the appearance of flu like symptoms. The schools cannot determine if a student is “probable”.

• Currently, no cases have been found in Holtville Schools. ONLY the 3 students identified in El Centro have been determined to be “probable”.

• If a closure takes place, only the school that has the affected student will be closed. We cannot have a Districtwide closure unless there is evidence that the virus is present in those other schools. There was a question about siblings and parents being infected by the affected student and the response was that is was up to the Health Department to investigate and make recommendations.

• The purpose of closing a school and dismissing students is for what the Health Department calls “social distancing,” trying to keep kids from sneezing coughing on each other and spreading the virus. It should be noticed that the students in closed districts/schools have fully recovered from the illness and may have been back in school healthy. The reason for the 14 days closure is to ensure anyone who may have come in contact with the originally infected student has had to time to experience the illness, recover, and not be contagious, further spreading the virus.

• If students are dismissed and schools closed, the missed days will not have to be made up.

• CDE is seeking STAR waivers for delaying the STAR testing if needed. More on that will be sought if needed.

• If any of our schools are closed, the process will move very quickly. The county has offered to allow us to use their “Reverse 911” system to call parents in our District if necessary.

• This is a new strain of the flu virus, which is why such precautionary measures are being taken. It is important, and was stressed multiple times by the experts that we must have our children and adults:

Wash their hands as often as possible, definitely after recesses and before and after lunch. Washing should be with soap or an antibacterial hand sanitizer. If using soap, at least 20 seconds per scrubbing is required.

Use and throw away tissues for coughing and sneezing.

Kids that are sick need to stay home. Same for adults.

What is the District doing about Swine Flu?

2009-04-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the very timely question.

After the announcement of some cases of Swine Flu being confirmed in the county, the Holtville Unified School District is taking steps to help parents identify symptoms of the flu and encouraging them to seek medical attention for those exhibiting the symptoms as a precautionary measure.

The District sent a notice home Monday advising parents to keep children home if they exhibit the following symptoms: fever, cough, vomiting, trouble breathing, bluish skin color and diarrhea. Parents should seek medical help if these symptoms occur. While the symptoms are similar to the ordinary flu or cold, the school district wants to make sure that the children are well taken care of and to ensure that the virus, if present, is not spread to other students. Once students are no longer exhibiting symptoms of the flu, they will be welcomed back to class. Children with resolved symptoms do not pose a risk to their classmates or others. It should be noted that while there have been adults diagnosed with Swine Flu in the Valley, no students in our District have been identified as of yet.

Parents can do their part by modeling behaviors that limit exposure to the flu. Kleenex should be used for those who are coughing or sneezing, with the tissue thrown away after use. Washing hands with soap or using antibacterial hand cleaners are also effective in limiting the spread of any virus. Everyone is also encouraged to stay healthy by eating a balance diet, drinking plenty of water and getting adequate rest and exercise.

The District is ensuring that each classroom has tissues ready (parents are encouraged to send a box or two to their child's classroom!) and that soap dispensers are working properly and filled. Students will be asked to wash their hands as often as needed, especially after recesses and before and after lunch.

Due to the potential seriousness of the Swine Flu, the District will be asking parents to report symptoms of those students who stay home and in turn the District will be providing composite information to the Health Department on a daily basis.

We take your child's health very seriously and our school nurse, principals and support staff are here to ensure that we do everything possible to help contain any virus that may be present.

Further information regarding the Swine Flu can be obtained from the Imperial county Public Health Department at 482-4738 or from the Center for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov

.

Good News Spreads Fast!

2009-04-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a great article in the IVPress written by Jonathan Dale.

www.ivpressonline.com/articles/2009/04/08/local_news/news01.txt

We have so much to be proud of in this District!

.

Much Earned Recognition for HHS!

2009-04-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

Holtville High School Receives Top School Award in State

(note: This is the press release sent to news agencies announcing the big award!)

When Jacki Hester received a phone call mid-day Wednesday, she was prepared to receive the news that Holtville High School was just named a California Distinguished School. After all, the school had been working hard over the past several years, increasing course offerings, providing tutoring and supplemental classes for students in need, and ensuring that the teachers and staff were doing all they could for their students. Test scores are continually rising and student involvement in activities and extracurricular activities is increasing. Teachers are collaborating and providing outstanding hands-on activities and the Academic Achievement Index, used to measure a school’s success, is climbing. Students are being accepted to college at a higher rate than ever and the drop out rate continues to be among the lowest in the county.

Still, once State Superintendent of Schools Jack O’Connell personally informed her of the designation and that Holtville High School will receive the award May 29th at a ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel, Hester could not hold back her excitement. “This award has been a long time coming and well deserved for the teachers, staff, students and community. Those of us working at Holtville High have always known what an outstanding education we are providing. By receiving this award, now the whole Valley can see what we are so excited about.”

During the phone call, O’Connell noted the progress the school has made significant gains on “closing the achievement gap,” between all the different demographics of the school. This means simply that every student, regardless of ethnicity, socio-economic background or English language ability has access to a high quality, standards based education and can be successful at Holtville High School.

District Superintendent Jon LeDoux notes that this is the first such award the District has ever received. “If you were to walk on to the campus of Holtville High School, you would immediately understand why we received this award. The grounds are clean, the facilities beautiful and the students respectful and focused on their studies. The teachers, counselors, administrators and support staff have really poured their hearts into this school and this community to make sure our kids get exactly what they need to be successful in life. There really is no mystery why students from throughout the Valley have chosen Holtville High School as their school.”
The school offers a very diverse course offering, including Agriculture, Music, Foreign Language, Business and advanced courses in math, English, and science in addition to journalism, yearbook, college writing, AVID, ELD as well as support classes for CAHSEE and English.

In addition to academics, Holtville High School also excels in the areas of academic supports and extra curricular activities. This year the Link Crew program was fully implemented, which was a welcome addition to our campus. Every freshman has a junior or senior Link Leader as a mentor. Link Leaders provide support in the areas of academics, socialization, and leadership skills. They also provide weekly peer tutoring after school. Holtville High School also offers a wide variety of clubs and organizations with a high degree of student participation. Some choices are MESA, STEPS (environmental science), Yellow Ribbon, FFA, Interact, Campus Life and Pep Club. In addition to clubs, students are very involved in the athletic program.

Are we going to have summer school this year?

2009-03-10T15:01:00.001-07:00

We are planning to have summer school this year. We have not yet determined exactly how many students we will have space for but we will be having classes in grades 1 - 12 this summer.

Unfortunately, unless an alternative funding source presents itself to us, we will not be having a pre-k program this year. This program was enormously popular last year but as of this time we do not have the funding to do it again. There is always hope that we will receive a grant to provide this program, but we cannot rely on that possibility.

We do know that we are planning for summer school to be shorter this year; four weeks instead of five.

We will have further information on summer school as we get closer.

UPDATE: We have been offered funding to house a Pre-K program this summer! We are now planning on offering 2 teachers the opportunity to provide a summer school for those students about to enter kindergarten. More details coming soon on this good news!

With all the budget cuts and Mr. Macon retiring, what is the plan for the music program at the high school? Is this going to be a program that is cut?

2009-03-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the question!

While it is true that the state budget is going to have a severe impact on all the school districts in California, we at HUSD have been working hard to mitigate its impact on our students.

Our goal is to respond to the state budget crisis in a calm, cool manner that allows us to keep the cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. While many districts are cutting sports, music and class size reduction from their budgets, we are hopeful that we can continue every current program we have in some fashion. By that I mean that some programs may be refocused or reduced, but not eliminated.

As you know, under Mr. Macon's direction, the Viking Band of Pride is a flagship program at HHS. Our student musicians have benefited greatly from Mr. Macon's dedication to his students, school and community. There is no way that we would allow this fantastic program to go away. In fact, we have already begun the process to fill the position of band teacher and have several applicants already.

I will say that we are advertising the position as a 4-12 Band/Chorus teacher, with an emphasis on 9-12. It is possible that we may have to have the new band teacher teach a class at the middle school and/or elementary schools in addition to the high school. This gives us flexibility in the event we are not able to fully fund an elementary/middle school position.

The elementary/middle school position has traditionally been a very difficult position to fill, and we need to have as much flexibility as possible. We will attempt to staff this position (at the elementary/middle schools ) as a part time position.

So, what are we doing to ensure we can afford to keep the programs we currently have? Over the past several months, we have been quietly, through attrition, reducing the staffing levels of the district. We have reduced the maintenance and administrative staff significantly. We will continue to look at each open position that comes up and analyze whether or not the position absolutely needs to be filled. If it does not, we will hold it open until it is needed.

Our biggest battle in the budget, however, is not what they do to us at the state level. Our current battle is that of declining enrollment. Each year, for the past several years, our enrollment has been dropping. The past three years we have seen a severe drop and are working to correct that. For every student that leaves our district, we have to find a way to cover the $8,000 or so that student takes from our district on an annual basis.

I'm hopeful that each of you reading this will help promote the district. We are doing fantastic things in this district and we all need to do our part to let everyone know it. Our music program is definitely one that we can be proud of and I assure you that it will continue on well in to the future.

What's going on at the auditorium?

2009-02-17T08:27:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the question!

The auditorium at Finley is perhaps the oldest building in the District, except for possibly the old School House that sits on the Pine School grounds. The auditorium has undergone numerous changes over the years and has presented some interesting challenges. When you view the building from Sixth Street you can see where it has been patched over the years. There used to be an extension of the building, possibly used for the sound or lighting booth over the front entrance to the building.

The major challenges with the building have to do with its age and the cost to upgrade the building to meet current codes. We recently were approved for a roofing grant from the Office of Public School Construction, and are awaiting the funds. Unfortunately, the state budget mess has put a hold on all construction dollars. Once that hold is lifted, the auditorium will get its new roof. This will allow us to concentrate on the other issues having to do with the building. Our architect and facilities consultants are working on a new grant to bring the electrical components of the building up to code. This is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $600K - $1Million. Nothing is inexpensive when you are talking about California public works projects.

Once the the roofing and electrical are upgraded, we can look at what needs to be done inside. Initial review of the building shows that the flooring must be either replaced or patched and resurfaced. In addition, the seating, which has a great nostalgic feel to it, is splintering and either needs to be replaced or we need to find a way to refinish the wooden portions of the seats. Unfortunately the company that built the seats is long out of business.

Another item that needs to be addressed is the ceiling, which has rotting ceiling tiles. This will be a little easier to fix once the roof has been replaced. I've been told that there is a decorative ceiling above the ceiling tiles and we will be looking at what type of ceiling would work during the upgrade.

Anyone who has been in the auditorium during one of our hot days knows that the air conditioning must be upgrade and reducted.

Overall, our architect has placed an initial estimate of $1M-$1.5 to bring the building up to current code. We will continue to pursue funding for this great old building. In the mean time, we GREATLY appreciate the commitment to the building that our parents have had. The Finley Parents have begun to paint the entire inside of the auditorium and are doing an outstanding job.

Over the next few years, we hope to bring this building back up to its former glory days.