Students Find Jobs with Career Visions
The District’s Career Visions (CV) program reported a significant increase in the number of students seeking program related workforce preparation and job placement services since the school year began in August 2012. Supervisor Kevin Sarkissian commented on the encouraging trend. “We’re continuing to focus on several key areas of growth including: community outreach, family education, workforce preparation, and local job development, leading to long term employment for any special education student expressing a desire to work. The Career Visions team, with financial support from California’s Department of Rehabilitation and Department of Education,   has been working hard to develop quality, private sector work training partnerships with local employers throughout the SCV. As a result, we’ve enjoyed tremendous success this school year, helping more than 150 students find work since late summer.” This news supports a continued statewide interest to bring proven workforce preparation fundamentals into the classroom while offering the added incentive of a paid work training experience intent on embracing a direct hire and long term employment philosophy. “In this time of economic challenge, it’s encouraging to see state and local government continue to acknowledge the importance of having workforce development training opportunities such as CV’s Workforce Preparation and the special education department’s LifeWorks classes. Ultimately, the great thing about this opportunity is that it helps many of our student participants become productive, gainfully employed members of our local community,” Sarkissian said. Business owners and managers seeking more information about participating in the Career Visions program can visit www.cvworks.org  or contact 661-250-0022 X 552.

Bowman Students Create Unique “Butterfly Project”
ASB students organized the annual Butterfly Project event for all Bowman High School students.  The Butterfly Project was created as a way to show love and support for people who are engaging in risky behaviors or harming themselves by cutting.  The butterfly “tattoo” is drawn using permanent markers and was originally designed to remind people who are cutting themselves to not “harm” the butterfly.  Since then, it has expanded to draw attention to all forms of self-harm.  By having a butterfly drawn on your hand or face, you are pledging to take care of yourself and to persuade friends or family to discontinue self-harming behaviors.

Golden Oak Student Gets a “Re-do”’
Riana Kort, 22, is wrapping up her last class at Golden Oak Adult School after spending the last two years burning through courses at breakneck speed in pursuit of earning her high school diploma. A native Californian and single mother, Riana left high school after struggling most of her junior year and headed to Alabama with her infant son looking for a fresh start. After four years, she realized that her lack of education and the absence of support and encouragement from family close by were hindering her opportunities. Riana and her son Anthony returned to California to accomplish her objectives of both completing high school and ultimately pursuing higher education. She once thought her obstacles were too great to overcome; now that she is securely on her way, she is extremely proud of herself and thankful to Golden Oak for what she refers to as her ‘re-do’. Fluent in Spanish, Arabic and French, Riana plans to attend College of the Canyons and then Fresno State University where she will study linguistics and earn a teaching credential. Riana plans to further continue her education by attaining a master’s degree. After graduation, she intends to work with English as a Second Language students who are struggling academically due to their English language limitations, using her multilingual ability to its best advantage by helping others overcome their obstacles.

Placerita Students Gain Lifelong Dance Skills in Popular PE Class
Over the past 40 Years, the Placerita Junior High School physical education department has taught a five-week dance unit to all students. This unit is a fan favorite with every seventh and eighth grader. Students are partnered and taught square dancing and social dancing including: Cha Cha, Waltz and Swing, as well as line dancing such as Electric Slide, Power Jam, Ghost Busters, and Texas Stomp. Students are taught proper social skills, such as etiquette, courtesy, and respect. Teachers have reported running into former students around town, who often ask if they still teach the dance unit. Many former students can recall the dance steps, have fond memories of the class and share that they appreciated the dance lessons as part of the PE program. The dance unit has been a great success at Placerita.

Rio Norte Students Bring Awareness Through Operation US
Rio Norte  Junior High School students proudly present the Operation US (United Students) program to third graders at North Park, Helmers, Bridgeport, West Creek, Mountainview, and Tesoro elementary schools each year. Operation US is a diversity awareness program, focused on teaching third graders to take personal responsibility for their words and actions, reducing conflict, and accepting others as they are. Students are guided into understanding the importance of recognizing that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Operation US follows the motto: “Everyone matters in Santa Clarita.”

Hart District ROP Virtual Enterprise Students Win Competition
Hart School District Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Virtual Enterprise students Andrew Ponce and Angel Chinchilla participated in the Youth Entrepreneur Program (YEP) Business Plan competition held in December at College of the Canyons. Representing the virtual company Acoustic Cakes and Apparel, the two led their team to victory, winning the overall best business plan for the 14-17 age group. The team submitted a written business plan critiqued by business leaders in the community. Ponce and Chinchilla gave a brief pitch to a separate panel of industry judges as part of the competition. The combined scores gave them the overall win, $300 cash and the opportunity to work with YEP coordinator Tora Brown as they advance to the state competition in Sacramento with a chance to win $10,000. Virtual Enterprise is a simulated business class offered to juniors and seniors through the Hart District ROP Program.

Sierra Vista PE Program Stars in Nike Feature
Representatives for the international renowned brand Nike filmed Sierra Vista Junior High School students participating in its nationally-recognized physical education program in action. Nike has a sub-division called Designed to Move that visits schools all around the world to promote physical activity and physical education and Sierra Vista was selected as the Nike model school. Nike plans to promote the Sierra Vista PE program to schools and administrators as the best practice for 21st century learning! The video link can be viewed on this website:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPC9R7f1L5k. “Nike’s initiative to promote physical activity and improve physical education programs will educate schools all around the world for teacher best practice and the philosophy change to the New PE,” George Velarde, PE department chair said. “We are very proud to be Nike’s model for their Designed to Move program.  This continues to validate our PE slogan:  No Child Left On Their Behinds.” Principal Mark Crawford expressed the mutual goal that he and Velarde share to spread the idea of teaching physical education by using the idea of life-long fitness and not to just restrict programming to sports skills. “This is just another validation that we are on the right course of action in regards to the fitness education of our youth,” Crawford said. “Nike’s partnership with Sierra Vista will better promote these ideals not just throughout the state of California, but through the nation and beyond.”

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Public Relations Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227
William S. Hart Union School District website: www.hartdistrict.org

Bowman Student Artwork Displayed at Valencia Mall
Bowman High School student art is part of a new exhibit at the Westfield Valencia Town Center, which was unveiled to the public during a special reception last weekend. The art is on display on the second floor of the mall, just off The Patios, on the Sears side of the mall. Under the direction of art teacher, Mary Gaskin, 34 art students at Bowman High School created a beautiful display of original charcoal drawings of their hands. The lessons used to instruct this visual presentation came from the book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,” by Betty Edwards. The contents of the lessons in the book are based on the five perceptual skills of drawing which are: The Perception of Edges, The Perception of Spaces, The Perception of Relationships, the Perception of Lights and Shadows and finally The Perception of the Gestalt. The displayed hand drawings are exercises under the Perception of Edges. The exhibit was arranged in conjunction with the City of Santa Clarita’s Arts and Events Department, and City Councilwoman Marsha Mclean welcomed the guests to the reception. Bowman Principal Robin Geissler and Gaskin spoke to the students, parents and community members in attendance about the success of the art program at Bowman and the high talent level of their students. Teachers and other Bowman and Hart District administrators turned out to celebrate the art exhibit and congratulate the student artists.

Two Hart District Teachers Win California Credit Union Grants
Bowman High School teacher Michael Mansfield and Golden Valley High School teacher Janie Prucha are two recipients of the California Credit Union teacher grant program this year. Each won $500 and competed against hundreds of applicants from throughout Los Angeles. Mansfield (photo on left) will use his grant for publishing the Bowman High School literary magazine featuring the poetry of his creative writing students. The 2013 edition will mark the 21st year of this award-winning publication. Prucha (photo on right) will use her grant in her theatre arts program at Golden Valley to connect her high school students with elementary students in nearby neighborhoods to share the joy of theater and to expose them to opportunities at the high school level. California Credit Union, with a branch in Valencia, was chartered in 1933 by a group of teachers in Los Angeles. CCU locally is a strong supporter of  teachers through this grant program, as well as through the SCV Education Foundation and the WiSH Education Foundation, where CCU frequently sponsors events and programs and contribute to the success of public school education in the SCV. More information about future teacher grant opportunities are posted on their website: www.californiacreditunion.org or visit Michele Wagemaker-Dawdy at the Valencia Branch located in the Barnes & Noble shopping center at Valencia Blvd and Magic Mountain Pkwy.

Canyon ROP Automotive Students Win First Place in County Contest
Congratulations to Canyon High School Regional Occupation Program (ROP) students Ryan Gregory and Joe Gezahegn, under the guidance of Pete Ciccone, ROP auto technology instructor, for taking first place overall in the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association’s (GLANCDA) competition at Whittier College in December.  These young men will be one team of 30 teams advancing to compete for the National Championship in New York City in early April. The National Automotive Technology Competition challenges hundreds of high school students from throughout the United States and Canada by testing their skills and automotive knowledge in a hands-on setting. The challenge of the Auto Tech Competition is to identify the finest two-person high school technician team in Los Angeles County.  The competition is designed to encourage young talented individuals with an aptitude for technology to pursue a career at a retail automotive dealership. Each two-student team rotates through 10 work-stations or “bugged” vehicles, using a repair order with actual customer complaints. The student teams must diagnose and repair the problem within the allotted time. Each “bug” correctly diagnosed and repaired is worth a number of points, depending on the level of difficulty. In addition, the students’ knowledge of emissions control systems, alignment, electrical test equipment, airbag components, oscilloscope usage and mechanical measurement equipment is tested during a series of intensive work station sessions. The high-volume of vehicle sales in Los Angeles County and the advancement of automotive technology creates a demand for dealers to hire highly trained personnel.  This competition promotes the industry need and availability of quality jobs for future technicians. For more information on this ROP program and others through the Hart District visit: www.hartrop.com.

Girl’s Empowerment Conference for Sequoia Students a Big Success
Nearly 20 female students of Sequoia Charter School spent the day at a Girl’s Empowerment Conference held at the Child and Family Center’s Education Center last fall. The purpose of the event was to give the students a day of empowerment through self-esteem, self-advocacy and motivational workshops, and activities and speakers. The event was coordinated by Dr. Karla Arraiaran-Rodrigues, MSW and counselor in the Hart School District, who worked tirelessly to bring special speakers to the program and sponsors for donations to “swag bags.” Donations were made by many businesses including College of the Canyons, Paul Mitchell, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Starbucks, Juice It Up and the generosity of several staff members who believed in the importance of this event.

West Ranch Choir Students Perform at Carnegie Hall
Fifteen students and four chaperones representing the West Ranch High School Choir boarded a red eye flight to New York City to participate in a 200+ person choral experience at Carnegie Hall last week. The singers in the choir ranged from high school age to adult. The work was called “A Great and Glorious Victory” and tells the story of Lord Horatio Nelson’s military victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. It was composed by Jonathan Willcocks, a contemporary British composer (his father is Sir David Willcocks, who composed music for the Royal Wedding). He was also the conductor of the piece, which was a great experience for the students to have the rare opportunity to sing for the composer! It was also the Carnegie Hall premiere of the work, which led to a standing ovation at the end which was reported as “incredible,” by Molly Peters, choir director. Also, the names of the students appeared in the program, which the students enjoyed immensely.  The action-packed weekend schedule included two four-hour rehearsals in NYC before the performance on Sunday, January 20th. The rehearsals were great, too, which isn’t always the case!  “Jonathan Willcocks is a DELIGHT to sing for,” Peters said.  “He was funny, and quick, and really kept all of the singers engaged.” Peters sang with the choir as well.  In addition to the rehearsals, the group did a lot of sight-seeing including visits to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island cruise, Rockefeller Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History and Times Square, which was walking distance from the hotel. They also visited the 9/11 Memorial which was very beautifully done. On Friday night they went to a Broadway show, “Newsies,” which is a great show for high school students. Students held a variety of fundraisers to pay for this trip including candle sales, a holiday boutique, sponsorships, program advertising, ticket revenue from concerts and car washes. “All singers came back exhausted but feeling incredibly accomplished,” Peters exclaimed. “It was a fantastic weekend!”

Hart District Students Participate in Human Rights Watch Event
Members of the Human Rights Watch Student Task Force (STF) from Academy of the Canyons, Canyon, Golden Valley, Hart and Valencia High Schools attended the Human Rights Watch annual dinner last November at the Beverly Hills Hilton to meet with other like-minded human rights activists. The student guests joined members of the Human Rights Watch (HRW) California Committee South in honoring the 2012 Alison Des Forges Award for Extraordinary Activism recipient Fr. Abbe Benoit Kinalegu from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). STF hosted a reception for students and teachers to have a private meeting with Fr. Kinalegu and learn about his work to protect children who have been victims of the Lords Resistance Army by providing rehabilitation services for these former child soldiers. Additionally, Fr. Kinalegu explained how he developed an early warning system for villages to be notified of LRA sightings and thus protect themselves from attack. The reception inspired students to continue working to protect children’s rights and Fr. Kinalegu congratulated their efforts in raising awareness about their right to education and to be the voice of youth who demand equitable access to education in the state of California. He encouraged them to continue working saying, “human rights begins at the school desk…Thank you for your work.” The students joined some 800 dinner guests in celebrating the work of other courageous human rights activists. Highlighting the students’ work in campaigning to reform sentencing of youth offenders in California, STF was invited to speak during the program. Canyon High senior, Jose Ruiz, joined a Santa Monica High School student in providing guests an overview of the role STF plays in advocating for children’s rights. Both students welcomed special guest, actor Ben Affleck, to the stage.  Affleck shared the work he does in the DRC with his organization, the East Congo Initiative, which provides grants to start up organizations within the DRC to provide services and business opportunities to the Congolese people. The evening closed with the students meeting Affleck and taking photos with him and Fr. Kinalegu. The HRW Student Task Force is a leadership training program for high school students interested in global human rights issues. To learn more about the STF program, visit www.hrwstf.org  or contact Nancy Nazarian-Medina, STF Program Advisor at hrwstf.medina@gmail.com.

Sierra Vista Announces 18th Annual 8th Grade Poster Contest Winners
Eighth grade students from Sierra Junior High recently competed in the 18th annual 8th grade poster contest, requiring students to create a poster, depicting a book. This project is a mandatory English class assignment that started when teachers were looking for a fun, creative way to inspire reading and make sure students are reading their selected book. Teacher Librarian Lorraine Fulleman has kept the tradition going over the years, since students really enjoy it and hear about it from students who participated in previous years. Part of the project is for students to share their poster in class and persuade other students to read their book. All selected books must be available in the Sierra Vista library.  The grand prize winner for this year’s poster contest is Joyce Kim. She made a poster for the popular book Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. The first runner up is Lucas Avila for Twice Upon a Time. The second runner up is Eliana Nivon for the Lightning Thief. The third runner up is Sagar Bhandari for Warriors — Into the Wild. The five honorable mentions are Victoria Causey, Troy Kecxon, Jonathan Sanabria, Tyler Moore, and Rayanne Munoz. Winners receive prizes and the top 40 selected also received a party to celebrate their fine art accomplishment!

Generosity of Students Throughout the District is “Hart”-felt
Students from schools across the Hart District have busy lives that include academics, studying, extracurricular activities, social activities and family obligations. These involved and engaged students still find time throughout the year to support a cause, volunteer their time to community efforts and raise funds for medical research and people less fortunate.

Here is a sampling of recent programs on Hart School District campuses:

Placerita Junior High School
“Get Your Pink On!” was the theme for both students and staff at Placerita Junior High School throughout the month of October. Club H.O.T. (Help Our Town) hosted a Breast Cancer Awareness campaign in which the student body was encouraged to wear pink every Friday to show their support for those battling breast cancer.  ASB got in on the act and awarded spirit points to the team that had the most students in pink. In addition, Club H.O.T. manned a booth each Friday in which students could donate money for breast cancer research and/or write a message to be displayed on a large cancer ribbon. Club H.O.T. was pleased to collect over $600 for breast cancer research from Placerita’s generous student body! The funds were donated to the Lee Demin Day organization raising funds to cure breast cancer.

Golden Valley High School
Golden Valley High School ASB students, staff and administrators hosted The Michael Hoefflin Foundation annual Christmas Party for children with cancer. Despite the cold and wet weather, a few hundred people attended and were entertained with holiday music, singing and story telling, enjoying food and visiting with Santa Claus. Principal Sal Frias personally interviewed and selected ASB students to be elves. Students started the day early and helped set up and spent the day bringing joy to children and families. Student elves accompanied the children to a vast toy selection and helped them pick out a special holiday gift. “Everyone had a great time,” Frias said. “This was a very special first year event and we look forward to hosting again and also involving more of the Golden Valley community.”

Transitional Learning Charter (TLC)
TLC students, family and staff kicked off their 1st annual Walk-A-Thon for Breast Cancer Awareness during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month in October and raised more than $1,500. Funds were donated to the American Cancer Society.

Sierra Vista Junior High School
Sierra Vista Junior High School students had a terrific surprise when teachers and staff broke out in a “Gangnam Style” Flash Mob in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Teachers and staff were dressed in pink clothes and unique accessories and entertained students during a drizzly morning in October. A Sierra Vista staff member is a breast cancer survivor and she was featured in the dance and honored and applauded by students and staff. English teacher Robert Isquierdo coordinated the “mob,” and he hopes to raise awareness of many issues with students and the community. As part of Breast Cancer Awareness month activities, Sierra Vista participated in Lee National Denim Day to raise money to help find a cure for Breast Cancer.  Students, staff, and parents donated $5 and wore their jeans to school or work to show their support for those who have been affected by this terrible disease.  Sierra Vista raised $1,600 this year and over the past six years of involvement has contributed more than $8,000 to this organization. Visit the Signal for a video of the FlashMob event: http://www.signalscv.com/multimedia/archives/887/

Bowman High School
Students at Bowman High School came together to raise awareness for breast cancer with their Think Pink! Campaign in October. A number of students have relatives who are fighting breast cancer and are very familiar with the way this disease affects the entire family.

West Ranch High School
West Ranch High School was busy raising funds for Breast Cancer Awareness in October. Two student clubs, Wildcats Against Cancer and Stand Up To Cancer, along with cheerleaders and choir classes joined together to raise funds for Stand Up To Cancer and SCV Circle of Hope. The campus was decorated with pink ribbons, posters and pledges. The students sponsored class donations and sold pink ribbons, buttons, headbands and shoelaces.  The cheerleaders sold pink balloons for a beautiful balloon release after a moment of silence honoring breast cancer victims at a football game in October. Thousands of dollars were raised. In November, Wildcats Against Cancer focused on Lung Cancer Awareness, the most deadliest cancer of all.

Valencia High School
Each semester seniors in Valencia High’s government class taught by Greg Hayes are required to raise money for a charitable project. This past semester the students raised money to build a home for a poor family in Haiti. Hayes said the students must come up with a fundraising project, individually or working in groups, to fund the donation. Through the international aid organization Food for the Poor, $3,732 will build a family a brick house with sanitation, food for a year, clothing, school supplies and a start-up business so the family can be self-sustaining. “This is the sixth house we’ve raised money for and last year we raised money for a well,” Hayes said. “We raised $5,270 last spring for a well that provides water for thousands.” Each home has been donated in honor of a SCV resident; however, the students chose to honor Victoria Soto this year, one of the Sandy Hook Elementary School teachers who was killed in the Newtown, Connecticut rampage in December. The teacher was considered a hero for protecting her students. Hayes inspires students to get involved with philanthropy through this project and feels that learning how to raise funds for charity is a valuable life lesson.

Rancho Pico Junior High
Students at Rancho Pico Junior High create a giant pink student ribbon in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month last October.

Hart High School
Hart High School student groups involved with multiple cancer projects through the school year.

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Public Relations Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227
William S. Hart Union School District website: www.hartdistrict.org

Hart Regiment Hosts 29th Annual Rampage Tournament
Santa Clarita Valley was the gathering place for marching bands from far and wide on November 3rd for the 29th annual Rampage Marching Band and Colorguard Field Tournament adjudicated by the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA).  The Hart District High Schools brought their best performances to an enthusiastic crowd. Congratulations to West Ranch for earning the top Sweepstakes award. Canyon High and Saugus High both won first place in their divisions and Valencia High placed third in its division. Since Hart High was hosting, its score of 90.51 posted as an exhibition band. Some 30 bands and colorguard teams from around Southern California participated in what has become one of the annual premiere tournaments in the state.
(Photos: left, West Ranch; right, Hart.)

College & Career Options Shared with Junior High Students and Parents
Approximately 300 junior high students and their parents participated in the Hart District’s Early College & Career Information Night at Rio Norte Junior High on November 15th. This event focused the District’s initiative to provide families with facts that will lead students to make informed decisions about all the post-secondary options available to them following high school graduation. The attendees were welcomed by Dave LeBarron, district director of curriculum and assessment, and Nadia Cotti, head counselor at Rio Norte, detailed the purpose and format for the evening’s program. Representatives from the CSU and UC systems, College of the Canyons, California Apprenticeship Standards Board and the Military Liaison from Rep. Buck McKeon’s office made presentations to the attendees. The topics covered included who are the “right fit” students for each option,  entrance requirements, the length of each program, and the end result. The evening concluded with each representative speaking individually to interested students and parents during a table time. A parent manual to help guide students’ career exploration and college and career options literature was also available. For more information on college and career options visit: www.HartDistrictCareerCenter.com.

Bowman Families Observe National Parent Involvement Day
Bowman’s sixth observance of National Parent Involvement Day was held in November. Invited parents turned out in droves to attend school for a portion of their student’s school day. A light snack was provided, and students and parents were asked to share their experiences and the effect that Bowman High School has had on their lives. Heartfelt words about Bowman High School came from students, parents and even siblings. Afterwards, all guests participated in taking the National Pledge. Parents then headed off to their student’s fourth and eighth period classes. It was eye opening for parents who got to interact with their students in the classroom. Some parents have not been in the classroom for quite some time. National Parent Involvement Day provides the school with an unique opportunity for parents to see firsthand the learning environment that exists at Bowman High School.  “We are already looking forward to next year and Bowman’s observance of this important day,” Eran Zeevi, assistant principal, said.

Great Turnout for NCAA Information Meeting
The Hart School District held a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) information meeting for student athletes and their parents earlier this month at Golden Valley High School. Parents of students who wish to participate in college athletics at the Division I, II or III level after high school graduation were encouraged to attend. Information shared at this meeting to some 400 people in attendance included the eligibility requirements for all students who wish to participate in college athletics at the Division I, II or III level after completing high school. Following a presentation by Dave LeBarron, director of curriculum and assessment, parents and students formed small groups, by school, to gain additional information from a school site counselor and ask questions. The presentation and a quick reference guide are available online at:
http://hartdistrict.org/index.php/departments/curriculum-a-assessment. Scroll down to the “Other Resources” section and two items are listed: NCAA Eligibililty and NCAA Eligibility Center Quick Reference Sheet.

Golden Oak Adult School Welcomes the Magomedova-Asuev Family
золотой дуб взрослой школе приветствует Магомедова-Асуева семьи
Roza Magomedova and her husband Sharip Asuev immigrated to the U.S. from the Chechen Republic of Russia one year ago, ultimately settling in Santa Clarita. They, not unlike most valley residents, came in search of a quality education for their two children, a son who attends North Park Elementary, and a daughter currently attending Rio Norte Junior High School. Roza and Sharip also took advantage of continuing their education by enrolling in English as a Second Language classes at Golden Oak Adult School. The couple view mastering the English language as vital to their assimilation in America, and as a practicing cardiologist in Russia, Roza knew that proficiency was critical in assisting American doctors in diagnosing and treating her husband’s heart condition. Sharip is a journalist who worked for both Tass, the official news agency of the former Soviet Union and Radio Free Europe in the Czech Republic. Eventually the couple hopes to start their own business utilizing Sharip’s extensive background in journalism and broadcasting.

Arroyo Seco Students Support Anti-Bullying Programs
Arroyo Seco Junior High School students are involved with multiple anti-bullying programs on campus throughout the school year through Safe School Ambassadors, anti-bully boxes and other programs. Recently, the band Breaking27 performed at a lunchtime concert on the outdoor stage, bringing their anti-bullying messages to the students. Breaking27 is a band comprised of San Fernando Valley students ranging in age from 11-13. They have brought their anti-bully crusade to schools across Southern California on their Break the Bully Tour and recently auditioned for America’s Got Talent. (According to their website, they may not give more details about the results at this time.) Arroyo Seco students enjoyed the live music and took the message to heart. ASB Director Brandy Brown has arranged a special showing of the movie “Bully,” for Thursday, December 13th at Edwards Canyon Country Theater, and the event is sold out. The movie is directed by Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker Lee Hirsh and was planned by Arroyo Seco as part of its overall anti-bullying campaign.

Rancho Pico Students Sweep Awards at Annual Literary Festival
Nine Rancho Pico Junior High students were the recipients of awards at the 6th annual Santa Clarita Arts & Literacy Festival earlier this month. The SCV Education Foundation and the City of Santa Clarita sponsor this event featuring a multitude of stories, theatrical productions, songs, dance and crafts presented by professional artists, authors and entertainers and featuring school groups from throughout the Hart School District. Thousands attended the free family festival staged at the recently opened Old Town Newhall Library. As part of the activities leading up to the event, competitions are held in several categories and Rancho Pico students earned top results. The Rancho Pico students placed first, second and third respectively in Short Story: Danielle Hettinger, Hannah Bushing and Meeru Hahn; Editorial Division, first, second and third, respectively: Colleen Krogh, Scott Kim and Conner Yang and in the Poetry Division, first, second and third, respectively: Ken Singh, Joshua Kim and Adrianne Cuevas. (All students pictured except Hannah Bushing.)

Sierra Vista Students Enjoy Turkey Week Activities
Sierra Vista Junior High students enjoyed a series of events during Thanksgiving week, which have become an annual school tradition. The week kicked off with a Tug-of-War during a pep rally at brunch on Monday, to promote the Turkey Bowl football game planned as the culminating event of the week. The school band entertained at the event and stirred up fun and camaraderie as the two opposing teams battled it out during the Tug-of-War strength contest. During the week, students also held a canned food drive every day before school and at brunch. Students bringing cans were entered into the Turkey Trot race at lunch where first place winners in each category received a turkey or Tofurkey. Classroom doors were decorated with the Thanksgiving theme and messages of thankfulness were posted on the doors.  Turkey Week provided for students to have fun and be thoughtful, while donating to less fortunate through the success of the canned food drive.

Valencia Seniors Present Career Exploration Projects
Valencia High School seniors presented career projects to local business leaders, teachers and administrators last week completing a semester-long class that all seniors are required to take at Valencia High School. Nearly 350 students shared Powerpoint, video and photo presentations and spoke about their experience to a review panel for 8 – 10 minutes. Seventy business leaders and community members along with 110 teachers and administrators spent the afternoon evaluating students for presentation skills, professional attire that matched the career they researched, visual presentation, enthusiasm and answering questions from the panel. Students were asked to select a mentor to shadow during the semester in a career field of interest. Many students expressed how this experience has made them even more excited about their field of interest, or in a few cases, is making them think about other career options. Elizabeth Wilson, School-to-Career Coordinator, practical arts department chair and CAD / Drafting Career Path Advisor thanked all the participants for their time and feedback and congratulated the students for a job well done. (Photos: Left, students with Principal Dr. Paul Priesz, Superintendent Rob Challinor, Board member Steve Sturgeon and Counselor Kathy Stroh. Right, students with board member Steve Sturgeon, teacher Joni Stiman and Assistant Principal Vince Ferry.)

Bowman Students Connect to Success
Thirty Bowman High School students attended the Valley Industry Association (VIA) Connecting to Success conference on November 15th, along with students from other Hart District high schools. The field trip was an opportunity for students to interact with community and business leaders and to learn about the skills needed for successful employment. Students engaged in small group discussions about financial literacy, ethics, and interview techniques that employers look for when hiring. Senior Jessica Barlow stated that although she isn’t currently employed, “It will be easier to look for a future position, because I learned how to write a resume and how to interview properly.” Student Daniel Duenas remarked “The money session was helpful for me to plan how to build my credit and to invest for my retirement.” Students heard Steve Graham of Chase Bank remind them about “Paying Yourself First” for savings and retirement. “The featured speaker, Dan Williams, of  Purpose 2 Purpose was inspiring and captured all students with his presentation entitled Extreme Dream,”  Bowman work experience teacher Mike Nugent said. The motivational speech included an inspirational story of 62-year-old Diana Nyrad attempting to swim 102 miles from Cuba to the United States, emphasizing that we should dream big and be persistent. Thank you to the VIA Education  Committee sharing this program with Hart School District juniors each year and Logix Credit Union, as well as all the community and business partners who supported this great program through donations, grants and volunteering.

Hart High Science Students Take On Cancer Projects
Honors anatomy and physiology students at Hart High School are invited to participate in a cancer project every year after studying a unit on cancer. Some students volunteer for local cancer fundraisers like the annual Leukemia & Lymphoma “Light the Night” walk, while other students design their own project. Sixty of Paula Bae’s 150 Honors students chose to participate. Kimi Stevenson, pictured below with cancer patient, chose to make tutus and deliver them to the bone marrow transplant ward of Los Angeles Children’s Hospital. Students raised nearly $2,000 and volunteered over 100 hours to 10 different organizations, greatly benefitting from the generosity of the students. Other organizations included City of Hope, Sheila Veloz Breast Imaging Center, American Cancer Society and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

West Ranch Marching Band & Colorguard Earns Gold Medal at State
The Wildcat Marching Band earned their third Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) Championship Gold Medal in program history, by winning the 4A division earlier this month. Competing against the 12 highest scoring bands in the 4A Division, the Wildcats earned a score of 88.33, finishing 1.5 points ahead of second place South Hills High School, the previous 4A Champion. Besides winning overall Gold, the band also won Awards for High Music, High General Effect, and High Percussion with a score of 95. Earning championship Gold was a perfect way to end a stellar season that included the inaugural Valencia High School Field Show in October, where the Wildcats took Tournament Sweepstakes, High Music, High General Effect, High Visual, and both Percussion and Auxiliary (Colorguard) Awards. That was followed by an outstanding performance in November at Hart Rampage, earning the Wildcats another Tournament Sweepstakes Award, as well as High General Effect, High Visual, and Percussion Caption Awards, and also Division 4A First Place for Auxiliary. “It has been a wonderful year for the marching band and this is a great way to finish the season,” Jason Marshall, band director, said.

Sequoia Charter Students Rewarded for Strong Effort on CAHSEE
Sequoia Charter School prepared for the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) with campus-wide events last month. The students and staff started testing days by taking a brisk walk together to get breakfast. Students supported and encouraged those taking the test all week. Following testing, the Mobile Game Lounge donated three hours to Sequoia. Students earned “game coupons” worth time in the lounge that they were able to redeem during a school-wide reward period from 12 - 3 pm.  This event came as a reward for the student body’s great job preparing for, taking, and supporting those taking the CAHSEE. It was a great week which ended with a terrific culminating event for all!

Bowman Students Visit Tech Ed Program in the Automotive Industry
Bowman students were treated to an interesting and inspiring campus tour of Universal Technical Institute (UTI ) in Rancho Cucamonga last month. UTI is a nationwide provider of technical education training for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. Thirty-one students took advantage of the opportunity to visit the campus, observe classes, see hands-on activities on the shop floor and participate in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) activity, which are considered the core components for future occupations that current students will be working with in future careers. Joan Serra, local UTI rep, arranged this opportunity as well as providing bus transportation and a pizza lunch for the visiting Bowman students and faculty. The highlight for most of the students was participating in the pre-tour hands-on activity. UTI is a leader among technical schools implementing the state-wide “STEM” focus. The activity consisted of a box with some eight components and the students had to figure out how to use them to create a power source. Once the students got their hands on the resistors, battery, switch, and other connecting devices, they raced to see who could make theirs work the fastest. All had a great time and took to the activity with interest and enthusiasm and helped keep their focus while out on the shop floor. Bowman continues to send students to this campus and many of those on the trip came back with hopes of enrolling after graduation. “Bowman staff is committed to bringing 21st Century skills and post-secondary educational experiences to students,” Robin Geissler, principal, said. “This includes career days, field trips, and job shadowing opportunities.”

Saugus ASB Students Serve SCV Senior Center Members
For the past two years ASB students at Saugus High School have participated in the annual Thanksgiving Dinner for seniors sponsored by the area Lion’s Clubs and the Hart School District by helping them prepare their Thanksgiving dinner on the night before Thanksgiving, visiting with seniors on the day of the event and supporting other aspects of the holiday season. While participating this year, junior class secretary Nini Mansour saw some “wish list” ornaments on a tree at the center. She went to take one and Saugus Principal Bill Bolde saw her do this and asked her what it was. After Nini explained, Mr. Bolde told her to take them all so that Saugus ASB could buy these gifts for the seniors. Nini and ASB Director Jeremy Fannon discussed the idea of students in the class adopting a senior. They broke up into groups of three and each group adopted a senior. The students went out and purchased their gifts. All 55 ASB students participated. Nini organized the student response contacting Michelle Cornell at the SCV Senior Center and coordinating the groups, gift wrapping and delivery. “Saugus ASB has worked very hard to serve our community and we saw this as another way to continue to serve,” Fannon said. (Photo: Left to right, Michelle Cornell, Nini Mansour, Bill Bolde.)

West Ranch Graduate Earns Regional ACSA Honor
German Hernandez, 2012 West Ranch High School graduate, was recently awarded the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 15 “Every Student Succeeding” award, which was presented to him at a conference in San Diego last month. German Hernandez was a shining star at West Ranch High School. He grew to become a leader, being elected ASB president in his senior year, and used the position to reach out to struggling students and get them involved in school activities. He made remarkable improvement, having grown up as a Spanish speaker in Mexico until he was in the second grade. When he came to this country, he was beaten up and harassed by other students because of his poor English skills, but he never gave up. Eventually he became fluent in English and began to dream of going to college. His father worked long hours in food service and his mother worked six days a week as a housekeeper, so German had to help out with the responsibilities of raising younger siblings, as well as the increased academic load as he moved to high school. But German persevered, studying hard and dreaming of college. He now has set a goal of achieving a college degree in economics and is attending San Diego State University to accomplish his goal. As principal Bob Vincent put it in a letter of support, “From the day he walked into West Ranch, he has made positive personal and scholastic progress toward his goal of graduating high school and going to a top notch university.” ACSA is proud to recognize German Hernandez for his hard work and the Region 15 team that supported him. (German pictured with Superintendent Rob Challinor.)

Saugus Snow Day Raises Cash, Canned Goods and Toys for Charity
Temperatures hovering around 75 degrees on a sunny December day did not damper the spirit of hundreds of Saugus High School students who enjoyed a Snow Day, thanks to the Saugus ASB. Thirty tons of “snow” was brought in from Newhall Ice Company to celebrate the holidays and raise awareness of those less fortunate during the holiday season. Students donated cash, canned goods and toys for several local charities as their entry into the fenced off area where students could frolic in the snow, build snow people or sled down two courses that gradually melted during brunch and lunch. Principal Bill Bolde was decked out as Santa Claus to add to the holiday atmosphere and thanked students for their generous support and giving. Hundreds of cans, toys and cash were donated during this unique fundraising drive. (Photos: Students with Santa Claus, aka Principal Bill Bolde, displaying the donations raised on Snow Day.)

Happy Holidays to all students, parents, and staff, from the Hart District!

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Public Relations Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227

Students Pledge No Texting While Driving
Students throughout the Hart School District have taken the “It Can Wait” – No Texting While Driving Pledge coordinated by AT&T. The Student Communications Council has launched this campaign at each school site and asked students to take an online pledge and sign a poster at school, vowing to not text while driving. The campaign ran for two weeks in October and shared the important message that texting while driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving, according to studies reported by AT&T. The Pledge states: “No text message, email, website or video is worth the risk of endangering my life or the lives of others on the road. I pledge to never text and drive and will take action to educate others about the dangers of texting while driving. No text is worth the risk. It Can Wait.” Students also encouraged their parents and school staff to take the pledge.

Students Take Part in DFYIT Youth Summit
More than 400 students, from 12 Hart District junior high and high schools and Castaic Middle School, participated in the DFYIT Youth Summit last month to participate in team building activities, listen to guest speakers and strategize on ways to encourage their peers to participate in the Drug Free Youth In Town (DFYIT) program launched in September at each school. The DFYIT program, a collaborative project between the City of Santa Clarita, SCV Sheriff’s Department and the Hart School District, has been implemented at all comprehensive schools to educate students on the dangers of drug use and abuse and encourage making the choice to lead a healthy and drug-free lifestyle. The City of Santa Clarita hosts the Youth Summit as part of their Youth and Family program, in partnership with the Hart District each year. This year, the theme was tied in to the new DFYIT program and included panelists of local young people who had become addicted to drugs, their journey to become drug-free and strong messages to the students to not take drugs and how to best help a friend that is. The half-day event was held at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex and also included interactive activities and a video presentation. “The positive effects for these students is evident but real success will be measured as each of these students reach out to their peer group to continuously increase the number of students willing to commit to living drug free,” Kathy Hunter, Director of Student Services, Hart School District, said. “It is a grass roots effort for teens to influence one another to change the culture for their generation.” City of Santa Clarita Mayor Frank Ferry welcomed and addressed the students and encouraged the students to be the drivers of change and to “flip the script” on peer pressure by making it preferable to be drug-free. Students who sign up for the program meet new friends that share their same goal of leading a healthy lifestyle, receive drug and alcohol prevention education, are recognized and rewarded for being drug-free, attend fun and educational field trips, develop leadership skills and participate in community service projects. The DFYIT program transforms the school campus culture by educating, celebrating, and empowering its members. As a result, students are comfortable saying they are drug free and willing to prove it. Parents will benefit from up-to-date drug and alcohol trend information, receive results of positive drug and alcohol screenings, learn how to recognize signs of drug and alcohol abuse, and have a proactive support system of professionals and parents. The District Board and administration are highly supportive of this new community-wide endeavor and encourage parents to talk to their child about participating. One of the greatest benefits of this program is that while there is a teacher/club advisor and City staff person who assist with the implementation of the program, it is a peer led and peer driven program. Instead of teens feeling like they are being told what to do by adults, they have their own peers who encourage them to join. For additional program details or to sign up your student, please visit the program’s website at www.DFYITscv.com, or contact the DFYIT Advisor at your student’s school.

New Student Board Member Megan Mestas Welcomed
Megan Mestas, a senior at Saugus High School, was welcomed by the Governing Board as the 2012/13 Student Board Member at the October 17, 2012 meeting. Miss Mestas is currently serving as Saugus High School’s Associated Student Body President, and she has initiated a number of projects to assist organizations like the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center, Michael Hoefflin Foundation, SCV Boys and Girls Club, Cancer Walk, River Rally and others. She plans to study medicine in college and is looking at universities on the west coast. Miss Mestas will serve as Student Board Member through June 2013.

Career Coach Program Launches in Partnership with COC
The Hart School District, in partnership with College of the Canyons successfully launched the Career Coach Program at the start of the school year.  Funded by the college’s SB70 Career Technical Education Community Collaborative Grant, the Career Coach Program is delivered by career coaches who are College of the Canyons employees based in high schools in the Hart District. The purpose of the program is to empower high school students to make informed decisions about their career and educational plans and to prepare students for success in postsecondary education and training. The program targets students most in need of career planning services. These students – sometimes referred to as the “middle majority” – are the mainstay of the emerging workforce and may otherwise graduate from high school without any identified career goals or plans for postsecondary education. Career coaches help high school students begin to define their career aspirations by: administering and interpreting career assessments; relating information on careers, career pathways and related employment; connecting students to opportunities for career pathways, concurrent enrollment, job shadowing and internships; assisting students in creating, reviewing and revising written career plans to serve as the basis for further career exploration activities and for planning high school and post-secondary career development opportunities; and identifying community college and other postsecondary programs, including apprenticeships and workforce training, that can help the students achieve their educational and financial goals. A career coach’s practice is first and foremost student-centered. The yardstick by which all coaching activities are measured is whether or not they serve the students in their quest to find meaningful careers and appropriate postsecondary education options. For additional information or to find out how a high school student can meet with a career coach, please contact the student’s school counseling office. (Picture, left to right: Loida Sanchez, Canyon and Golden Valley; Jillian Edmonson, West Ranch and Valencia; Michelle McGovern, Saugus and College of the Canyons and Carmen Viveros, Bowman and Hart.)

Bowman Students Encouraged to “Live Your Dream” at Career Day
How do you find a career that you dream of? That is the question Bowman High School students had on their minds at Career Day held last month. Thirty-one presenters shared their careers with interested students throughout the day-long activity. Students heard from the military, local colleges, and business people who shared their experiences and opportunities for success. Fourteen of the speakers were presenting for the first time at Bowman and were very motivational and positive about what the students can accomplish. Inspirational moments came for Bowman teacher Mike Nugent after seeing two Bowman graduates come back to share their successes.  A 1978 graduate, Jeff Lage is now the VP of Manufacturing at B&B Manufacturing and Catlin Morris, a 2005 grad, is close to completing her degree and credential at CSU Northridge to become a teacher. “I am so proud of both of them for their success and wanting to come back and share with our students about living your dreams!” Nugent said. A special treat for current Bowman student Megan Schonely was to hear her father Jack speak about his 20 year career as a LAPD helicopter pilot. In addition, Kyle Goldman was able to listen in on his father Carl’s presentation about KHTS and opportunities in the radio industry. MUD (the Make-up Designery school in Burbank) sent a former grad to inspire and motivate the students toward considering careers in special effects and make-up design. He took time to do some of his work on selected students and they really enjoyed his special effects. Other presenters included COC, UTI, DeVry, ITT, The Art Institute of LA, Charter College, City of Santa Clarita and Habitat for Humanity. “I really appreciate how well all the speakers are able to inspire and inform our students regarding the possibilities that exist for them,” Nugent said. “Even when a student realizes that a particular career may not be for them, it is still a valuable lesson learned.” Bowman administration thanks all presenters for being part of a “real” Life Dream.

Golden Oak Students Visit Ronald Reagan Library
Recently 10 adult English as a Second Language (ESL) students put to practice what they have learned in their ESL class at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley and aboard Air Force One. José E. Malavé, ESL instructor, and Gerardo Nuñez, computer science instructor at Golden Oak Adult School, decided to give their students a unique experience by taking them to this beautiful place full of history and patriotism. This was the first time most of these students had been out of Santa Clarita after arriving in the United States. After learning and researching about the presidents of the United States, specifically former President Ronald Reagan, students decided to go and see firsthand how much English they have acquired as well as learning about the history of the United States and its landmarks. The field trip was a huge success as students used their new-found English skills in a public setting.

Sierra Vista Students Take Part in Anti-Bullying Assembly and Campaign
Sierra Vista Junior High School brought back Rachel’s Challenge, an anti-bullying assembly and campaign, to its campus last month. To support the assembly message, every English teacher had their students read and analyze Rachel Scott’s essay about her code of ethics prior to the assembly. Then, the ASB students put on a brunch activity where they gave students a Rasta friendship bracelet in exchange for their pledge to perform acts of kindness.  Once students signed a flower petal pledging to make the school better with such acts of kindness, the petals were assembled into flowers and hung all over the school as a reminder of Rachel’s Challenge. Rachel Joy Scott was a victim of the Columbine High School shootings, and this program was started by her parents in her memory so that Rachel, through her writings and messages, would continue to have a positive impact on students for generations to come. More information can be located on the website: www.RachelsChallenge.org.

Saugus AP Literature Students Attend Shakespeare Play Thanks to a Grant
English teachers at Saugus High School recently were awarded a grant valued at $4,800 which was used to take Advanced Placement and Composition students to see the Shakespeare play Cymberline. The grant paid for more than 105 students and chaperones to attend the matinee that is generally $40 per person, plus bus expenses to get to the theatre in Pasadena. This field trip was the fall project for the students and required them to see one Shakespeare play, research it, teach it to the class and perform a short scene in front of the class. The students enjoyed a Q and A with the actor / director after the show, which rounded out a great learning experience for the students. As part of the AP exam, students are asked to write about any work of literary merit and this experience will provide students with a great prompt to write about. Teacher Kelli Williams-Korbel said that they have found that many students are resistant to Shakespeare because they find him dated and difficult; however, with the theatre bringing the writings to life, the students better grasp and understand the story. Many students reported that the story and action were inspiring and was more easily comprehended than reading.

Students Participate in Make a Difference Day
•    Learning Post and Academy of the Canyons
Learning Post students and staff teamed up with Academy of the Canyons students and staff to participate in Make a Difference Day on Saturday, October 27, 2012.  Among staff, students and parent volunteers, the group had more than 130 participants. As part of America’s “National Day of Doing Good,” Make a Difference Day matches teams of volunteers with a variety of service projects. All projects are designed to produce visible positive results in one day. This team planted more than 60 oak trees at Oak Flat Fire Station which is slightly north of Santa Clarita located in Angeles National Forest.  This area lost many mature trees during the Day Fire in 2006. Now in its 12th year in Santa Clarita, the event has attracted 14,000 volunteers and contributed 60,000 hours of service to numerous local organizations.  “This was the first time Learning Post participated in this event,” Jill Shenberger, principal of LP and AOC, said. “Learning Post Assistant Registrar, Peggy Zemansky, described it as a fun and rewarding experience!”

•    La Mesa Junior High School
La Mesa Junior High participated in the SCV’s Make a Difference Day 2012. Twenty-seven La Mesa students and staff members along with 40+ members of the Jack and Jill of America Club, donated their time to beautifying the La Mesa campus by planting more than 40 shrubs and rose bushes, trimming back bushes, racking leaves, and cleaning classrooms. It was awesome to see the community members of Jack and Jill come together with the La Mesa students and staff to improve the La Mesa campus. “We look forward to participating in Make a Difference Day next year,” Lesley Day, La Mesa math teacher, said.

Bowman Students Take a Stand Against Bullying
In recognition of National Bullying Prevention Awareness, Bowman High School English students are creating posters to educate students and staff about bullying prevention.  These posters are the result of a unit focused on bullying awareness.  Students were moved and shocked during the research and reading of stories from teens dealing with bullying across the nation. Student posters will be posted on classroom doors and will offer research based advice and solutions to students who may be dealing with bullying. Student Joshua Hampton believes that bullying can be prevented through awareness. “Parents, youth, and community need to be aware because the more people who are aware, the more people can help.”  Awareness empowers the student body to stand up for their peers and to educate those around them about the implications of bullying. They are excited to display their posters on campus!

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Community Liaison Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227
William S. Hart Union School District website: www.hartdistrict.org

WiSH Education Foundation Inaugural Fundraiser a Great Night for All
All students in the Hart School District will benefit from the funds raised at “A Starry, Starry Night,” the first fundraiser sponsored by the recently formed WiSH Education Foundation. The fun-filled event started with a star-studded show featuring dancers from So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars. Kyle Massey from That’s So Raven and Cassie Scerbo from the Bring it On movies were the Masters of Ceremonies and guests enjoyed performances by Brandon Mitchell, Jordan Casanova, Tadd Gadduang, Ashley Galvan, Nick Young, Kent Boyd, Noelle Marsh, Tony Bellissimo and Chris Koehl. Dmitry Chaplin and Anna Trebunskaya were also introduced to the delight of the audience. The award-winning Hart High School Dance Team flawlessly performed two numbers and were congratulated on their skills by the professional dancers. VIP ticket holders enjoyed a club-like VIP after-party with refreshments served by Shake Bartenders California, dessert buffet catered by Chartwell’s School Food Services and music by SOS Entertainment. A silent auction was held featuring beautiful spirit baskets from each comprehensive high school, Canyon Theatre Guild tickets and other donated gifts. Princess Cruises Community Foundation generously donated a seven-night cruise for a live auction item. In addition to Princess Cruises Community Foundation, other Platinum Sponsors included the Hart District Teachers Association (HDTA) and California Credit Union. WiSH thanks all who attended and the sponsors in support of Hart District students. For more info on WiSH visit: www.WiSHscv.org.

Hart District High School Students Connect to Success
Hart District juniors from Valencia, West Ranch, Hart, Saugus, Bowman, Golden Valley and Canyon high schools are participating in Connecting to Success, which gives students a real-life opportunity to attend a business / educational conference that empowers students “to achieve at the business of life.” Sponsored by the Valley Industrial Association of Santa Clarita (VIA) in collaboration with each school, the students participate in group workshops and seminars on topics such as Money Smarts, Ethics in the Workplace and Building Your Image for Success. The sessions are facilitated by close to 100 local business leaders, who volunteer their time and expertise to the students for this program. Students dress in business attire for the event, which takes place at Grace Baptist Church, over three days, to accommodate all the students. This annual event, in its 10th year, has been used as a model for school districts across the country. Event dates for 2012: October 4, 18 and November 15.

Hart School District Holds Successful College & Career Fair
More than 4,000 parents and students attended the Hart School District College & Career Fair Wednesday evening, September 13th at Golden Valley High School. The fair was established to assist students with the very important step of drafting a career plan to be followed while making post-secondary education decisions. Admissions representatives from more than 120 two- and four-year California colleges and universities, career technical schools, apprenticeship programs and out-of-state schools were in attendance distributing literature, providing information and answering questions of college and career-bound students. Law enforcement and military representatives were also on hand to answer questions about their educational opportunities. Workshops on a variety of topics of interest to students and parents about college admissions, financial aid, SAT and ACT test preparation and community college programs and transfers, were at capacity. The Hart School District is a high performing district whose goal it is to prepare all of its students for their post-high school education. The District serves students interested in all education options including universities, community colleges, such as College of the Canyons, and career technical education (CTE) programs, as well as apprenticeship programs. The Hart School District was selected for the second year to be a stop on the college fair circuit produced by the Intersegmental Coordinating Committee, of the California Education Round Table, serving students across the state with the goal of, “All students will meet high academic standards such that they will be prepared for subsequent success in education or the workplace without the need for remediation in core academic disciplines.” The College & Career Fair is one of many resources and programs offered to students and parents attending Hart District schools to encourage and guide students toward continuing education opportunities after high school. Event sponsors included: KHTS AM-1220, SCVTV.com, The Magazine of Santa Clarita and AV Party Rental.

Golden Valley High School Honored with Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund Grant
Pardee Homes has issued a $2,500 grant to Golden Valley High School in support of the school’s successful “GOALS” program designed to assist 9th and 10th graders remain on a path toward success. Last week, Ralph Pistone, Vice President of Construction Operations for Pardee Homes, presented a check from the Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund to Sal Frias, Golden Valley High School principal, and Robert Challinor, Superintendent of the Hart School District. Pardee Homes is a subsidiary of the Weyerhaeuser Company. GOALS (Golden Opportunities for Academic Learning and Success) provides initiatives and team-based monitoring and support for students who need the most help. “Academic excellence begins with setting your goals, acquiring the skills and tools to reach your goals, taking the initiative to aim higher and taking advantage of the team support structure,” Frias said. “We believe there is a direct correlation between the GOALS program and higher graduation rates.” The Weyerhaeuser grant will help pay for a range of much needed classroom supplies, experiments, activity kits and other materials for classes in biology, chemistry, Earth sciences and algebra. The grant program is among many key initiatives and decades of support by Pardee Homes to improve the quality of life in the Santa Clarita Valley.  To learn more about the Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund, look for People/Communities” at: weyerhaeuser.com/Sustainability

Sierra Vista Students Visit African Learning Stations in the School Library
Two world history teachers and the teacher librarian at Sierra Vista Junior High worked together to present five learning stations at the library, covering the early empires of Africa. Students learned about storytelling, read and analyzed primary sources, evaluated images regarding trade, viewed actual instruments and music video clips from Ghana, and read/analyzed folklore. This project was initiated by teacher Katie Hoggatt who wanted to find a way to make a challenging unit more engaging. She introduced students to the techniques historians use to uncover information, thus allowing them to be part of this process. History teacher David Drabinski thought that the African stations project was great because it exposed students to different modalities and higher level thinking questions which really forced the students to analyze the information that was being presented to them. Most students said that they really enjoyed this activity, utilizing the print and electronic resources at the library.  Seventh grader Veronica Orellana liked the readings at the folklore station the best. “The stories were really good. The lesson I learned was that we shouldn’t judge people on their money or looks.” Another student, had this comment about the music station, “The dancing in the video filmed in Ghana was unique and stylish,” Briana Gonzalez said. “The library was the perfect setting for this project since it offered the space for up to 70 students with the use of computers, books, and the display of musical instruments from Ghana,” Lorraine Fulleman, teacher librarian said. “Team teaching allowed us to divide the students into small groups for hands-on activities.”

Student Communications Council Provides Link from Schools to District
Two students from each school across the Hart School District attended the first Student Communications Council (SCC) meeting of the 2012/13 school year earlier this month and selected officers, planned future topics to discuss and gave a report on activities and events at each school. The purpose of the SCC is to provide a communication link between the general student body, the student member of the Governing Board and district officials. SCC officers were elected as follows: President, Marie Samuel from West Ranch High School; Vice President, Kimmy Baggelaar from Valencia High School and Secretary, Laura Bustos from West Ranch High School. SCC representatives also elected a Student Governing Board member, Megan Mestas, from Saugus High School and she will be welcomed at her first Board Meeting, October 17, 2012. Last year, students heard reports from the SCV Sheriff’s Department Juvenile Prevention Team (J-Team), and district administrators on drug prevention programs, District solar initiative, WiSH Education Foundation and diversity programs. Students also worked together and participated in several community philanthropic events including the SCV Senior Center annual Thanksgiving Dinner. The final meeting of each year includes a student taste test of food under consideration for school lunch, such as pizza and cookies, and is very popular with the SCC students!

Congressman McKeon Speaks with West Ranch Government Students
Congressman Howard “Buck” McKeon spent time speaking to nearly 70 West Ranch government and Advanced Placement U.S. History students last week in the school library. Government teacher Ron Ippolito invited McKeon to share his experiences in the Congress and then he answered student questions presented to him. “I’m really proud of my students for asking some great questions,” Ippolito said. “I think my proudest moment was when Congressman McKeon asked who watched the Presidential debate the week before and nearly every hand went up. I am so very proud of how engaged and involved my students are in discussing government and politics. I hope they understand the message that Congressman McKeon shared, and the message that I often share with them, that they are the future leaders of this country, and that our success as a nation depends on their participation, their involvement, and their vigilance.”

Busy Season of Back to School Nights Across the District Now Complete
Schools in the Hart District were busy in August and September with Back to School Night on each campus. Parents have the opportunity to visit student classrooms, meet teachers and administrators, learn about school programs, events and clubs on campus and see presentations from various performing groups on most campuses. Bowman High School was the last of the school Back to School Nights this year with their event held in October. Their theme was Halloween this year and the evening was a huge success. More than 280 parents, students, and family members attended, celebrating the fresh start that Bowman represents for them. Bowman has approximately 400 students enrolled. ASB Director Jenny Dermody, bilingual instructional assistant Rosa Villanueva, and the hard working ASB students did an outstanding job planning fun activities for families, including face painting, playing pin the nose on the pumpkin and also provided trick or treating for the younger siblings.  ASB leadership also sold pizza, soda, water, cotton candy and popcorn, and had a free book give-away table that attracted a number of parents and siblings. ASB student James However said, “When my dad came, he was really impressed with the teachers and the students. The event did a lot to undo the negative stereotypes that Bowman has.” ASB student Krista Gamboa, “I loved that all of the teachers said nice things about every student.” Bowman parent Jamie Grimshaw enjoyed herself immensely, and made it a point to tell Bowman Principal Robin Geissler, “My daughter had not even considered going to college until she came to Bowman.” Bowman’s 2012 Back to School Night was not only fun for students and their families, but it also carried on the tradition of celebration and new beginnings that Bowman offers the community it serves.

Arroyo Seco Budding Chefs Gain Culinary Experience
Students at Arroyo Seco Junior High can experience what it is like to be a chef in the school’s Student Chef program. Under the guidance and supervision of food service manager, Luis Rodela, students volunteer to prepare a lunch item that will be sold through food service. The lunch item, generally pizza of several varieties, is always a hit with students. This program provides participants with an opportunity to work alongside an experienced chef in a working kitchen.  Students utilize their math skills, creativity, social skills, and organization as they whip up a hot lunch for the student body. They also enjoy wearing professional-looking chef hats and jackets, too!

Sierra Vista Earns “Cool School” Ranking from Scholastic Magazine
Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine named Sierra Vista Junior High School to its list of 25 “Coolest Schools in America.” Sierra Vista was selected for its innovative physical education program that has garnered international attention and earned praise by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and state government officials. Under the direction of PE Department Chair George Velarde, Sierra Vista has earned grants for the program which features computerized gym equipment, including video screens, heart monitors and other exercise innovations that don’t focus on traditional sports-centric PE programs. Studies have shown a correlation between exercise and learning and if their recently announced API score is any indication, the program is truly a success. Sierra Vista increased its API score this year by 32 points, to 840. The article featured in the magazine can be viewed at:  http://www.scholastic.com/coolschools/.

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Community Liaison Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227
William S. Hart Union School District website: www.hartdistrict.org

Bowman Students Celebrate Constitution Day
Bowman High School students celebrated Constitution Day in style.  ASB students, wearing red, white and blue, created an American flag where the Preamble of the Constitution, written in blue ink, replaced the stars, and students signed their names in red where the red stripes normally are placed. “What a cool idea!” students were overheard saying. ASB student Megan Shonley said, “When we finish getting all the signatures, we’ll be sending the flag to my brother Ian, who’s stationed in Afghanistan.” Ian Shonley is a Bowman graduate now serving in the military.  The ASB class will be putting together a care package to send to Shonley. ASB students were on hand to help 18-year-old students register to vote, so they could participate in this November’s general election. A raffle of Bowman T-Shirts was also part of the festivities. Several spirited debates ensued when students discussed registering  for a particular party. “It’s good to see them so passionate,” ASB Advisor Jenny Dermody commented. “These kids will define the future of politics, and I’m really proud of the way our teachers are teaching them critical thinking and analysis skills. It will serve them well in the future.”

Golden Valley Students are “Upward Bound”
Golden Valley High School students will be the beneficiaries of a $1.25 million grant to College of the Canyons to help push students “Upward Bound.” The Hart School District has entered into a partnership with COC to increase the number of Golden Valley students who earn a diploma and move on to pursue their education at a college or university. The partnership is the result of a five-year, roughly $1.25 million grant awarded to the college by the U.S. Department of Education meant to assist high school students who have the academic potential to succeed, but who need enrichment and encouragement in order to prepare for and ultimately be successful in college. Serving 60 students at Golden Valley each year, the COC Upward Bound program will specifically target Golden Opportunities for Academic Learning and Success (GOALS) program students. The first cohort of participating students has already been identified and plans are in place to start the program. “We are grateful for the collaboration our strong partnership with COC brings to this program and others that greatly benefit students,” Rob Challinor, Superintendent, said.

District Hosted African-American College Night
African-American students throughout the Hart School District attended a college night hosted by Golden Valley High School in September. The event was open to all Hart District high school students; however, it was designed for African-American students interested in learning more about various college opportunities. This event was coordinated by Valencia High School parent Maisah Howard and Golden Valley counselor Devorah Robinson. Students attending the college night visited tables set up from  from UC, CSU, USC, University of Arizona, Oregon State, Howard University and community college transfer representatives. Representatives for financial aid and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and high school counselors were on hand to answer questions. Parents and students attended workshops on UC Admissions and A-G requirements, CSU Admissions, financial aid and other relevant topics. In the past few years, the Hart School District has also hosted a similar night for Hispanic students which proved to be a rewarding experience for those who attended. Hispanic College Night is scheduled for Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at Golden Valley High School. More information is available in the counseling department at each high school.

Student Intern Receives Honor
West Ranch High School senior Griffin Hartz has been interning in the District Transportation Department through the Career Visions program in preparation for a career in commercial equipment maintenance. Last month, Griffin was honored by the District’s transportation vendor, Forsythe Transportation for his outstanding performance during the past year. The Career Visions program brings practical career exploration and workforce preparation services to youth with special needs in the Santa Clarita Valley. Serving thousands annually, the program offers access to a highly trained team of professionals dedicated to helping youth to explore and gain confidence in the workplace. For more information about Career Visions visit: www.hartdistrict.org/careervisions.

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Community Liaison Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227
William S. Hart Union School District website: www.hartdistrict.org

(Photo: left to right: Jennifer Huhn, Courtney Iacenda, Audrey Asplund, Thomas Flores, Barbara Irwin, Eran Zeevi, Jason d’Autremont.)

Drug Free Youth in Town (DFYIT) Program Comes to Hart District
All comprehensive junior and senior high schools have launched the DFYIT program on their campuses over the past few weeks. The anti-drug prevention and education program is coordinated through a partnership with the City of Santa Clarita, SCV Sheriff’s Department and the Hart School District. The lunchtime kick-off at each school provided an opportunity for students to sign up for this innovative peer-based program by making a commitment to be drug free. Students and parents sign a contract and students join a group of like-minded students that provides a positive peer network that supports healthy choices and a drug free lifestyle. Students will be randomly drug tested as part of this program. Campus meetings will include discussion and speakers on drug-related issues and to highlight support services. Parent involvement is encouraged and the program includes webinars and seminars to ensure parents stay on top of the latest trends and have the tools they need to reduce the chances their children will use alcohol and drugs. Santa Clarita and cities throughout the country are affected by the issue of drugs and the results can be deadly. Additional information about the program is available online: www.DFYITscv.com. (Photos: Kick-off events at Rio Norte Junior High School and Valencia High School and registration at Rancho Pico Junior High.)

Two High School Choir Groups Perform at Summer Olympic Venues
Choir students from Valencia High School and Hart High School had the experience of a lifetime this summer when both groups had the opportunity to travel to Europe and perform at several Summer Olympic venues and other prestigious sites and travel to other countries. Twenty-one students from Hart High School traveled for 10 days and visited London and Paris. Students performed at the Olympics-related London Live event at Victoria Park and at Olympic Staduim Park. They enjoyed attending two indoor women’s volleyball Olympic events. Fourteen adults were chaperones, including Choir Director Gail Hart and Principal Dr. Collyn Nielsen and both their spouses. “Our students were able to experience some European culture firsthand,” Dr. Nielsen said. “It was a fantastic trip, and our students represented Hart High School and our country very well.” Sixty Valencia High School choir students plus nearly 30 chaperones, including Choir Director Christine Tavares, Principal Dr. Paul Priesz, Assistant Principal Tracy Moscoe and Placerita Principal Jan Hayes-Rennels, whose daughter was part of the choir group, enjoyed a whirlwind trip. The Valencia itinerary had two options with everyone participating for eight days and a group of 40 who extended to 11 days with a side trip to Scotland. Everyone enjoyed visiting Dublin and St. Patrick’s Cathedral and they also sang at Westminster Abbey in London and at Olympic Stadium Park. Their travels included visits to Stonehenge, York and Edinburg. “The trip was a great experience for students,” Dr. Priesz said. “To sing in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin and in Westminster Abbey was enriching. To be part of the Olympic experience singing in Olympic Park was exciting. I was very proud of the students and the work that Mrs. Tavares did to prepare them. They were outstanding.” Both choir groups held dozens of fundraisers to offset costs for the trips. (Photos: Hart Choir, left; Valencia Choir, right)

ROP Career Internship Class Seeks Business Partners
The Hart School District Regional Occupational Program (ROP) debuted the new Career Internship class to interested juniors and seniors throughout the district this summer. Twenty local businesses opened their doors and offered students the opportunity to learn about a variety of industries while providing hands-on training during their internship experience. The course prepared students for the work environment with six hours of training in job seeking skills. Topics included marketing YOU for success, business etiquette, resume and applications, mock interviews, dress for success, and student digital portfolio. Students then attended a class once a week while interning four to 12 hours a week at their internship site in their area of interest.  “This is a wonderful opportunity for students to experience working in their career field,” Summer O’Brien, ROP teacher, said. “These students have so much passion and dedication to their future.” Companies that participated in the business partner program include: Aerospace Dynamics International, American Family Funding, AMS Fulfillment, Advanced Bionics, Boston Scientific, Bowling & Associates, Bright Star Physical Therapy, Circle of Hope, Hart District Transportation, High Pressure Technologies, Hot Spot SCV, H2W, G & M Auto Repair, Int’l Tax Network, La Quinta Hotel, Michael Hoefflin Foundation, Magazine of Santa Clarita, Specialty Motors, TPC – Oaks Grille, UVDI and 20/20 Optometric Eye Care. “The district would like to see this program grow, and to accomplish that goal we need more business partners to accept student interns,” Dave LeBarron, director of curriculum and assessment, said. “We need a variety of businesses, including large and small, so students may gain a clearer understanding of a chosen career path. We are thankful for all our business partners.” Involved businesses have the opportunity to work with students seeking information on career choices. High school students are the future workers in this community, and business leaders can open the door to potential future employees and to help provide and mentor these students toward the skills required to be successful in the 21st century. For more information on becoming a business partner contact Pam Malowe, Development Coordinator, at the district office, 661.259.0033 x232.

Castaic Area High School Draft Environmental Impact Report Released
The Hart School District released its Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) on the proposed hybrid site for Castaic area high school on July 24, 2012 and the public had 45 days to review and comment on the project through Sept. 6, 2012. A public hearing was held on Aug. 15, with seven comments made during the hearing. Comments received by mail and email are currently undergoing review and response, and the final EIR is projected to be submitted to the Hart School Board for certification at the October 17, 2012 meeting. The projected opening of Castaic area high school is August 2015, to ninth graders only, then adding a grade each year until grades 9-12 are on campus. Local voters overwhelmingly supported Measure SA, a $300 million bond measure in 2008, which in part will pay for acquisition and construction of the school site. “We are committed to building a high-quality, comprehensive high school in Castaic to serve the community,” Rob Challinor, Superintendent, said. “Population projections and home building plans for the Castaic and Val Verde areas show a need for a high school in the area in the future; building it now in anticipation of this growth is financially prudent, good for the area economy and will well serve families in the short term.”
To view the DEIR visit: http://www.hartdistrict.org/castaic.

STAR Results Show Increase for Hart District Students
The California Department of Education released the 2011/12 STAR test results on August 31 and the data showed that Hart District students demonstrated slight increases from the previous year and continue to perform consistently higher than their peers county-wide.  It is these test scores that will be used to calculate the District’s, and each school’s, Academic Performance Index (API) that will be released in September. “Even when our numbers stay the same, they are impressive, especially compared to county and state scores,” noted David LeBarron, Director of Curriculum and Assessment for the Hart District.  The tests, taken last spring by 18,577 students, measure student proficiency on the state’s academic content standards – the specific content that students are expected to master at each grade level and course. “Hart District students do very well on the STAR tests because we place a strong focus on ensuring that our students are taught the State’s academic content standards, which is what the tests assess,” LeBarron continued. “Every one of our schools has a professional development plan that focuses on research-based programs that improve student learning.” Teachers are the key to this success. “In these challenging times when resources are being cut and class sizes have increased, our teachers are to be commended for the outstanding work they do to make sure our students continue to excel,” Vicki Engbrecht, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services, said. A complete article is available online at: http://hartdistrict.org/index.php/news/1002-star-results-show-increase-for-hart-district-students.

Bowman’s Annual Blood Drive Saving Lives
Nearly 150 lives will be saved because 49 Bowman High School students, staff members and Hart District employees donated blood last month for the annual Providence Holy Cross Blood Drive. Some Bowman students were nervous about donating blood for the first time; the knowledge that their donation would save three lives helped them to overcome their fears. A special thank you goes out to all the Bowman students who donated. Student Kayla Jackson said, “Donating is a way for me to give back to the world.” Syndey Rogers, student, nodded in agreement and added, “Donating blood makes the world a better place.” “I came to give blood because I wanted to help somebody out,” added Desteney Autry, student. Students who asked the medical personnel where their blood would go were gratified by the answers. Their blood will go to anyone who needs it: from preemie babies needing heart transplants to adults needing full blood transfusions and to cancer patients.  Many students had such a positive experience that they are committed to donating blood more regularly. Kyle Goldman was overheard reassuring a nervous student, explaining “This is the third time I’ve given blood, and it’s not bad at all.”

Golden Oak Adult School Notes Upcoming Changes to the GED™ Test
The General Educational Development (GED™) Test is a battery of five exams consisting of math, science, social studies, reading, and writing/language arts, and passing all five parts is considered having earned the equivalent of a high school diploma. The program, started in 1942, affords individuals who did not complete high school a second chance at enhanced employment opportunities and the ability to attend college or other postsecondary training. Since its inception 70 years ago, more than 18 million people nationwide have passed the GED™ Test. The test, last updated a decade ago in 2002, is receiving a major overhaul beginning in January 2014. The new testing series will align GED™ goals with current business, government, and foundation initiatives, as well as the Common Core State Standards for grades K through 12. The new battery of tests is also expected to be more rigorous and challenging than the series currently being used. Golden Oak encourages all test takers who have passed some, but not all, of the current GED™ Tests to complete the remaining tests no later than December 2013, due to the expiration of previous test results when the new series is implemented. For more information, visit www.goldenoakadultschool.com or call 661.253.0583.

Summer Graduates Receive Diplomas
Sixteen students met their final high school requirements during summer school  and were honored at a district-wide summer graduation ceremony at Golden Valley High School. The ceremony celebrated students from West Ranch, Canyon, Valencia, Golden Valley and Hart High Schools. Vicki Engbrecht, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services, presented diplomas to the graduates in front of family and friends. District principals, assistant principals and summer school teachers were on hand to offer congratulatory remarks to the recent grads. Several graduates shared speeches during the event, which was followed by a cake and refreshment reception.

More Than 92 Percent of Students Pass Exit Exam on First Try
More than 92 percent of tenth graders in the Hart School District passed the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) on their first try, according to figures released last month by the California Department of Education. The performance of Hart District students matches last year’s and far outpaces the performance of their county and state peers. The passage rate includes students who are English language learners and students in special education, according to David LeBarron, Director of Curriculum and Assessment. Hart District students take the CAHSEE for the first time in March of their tenth grade year, along with all other students needing to pass one or both parts of the test.  The state figures released include results for all students taking the CAHSEE. “We are pleased with the results,” LeBarron commented, “Our pass rate is quite a bit higher than both the state and the county.” For complete information visit: http://hartdistrict.org/index.php/news/1012-more-than-92-percent-of-hart-district-students-pass-high-school-exit-exam-on-first-try.

Football Players Tackle Burritos to Raise Funds – Canyon Wins!
Five football players each from Canyon, Golden Valley, Hart, Saugus, West Ranch and Valencia High Schools competed in the third annual Burrito Bowl last month. Each team was timed for how long they took to eat and swallow a nine pound burrito donated by Chronic Cantina. Hundreds of students, cheerleaders and parents were on hand to cheer for their favorite team. Canyon High School won this year and they are the new “Burrito Bowl” champs for 2012. For their accomplishment, they were awarded a $3,000 prize which will be split evenly between band, football and cheerleading squads. The second place, last year’s champs, Hart High School, received $1,500 to be split between the three programs and third- through sixth-place received $750 each for their respective teams. The event was hosted by SCV Concierge, Chronic Cantina, SCV Advisory Real Estate Network and College Bound Strategies. The event was held in the Dick’s Sporting Goods parking lot. Watch a clip of the competition at:  http://the-signal.com/multimedia/751/. Viewer discretion advised. (Photos of Canyon, Burrito Bowl Champs 2012)

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Community Liaison Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227
William S. Hart Union School District website: www.hartdistrict.org

Business Partners and Volunteers Recognized at Annual District Event
The District Advisory Committee (DAC) hosted the annual “Harts of Gold” business partners and volunteers recognition reception last month. School and district administration and staff nominated outstanding parent and community volunteers at their schools and business partners who support district schools and programs; nearly 250 of them were recognized at this special awards presentation event. Refreshments were provided by Hart’s food service agency, Chartwells, and entertainment was provided by three student groups including the Saugus High School Improv Club, Sierra Vista Junior High School drumline and Golden Valley High School Women’s Choir. Presentation of the colors was by the JROTC of Valencia High School. Board President Gloria Mercado-Fortine expressed her thanks to this dedicated group on behalf of the Board and shared her thoughts about the importance of volunteerism. Lesley Day, La Mesa Junior High School teacher, chaired the event and DAC President Suzan Solomon and VP Susan Christopher presented the awards and a gift to each honoree. Outstanding volunteer awards went to: Ikuko Heid, John Carlos Rojas, Vicki Crawford-Lonquich, Marybeth and Scott Haberman, Jenny Hoeft, Isabel Soto, Amy Daniels, Stephanie Fea, Michele Ewing, Barbara Sellars, Gina Sanserino, Chris Higgs, Sue Alterman, Rochelle Gallimore, Julia and John Regan, Violet Rein, Audrey Yamamoto, Kari Dahlquist, Cheryl Wasserman, Jennifer Perez and Carol and John Clarke. Outstanding business partner awards went to: College of the Canyons / Diane Stewart, KHTS, Eureka Review, SCV Youth Project, Power Ford, SOS Entertainment, Boston Scientific, Fiserv, SoCal Physical Therapy, Southland Regional Association of Realtors, Juice It Up, Panda Express, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Lady Di’s Cookies, Pampered Chef / Stacy Kupfer, Dr. Cynthia Novak, DDS, Kaufman Orthopedics and The Signal / Tammy Marashlian. Special achievement awards were presented to: Michael Hill, Suzan Solomon, Kelly Sandusky / Jostens, ACTION Family Counseling and Nissan of Valencia.

Special Education Students Compete and Enjoy Hart Games 2012
The 3rd Annual Hart Games, held in March at Valencia High School, continued to be a successful event for the district and the entire Santa Clarita community. Participation was at an all-time high with approximately 300 Hart District students with special needs competing in this annual Track and Field Meet. A hurdles event was added this year, which turned out to be an athlete and a spectator favorite. This year was a beautiful sunny day, complimented by Superintendent Rob Challinor giving a warm welcome and a resounding “Let the Games Begin!” Competition was high as athletes crossed the finish lines and received ribbons for their efforts. The volunteers made every athlete feel as if they came in first place as they put the ribbon around each student’s neck.  High fives were exchanged as teammates rooted each other on. Cheers of, “Go!  Go!  Go!” echoed from the stands as volunteers and family members ran alongside athletes, cheering them to victory. Proudly sporting their school colors on T-shirts which were provided by our partners, the Special Olympics, athletes basked in the glow of being the center of attention in an arena that is typically reserved for the physically gifted. Thank you to all family members, volunteers, school staff and assistants that helped make this event another success for these special Olympians!

Bowman Celebrates 20th Annual Day of the Artist and Poetry Festival
Bowman High School’s best and brightest artists and poets took center stage at the 20th annual Day of the Artist and Poetry Festival last month to showcase their hard work and creative talents with a day full of artwork, music and poetry readings by the students of Bowman High School. The event is a tradition at Bowman that had its modest beginnings in the classroom of a poetry teacher, Mr. Richard Weekley, and now 20 years later has grown to become a campus-wide celebration of the arts at Bowman. The event began with a gallery showing of award winning student artwork ranging from watercolors to abstract art. The art displayed was extensive, demonstrating the talents of students in a wide range of subjects. The art students this year, explained art teacher Mary Gaskin, were awarded numerous statewide prizes for their craft. The art-walk was followed by an outdoor poetry reading held on Bowman’s south lawn where the creative writing students celebrated the publication of their annual literary magazine with an open microphone performance. The event was opened by Mr. Weekley, the founder of the Day of the Artist and Poet event, who read one of his poems and offered advice to the student poets gathered.  The creative writing students proudly released their newly published book of poetry, artwork and photography “The Act of Dreaming,” featuring the work of more than 80 students. The poetry reading was periodically accompanied by some of Bowman’s own student musicians from the music program as they performed during the event, much to the delight of the guests in the audience. As the festivities drew to a close, guests enjoyed refreshments and discussion while the students enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment and pride. All student art, photography and writing can be enjoyed on Bowman’s webpage at www.hartdistrict.org/bowman. Article written by Bowman High School creative writing teacher Mike Mansfield, pictured along with Richard Weekley.

La Mesa Students Welcome Guest Speakers for Career Day
La Mesa Junior High School students had the opportunity to select from a variety of guest speakers to visit; nearly 50 distinguished guests participated in Career Day last month. Students heard presentations on aerospace engineering, veterinary medicine, education, health and fitness, law, business and entrepreneurship, law enforcement, politics, entertainment careers and more. School board member Gloria Mercado-Fortine shared her experience of being an elected school board member and careers in education. Students enjoyed the dynamic presentation by Carl Bell, KNBC weathercaster and by local firefighters, who had a ladder truck displayed outside the school. Following each presentation, students were able to ask the guests questions and learn more about specific career paths. Counselor Bob Kerman arranged career day and was pleased with presenters who shared their stories and careers with La Mesa students.

Golden Valley ASB Students Honored with Fundraising Award
Golden Valley High School has participated in the Pennies for Patients program for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society every year since 2005, raising thousands of dollars for the worthy cause. This year Golden Valley Associated Student Body (ASB) was honored with the award for “Most Creative Wrap Around Event” for the “Couple for a Cure” drive.  Students pair up with a friend, family member, or “special someone” and decorate a milk jug. Then the couple collects donations for the charity. The top three couples, collecting the most money, win fun prizes, including dinner and movies for two and tickets to Disneyland. This year more than 100 Golden Valley students were involved and raised more than $3,700.

Sequoia Charter School Rummage Sale a Success
Sequoia Charter School’s PAC held its 3rd annual rummage sale last month in the school parking lot.  Students, parents and staff helped out at the event. There was face painting, a bake sale, and a live student band, the “Bushido Code.” to liven up the festivities. One hundred percent of the funds raised help pay for student field trips, school picnics, teacher appreciation days, campus beatification and other student programs. It was a fun day, and a great fundraising event for the school.

Golden Oak Adult School - Last But Not Least
Golden Oak Adult School was the last campus in the district to hold its commencement ceremony, with 24 exuberant graduates in full cap and gown walking the Hart High School Auditorium on Tuesday June 5th.  Golden Oak’s graduation ceremonies are always a source of extreme pride and accomplishment, and this one was no exception. The adult students, as varied in age as they are in backgrounds, shared the spotlight and their stories of success with over 200 invited guests which included Hart Governing Board Member Gloria Mercado-Fortine.  Graduate Tila Almeida, 56, who joined Golden Oak with only a fifth grade education, summed up the vibe of the evening best, “I cannot tell you what I am feeling. You have to feel it for yourself.” Congratulations to all 3,800+ Hart District 2012 graduates!

Hart High School Teacher to Tour China as a NEA Global Learning Fellow
The National Education Association Foundation has selected Leslie Littman, a teacher at Hart High School, as a 2012 NEA Foundation Pearson Foundation Global Learning Fellow, one of a unique class of 32 award-winning public school educators who are building their global competency skills. Global competence is defined as the capacity and disposition to understand and act on issues of global significance. The fellowship is an expansion of the NEA Foundation’s annual Awards for Teaching Excellence (ATE) program and a continuation of its mission to advance student achievement by investing in public education that will prepare all students to learn and thrive in a rapidly changing world. It is designed to broaden how the Fellows, all ATE recipients, navigate the global age to better prepare their students for success in an increasingly interconnected world. The tour of China, from June 19-28, includes visits to schools in Beijing and Shanghai to provide educators with structured opportunities to observe high quality instruction and to interact with Chinese teachers and administrators. It also includes interactions with representatives from multi-national corporations, Intel and Fastenal, to increase Fellows’ understanding of the workplace skills their students need to succeed in a global economy. “In order for students to be prepared for the global age, their educators must be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and disposition to teach in the global age,” said Harriet Sanford, President and CEO of the NEA Foundation. “Our program has an intentional focus on strengthening each educator’s global competencies: investigating the world beyond one’s immediate environment; recognizing multiple perspectives; communicating ideas effectively with diverse audiences; taking action to improve conditions.” Ms. Littman is looking forward to learning about classroom culture and plans to incorporate global learning into lesson plans for Hart District students. She is also excited to tour China landmarks such as The Great Wall and Tiananmen Square. (Photo: NEA Foundation Gala; Leslie Littman, front right.)

Golden Valley Senior Wins SARB Scholarship
Golden Valley High School senior, Terrence Carlton, has been awarded a $200 Shirley Abrams School Attendance Review Board (SARB) scholarship. He was nominated by child welfare and attendance specialist, Eileen Parviz.  Terrence’s application was reviewed by the Los Angeles County SARB and evaluated based on how the SARB process helped Terrence achieve his academic and attendance goals. SARB is a program that supports students and their families through the use of school and community resources. These are annual scholarship awards to deserving students who have made a significant change in their academic and personal lives due to the efforts of child welfare and attendance personnel and the School Attendance Review Board. Terrence maintained a part-time job while attending school and was a member of the track team for two years. Terrence is enrolled in College of the Canyons for the fall and plans to study Psychology.

G O JAZZ  Plays to Nearly 200 Community Enthusiasts
Saturday, June 9th, may have been another peaceful weekend evening in Santa Clarita, but it was anything but quiet at the West Ranch High School theater. Golden Oak Adult School’s 20-piece, professional level jazz big band held their fourth performance of the school year. Under direction of well-known local band director, Mr. Bob Babko, the mixed genre of music included something for everyone. The largest crowd for a G O JAZZ performance yet, actively participated through their applause, tapping feet and complimentary commentaries.  Intermission showcased delicious lemon bars and brownies, and the crowd appeared to depart in an enthusiastic mood some two hours after the first notes were played. More information on current/future plans and performances is available on the Hotline at 661-259-0033 ext. 444, the Golden Oak website at www.goldenoakadultschool.com, or by being added to the e-mail notification list at goldenoakjazz@gmail.com.

Hart ROP Seniors Graduate High School as Licensed Cosmetologists
Eight Hart District Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Cosmetology students took the cosmetology state boards and passed the entire exam, graduating high school as licensed cosmetologists. Ten high school seniors from Canyon, Golden Valley, Valencia and West Ranch High Schools attended ROP Cosmetology at Newberry School of Beauty in Granada Hills during their junior and senior years. The high number of students passing the state boards this year is unprecedented in the ROP program. Last year less than 50% of the students passed the state boards the first time. Advisor Tina Olinger states, “I am so impressed with the caliber of students who have recently graduated this year’s cosmetology program. To be able to fulfill the requirements necessary to become a licensed cosmetologist while they are in high school takes unbelievable dedication and work ethic. I am so excited to be a part of a program that facilitates the development of such high quality individuals who will be a productive part of our local workforce.” The Hart District ROP Program offers Cosmetology to high school students that apply and are accepted in the program. The ROP Cosmetology program training is rigorous; it requires 1600 hours of classroom and lab to be completed while attending regular high school courses as well as during winter, spring and summer breaks.  Students forfeit vacations, after-school sports, and other activities to be involved in the program.  Student Hailey Stillman-Riddle tells us “This was an awesome opportunity. Even though I was here full-time during the summer, I had a great time learning and I made a lot of friends. I made sure to have my beach days on Mondays. If you study hard and work hard while you are here, you will be rewarded by getting your (cosmetology) license before you even graduate high school.” Limited space is available for juniors and seniors interested in enrolling in the Spring 2013 ROP Cosmetology program. Students should contact the ROP Advisor at their school site for an application and additional information.

Saugus French Language Students Place in Top 10 in the U.S.
Each year more than 100,000 students of French language across the U.S. voluntarily participate in the “Grand Concours” – the National French Contest – sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. This year 60 Saugus High School students took the exam. Of these, 33 ranked in the top 20 scores in the United States (in levels 1 – 5) and will receive certificates of merit for their achievement. In addition, French I students Salvador Grover earned 8th place in the U.S. and Sierra Lara 9th place. Third year student Morgan Ayache ranked 8th nationally and 4th year student Sara Feldman earned 10th place.  Sara, a senior, has earned top-10 U.S. rankings for all four of her years at Saugus. These four students will be recognized at an awards ceremony in May. Madame Patty Stephenson, who teaches all levels of French at Saugus High School, where she also serves as the China Exchange Coordinator, is very proud of the achievements of her students. In fact, all of the Saugus students who took the exam ranked in the top half of all those taking the exam across the U.S., and a majority of those who participate come from private schools where language classes are much smaller than those in the Hart School District. This is Mrs. Stephenson’s last year of teaching, and she is very pleased that her students continue to excel!

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Community Liaison Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227
William S. Hart Union School District website: www.hartdistrict.org

La Mesa Students Win Top Awards in Statewide Stock Market Game
La Mesa junior high school students earned a nice return on investment having placed first and third in the Stock Market Game for the fall 2011 game period. In a congratulatory letter to Principal Pete Fries from the sponsors, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA Foundation), they wrote, “Congratulations! One of your esteemed teachers, Geoffrey Aronsky, and several of your terrific students, have placed in the top three teams in the Fall 2011 Stock Market Game competition in your California Region. 8,226 student teams competed in California – over 32,000 students. This ranks your students in the top 1% of the state – quite an accomplishment!” SIFMA is dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of the financial markets and real life situations. Each team is given $100,000 in a brokerage account and must invest these “funds” in various stocks and mutual funds.  Students track their investments using math, English, science and social studies skills. Students create research portfolios using graphs and spreadsheets as well as doing research papers on their companies. The first place team members were: Alejandro Hernandez, Ryan Valencia, Chris Rodriguez and Zulema Mejicano made a profit of 6.1781%. The third place team, which only had one member, was Marisela Sanchez and she made a profit of 3.7429%. Mr. Aronsky is the business education teacher at La Mesa and has been the Stock Market Game advisor for nine years. (Photo: teacher Geofrey Aronsky, students Alejandro Hernandez, Christian Saucedo Rodriquez, Marisela Sanchez and Principal Pete Fries.)

District’s Solar Celebration Receives Sunny Community Reception
Hart District administrators, local government officials, PsomasFMG executives and junior high students celebrated the District’s nine-campus solar initiative as it’s nearing completion at a Solar Celebration held earlier this month at La Mesa Junior High. The sun was shining brightly on the hilltop campus making for the perfect setting to unveil the 7.3 megawatt project to the community. Through a public-private partnership with the Hart School District, PsomasFMG is providing a turnkey solar solution to the District’s energy needs. The company arranged for project financing free of costs to the school district and is expected to save the district $18 - $20 million in energy costs over the next 20 years. The event kicked-off with students from the Valencia High School JROTC leading the group in a flag salute and La Mesa Lobo Jazz Band entertaining the guests with a variety of musical selections including, “On the Sunny Side of the Street.” People were very impressed with the musical talent by junior high students, directed by Jeffrey Stephan. The District’s food service provider, Chartwells, provided a delicious spread of breakfast fare including bagels, breakfast quesadillas, fruit, pastries and coffee and juice to guests, sponsored by PsomasFMG. Presenters included City of Santa Clarita Mayor Frank Ferry; Hart Board President Gloria Mercado-Fortine; Rob Challinor, Superintendent and Albert Nagy of PsomasFMG. The SCV Chamber of the Commerce, in lieu of a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony, conducted a “flip the switch” ceremony with everyone in hard hats to celebrate the event. All guests had the opportunity to sign a full size solar panel to commemorate the event, which will be hung in the District Office. Pete Fries, La Mesa Principal and his staff provided wonderful hospitality that was enjoyed by all. JD Kennedy representing Congressman McKeon and Senator Strickland’s office and Jackie Bick from Senator Runner’s office presented certificates to school officials recognizing this green initiative in the community.

Bowman Students Take Top Awards at Art Conference
At the recent California Continuation Education Association’s annual conference in North Hollywood, Bowman High School art students won an astounding 11 awards for exemplary student art work. The competition was state-wide, making it an especially remarkable achievement. Award medals and ribbons were sponsored by the Peninsula Education Foundation and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District. Judge Kathleen Rarewala praised Bowman’s “art program for being outstanding.” Bowman senior Crystal Apodoca won a first place medal for the Best of Show for her distinctive painting titled “Masks.” Seth Loudon also won a first place medal for painting his “3 Elephants Traveling” piece. Second place medal winner for mixed media was Isabel Rodriquez for her “Large Owl Painted on a Rock,” while Jonathan Garcia received a third place medal for his mixed media “Day of the Dead Statue.” Honorable mention ribbons were presented to Monique Garcia, Lindsey Griffith, Samantha Cervantes, Kevin Boog, Anahi Sahagun and Seth Loudon. Also honored was Josh Sayre with a participation ribbon. Bowman art teacher and past Teacher of the Year recipient Mary Gaskin attributes this achievement to the creativity of her students, their persistence in adversity and their willingness to learn. “Their teacher Mary Gaskin works non-stop to motivate and inspire students to achieve their best. She never gives up on students, insisting that they complete projects to their highest ability,” Principal Robin Geissler remarked.  “We have never had so many Bowman students qualifying to attend prestigious art programs. Mary is the prism through which our students’ creativity shines.”

Top ROP Students Earn Medals At Annual Recognition Event
Eighteen outstanding students in the Hart District’s Regional Occupational Program (ROP) came away from the annual ROP awards ceremony held last month with medals attesting to their excellent academic achievement and positive attitudes in the career-oriented ROP classes in which they are enrolled. As a highlight of the program, Michael Fernicola, senior at Valencia High School, was named to the ROP Hall of Fame as this year’s top ROP student. Hart District ROP served more than 2,200 students in the 2011-12 school year. Instructors in all 94 ROP classes chose the outstanding student in their class, according to criteria established in advance.
The selected students were then invited to participate in interviews before a panel of professionals in one of six industry clusters, and to submit an essay about their experience in ROP. Eighteen students were then selected as medalists. Once the gold, silver and bronze medalists were chosen in the six clusters, the gold medalists’ essays were reviewed by Rob Challinor, Hart District Superintendent and Rob Gapper and Vicki Engbrecht, Assistant Superintendents, to determine the Hall of Fame winner. Fernicola, the Hall of Fame winner, is the gold medalist from the Building Trades sector. As the gold medal winner, Fernicola went on to be considered for Hall of Fame status. Selected as the outstanding student in instructor Bryan Kerness’ engineering technology class, Mr. Kerness states “I selected Michael as the outstanding student because of his enthusiasm to learn. Michael takes initiative in helping other students in the classroom. He is a leader with strong technical abilities. Michael goes above and beyond creating CAD drawings using AutoDesk Inventor.”
In the Arts, Media, Entertainment sector, the gold medalist was Rafael Apolinar Jr., a senior at Hart High School in Steve Lindberg’s Screen Printing class. Mr. Lindberg said that Rafael is a very hard working student that produces excellent work. He pays attention to detail and is always pushing himself to do better. He is humble, but has great confidence in his ability. He is looking to further his education and career in graphic communications.
In the Design, Marketing & Finance sector, the gold medalist was Troy Havelin, a senior from Valencia High School in John Whalen’s Graphic Design class. Mr. Whalen states that Troy is a quick learner. He is able to retain the lessons taught and then help others in class.
In the Health & Child Development sector the gold medalist was Keyaira Lyons, senior at Valencia High in Jacque Upshaw and Jennifer Stebleton’s Health Care Occupations course. Mrs. Upshaw states that “Keyaira is a hard working A+ student always going the extra mile. She is a pleasure to have in class. She is constantly engaged in class decisions and asking class-appropriate questions.”
In the Hospitality, Tourism, & Natural Resources sector the gold medalist was Sidney Salvador, senior at Golden Valley High in Scott Nevius’ Hotel & Restaurant Occupations class.  Mr. Nevius tells us that Sidney has a great personality, and has the traits that employers look for in the hospitality industry.
In the Public Services sector, the gold medalist was Ariela Lemus-Daboud, junior at West Ranch High School in Jonathan Melville’s Advanced Law – Sheriff Explorer Academy.  Sergeant Melville tells us that “Explorer Lemus has shown a tremendous amount of leadership during her tenure at the North Academy Explorers. Explorer Lemus is currently the lead Deputy Explorer Instructor at the Academy, based on her leadership skills. She not only is a leader among the rest of the Academy staff, but also a leader and mentor for the current recruits.”
Hall of Fame winner Fernicola will have his name engraved on a perpetual plaque proudly displayed for one year at his school. Valencia High School Principal, Dr. Paul Priesz, attended the awards ceremony and is very proud of Fernicola’s accomplishments. (Dr. Priesz pictured with Michael above). The awards ceremony carried a baseball theme, “Be an MVP with ROP,” with baseball themed entertainment by students in the ROP Entertainment Performance class, including a take on the classic “Who’s On First” by Abbott and Costello. The show was co-written and directed by Valencia High School senior, Parker Knell, Bowman High School senior John Lucewich and class instructor John Moskal. The winning poster was designed by the Kayla Cox. Elizabeth Bradey Luccabue from Saugus High School and Parker Knell from Valencia High School were mistress and master of ceremonies. The Hart District’s Regional Occupational Program offers a wide array of career-driven classes designed to meet industry needs and offer students skills that will provide them with meaningful jobs during and after high school and, in many cases, inspire them to pursue higher education within their chosen industry. ROP classes are open to students 16 years and older. They are free to high school students and available at a nominal charge to adults on a space-available basis. For a complete list of winners and additional ROP information visit: http://www.hartdistrict.org/.

Nissan of Valencia Raffles a Car, Scholarships to Hart District Students
The All New Nissan of Valencia was the driving force behind the recent student contest that earned one student a brand new Nissan Versa and three others received $1,000 scholarships. The Hart School District partnered with Nissan of Valencia and created an incentive contest for students in 10th, 11th and 12th grades that provided eligibility to participate based on attendance record, GPA and student behavior during the third and fourth quarters of this school year. More than 9,000 students qualified, with several thousand parents and students attending the special event to draw for the winners. On a drizzly, chilly April night at COC Stadium, Saugus High School 10th grader Townsend Kaneversky was the big winner, as his key was the one that started the engine on the brand new 2012 Nissan Versa donated by Nissan of Valencia. $1000 winners were Abbi Bahr, Saugus High School 10th grader; Francesca Diaz, West Ranch High School 11th grader and Justin Ramer, Saugus High School 11th grader. West Ranch teacher Ron Ippolito served as Master of Ceremonies and the crowd enjoyed a special appearance by former Dodger and local resident, Bill Russell. Dozens of other students won gift cards from local stores and restaurants, also donated by Nissan and other vendors. As part of the event, a high school drumline competition was held to entertain the crowd gathered for the drawing with Valencia, Hart, Golden Valley and Canyon High Schools participating. The winning drumline from Hart High School was presented with $1,000 from Nissan of Valencia and in a showing of on-the-spot generosity, Nissan of Valencia General Manager Dan Sterkel presented checks for $500 to the other three drumlins for their great performances. “The Hart School District would like to thank Nissan of Valencia and Mr. Sterkel and owner Steve Lapin for their generosity in support of student programs,” Rob Challinor, superintendent, said. “Our students and families enjoyed this event and we all appreciate the hard work of Nissan of Valencia staff to be our ongoing partner.”

West Ranch Music Students Wrapping Up Successful Competition Season
West Ranch Winter Percussion Ensemble students have had a busy and successful competition season this year, receiving high awards in regional, state and national competitions, under the direction of band director Brian Leff. Last month they traveled to San Bernardino to compete in the Southern California Percussion Alliance (SCPA) Championship Finals. They had earned a spot in the finals with a successful season of performances of their show, “Taking Chances,” at both SCPA and the Winter Guard International (WGI) competitions. At the awards ceremony, they breathlessly awaited the results of Scholastic Class A competition, in which they were amongst 12 schools competing. As the results were announced, starting with 12th place, their excitement grew by the time the 4th place winners were announced as they realized they were in the top three! With a score of 88.8, they earned the bronze medal, which was presented to each student, earning them the privilege of wearing the medals to all future SCPA Final Awards ceremonies. Not resting on their laurels however, they continued to work hard, preparing for one more competition, as they not only made history as the first Hart District school to medal at SCPA Championship Finals, they also earned a spot in WGI World Championships, in Dayton, Ohio later in April. At the WGI World Championships, West Ranch had a great showing nationally, earning two second place awards in the Western Percussion prelims and finals, then earning two more top 10 finishes to round out their successful season. In addition to attending class every day, West Ranch music students work diligently by rehearsing on evenings and weekends. Students practice music and drills, attend rehearsals and competitions, travel, spend time loading, unloading and setting up, but it is much more than that. It’s also camaraderie, bonding, learning, and achieving. Most of all, however, it is an experience that all participating students will remember for a lifetime.

Students Stay on Budget in a Tasty Way
In an effort to experience “real world” budgetary demands, the students of Anna Bettencourt’s class at Transitional Learning Charter School (TLC) successfully stayed on a one-month food budget for the month of March 2012.  The students were asked to create four complete meals with a budget of $80. To save money, the students signed up for grocery savings cards, researched store specials and found coupons from the newspaper, local circulars and online. The internet was a wonderful resource for finding appetizing meal ideas and recipes. At the beginning of the week the students researched and secured several recipes for consideration. After a class vote, the popular recipes were broken down into a shopping list. Students then headed to the grocery store to secure the ingredients and find the best deals. March’s menu included: honey-glazed pork chops, French toast strata, mac ‘n’ cheese, taco stack-ups, mini pizzas, cheeseburgers, garlic bread and honey fresh fruit salad. After each meal, students reviewed their budget for the week and developed strategies for the following week. Thanks to all their hard work and spending savvy, Ms. B’s students ended the month $5.95 to the positive, while enjoying delicious food! Please visit: http://hartdistrict.org/tlc/ for more information about TLC and its unique life-skills programs.

Hart Dance Team Captures Second National Title
The Hart Dance Team earned its second National Championship Dance Title at the USA National Dance and Cheer Championship held in Anaheim in March. The 20-member team was awarded the prize for its Medium Jazz Dance, a contemporary style performance, which earned them high marks throughout their dance season. Hart shared top honors with other outstanding Hart School District and local dance teams. Valencia, Saugus, West Ranch and Canyon high schools each took home prestigious awards in multiple categories. Local pride was evident with signs and buttons that read “SCV dancers support each other.” Local dance teams and studio performances were included in Hart’s Spring show held in April.

A Good Year for Golden Oak Adult School
The 2011/12 school year proved to be an especially exciting one at Golden Oak Adult School.  Beyond new course offerings and expansion of more popular sections, Golden Oak has enthusiastically sponsored a 17-piece professional level jazz band and has also entered into partnership with Boston Reed Medical College. Golden Oak has enhanced its vocational and career technical education classes and added a number of new certificate courses. In addition to the always popular business classes, which include training in Word, accounting and Quick Books and Excel certification, classes are now offered in culinary basics, masonry and horticulture. Classes in custodial maintenance are also being developed. Some classes are still available through June. Check out the Spring 2012 brochure posted online at www.goldenoakadultschool.com.

SCV Teen Hero Program Recognizes Hart District Students
Eighteen Hart School District students were recognized by the Santa Clarita City Council, along with representatives from the offices of Congressman Buck McKeon, Senators George Runner and Tony Strickland, Assemblyman Cameron Smyth and L.A. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, at the SCV Teen Hero Recognition Ceremony held at the Santa Clarita Activities Center earlier this month. These teens were selected by school administrators and community leaders for overcoming obstacles in their lives and being good role models to their peers and classmates. Throughout the year, the Anti-Gang Task Force “shares their stories” in The Signal newspaper in an effort to encourage their progress and inspire other youth to make positive choices and to persevere. SCV Teen Hero Honorees include: Arroyo Seco Junior High School: Spencer Richman; Bowman High School: Jorge Acosta, Richard Brown III, Devyn Bullock, Guadalupe Camacho and Ross Shields; Canyon High School: Jerad Almeida and Balquees Obadi; Golden Valley High School: Cayla Bevan; Hart High School: Hosbaldo Jaramillo and Rebeca Solorzano; Placerita Junior High School: Joshua Garnica; Rancho Pico Junior High School: Christian Abdelshahed; Rio Norte Junior High School: Charles Melgar; Saugus High School: Dorothy Clemena and Rosa Monroy Carranza and Valencia High School: Paola Campos and Jade Lico. All students received special gift bags featuring treats and gift cards from Kids Cuts and Waves, Clear Water, Kona Crisp, Mountasia Family Fun Center, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SCV Party Rentals, The Signal, TOGO’s Eatery, Juice It Up of Valencia, Rattler’s Barbecue, McDonald’s, Jersey Mike’s Subs (Saugus), Stonefire Grill, Philly’s Best (Saugus), the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita and Allstate Insurance. SCV Teen Heroes and their guests enjoyed a cake reception following the program. (Photo on left: Bowman teacher Mike Nugent with Principal Robin Geissler and Bowman Teen Hero honorees. Photo on right: group picture of Teen Hero Honorees.)

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Community Liaison Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227
William S. Hart Union School District website: www.hartdistrict.org

Golden Valley Students Study Shakespeare with a Twist
In a galaxy far, far away – well, at least over at Golden Valley High School, students performed a truncated version of “Twelfth Night or What You Will,” in their Shakespeare classes. Teacher John Salapatek allowed the students to pick any era for their performances. Students were extremely creative and made this project fun and a great learning experience. This group was extremely clever and chose a “Star Wars” theme. A fun, yet educational time was had by all according to Salapatek. Photo on left: (left to right) Alex Chavez as Malvolio/R2D2; Javiera Schmidt-Silva as Maria/Jedi and Ryan Rosenthal as Curio/Storm Trooper. Photo on right: (left to right) Abigail Zarate as Olivia/Princess Leia; Corali Scimenes as Viola/Luke Skywalker; Abner Gutierrez as Orsino/Darth Vader and Arrbie Bautista is Sir Andrew/Jar Jar Binks.

SCV Scholarship Foundation President Judy Riley Succumbs to Illness
Santa Clarita Valley Scholarship Foundation is saddened to announce its President, Judy Riley, passed away on April 10 due to complications from pneumonia. Judy was an educator by profession who dedicated countless volunteer hours to provide funds for Hart School District high school students to continue their educations.
Judy was a math teacher at both La Mesa Junior High and Rio Vista Elementary before her retirement from teaching in 1998. Judy was in her third term as SCV Scholarship Foundation president, an organization that has been providing merit and need scholarships to deserving graduating high school seniors since 1977. The SCV Scholarship Foundation has awarded $2.5 million in scholarships over the past 35 years for recipients to continue their education at a college, university or vocational school.  “Judy was instrumental in coining the Foundation’s mission statement: Helping today’s scholars become tomorrow’s leaders,” Josy Block, foundation secretary said. “This statement says it all and drives us forward in carrying out Judy’s dream.” A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, April 21, 2012, 10 am at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in the Main Chapel. The family has requested memorial donations in Judy’s name be sent to the SCV Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 220236, Santa Clarita, CA 91322. For more information about the SCV Scholarship Foundation, visit: www.scvsf.org.

Rio Norte Students Display Art at CSUN Exhibit
The California Art Education Association held its Annual Youth Art Month Exhibit at the California State University, Northridge West Art Gallery in March. The curators selected artwork and photography from the following students: Erin Kim, Safuwra Wizzard, Daniella Fenelon, Janelle Brosnan, Kaylene Lim, Gryffon Benepe and Voulette Hattar. Congratulations to Janelle Brosnan for placing 2nd  in the exhibit. Her winning photograph goes to the next level of competition for the Southern California area.

La Mesa Students Screen an Impactful Documentary
After two trying years preparing, planning and scheduling this event, Steve Paterson, counselor at La Mesa Junior High, and  José E. Malavé, Spanish teacher, were able to bring the documentary “Somewhere Near Tapachula” to life.  Directed by Jonno Durrant and Stefan Hunt, this eye-opening documentary is a two-month glimpse into the life that an Australian couple, Pam and Alan Skuse, have built for a lucky group of 50 children in Mexico. The movie documents the lives of children from the most horrendous backgrounds and how surfing is helping them heal. After watching the documentary, the students were surprised with the presence of one of its cast members, Moacir Zeledon. Moacir’s  mother abandoned him and his younger brother at the orphanage as they tried to make their way to the United States.  He found himself under the loving care of Pam and Alan in a place called Mission Mexico. His story is one of triumph and achievement. La Mesa was fortunate to have such a powerful film available and a cast member present for the screening. For more information about Mission Mexico go to www.lovelifehope.com or www.peacejusticecenter.org . Photo f rom left to right: John L. Mather, CEO of The Peace and Justice Center; José E. Malavé, Spanish teacher; Moazir Zeledon, guest speaker, and Steve Paterson, school counselor.

Adult English Language Learners Visit Ronald Reagan Library
Golden Oak Adult School English as a Second Language (ESL) students put to practice what they have learned in their class while visiting Air Force One. José E. Malavé, ESL instructor, and Gerardo Nuñez, computer science instructor, decided to give their students a unique experience by taking them to the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley. This was the first time most of these students had been out of Santa Clarita after arriving in the United States. After learning and researching about the presidents of the United States, specifically former President Ronald Reagan, students decided to go and see first-hand how much English they have acquired as well as how much they have learned about the history of the United States and its landmarks.

Contact for more information: Gail Pinsker, Community Liaison Officer,
gpinsker@hartdistrict.org, 661.259.0033 x. 227
William S. Hart Union School District website: www.hartdistrict.org