Caryn Elementary School presented to the board last night and brought a few students who shared with us what they thought PBIS meant and how it has improved their school.  Caryn Elementary makes their school a safe place for everyone.  Be Safe.  Be Respectful.  Be Responsible.

Thank you to Donna Mawhorter and Leann Stepp (not pictured) for their commitment to represent ESD on the Community Advisory Committee.

During our January board meeting we had a visit from the E3 Foundation and they presented the school district with funds.  It was such a nice way to start the year.  Our community is full of people who care about children.

The Etiwanda School District Board of Trustees has worked toward goals that help our children receive excellence in their education.  We will miss both Cathline Fort and Cecilia Solorio.  They are advocates for children and their contribution to the Etiwanda School District has made it a better place.

Board Member Vacancy: Residents of the Etiwanda School District who are interested in being considered for appointment to fill the board member vacancy created by the resignation of Board Member Solorio, must complete and submit an application via mail or hand delivery to: Etiwanda School District, Attention: Jeannie Duran, Superintendent’s Office, 6061 East Avenue, Etiwanda, CA 91739. The application period is January 25 – February 8, 2017. Applications must be received at the Etiwanda School District no later than 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8, 2017.

Board member vacancy information

Cecilia Solorio receives 2013 Distinguished Service Award

Cecilia Lucero Solorio, a long-time board member for the Etiwanda School District, is the recipient of the 2013 Distinguished Service Award.

Solorio, who had a school in Fontana named after her in 2000, was honored at the San Bernardino County School Boards Association's spring meeting on Monday at Etiwanda Gardens as the 25th Distinguished Service Award recipient.

Celebrating its 16th annual inducted class, the San Bernardino County Distinguished Service Award celebrates exceptional service sustained over many years. The purpose of the award is to recognize dedication and leadership on behalf of public education in San Bernardino County.

Recipients are those who have been willing to take risks to improve educational opportunities for students; have had broad community involvement; have been willing to speak out on issues that have an impact on children; and have the respect of their peers. Up to two recipients may be selected annually.

Solorio has served on the Etiwanda School Board for the past 33 years, cementing her legacy as a leader in a district whose motto is "excellence in education."

"Cecilia is at the heart of the Etiwanda School District," said Carol Bidwell-Pilgren, who is the principal at Cecilia Lucero Solorio Elementary School.

Solorio also was witness to the genesis of the district, growing from two schools with less than 600 students when she was first appointed to the school board in 1979 to its present day with 16 schools and about 13,000 students.

"She has worked diligently as a board member to ensure that our 'small town' traditions of schools continue as welcoming places with strong parent involvement and high quality teaching," said Shawn Judson, the Etiwanda superintendent.

Solorio has earned many awards over the years.  The Parent Teachers Association conferred its Honorary Service Award on Solorio, who previously had served as a school PTA president, room mother, band booster and school site council member at Etiwanda Intermediate School.

It's Solorio's outlook on service to her community that resonates with another Etiwanda board member who has served with her for a long time.

"Cecilia loves children and ensures that all decisions made by the board keep the focus on what is best for kids," said Mondi Taylor, who is Etiwanda's president of the school board and has served on it for the past 22 years with Solorio.

—— ALSO on Monday, two persons with local ties were recognized when the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools held its 22nd annual County Education Medal of Honor banquet at Etiwanda Gardens:

• Luz Salinas, the store manager of TJ Maxx in Fontana, was honored in the category of Partners in Education/Small Business or Franchise.

• Dan Morse, a science teacher at Joe Baca Middle School in Bloomington, was lauded in the category of Excellence in Education/Education Professional.

Other honorees included Harriet Talbert, a community volunteer in Redlands; Desert Discovery Center in Barstow; Mark Christopher Auto Center in Ontario; and Carrie Gilbreth of Westbound Communications.

Each year, County Schools, along with the San Bernardino County School Boards Association and County Communicators Network, recognizes individuals and groups who give outstanding service and support to public education with the San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor.

"Each of these recipients is inspiring for the work that they do on behalf of our public schools," County Superintendent Gary Thomas said. "It is a highlight of the year to be able to recognize their accomplishments."

As a longtime partner with the Colton-Redlands-Yucaipa Regional Occupational Program, the TJ Maxx store in Fontana fits comfortably among those businesses that help provide relevance to students' classroom work.

For the past four years working with CRY-ROP, Salinas has provided work-based learning opportunities in the store.

"In today's economy, when our youth are competing for employment against highly experienced displaced workers, the commitment to providing youth opportunities for success is not only appreciated, but should be applauded," wrote Elizabeth Fregoso and Celina Hernandez of CRY-ROP in their nomination of TJ Maxx.

Meanwhile, Morse is known as "the voice of the science fair" for the four-county region, but it's his heart for reaching out to students in the Colton Joint Unified School District that has highlighted his tenure during the last quarter century of teaching.

For the past 25 years, Morse has donated his time, energy and talents to the Inland Science and Engineering Fair for San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo and Mono counties. As the coordinator for the program in his district and as a teacher at Joe Baca Middle School, Morse has helped at least one student project from the district advance to the state science fair each year for the past quarter century.

"Others have followed his inspiration and entered careers in education themselves, including my daughter," wrote Patt Haro, a board member in Colton, in Morse's nomination.

Cecelia Solorio receives award

It was a beautiful day today at Sierra Lakes in Fontana.  We had an amazing group of volunteers from the E3 Foundation putting on another successful golf tournament.  They are one of the secrets to our success.  We live in a great community that gives of themselves to help our students achieve excellence in education.  

The election has come and past and I am happy to say that I am happy with the results.  I am glad to know that the public recognizes and appreciates our board and wants us to continue working together.  We are a good board.  We don't always agree, but we can be civil.  We can agree to disagree without hard feelings.  We know that is about the students, families and employees of the school district.  We know that the families and employees of the school district want what is best for the students and feel the weight of that responsibility as we conduct the business of the board.  THANK YOU Etiwanda for the re-election and for the faith you have placed in me to do the right thing for your children.

We make a difference..... together.

We have a community which supports the education of children.  
We have parents and families who value education and are consistent and supportive of our schools, a district administration which provides the teachers with facilities and materials they need, a school site administration which provides direct supervision of teaching, and teachers who are hard working professionals and challenge every child in their classroom to do their best.  It is a successful partnership between the schools and families of the Etiwanda School District. 

I believe in....

I believe in:

 *a rigorous curriculum that includes the application of skills in real world settings, career exploration, fine arts and a rich array of elective offerings. 

* targeting the specific needs and learning styles of all students to better provide the support necessary to achieve success. 

*the use of technology to help our students excel, our administrators lead and our community stay connected. 

*teacher training and support to help them function effectively in our diverse and changing world. *being fiscally responsible so that maximum dollars reach the classroom. 

*providing a safe environment and sense of community for both our employees and students.

I believe that our leaders must model the core values of the district in word, thought and action. I seek to communicate the high expectations of the Etiwanda School District in a clear and supportive manner. I will work hard toward the common goal of student achievement and success.

#Vote4BrynnaCadman

It is almost time to put up signs.  The first year I ran a campaign I had a ton of signs.  Two different versions of navy blue and white.  I put them up everywhere.  After the election I had a couple of people tell me they didn't see any signs of mine.  I knew they drove on the streets where I had the signs.  I was so disappointed.  The next time I ran a campaign I had florescent pink and even though I didn't put up very many signs I had all kinds of people commenting on how many I had out there.  Well,  that has totally changed my view on campaign signs.  I will not have a sign that blends in with all the others.  I will not have a sign that blends in with anything.  I have stuck with pink.  I am glad I am a woman and can get away with that color.  If I had it to do over I would change a few things, but here is the sign you will be seeing on the streets of Etiwanda School District soon.

Time for the E3 Foundation Fun Run

The E3 Foundation supports our students in all things education.  You can offer your support as well by participating in the E3 Fun Run.  I love the Volunteers that give of their time to make this event happen.  They have been doing it for almost 10 years.  Here is a short movie I made at this public event from 2008, back when it was the 3rd Annual Fun Run.

Odyssey of the Mind

http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/whatis.php

We recognized the students from Etiwanda Colony and Golden Elementary Odyssey of the Mind Teams who went to Iowa for the 2014 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at the Etiwanda School District Board meeting last night.  These teams were so good.

My favorite quote of the presentation.  8 months for 8 minutes.
That is 8 months of preparation and hard work to compete for 8 minutes.  This is another example of a successful partnership between the schools and families of the Etiwanda School District.  Everyone working together to help these students make and reach goals.

Here is a quote from the link above:

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and World level. Thousands of teams from throughout the U.S. and from about 25 other countries participate in the program.

I love the type of learning that takes place with this type of challenge and competition.

Etiwanda Schools Excel

2014 California Distinguished Schools

Congratulations to Windrows and Caryn Schools! Both were named as 2014 California Distinguished Schools. Only thirteen schools in our county and 424 schools in the state were honored this year. The Distinguished School Award honors schools for their strong commitment and innovative approaches to improving student achievement and results in narrowing the achievement gap.

Article on CA Distinguished Schools

Title of 2013 Honor Roll school
Etiwanda School District announced that 15 school(s) have been selected by California Business for Education Excellence (CBEE) as 15 of 2,099 public schools in California to receive the title of 2013 Honor Roll school. Additionally, following an extensive analysis of student data for every public school and district in California, Etiwanda School District stood above the rest in raising students to grade-level proficiency and beyond, and Etiwanda School District was then named one of seven California Business for Education Excellence Honor Roll Districts for 2013.

ESD in the news

2013 Schools to Watch
Summit Intermediate is one of twelve model middle schools in the state of California to receive this honor this year.  The Schools to Watch-Taking Center Stage program recognizes exemplary “high performing middle schools that demonstrate academic excellence, developmental responsiveness to the needs and interests of young adolescents social equity and organizational support” according to the California Department of Education. In congratulating these middle schools, State Superintendent Tom Torlakson noted, “Their success is the result of effective and innovative practices that motivate their students to learn and excel.” As a Schools to Watch model school, Summit will serve as a demonstration school for other middle school administrators and teachers seeking to implement successful programs for students. Each of the schools will be honored in Sacramento at the California Middle Grades Alliance annual luncheon, and at the California League of Middle Schools Conference. Additionally, Summit will be recognized along with peers from across the nation at the national STW Conference in Washington, D.C.

ESD web site