Chatom Union consolidates super with principal

The Chatom Union School District (CUSD) Board of Trustees approved the consolidation of the district superintendent position with the Mountain View Middle School principal position during their Tuesday night board meeting.

Taking steps to improve

Three years ago the Turlock Unified School District was placed in "program improvement" after failing to meet federal student testing standards. Since that time the district has been implementing a Sheltered Intervention Observation Protocol (SIOP), which is essentially a way for school administrators and district personnel to evaluate teachers' instructional methods, with follow up discussion and coaching. Administrators and district ...

TUSD receives Energy Star award

The Turlock Unified School District recently received the federal government's Energy Star award for 14 school sites throughout the district.

Parents help plan new eCademy Charter School

Parents and community members gathered at the Turlock High Performing Arts building Tuesday night to hear more about the new high-tech eCademy Charter School and to add their suggestions on how the school will work.

Bilingual immersion students share learning experiences

Students in the Two-Way Bilingual Immersion program at Dutcher Middle School spent Thursday night showing off. Most of the students in the program have been studying in English and Spanish since they were in kindergarten or first grade. On Thursday they took the opportunity to showcase what they have learned and to persuade younger students that the immersion program pays off.

School administrators justify iPad purchases

In recent weeks numerous anonymous complaints have been made to the Turlock Journal concerning a recent $20,000 purchase of Apple iPads for Turlock Unified School District administrators and certain teachers. The complaints circulated around the idea that administrators were wasting money on iPads and letting teachers go without much needed technological upgrades in TUSD classrooms.

EDUCATION: MUSICALLY INCLINED

Edwin Savelson, an 8th grader at Turlock Junior High, was recently awarded first chair at the California Music Educators Association conference in the Bay Area for his exemplary French horn play. He is also first chair for the Stanislaus County Honor Band. Edwin, also an honor student, has only played the French horn for about a year and a half after switching from clarinet.

Turlock Christian Schools highest performing in county

According to data from the California Post Secondary Education Commission, Turlock Christian High School sends the highest rate of students on to California colleges in Stanislaus County.

Welding tech students with future occupations

One of the most paramount priorities of secondary public education is to train a skilled, workforce to enter technical related career fields educated and employable.

Dangerous crossings in Hilmar

During a recent Hilmar Municipal Advisory Council meeting, Isabel Cabral-Johnson, Hilmar Unified School District superintendent, updated council members about her concern for a potentially dangerous out-of-order set of lighted crosswalks in front of Elim Elementary School and Hilmar High School.

Turlock schools climb up education ladder, still work to do

The Turlock Unified School District is showing serious signs of improvement, but lots of work remains to be done.

EDUCATION: GOIN’ COUNTRY

Walnut Elementary Education Center students, danced, sang and played the fiddle - among other things - on Friday during the "Walnut Goes Country" talent show. A total of 175 students auditioned for the show.

TUSD Board of Trustees to receive update on energy program, budget process

The Turlock Unified School District Board of Trustees will consider approval of numerous noteworthy items at Tuesday's board meeting. The board is scheduled to hear an update regarding the TUSD Energy Conservation Program and schools that received the "Energy Star Label" award from the federal government.

Parenting focus of ‘Choose Civility’ lecture event

Justin Lookadoo entertained and informed parents on Thursday night at the Stanislaus County Office of Education's latest "Choose Civility" event. Lookadoo is a former juvenile probation officer turned professional speaker who lectures across the country. Lookadoo said that he does consultation work with schools and parents who have made national headlines because of crisis situations. "What I'm excited about here ...

Poll says most voters will support K-12 education with tax extension

A poll of 2,000 residents released yesterday by the Public Policy Institute of California, an independent research institution, indicates the majority of California voters would "pay higher taxes to maintain funding for K-12 education."

CSUS botany professor’s dream closer to realization

An arboretum intended to celebrate California's diverse collection of plant life – and a former California State University, Stanislaus professor – could break ground as soon as mid-October. But that's only if California State University, Stanislaus can raise the final $30,000 needed to pay for the project, more than 30 years in the making. The brainchild of former CSU Stanislaus botany professor Wayne Piece, the Trans-California Pathway Project would transform a vacant ...

Local children get a lesson in American history

School district lists accomplishments, goals for future

Turlock Unified School District Superintendent Sonny Da Marto is proud of the successes the district saw in the 2010-11 school year and is looking forward to an even better - and more tech savvy 2011-12. Da Marto submitted a report to the TUSD Board of Trustees Tuesday night that listed the district's accomplishments for the 2010-11 school year - 75 in all. "If I have to pick one that stands out I ...

Chemistry students get laptops instead of textbooks

The 160 Honors Chemistry students in the Turlock Unified School District each received brand new laptop computers this week as part of a pilot program. The netbooks are on loan to the students for the school year to aid in the online component of their chemistry class. "They can view tutorials, complete assignments and tests, download lecture notes and amend them as we go through the lecture. It is going to allow students ...

Turlock High students have good showing at debate tournament

The Turlock High School Speech and Debate Team had the following students place at the Delta Charter Novice Tournament on Aug. 27: · Giana Amador and Bryce Brenda: 1st place in Lincoln Douglas Debate · Corey Garcia and Bryce Brenda: 1st place in National Extemporaneous · Sidney Bragdon: 1st place in Original Oratory · ...

TUSD makes gains in test scores

The Turlock Unified School District saw another year of growth in test scores, as the newest Accountability Progress Report was released by the state on Wednesday. The district recorded a 13-point gain in its Academic Performance Index, or API, going from a score of 760 in 2010 to 773 in 2011. "I'm very, very pleased with that over the last three years, we've had growth over time of 8.7 percent in test ...

Turlock High puts learning on fast track

During the morning announcements on Friday, Turlock High principal Dana Trevethan read the answers submitted by students to Thursday's "Question of the Day." The question: Where did Turlock High rank among Stanislaus, Merced, San Joaquin and Tuolumne county high schools in regards to the recently released academic performance index scores? The answer: seventh. After reading the correct answer over the school's public address system, Trevethan went on to list the rank, ...

EDUCATION: PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Turlock Unified School District recently released the names of students who scored perfect 600s on their California Standards Tests in the 2010-2011 academic year. TUSD had 132 students who got a perfect score on at least one subject and seven students who reached perfection in more than one subject testing area. The CSTs include testing for general math, English-language arts, geometry, algebra 1, algebra 2, summative high school math, integrated high school math, history-social ...

Parents get a chance to learn more about teachers, curriculum

Back to School Night was a trip down memory lane for many Turlock parents. They sat in child-sized chairs at child-sized desks surrounded by picture books and finger paintings. They sat quietly while teachers explained the year's curriculum, and some even had snack time. "Back to School Night is a time for teachers to connect with parents," said Janet Wheeler, a second grade teacher at Julien Elementary School. And what better way ...

eCademy opens doors to first class of students

eCademy Charter School is the newest addition to Turlock Unified School district, but it isn't your typical K-12 school. The school has a physical site at Crane - several classrooms and two mobile units under construction - but most of the high school level courses offered by the school take place online.

Stanislaus students start new year with higher costs

It may not seem like fall, with leaves still on trees and thermometers showing numbers reminiscent of video game high scores.

EDUCATION: GRADUATION DAY

Turlock Unified School District seniors who completed their studies over the summer were honored at their own graduation ceremony at the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday night. Students from Turlock High School, Pitman High School, Freedom High and Roselawn were in attendance.

TUSD employee retires after 25 years of service

The Turlock Unified School District Board of Trustees honored Oliver Middaugh on Tuesday for his 25 years of service to the district. Middaugh spent the last quarter of a century as a district maintenance worker.

Local students see another year of progress in state testing

For the second year in a row, students in the Turlock Unified School District have made strides in core academics, according to state test results released Monday.

Students, parents need to prepare for college life

The last New Student Orientation wrapped up at California State University, Stanislaus on Friday. Local colleges and universities across the country are preparing to welcome a new freshman class. The majority of these students will be teenagers fresh out of high school and ready to start their adult lives. The first year of college brings its own unique set of challenges for these freshmen, but campus advisors say that a ...