Local Community News and Public Relations established in 1997 and serving cities of Eastvale, Norco, Chino, Walnut, Corona, Riverside, and San Gabriel Valley.
Courtesy: CNUSD; Former ERHS Principal Greg Anderson was arrested.
Staff Reports
Eastvale – After an Eleanor Roosevelt High School (ERHS) teacher was arrested in 2023, an investigation determined the ERHS Principal allegedly didn’t follow mandated reporting laws and he was arrested in February 2024.
In April 2023, investigators with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Special Victims Unit, received a report that a teacher was allegedly having inappropriate contact with students. The teacher was identified as Chad Costello, 44-year-old resident of Anaheim. Costello was hired in August 2021 as the ERHS Theater teacher but was placed on administrative leave in April 2023 when the allegations came to light. He was arrested on November 16 in the city of Anaheim and was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center. According to Riverside County jail records, he is being charged with two felony counts of sexual battery, four misdemeanor counts of sexual battery for purposes of arousal, and four counts of misdemeanor annoying or molesting a child.
“An additional investigation was launched to determine if mandated reporting laws were followed correctly,” according to a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) news release. During the investigation, evidence was obtained that determined laws were not properly followed. “The investigation revealed that a school administrator, Greg Anderson, a 44-year-old resident of Eastvale, failed to report incidents to law enforcement,” according to the news release. Anderson was arrested on February 9 in the city of Eastvale, and he was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center. Anderson was placed on administrative leave, according to a Corona-Norco Unified School District statement.
This is an ongoing investigation, and no further details are available. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Lead Investigator J. Andrade at (951) 955-1701.
Eastvale – When the area of “Eastvale” first wanted to gain local control and map out what their destiny was, they began the “incorporation process.” Now with the many changes and growth in our area with over 60,000 residents, should the City of Eastvale consider developing their own school district as 15,000 of these residents are currently students? The idea of Eastvale becoming its own school district is one worthy of further investigation on the ramifications and the actual process.
So let’s examine the facts: The Corona-Norco School District (CNUSD) currently consists of thirty-one elementary schools, eight intermediate/middle schools, five comprehensive high schools, a middle college high school and three alternative schools. With the district serving over 53,000 students in the communities of Corona, Norco and Eastvale, CNUSD is the largest school district in Riverside County. Of the over 53,000 students in the district, 15,000 of them are Eastvale students.
Eastvale residents already pay a large amount of property taxes, special assessment taxes, a bond tax (Measure U), and also are asked to pay an additional $299m bond, on top of the $250 million general obligation Measure U Bond passed by voters in 2006.
“It was a huge process (to incorporate the city), but I believe it was worth the hundreds of hours of work,” said former Councilman Jeff DeGrandpre, who helped spearhead the process of the team who brought the decision to a vote. “It was tons of work, but now we have local control. We are right where we wanted to be as a community.”
Many smaller school districts have broken away from larger school districts for reasons from lack of accountability to simply a desire to run their own system. Walnut Valley Unified School District has a student population of 15,500 and became their own school district in the 1970’s when the area was in its infancy. Duarte Unified School District is a small district that serves about 4,700 students from the areas of Duarte, Bradbury, and the Maxwell Park area. Baldwin Park Unified has over 15,000 students and broke away from Covina Unified before the 1950’s. All of these school districts were part of larger areas that became smaller school districts and grew.
“We would support such a move if it benefitted our community,” said a group of parents at Clara Barton Elementary. “Especially if we have to pay for another bond. Our last bond, Measure U, we pay taxes on but only received 17% of that money.” Another parent felt they didn’t have enough control of the district and felt it’s because it’s too large. They all requested to remain anonymous because they’ve never researched the idea. “I never realized it was possible,” she said.
If Eastvale were to explore the possibility of separating from CNUSD and becoming its own individual school district, the California Department of Education requires a certain process to be followed. According to the California Department of Education District Organization Handbook- July 2010, this type of reorganization would seek to form one new school district of the same kind from parts of one existing school district of that same kind.
This type of reorganization is more commonly referred to as Unification. Although the exact method of Unification is based on a variety of factors, the first step in this process is a petition. This petition would then be presented to the County Superintendent of Schools and he/she would have 30 days to determine the legal sufficiency of the petition. If the petition is found to be legally sufficient, it is then sent to the County Committee on School District Organization and the State Board. A public hearing would then need to be held within 60 days to advise the public of the petition. After the hearing is held and within 120 days, the petition would need to be reviewed to see if it meets Section 35753 of the Educational Code.
These conditions are as follows: (a) The reorganized districts will be adequate in terms of number of pupils enrolled. (b) The districts are each organized on the basis of a substantial community identity. (c) The proposal will result in an equitable division of property and facilities of the original district or districts. (d) The reorganization of the districts will preserve each affected district’s ability to educate students in an integrated environment and will not promote racial or ethnic discrimination or segregation. (e) Any increase in costs to the state as a result of the proposed reorganization will be insignificant and otherwise incidental to the reorganization. (f) The proposed reorganization will continue to promote sound education performance and will not significantly disrupt the educational programs in the districts affected by the proposed reorganization. (g) Any increase in school facilities costs as a result of the proposed reorganization will be insignificant and otherwise incidental to the reorganization. (h) The proposed reorganization is primarily designed for purposes other than to significantly increase property values. (i) The proposed reorganization will continue to promote sound fiscal management and not cause a substantial negative effect on the fiscal status of the proposed district or any existing district affected by the proposed reorganization. (j) Any other criteria as the board may, by regulation, prescribe.
To maintain neutrality, the County Office of Education would most likely hire an independent consultant trained in evaluating this type of criteria. If the independent consultant does find the petition to be in compliance with EC35753, it is then passed on to the State Board of Education and they will determine if it is approved or sent to an election within the area affected. In most cases, this becomes a major obstacle, as a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) would need to be done, which can be expensive.
According to a source from the Department of Education, this is where most of these petitions “die”, mainly due to the large expense of the CEQA. This step often takes a few years due to the state pipeline and the Environmental Impact Study. If the petition makes it through all of these steps and wins in an election of the area affected by the Unification, then a new school district would be formed.
While there are many pros and cons to becoming our own school district, any action to do so would most likely come at a large expense, be extremely controversial as well as political, and would need to be thoroughly researched to truly understand the greater impact on the students and the communities involved.
“It took us 3.5 years to get the city incorporation to the ballot,” the former councilman said. “It’s definitely worth looking into, but a tough road because CNUSD is highly regarded within the state.”
The City of Corona honored four CeHS computer science winners during the April City Council meeting.
Staff Reports
Corona – Congratulations to all the CNUSD students who won
various awards in April. Students from
different schools in the Corona-Norco Unified School District were honored at
several recent events.
Five Centennial High School (CeHS) students placed 2nd
and 3rd at the 2019 Inaugural Riverside County Programming Competition. This competition introduced students to the world of
coding and featured 129 students from nine Riverside County school districts.
Participants had the opportunity to compete individually or as a team of two to
four students.
The second place winners for the Team
Competition included the following: Anthony Villegas, Dararith Sao, William
Chen, and Vincent Alexander. The third
place winner for the Individual Competition was Noe Martinez.
Other CeHS students received the Aspirations in Computing Award
from the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT). The NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award
applicants represent “young women highly qualified to enter the computing and
information technology workforce,” according to a CNUSD news release.
The winners included the following: Chloe
Santos, 2019 California Inland Empire Affiliate Honorable Mention; Jasmine
Bae, 2019 California Inland Empire Affiliate Honorable Mention; Madison
Hill, 2019 California Inland Empire Affiliate Winner; and Monica Sanchez, 2019
California Inland Empire Affiliate Rising Star.
CeHS Teacher, Brian Kenney, commented on how
important these awards are. “The mission
is to increase diversity in Computer Science and Gaming by encouraging young
women into these high demand job fields.
These young ladies and NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award winners are
part of that diversity change,” said Kenney.
“With all of this talent, it is also the intent of Centennial High
School to keep highly qualified students in Corona by producing career-ready
individuals, and to bring more of these jobs to our area,” added Kenney.
Lastly, from April 2-3, twenty-four CNUSD students earned
gold medals at the Riverside County Science and Engineering Fair. “Nineteen Junior & Senior division
students advanced to the California State Science Fair and a 9th-grade student
is headed to the Intel International Science Fair,” according to CNUSD.
Nearly 500 students from 36 affiliate fairs competed at the Riverside
Convention Center. Among the awards were community organization
awards, in addition to Gold and Silver medals. “Gold medal winners
from the Junior and Senior divisions will advance to the California State
Science and Engineering Fair on April 29-30 at the California Science Center in
Los Angeles,” stated CNUSD. Congratulations to the sixty-nine CNUSD
students who participated and brought home 24 Gold medals, 42 Silver medals,
and 13 community and regional awards.
The winners are listed below.
Among the winners was Amanda Mata, of Orange
Elementary School, who won the Elementary Sweepstakes Award – Best Overall
Project in Grades 4-5. The Project she
created was a Rigatoni Pasta Rocket Engine. Another winner was Dimple Garuadapuri, of eSTEM Academy at Roosevelt High
School. Dimple earned one of three spots
in the county to compete at the Intel International Science and Engineering
Fair (ISEF). The Project that was
created was a Na/Ca/K Pollution Scrub: A Domestic Approach to Chemical
Carbon Capture.
Community
and Regional Awards include the following:
American Meteorological Society: Dimple
Garuadapuri, Eastvale STEM Academy at ERHS
American Psychological Association: Sandra
Rodriguez, Centennial High School
California Society for Biomedical Research: Kenny
Nguyen, of Eastvale STEM Academy at ERHS, received a plaque and $250 monetary
award
Chemistry and Air Pollution Research Center at
University of California Riverside: Kayla Cunningham, of
Eastvale STEM Academy of ERHS, received a trophy and a $50 gift card
HDR, Inc.: Gavin Joyce, of Corona
High School, received a certificate and a book
Inland Empire Professional Engineers in California
Government: Gavin Joyce, of Corona High School, won $1,000
Intel Excellence in Computer Science: Jiahan
(Peter) Cheng, Thomas Rife, and August Wetterau, Eastvale STEM Academy of ERHS
Mojave Environmental Education Consortium: Dimple
Garuadapuri, of Eastvale STEM Academy of ERHS, won a $50 gift card, and
received a certificate and ribbon
Mu Alpha Theta: Malika Nindra and
Avantika Rozario, Centennial High School
NASA Earth System Science Award: Dimple
Garuadapuri, Eastvale STEM Academy of ERHS
Naval Science Award: Andre Huerto, Eastvale
STEM Academy of ERHS
Science and Technology Education Partnership (STEP): Amanda
Mata, of Orange Elementary School, won $50
Stockholm Jr Water Prize: Nicolas
Almeida, Alexander Nguyen, and Nicholas Tan, Eastvale STEM Academy of ERHS
GOLD
MEDAL WINNERS (all Gold medal students in grades 6-12 advance to State):
Clara
Barton Elementary: Anneliese Brasher, James Glenny, and Zachary Brasher
Home
Gardens Academy: Hope Howard
Eastvale
Elementary: Thomas Sherrill
Orange
Elementary: Amanda Mata
Temescal
Valley Elementary: Carter Gilliatt and Nicholas Gomez
Auburndale
Intermediate: Aisha Randhawa, Nala Stewart, Sarah Stutsman
Raney
Intermediate: David Ouk and Suraj Jayaraman
Norco
High: Spencer Krock
ESTEM
at Roosevelt High: August Wetterau, Dimple Garuadapuri, Jiahan Cheng, Kenney
Nguyen, Thomas Rife, Faith Inverary, Kayla Cunningham, Lana Lim, Wenxuan Tang, and
Jillian Labador
SILVER
MEDAL WINNERS:
Clara
Barton Elementary: Aiden Stinson and Andrew Glenny
Corona
Ranch Elementary: Gavin Cypher
Eastvale
Elementary: Joel Licera
Garretson
Elementary: Jake Felton
Orange
Elementary: Hailey Hild
Prado
View Elementary: Jackson Rhodes, Kyla Ishii, and Spencer Tran
Corona
Fundamental Intermediate: Ethan Alferez, Sophia Pham, Aidan Bunch, Anisha Prasad,
Derek Hsieh, Lucas
Dyal, and Ryan Friedman
The January 11th, 2017 City Council Meeting was attended by Councilmembers Todd Rigby, Adam Rush, and Brandon Plott were present, as well as Mayor Joseph Tessari and Mayor Pro Tem Clint Lorimore. The invocation was led by Pastor James Turner from Eastvale Bible Church.
The Council held a Closed Session meeting, and no reportable actions were taken as a result, and the meeting then progressed on to the Presentations and Announcements section. Representatives from the Corona-Norco Unified School District (CNUSD) discussed the Eastvale Health Screening, and then progressed to the Public Comment section.
In the Public Comments, there were two speakers; one who wished to address the mail theft in his area, and the other who asked the Council to find more proactive ways to deal with things such as mail theft and littering.
The Consent Calendar was approved 5-0.
Next, in the Public Hearings section, Item 8.1 was discussed by several members of the community before the Council moved to pull the Item from the calendar or the evening. IT was approved 5-0.
In the City Council Business section, Items 9.6 and 9.7, the appointment of the Public Safety Commission and the Planning Commission positions were addressed first.
Item 9.1, an update of the maternity homes and the enforcement actions taken was presented by the City Manager.
Item 9.2, Consideration of an Ad-Hoc Committee to Discuss Possible Solutions for Maternity Homes, was discussed, and two Councilmembers will serve on the committee, with Mayor Tessari serving as an alternate.
Item 9.3 involved the Community Fruit Tree Public-Private Partnership Memorandum of Understanding. It was approved 5-0.
Item 9.4, the Chandler Station (Fire Station No. 51) Update was presented by Bob Williamson, the project and construction manager for the build.
Item 9.5 had to do with the Acceptance and Quitclaim of Storm Drain Easement for Eastvale MDP on certain lines and parcels.
The Meeting adjourned with closing statements from the City Staff and Councilmembers.
The January 25th, 2017 City Council Meeting was attended by Councilmembers Todd Rigby, Adam Rush, and Brandon Plott were present, as well as Mayor Joseph Tessari and Mayor Pro Tem Clint Lorimore. The invocation was led by Pastor Rob Norris from The Crossings church. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilmember Rush.
In the Presentations/Announcements portion of the meeting, an update was provided by the Public Safety Commission, an introduction of the JCSD Community Affairs Supervisor was presented, a plaque was given to Chief Deputy Jason Horton for his service to the City, and the new president of Norco College came to speak and introduce himself to the Council. Student Liaison Natalie Diaz gave her report on upcoming and current happenings in the Eastvale schools.
In the Public Comment section, a resident came forward to speak about the mailbox break-ins and theft in Eastvale, another resident complained about the traffic around Rosa Parks Elementary School, one implored the Councilmembers to continue taking action against maternity homes.
The Consent Calendar was approved 5-0. There were no Public Hearings.
Item 8.1, the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report was presented and approved 5-0.
Items 8.2, the Acceptance of the 2016 State Homeland Security Grant Award, and Item 8.3, the Acceptance of the Emergency Management Performance Grant, were both approved 5-0.
Item 8.4 stated additional programs offered by Waste Management, and was approved 4-1, with Councilmember Rush voting ‘no’.
Item 8.5 was an update on the Roadway Adoption Program was presented and approved 5-0.
Item 8.6, a Quitclaim of Presidio Road Storm Drain was given, and it passed 5-0.
The Meeting adjourned with closing statements from the City Staff and Councilmembers.
A message from CORONA NORCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Corona-Norco Unified School District would like to remind all parents to pay extra attention when driving in or around our schools. We have experienced some traffic collisions involving our students that could have been prevented. As part of our on-going working partnership with the Eastvale Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department we are committed to bring awareness to bicycle, pedestrian and traffic safety. Brochures about this safety campaign are available at your school site and videos have been prepared for students and parents. The student video can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/173440043 and the parent video can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/173442504. If you have an questions regarding our traffic safety programs, please call Student Services at 951-736-5111. Remember: by working together we can make a difference in keeping our students safe!
Roosevelt HS staff took advantage of a great day of team-building to give back to the community!
On August 10, the T-track students and staff started their first day of school! Teachers wished all the students, families, and staff a wonderful day and school year!!
Photo courtesy: CNUSD School decorated the campus with American flags.
The National Day of Service and Remembrance, also dubbed Patriot Day, is held on September 11th in remembrance of the 2001 9/11 attacks. Throughout CNUSD schools held assemblies and presentations in honor of the 2,977 people who lost their lives, and the service men and women who sacrificed their lives to help others implemented in the September 11th attacks. Students involved in the boys and girls scouts were asked to wear their uniforms while other students were encouraged to wear red, white and blue to show their respect and support. Students also participated in activities and crafts with their grandparents in order to learn more about the events of 9/11.
Campuses were decorated with flags and posters titled “We Remember” in honor of those to who lost their lives. Some of our secondary schools held assemblies that featured retired service men and women. Students had the opportunity to with speak them, ask questions and learn more about what goes into protecting our country.
While some classes gathered outside their rooms as their choir sang patriotic songs and recited the Official Proclamation from former President George Bush, others told stories of what they were doing on September 11th, 2011. Students also participated in a flag salute and moment of silence led by their principals.
Photo courtesy: CNUSD Dad participating in event activities.
Corona – On September 15, Adams Elementary invited fathers, grandfathers, and other male role models to spend an evening of barbecued burgers and fun activities with their children. This time spent playing and engaging is crucial in the development of every student. The Dads All In event is an initiative put on at school communities that invites fathers (or other male role models) to spend some quality time with their kids. The goal of Dads All In is to increase the contributions of fathers to the well-being of their children by providing them with opportunities to engage with their child academically, socially, and within the community.
Dads and students were treated to burgers as the sun set over Adams Elementary. A photo booth was set up along with a paper airplane table. Dads and kids then got the chance to play together in activities such as an obstacle course, sack races, a pizza box run, and more. Smiles and laughter echoed throughout the late afternoon as dads and kids ran and played together.
The Adams Dads All In evening was lead by Assistant Principal Manny Gonzalez and Russo Vargas, a parent of the school’s community and Dads All In representative.
A variety of great things happened in the Corona Norco Unified School District this last month. Read the recap below for more information.
Centennial Football Coach Matt Logan was chosen to participate in “America’s Best Coach Contest.” He was one of 20 coaches that were selected to be part of the nation-wide honor with a chance to win money for their athletic department and a chance to be named a winner of the prestigious title.
CNUSD proudly announced that former 2008 Santiago High School graduate, Chris Benard, will be representing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio for the track and field triple jump event.
Roosevelt High School offered plenty of fun summer programs that helped students. Norco College STEM Robotics Camp gave them the opportunity to learn how to program a robot in order to move in a perfect square on its own and launch a ball.
A Measure GG project update includes the working on the demolition of existing structures for the installation of the new buildings such as; administration buildings, libraries, multi-purpose rooms, testing labs, and classrooms that will be 21st century updated.
At Harada Elementary School, Ms. Visnaw’s 6th graders are getting college ready by starting their day with a song that has them clapping and standing together as a group.
On July 7, CNUSD opened their new Parent Center, with the goal of providing academic support, interventions, parent information workshops/training, support for parent involvement, mentorship resources, and much more.
A variety of great things happened in the Corona Norco Unified School District this last month. Read the recap below for more information.
Centennial Football Coach Matt Logan was chosen to participate in “America’s Best Coach Contest.” He was one of 20 coaches that were selected to be part of the nation-wide honor with a chance to win money for their athletic department and a chance to be named a winner of the prestigious title.
CNUSD proudly announced that former 2008 Santiago High School graduate, Chris Benard, will be representing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio for the track and field triple jump event.
Roosevelt High School offered plenty of fun summer programs that helped students. Norco College STEM Robotics Camp gave them the opportunity to learn how to program a robot in order to move in a perfect square on its own and launch a ball.
A Measure GG project update includes the working on the demolition of existing structures for the installation of the new buildings such as; administration buildings, libraries, multi-purpose rooms, testing labs, and classrooms that will be 21st century updated.
At Harada Elementary School, Ms. Visnaw’s 6th graders are getting college ready by starting their day with a song that has them clapping and standing together as a group.
On July 7, CNUSD opened their new Parent Center, with the goal of providing academic support, interventions, parent information workshops/training, support for parent involvement, mentorship resources, and much more.
Photo courtesy: Paget Sanders Gabriella Sanders was recently crowned the 2016 National American Miss California Teen.
Eastvale – An Eastvale student, Gabriella Sanders, was recently crowned the 2016 National American Miss California Teen at the state pageant held on July 10, 2016.
She will be representing the state of California at the National Pageant held at Disneyland during Thanksgiving week. She will have the opportunity to win her share of over $500,000 in cash and prizes, including a new 2016 Ford Mustang Convertible.
Gabriella and her brother grew up in the Corona Norco Unified School District, both attending Eastvale schools. “We lived in Eastvale for years,” said proud parent Paget Sanders. “My son, Charles Sanders, graduated from Roosevelt in 2012 and Gabriella attended Rosa Parks, River Heights and was part of the inaugural class at Ramirez Middle School.”
The new Miss California Teen enjoys a variety of activities in her spare time, including swimming, water polo, cheerleading, track, and volunteering in the community.
“Gabriella is a very kind person that loves her family, loves the Lord Jesus, and loves people,” said Paget. “I believe the judges looked beyond her outward beauty and saw who she is on the inside!”
The National American Miss (NAM) Pageants program is based on inner beauty, as well as poise, presentation, and offers an “All American Spirit” of fun for family and friends, according to a NAM news release.
“Emphasis is placed on the importance of gaining self-confidence, learning new skills, learning good attitudes about competition, and setting and achieving personal goals. The pageant seeks to recognize the accomplishments of each girl while encouraging her to set goals for the future!” states NAM.
The National American Miss is dedicated to developing the success of young women across the nation with a program that is designed to be age-appropriate; they offer pageants in each state for girls ages four to eighteen in five different age groups. NAM takes pride in being for “Today’s Girl” and “Tomorrow’s Leaders.”
Corona – On June 7, the CNUSD Parent Center opened its doors with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Attended by City Council members, the CNUSD Board of Education, CNUSD Administrators, staff, and community members, the launch of the Parent Center is a critical
Photo courtesy: CNUSD : CNUSD officials celebrate the Parent Center officially opening last month
component in the district’s Local Control Accountability Plan. Goal 6 of the strategic plan hopes to establish family and school partnerships which build solid relationships between school and family. This includes establishing a centralized Parent Center for parents to access college and career pathways, academic support, interventions, parent information workshops/training, support for parent involvement, and mentorship resources.
“We thought about making sure that the community is engaged, connected, making sure there is a facility in place, a support for that,” said Dr. Lin as he addressed the packed house. “You hear me say this many times, it takes a village to raise a child, and I mean it sincerely. There is no better way than to do public education with a working partnership with community members. It’s not just a building, it’s about the work that we do and the people in this building that make a difference. So we look forward to that collaboration. It’s going to be fantastic.”
Cassandra Willis, Director of the Parent Center, has made it her mission to build the bridge that connects parents to the schools. “What is the parent center all about? It is about making sure that every family that walks through those doors is taken care of. Families have always been something that has driven me and inspired me to do greater things.” Willis, a former principal at Home Gardens Academy, brought with her the parent engagement practices that are still in place at Home Gardens. “We want to be able to provide those wonderful resources to our families, whether it’s parent education workshops, family engagement opportunities, or mentorships programs, we provide training for our school sites. All of these things we hope will benefit our community.”
Ailsa Villela, a parent herself who works as a Community Assistant at the Parent Center, shared her experiences at Home Gardens Academy that will be standard practice at the Parent Center. “The key to my success with my children, my family, my school, my community, has been through parent engagement,” she said. “When I became a mother, I realized I was going to need more if I wanted to see a change with my children. And I saw that change through parent engagement, there I learned I needed to take that quality time with them. There I learned that I needed to practice the academics and math and reading at home. Without the support at the school sites, I don’t know how successful I would have been. I work with passion and I love my community and I know that if I wouldn’t have taken that path or first class at Home Gardens Academy as a parent, I wouldn’t be standing here today as a community assistant.”
The Parent Center is located on 152 East 6th Street in Corona. You can contact them at (951) 273-3132.
Photo courtesy of CNUSD Aisha Randhawa qualifies for National Spelling Bee
Courtesy of CNUSD
CORONA– Two-time CNUSD Spelling Bee Champion Aisha Randhawa finally achieved what she has dreamed about since the third grade: She is going to Washington D.C. to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Aisha was the last speller standing in the 39th Annual Riverside County Spelling Bee at the Moreno Valley Conference and Recreation Center. She will represent the county at the National Spelling Bee in May.
Competing against the top spellers in the county, Aisha overcame 18 grueling rounds of intense spelling, finding herself a little bewildered on “succulent” early on. She persevered and spelled toe-to-toe with her peers. In the 17th Round, 8th grader John Terry from Palm Springs Unified misspelled “obdurate”, setting the stage for Aisha’s win. She clinched the round by spelling “cologne”, and emerged victorious after spelling “ambrosia”, which means something very pleasing to taste or smell. After the final moments, Aisha shared, “I thought about it for a second but I was pretty sure I knew it.”
When asked about what she is most looking forward to in Maryland, she replied, “Probably competing at the event and maybe getting to see the Washington Monument.”
The Scripps National Spelling Bee takes place from May 22 to 27. The ESPN channel has been known to broadcast portions of the competition. Perhaps Garretson’s spelling wunderkind will make an appearance!
Photo courtesy: CNUSD Aisha Randhawa of Garretson Elementary spells out her winning word to claim the District’s Spelling Bee title.
Courtesy of CNUSD
Corona– The Annual District Spelling Bee brought together the best spellers grades 4-8 to compete at Santiago High School for the District Spelling Bee title. 36 schools, elementary and intermediate, were represented.
Contestants held strong for the first few rounds, but by Round 5, the field whittled down to 18. The dictionary opened up into words with foreign words and the field dropped down to 11 by Round 6.
By Round 9, the spelling bee came down to two students, Max Chen from Citrus Hill Intermediate and Aisha Randhawa from Garretson Elementary.
Aisha defended her title by correctly spelling “effluent”, earning the right to represent the district in the Riverside County Spelling Bee Feb. 23 in Moreno Valley.
Corona/Norco – The School Safety Advocacy Council recently awarded the Corona-Norco Unified School District (CNUSD) with the 2015 Exemplary School Safety Initiative Award for its Project Safety Net Program.
CNUSD was the only district in California to receive this award, and one of eight in the entire nation.
The Project Safety Net Program is a partnership between CNUSD and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, whose mission is to provide a safe and caring environment so students can excel in their academic studies. The principal goal of Project Safety Net is to identify and anticipate safety concerns and systematically address each concern through the application of best practices.
On Sept. 15, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors recognized and honored CNUSD and Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies Cooper, Huggins, and Thompson for receiving this prestigious award. These Deputies serve as school resource officers for Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Norco High School, and five middle schools in CNUSD. Each of these Deputies utilized hard work, dedication, and integrity to serve the staff and promote a safe learning environment for the students.
Corona – After an extensive investigation by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, the Corona Police Department (CPD) has confirmed the arrest of a Colorado Springs minor for making false bomb threats at Centennial High School in Corona, on Tues., Sept. 8.
According to the CPD, the false bomb threats made to the school resulted in significant monetary costs for law enforcement, and the Fire Department’s response and investigation. The CPD’s costs alone exceeded $21,000. The costs for additional security totaled approximately $20,000. In addition, there was the cost of wages and benefits paid to Centennial staff, unable to teach due to the campus closure.
The City of Corona and CNUSD officials intend to pursue restitution for those costs from the responsible parties.
“The Corona Police Department takes threats to our schools very seriously and will devote all necessary resources to investigating threats to their full potential so that people who engage in these crimes can be held accountable,” said Chief of Police Mike Abel. “The safety of our children and schools is our top priority.”
Photo courtesy: CNUSD Principal of the Year, Trevor Dietrich
By K.P. Sander
Eastvale – At a Corona-Norco Unified School District (CNUSD) event held on Tues., May 7, Trevor Dietrich, Ed.D, was named Principal of the Year. Dr. Dietrich is the Principal at McKinley Elementary in Corona.
“Principal of the Year” is an Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) award, and those in consideration must demonstrate exemplary performance in criteria for exceptional leadership in managing school programs, strong support of school management teams, and commitment to educational quality and student achievement (and much more).
Each year ACSA sends out ballots with the names of those who are eligible in multiple categories, and administrators vote for who they think are deserving of the awards.
Says Dietrich, “Every year I try and take the process seriously and vote for who is doing a good job.”
Obviously Dietrich’s peers thought the same thing when they nominated him.
“Dr. D,” as he is fondly called by his students, has been with CNUSD for 15 years. He began as a 5th Grade teacher at John Adams Elementary in Corona, and in 2009 became principal of that school.
Evita Tapia, Public Information Officer for CNUSD says about Dietrich, “He is the perfect fit to be an elementary school principal, with his high energy and amiable personality.”
Two years ago, the District moved Dietrich to William McKinley Elementary to implement some of the successes he had realized at John Adams.
In Dietrich’s tenure, McKinley is definitely enjoying some success. McKinley is the first in the Inland Empire to become a “Leader in Me” site, a whole-school transformational process that teaches students how to be leaders of themselves, and how to work with other people using the soft skills of the 21st century (focusing on Franklin Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People).
Implemented in over 2,000 schools worldwide, the Leader in Me process has schools consistently reporting an increase in students’ self-confidence, teamwork, initiative, creativity, leadership, problem solving, communication, diversity awareness and self-directed learning – as well as dramatic decreases in disciplinary issues (according to the Leader in Me website).
“What’s great is that the Leader in Me program has bonded the staff at McKinley; it’s given us something to be proud of. And, its turning heads, making other schools notice us,” says Dietrich. “Other District schools are now in the process of becoming Leader in Me schools because of what we are doing.”
Surprised that he won the award, Dietrich says, “It’s validating for what is happening at McKinley. I’m the one getting the recognition, but it’s all about what the team is doing.”
In fact, Dietrich’s team was just notified that they are receiving the Models of Academic Excellence and Innovation award from the Riverside County Office of Education; and they are one of CNUSD’s three nominations for the California Golden Bell award, a prestigious recognition from the California School Board Association.
“Individuals are getting recognized, but it is all because of what’s happening in the totality of the Leader in Me process,” says Dietrich. “Parents are recognizing that what we are doing is much more impactful for the whole child in preparing them for the future.”
When asked what his biggest hope for McKinley is, Dietrich says, “Our WIG (Wildly Important Goal) is
Photo Courtesy: Dietrich Family (L-R) The Dietrich Family, Emma, Sarah, Luke, Trevor and Justin
to become a Lighthouse School by the end of next year. To become a Lighthouse School means you have checked off every box and have done all the things that you can do to ensure that the leadership theme has been built into the culture. If the principal leaves, the program doesn’t. My hope is that what we are doing with the Leader in Me program is so impactful that eventually it has nothing to do with me – but it has everything to do with McKinley and what they are doing.”
Dietrich holds a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Master’s degree in Curriculum Instruction from Concordia University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration from La Sierra University. He and his wife, Sarah, have three children: Emma, Justin and Luke. He is active in his church, extremely handy around the house, and enjoys sports – as an avid St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Chargers fan; he also enjoys the Lakers (“Just not lately,” he says). “Dr. D” also teaches leadership classes at Concordia University. The Dietrich family lives in Eastvale.
Ronald Reagan Elementary under construction last October. (Jennifer Jester-Madrigal)
Eastvale — With the 2015-2016 school year opening of Ronald Reagan Elementary School set to happen in July 2015, some school boundaries within Eastvale have changed. Clara Barton, Harada, and Eastvale Elementary Schools will see the majority of the change, as some of Regan’s new attendance will pull from those directions.
The new boundaries will be discussed in detail at parent meetings to be held at these Eastvale locations, as follows:
Parents wishing to apply for transfers, as well as open enrollment, for Reagan Elementary need to complete a transfer request by filing out the proper forms. According to the CNUSD website, if you live in the CNUSD attendance area, you will need to complete a transfer request by filling out the proper form.
Map of Barton to Reagan attendance. Please visit the CNUSD website to see maps for other schools. (Image Courtesy of CNUSD)
If you are currently attending a school on a transfer, you do not need to renew that transfer to remain at that school. As long as you maintain continuous residency in the Corona-Norco Unified School District, your transfer shall continue until your child receives a transfer to a new school or leaves the district.
Please note, if your 6th or 8th Grader is attending a transfer school, they will matriculate to the intermediate or high school based on your residence address.
If you live outside the CNUSD attendance area, you will need to renew your transfer permit annually. You must obtain a release from your home school district and submit it to the CNUSD District Office, Student Services, between Dec. 1, 2014 and Jan. 15, 2015.
Applications for School of Choice transfers (between CNUSD schools) may be obtained at the CNUSD District Office, 2820 Clark Avenue, Norco, CA, 92860, (951) 736-5111. Applications may also be downloaded from the CNUSD website at www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/forms.
PLEASE NOTE: Completed applications may be returned to the District Office. Parents with children who attend Barton, Eastvale or Harada should visit the website to view the maps to determine if their child will be attending another school.
Map of Barton to Reagan attendance. Please visit the CNUSD website to see maps for other schools. (Image Courtesy: CNUSD)
Eastvale — With the 2015-2016 school year opening of Ronald Reagan Elementary School set to happen in July 2015, some school boundaries within Eastvale have changed. Clara Barton, Harada, and Eastvale Elementary Schools will see the majority of the change, as some of Regan’s new attendance will pull from those directions.
The new boundaries will be discussed in detail at parent meetings to be held at these Eastvale locations, as follows:
Ronald Reagan Elementary under construction last October. (Image Courtesy: Jennifer Jester)
Parents wishing to apply for transfers, as well as open enrollment, for Reagan Elementary need to complete a transfer request by filing out the proper forms. According to the CNUSD website, if you live in the CNUSD attendance area, you will need to complete a transfer request by filling out the proper form.
If you are currently attending a school on a transfer, you do not need to renew that transfer to remain at that school. As long as you maintain continuous residency in the Corona-Norco Unified School District, your transfer shall continue until your child receives a transfer to a new school or leaves the district.
Please note, if your 6th or 8th Grader is attending a transfer school, they will matriculate to the intermediate or high school based on your residence address.
If you live outside the CNUSD attendance area, you will need to renew your transfer permit annually. You must obtain a release from your home school district and submit it to the CNUSD District Office, Student Services, between Dec. 1, 2014 and Jan. 15, 2015.
Applications for School of Choice transfers (between CNUSD schools) may be obtained at the CNUSD District Office, 2820 Clark Avenue, Norco, CA, 92860, (951) 736-5111. Applications may also be downloaded from the CNUSD website at www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/forms.
PLEASE NOTE: Completed applications may be returned to the District Office. Parents with children who attend Barton, Eastvale or Harada should visit the website to view the maps to determine if their child will be attending another school.
CNUSD Superintendent Dr. Michael H. Lin explains the concept of Cloud-Based Technology at the Eastvale Town Hall Meeting on Oct. 28. (Photo Courtesy: Jennifer Madrigal)
BY JENNIFER MADRIGAL
Eastvale – The Corona-Norco Unified School District, consisting of 49 schools, is the largest school district in Riverside County, and the ninth largest district in California. CNUSD has been providing quality education to more than 53,000 students for over 120 years.
With eight schools – soon to be nine with the opening of Ronald Regan Elementary – in the City of Eastvale ensconced in CNUSD, local citizens have a keen ear tuned into talk of improvements that will upgrade outdated facilities and technologies, and bring some relief to the overcrowding that prevents some children from being able to attend their home school.
Up for vote at the Nov. 4 General Election is Measure GG, the $396 million bond that proposes to address the needs of outdated and aging facilities and technology. If approved, it will provide local funding to CNUSD schools that cannot be taken away by the state. On the bond’s agenda is the completion of Ronald Regan Elementary that should help, somewhat, with Eastvale’s overcrowding issues.
Technology, however, seems to be the biggest concern since most Eastvale schools are still relatively new. CNUSD Superintendent, Dr. Michael H. Lin, attended the Oct. 28 Eastvale Town Hall Meeting and provided a brief update. One of the key points of his report was a summary of the technology upgrades that the District has been working on.
The Los Angeles Unified School District famously suspended their $1 Billion iPad Program, of which half would have gone to Apple for the equipment, and the other half to upgrading the Wi-Fi and infrastructure for the schools. However, that district had already spent $61 million dollars on iPads for 58 schools, and now those schools do not have the infrastructure to support all the new technology. This is an example that Dr. Lin used when discussing the need for a correct and adequate infrastructure being put in place before the technology is acquired.
“The worst thing we could do would be to invest money into technology and not have the capacity to handle it,” said Lin.
For the past five to seven years, CNUSD has been proactive in building up the infrastructure so that the schools and the District would be able to support the growing technology. This “Back Bone Infrastructure” has included the installation of a 1-Gigabyte Fiber Link from each of the 49 schools back to the District office, according to Assistant Superintendent of IT, Dan Odipo. In addition, the District has been working on increasing Internet connectivity, as well as getting wireless technology to all of the schools.
Cloud-based sharing, or technology, is basically offline computing in which large groups of remote servers are networked to allow centralized data storage and access. “Clouds” can be classified as public, private – or even hybrid – making this technology the perfect vehicle for school districts and other large network businesses.
One of the issues, according to Odipo, is the lack of funds for wireless upgrades.
“We would like to be able to do all the upgrades at once, so that if we do a Level 1 Upgrade at one site – and then have to stop and come back – by the time we get back to that site, it’s already outdated,” Odipo said. He went on to express his desire to be able to upgrade all the schools as technology improves and enrollment grows.
Bill Newberry, Board of Education Member for CNUSD, says that “The District really has a handle on technology, and has been working closely with Cisco Systems and Microsoft to make this Cloud-based sharing a reality.”
With the basic “Back Bone Infrastructure” in place, Lin hopes that the passing of the Measure GG Bond will enable the District to continue with technology upgrades, including the continued advancement of the wireless infrastructure.
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