Parents, teachers and school administrators have been invited to attend a statewide series of forums on the federal No Child Left Behind Law. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced Monday that he wants to gather comments on ways to modify the law which is due for reauthorization in 2007. The biggest concerns for California and 16 other states that have complained about the federal law are accountability, interventions, corrective actions, the highly qualified teacher requirement and English-learner issues. Accountability tests determine how well students are learning. The test results generate a school's state Academic Performance Index, which shows how much schools and student subgroups improved over last year, and the federal Average Yearly Progress, which shows whether schools and student groups are meeting minimum objectives.

Last night the Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees took a look at the District’s Independent Study Program, Northstar and weighed whether or not to accept an invitation to participate in a state program for High Priority Schools. According to the State Department of Education this invitation is extended to schools having difficulty making standards developed under the state’s accountability program or the Federal No Child left Behind Act. According to Sandy Watson, Principal of the Northstar School, this invitation can be based on low test scores, or mandates imposed by the Federal Government through the No Child Left behind Program. These mandates include a certification by the school district that the school is staffed by “Highly qualified teachers”. A highly qualified teacher under the law must have: 1) a bachelor's degree, 2) full state certification or licensure, and 3) prove that they know each subject they teach.

Requests from various businesses within the booming Martell area dominated discussions at this week’s Amador County Planning Commission Meeting. One item that appeared on the agenda was a request for a use permit to exceed the height limit for a freestanding sign. The sign proposed was 40 feet tall and 10 feet wide. The sign would be the advertisement for the new Harley Davidson store and would be located at the intersection of Prospect Drive and Old Mill Lane, within the Sierra West Business Park in Martell.

Local Firefighters from the Amador Fire Protection District Battalion 10 and CDF performed a delicate rescue operation for a Pioneer family Tuesday evening. They saved the family’s horse. The early evening call came into CDF Camino Dispatch around 6pm after members of a Pioneer family returned home from their day to discover their older horse had somehow stopped, dropped, and rolled himself underneath the rails of his corral, only to become irreversibly lodged. Rescue personnel from Battalion 10 and CDF arrived at the Dusty Way home with rescue equipment built for the job.

Amador County has challenged the recent land determination decision issued for the Ione Band of Miwok Indians. That determination declared that the tribe is a Restored tribe and that the lands are restored lands. This has major implications for the tribe’s gaming endeavors on lands located in and around the town of Plymouth as restored tribes and lands have a different process for approval of their gamin establishments through the national Indian Gaming Commission. According to the press release the county has filed an appeal with the Federal Board of Indian Appeals within the Dept. of the Interior.

Parents, teachers and school administrators have been invited to attend a statewide series of forums on the federal No Child Left Behind Law. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced Monday that he wants to gather comments on ways to modify the law which is due for reauthorization in 2007. The biggest concerns for California and 16 other states that have complained about the federal law are accountability, interventions, corrective actions, the highly qualified teacher requirement and English-learner issues. Accountability tests determine how well students are learning. The test results generate a school's state Academic Performance Index, which shows how much schools and student subgroups improved over last year, and the federal Average Yearly Progress, which shows whether schools and student groups are meeting minimum objectives.

The Landscape ordinance was presented for review at the Jackson Planning Commission meeting. City Planner Susan Peters presented background on the item stating that at an August 21st Planning Commission meeting Carla Bowers of Volcano submitted some information regarding oak woodland habitat preservation. Bowers has been actively involved throughout the county in the preservation oak woodlands. The Commission at that time directed staff to place the issue on a future agenda along with considerations for amending other portions of the Ordinance.

The single best way to protect yourself from the flu is to get a flu shot and the Amador County Health Department has announced their Flu Vaccination Clinics. According to the Health Department, Flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May. This makes October and November the ideal months for vaccination; however, for those who miss this timeframe, December will still provide immunity during peek flu season. Generally, in California, the majority of people contract the flu in January and February.

This accident tied up traffic in Pioneer on Hwy 88 last night. The 8:40 pm accident was caused when a driver swerved to miss a deer in the roadway. According to witness reports, after swerving to avoid the deer, the westbound driver over corrected, causing the car to flip and come to rest upside down in the west bound lanes of Hwy 88. The driver of the car was injured and transported to Sutter Amador Hospital for evaluation. Two passengers, including a child were uninjured. The accident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol

Weekend accidents were fairly low this past weekend and did not include any accidents nearly as serious as we saw last weekend. How ever accident trends in the county are still up over years past. An accident occurred on Thursday at 3:50pm at Raven Road south of Hwy 88. According to the report, written by investigating Officer Brian Hagemann, 56 year old Gary Baker of Pioneer was driving his 2006 Ford south bound on Raven road when he entered a curve in the roadway and was unable to maintain the vehicle on the right half of the roadway. In turn the vehicle ran off the east roadway edge and the front of the Ford struck a tree. Baker escaped the accident with only minor injuries.