Amador County high school freshmen will now be getting a driver’s education in school. State law had deemed that schools must offer driver’s education classes in school and the Amador County Unified School District joined that requirement this semester by offering driver’s education in the freshman health classes. The school board of directors on Wednesday received a report from Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, who told of the new classes. She said the class would supplement the private instruction students were getting. The class will teach things like the affects of drug and alcohol use on driving ability. Chapin-Pinotti and staff surveyed school principals and determined the class should be covered in health classes for freshmen. The driver’s education class will have the required thirty hours of seat time and use the book, “Responsible Driving,” by Glencoe/McGraw Hill, a book already used in classes at Independence High School in Sutter Creek.

Also at last week’s school board meeting, the members heard a presentation on the high school level Vocational Education Programs offered in the district. There is currently a total of 1684 Career Technical Seats filled with the school district, which includes students from Amador, Argonaut, North Star, and Independence. There are currently five distinct Course outlines offered, including Agricultural Careers, Finance and Business, Food Service and Hospitality, Consumer Education, Legal and Government Service, and Health and Medical Technology. The selection of career technical courses are based on student surveys, a community needs assessment, and a regional industry assessment. Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti stated that the high school teachers in the district “are second to none” when it came to workability and classroom offerings and that they worked hard to design clear pathways in order for the programs to work.

After multiple readings, postponements, and questions concerning test validity, the Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees has approved the much-talked about drug testing policy for Amador’s high schools. The approval is contingent upon the district obtaining funding to support the policy, which will require random drug testing for students involved in sports and other school activities. Also, parents will be able to request drug testing for their child, if under the age of 18. The purpose of the drug testing policy is to help prevent student athletes from using drugs, to help protect students’ health and safety, to provide drug abusers with the appropriate assistance, and to preserve and maintain a positive learning environment. The issue was brought to the district’s attention a few years ago by high school coaches who felt drugs were becoming a problem. The main concern was that a student under the influence while involved in a sports activity was a safety issue. As part of the policy, each student involved in sports or other school activities, and their parents, will be required to sign a consent form before any testing can be done. Selection for testing will be conducted using a lottery system, and the test will screen for seven families of drugs, including amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, marijuana, opiates and alcohol. All tests will be sent to an outside testing facility, and a positive result will not be forwarded to law enforcement, nor will the student’s record be affected. The policy outlines specific actions to be taken for first, second, and third offenses. Consequences include restriction from the student’s sport and drug education classes. Superintendent Mike Carey is satisfied with the outcome of the policy, and feels that “even if it makes it safer for just a few kids, it’s worth it.”

Amador County – Members of the California School Employees Association were expected to be out in force at the Wednesday, January 28 meeting of the School Board to protest proposed layoffs within the Amador Unified School District. Superintendent Dick Glock is recommending the board vote to terminate eleven workers in the maintenance department. Eleven employees would be fired effective March 30, 2009, including nine maintenance and grounds workers, and two maintenance department clerical workers. Glock had announced to the union that he will rewrite job descriptions and give the positions new titles. Workers hired into the “new” jobs will do the same work as the fired workers, but at only 75% of the current pay. He said laid off workers would be allowed to apply for the “new” jobs, but will not be guaranteed they will be hired. CSEA maintains Glock’s plan violates the union contract and state law. The union will take the matter to grievance arbitration and, if necessary, to the California Public Employment Relations Board. At a union meeting in Jackson on Monday, January 26, sixty workers pledged to be at the district board meeting to protest the firing of the eleven maintenance workers. Maintenance department workers and their supporters addressed the board at its meeting at 5:30 pm, before board members went into closed session to consider Glock’s recommendation. The meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, January 28 at 5:30pm. TSPN will have a full story on the outcome of the meeting in our upcoming broadcast. Staff Report (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

The Argonaut High School Quarterback Club donated 4,000 dollars to replace 57 years worth of sports banners from Argonaut and Jackson high school history. Loreen Hickman, a bankcard services specialist for Bank of Amador, and mother of the Mustang varsity quarterback, senior John Hickman, said that boosters would be auctioning off the old banners over the first three home games. Mrs. Hickman and boosters Dara Falco and Barbara Steuble, on Friday showed the 152 banners, some of which had hung in the Argonaut field house until two weeks ago when they were deemed fire hazards and removed. The Argonaut QB Club then donated 4,000 dollars to have the banners replaced with plastic replicas. Hickman said a binder would be created and taken to at least the first several home games, beginning with Homecoming, September 26, then again at home football games on October 10 and October 24. Depending on public response, the banner binder may go to other games. The binder will have pictures and condition descriptions for each banner, with spaces for bidders to write their name and bid amount. The minimum bid will be 25 dollars. The banners date from a tennis banner in 1946 to banners from 2003 and come from Jackson and Argonaut high schools. The new banners will include those from the days of the Ione High School as well, which were replaced by the QB Club donation. Any funds raised past the 4,000 dollar cost of the replacement banners will be given to the Argonaut sports department. Bids can be sent by date of banners, with name and amount, to P.O. Box 1498, Jackson 95642.

Wednesday evening, Amador County Unified School District Board Members listened to a presentation focused on high school drop-out rates, which was presented by Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti. The Amador County School District saw 1,671 students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in the 2006-07 school year. Of those students, approximately 4 percent, or 66 students, dropped out of school. Eight of the 66 students had all the necessary requirements to complete high school, but were unsuccessful in passing the California High School Exit Exam, also known as the CAHSEE. Of those eight students, six are currently involved in a remediation program in order to pass the exam in the future. One of the eight students opted to attend Community College, as a High School Diploma is not a requirement for enrollment, and the last of the eight students enrolled in a Flight Attendant School. According to Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti, even though the School District’s 4 percent drop-out rate is much lower than the State’s average of 6.2 percent, she still believes that “any percent is too high.” She also stated in the report that there are several options available to retain struggling students and to encourage them to complete graduation requirements. The options include catching attendance problems early, setting up individual programs for student success, and encouraging students to return until they pass the CAHSEE. Superintendent Glock also stated that he felt a recommitment “to early notification of parents and caregivers” would be appropriate, and that building a “working relationship [between the District and the families] is necessary.”

Amador County - Pine Grove Elementary was almost completely evacuated Monday morning as part of a Disaster Preparedness Drill. Through a joint effort of the Amador County Office of Emergency Services, Sheriff’s Department, CHP and Pine Grove School, kids in grades 1 through 6 boarded about 5 buses at around 9 AM, and were transported to Jackson Elementary in Jackson. A short time later, a message about the drill went out to all emergency contact numbers and emails stating that “If this had been a real emergency you would have received information about the procedure for picking up your child.” The school tested those pickup procedures by simulating parents picking up their children and not following the correct procedure. “We asked one parent to try to pick up a child that wasn’t theirs,” reported Pine Grove Principal Tom Reed. School personnel “caught” the culprit, who would have been arrested if it had been a real emergency situation. Another test scenario was carried out by a parent attempting to take their child from the school without properly checking them out. Again, school staff responded accordingly, and barred the parent from removing the child from school grounds. Lynne Olson, Director of the Office of Emergency Services says the drill went very well. “It’s the first one that’s been done in the history of the school district, as far as I know.” Reed confirmed that it was the first drill of its type conducted for Pine Grove Elementary. Local mom Tracy Winton, whose son attends Pine Grove school, thought the drill was a great idea. “Now the kids know what to expect in a real emergency. I think it will help them not feel so freaked out (when and if a real disaster happens).” After about a half hour at Jackson Elementary, the kids returned to Pine Grove school at 10:30 AM, and, in short order, were back to their normal schedule. Story by Jen Wilson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

By Jim Reece - Child care and early education is worth a reported 5 Million dollars in Amador County, according to a recent report by the Amador Child Care Council. Joyce Stone, manager of Amador Child Care Council told the Amador County Board of Supervisors last week that the early childcare and education industry "enables parents to go to work or school or train to go into the workforce" and it also prepares children to be ready for life. She said the benefits of childhood education prepare kids for higher education and help ensure a future workforce. Studies show that children entering education at a young age increase worker productivity at a later age. The study estimated that the industry generates 5 million dollars in Amador County, Stone said, noting that 4.9 millions was a conservative estimate and 1.2 million dollars was spent in the county for family childcare. Stone told the board that "quality early care and education is critical to the economic health of Amador County," and that "demand greatly exceeds supply of quality child development opportunities for young children in the county." A shortage of facilities inhibits labor force participation and reduces opportunities for low-income residents seeking to upgrade their skills. The report recommended that business, government, the early childhood education industry, and the public work together to make early care and education part of the county's economic development. The report said that the industry provides 217 full-time equivalent workers in Amador County, more than are employed in construction in the county. The industry is a critical support for the current workforce. Anne Platt, CEO of Sutter Amador Hospital said in the report that "the availability of quality and affordable child care is very important to staff at Sutter Amador Hospital." Stone told Supervisors that through the study, the Amador Childcare Council hopes "we can expand the number of available child care facilities in the county through working with government and the business sector."

Amador County Unified School District Superintendent Dick Glock said last week the Back-To-School nights at several schools were well attended in the early school year, including ones he attended at Amador High, Pioneer Elementary and Jackson Junior High. He said schools will hear form a drug task force person before they begin the school drug testing program. Board member Pat Miller said he agreed about transportation. “We instituted fees this year and that seems to have gotten off to a good start,” Miller said. Board member P.J. Karnaze said he also attended open houses and noticed new teachers who seemed like some exciting and enthusiastic additions to the staff. Glock, first year superintendent for ACUSD, said the school year had gotten off to a running start, in part with high school principals, Amador’s Alan Van Velzen and Dave Vicari at Argonaut, who were around for the summer, “not getting paid but letting us know what they needed.”

The City of Jackson has just adopted a resolution that will make it safer for Argonaut High School students to walk to and from school. Earlier this year, the City Engineering Department applied for a “Safe Routes To School” grant, which was subsequently funded through CalTrans. The grant will cover most of the 688,400-dollar cost of upgrading the curbs, gutter and sidewalk along Argonaut Lane, from Mariposa Avenue to Hoffman Street. The city will contribute matching funds of 68,850, or 10%, from an Argonaut Lane mitigation fund. In addition, the city will install bike lanes on the west side of the street, and will improve the drainage on both sides of the street. Project construction will begin once the city has completed the design, environmental, and engineering processes.