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A publication of Desert Sands Unified School District
January 25, 2016
Tulle...Bough...Potpourri
only for the best,
and expect only
the best.” Awards
were presented by
DSUSD school
board member
Gary Tomak.
The faces of the children
reflected their determination to
not make a mistake. They closed
their eyes, they frowned, they
silently moved their mouths...all
to bring them to the ultimate
prize—winning the Desert
Sands Unified School District
and Optimists Spelling Bee.
Winner of this
year’s spelling
bee was Aiden De
La Cruz a fifth
grader at Harry S.
Truman
Aiden with his parents and sister. Teacher
David Lawson stands to Aiden’s right and
Elementary
Principal Carol Bishop is at the far right.
School. He
explained his
successful studying method in the biography that
appeared in the event program. “The way I studied for
the spelling bee was by breaking the words apart, then
saying the words exactly how I divided them,” he
wrote.
Held in the La Quinta High
School Theatre, students from
across the district represented
their elementary and middle
Participants received a
schools. Spelling Master Paul
spelling bee bobblehead.
Beaty carefully pronounced
each word then used it in a sentence. There were
familiar, everyday words, and some not typically a
part of a child’s vocabulary. But students were
prepared and the competition was intense.
An annual district-wide event, the students earn their
place in the competition by taking part in their own
school’s spelling bee.
The best-of-the-best
make it to the district
level and come prepared
to take home the trophy
and move on to the
county competition.
The competition for serving as the alternative was a
highlight of the evening as the two students lobbed
words back and forth through a series of rounds that
finally led to Palm Desert Charter Middle School 6th
grader Joseph Lehman placing second. Joseph
commented that, “I love to read, that is the reason I
like spelling.” His commanding voice required no
microphone to be heard throughout the theatre.
The event is sponsored
by both Desert Sands
Unified School District
and the Optimists. The
group serve as judges
for the event and truly
use the “Optimist
Creed” in their support
School board member Gary
Tomak presents trophies to Aiden of the students...to think
De La Cruz and Joseph Lehman. only of the best, to work
Giving Joseph a race to the end was Erin Dimatulac
an 8th grader at Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle
School. This was Erin’s third year representing the
school in the district spelling bee and she was the
alternate for the 2014-2015 school year. Erin speaks
both English and Tagalog and attributes her success in
spelling to her language skills.
Participating students are listed on page 4.
1
Dates To Note
February 20: Fiesta Educativa, presented by Riverside
County Office of Education. See flyer page 17.
January 25: March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction
includes food prepared by LQHS culinary arts students.
February 24: SEPAC (Special Education Parent
Advisory Committee) Social Activities Expo featuring
nonprofit community partners who provide services to
children with disabilities. See flyer page 16.
January 26-27: Carrillo Ranch Elementary School
presents their Variety Show.
January 27: Palm Desert High School junior class
fundraiser at Panera from 4:00-8:00 pm.
March 1: Front and Center - Special Education
programs at DSUSD schools at 6:30 pm, prior to the
school board meeting.
January 27: Student vs Student Blackhawk
Showdown, 6:00 pm, La Quinta High School.
https://everyeventgives.com/event/jan27blackhawksho
wdown/.
March 9: Desert Sands Unified School District Science
Fair at the Indio Fairgrounds.
March 11: T.R.E.C. to Andrew Jackson Elementary
School, Desert Ridge Academy, and Shadow Hills
High School.
January 30: DSUSD Elementary School Soccer
Tournament. First match at 8:40 am. The day’s play is
expected to finish around 7:00 pm.
January 30 & 31: Ed Teach Google for Education
Summit. See flyer page 18.
March 15: Front and Center - water conservation
efforts by Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School at
6:30 pm, prior to the school board meeting.
January 30: Palm Desert Charter Middle School
garage sale to assist in the funding of a NYC/DC trip.
March 20: Palm Desert High School golf tournament
with an 8:00 am shotgun start. Flyers page 24.
January 31: Aztec Impact Pancake Breakfast at
Applebee’s in Rancho Mirage from 8:00-0:00 am.
April 2: Paraprofessional Appreciation Day
April 10-16: National Volunteer Week
January 31: Palm Desert Charter Middle School
Panther 5-K. Info at www.dsusd.us/schools/pdcms.
Flyer page 23.
April 12: National Library Workers Day
April 12: Front and Center - DSUSD science fair
winners at 6:30 pm, prior to the school board meeting.
January 31: DSUSD Honor Band Concert at Indio
High School Performing Arts Center at 2:00 pm.
April 22: Earth Day
February 1-5: National School Counseling Week
April 26: School Bus Drivers Appreciation Day
February 2: Front and Center - high school CTE
programs at 6:30 pm, prior to the school board meeting.
April 27: Administrative Professionals Day
May 1: School Principals Day
February 3: AVID coordinator meeting at 7:00 am at
John Glenn Middle School.
May 3: Teacher Appreciation Day
February 5: Blood Drive at Indio High School
May 3: Front and Center - DSUSD art fair for all
schools at 6:30 pm, prior to the school board meeting.
February 5: John Glenn Middle School Winterball.
Call the office for more information 760-200-3700.
May 4-8: National Substitute Appreciation Week
February 7: Culinary arts students offer a live auction
dinner in your home at the Faith, Hope & Pups 2016
event. Information at www.lovingallanimals.org.
May 6: T.R.E.C. to Gerald Ford Elementary School,
Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School, and pre schools.
May 6: National Nurses Day
May 9-13: School Nutrition Employee Week
February 9: TAY (transitional age youth) support
group meets in Riverside. Flyer on page 18.
May 14: DSUSD Middle School Math Day at John
Glenn Middle School beginning at 8:30 am.
February 16: Front and Center - middle schools CTE
programs at 6:30 pm, prior to the school board meeting.
May 15: Peace Officers Memorial Day
February 20: SELPA (Riverside County Special
Education Local Plan Area) and CAC (Community
Advisory Committee) presents a workshop on Practical
Parenting Strategies to Promote Your Child’s Social
Skills. See flyer page 16.
May 15-21: Classified School Employee Week
May 17: Front and Center - DSUSD IB schools
winners at 6:30 pm, prior to the school board meeting.
June 10: Last day of school
2
In The News
January 12: CBS
Local 2 covered the
presentation of a
$25,000 Berger
Foundation Spotlight
Grant to James Carter
Elementary School.
Students were
interviewed along with
grant requestor and school librarian Cheryl McKee.
January 20: The official release on Chelsea Clinton’s
approaching visit and assistance with a community
project at La Quinta High School appeared in The
Desert Sun.
January 20: The Desert Sun ran a follow-up story on
the consideration of school consolidation by the Desert
Sands Unified School Board. The story was picked up
by Paper Clips, Riverside County Office of
Education’s daily newsbrief.
January 11: The student art work on the halls of the
DSUSD office building was the feature of the biweekly Neighbors column in The Desert Sun. The
article was picked up by Paper Clips.
January 20:
KMIR TV
presented John F.
Kennedy
Elementary
School with
basketball
equipment and
will feature the
presentation in
upcoming commercials as part of their Random Acts of
Kindness Program. At right, Principal Ann Morales is
interviewed.
January 8: The Desert Sun recommended an evening
at the Purple Room with food by Top Chef’s Brooke
Williamson and her assistants from the La Quinta High
School culinary arts program and entertainment by the
LQHS jazz band.
January 7: The secret was revealed in The Desert
Sun...the La Quinta High School culinary arts program
kitchen was the backdrop for the Big Gay Wedding
episode of Top Chef. The story was picked up by Paper
Clips. A follow up ran on January 8.
January 17: A nice “shout out” appeared in The Desert
Sun as local television celebrity Ross Matthews
congratulated Top Chef’s Jennifer Town for her work
with the La Quinta High School culinary arts students.
Photos of the LQHS jazz band accompanied the article.
January 2: The Desert Sun ran a story on the
Academic World Quest won by La Quinta High School
with second place placement by Palm Desert High
School and the Spirit Award to Indio High School. The
story was picked up by Paper Clips.
January 15: The Desert Sun broke the story on
Chelsea Clinton, of the Clinton Foundation, coming to
La Quinta High School on January 24 for a “Desert
Day of Action”.
January 1: A look back at ten of the DSUSD
highlights from 2015 was the basis of the bi-weekly
article in the Neighbors section of The Desert Sun.
January 14: CBS Local 2 featured a story on the
California missions projects created by the students at
James Carter Elementary School.
Local media continue to provide extensive coverage
on all DSUSD winter sports.
Of note is the naming of Brian Devlin of Palm Desert
High School as a Student Athlete of the Week by
KESQ/CBS Local 2. Brian plays both football and
basketball for the Aztecs.
January 12: The Desert Sun, in their Top 5 Things To
Do Today, listed dinner at the Purple Room featuring
entertainment by the La Quinta High School Jazz Band
and LQHS culinary arts students working with Top
Chef‘s Jennifer Town.
Shadow Hills High School girls basketball coach was
recently featured on KEQZ News. Of special note was
his work with students with auditory challenges. The
interview took place prior to a home game against
Yucca
Valley
High
School
with a
win by
the
Knights.
3
Top Spellers
Rams Participate in Museum Color Run
Congratulations to all participants in the Desert Sands
Unified School District and Optimists Spelling Bee!
On Saturday, January 9, several students from Theodore
Roosevelt Elementary School, along with Coach Reynolds,
participated in the Galen 5K New Year's Resolution Color Run
sponsored by the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert.
The museum offered the students scholarships to participate in
their first annual 5K run. After being doused with color during
the run, students enjoyed fresh fruit and flavored water
courtesy of Whole Foods, and made arts and crafts.
Trevor Duong, James Carter Elementary
Leslie Rivas-Bautista, Desert Ridge Academy
Kai Macro, Amelia Earhart Elementary
Genesis Arambula, Dwight Eisenhower Elementary
Chloe Lindemann, Gerald Ford Elementary
Valeri Zavala, Benjamin Franklin Elementary
Charlee Marlinga, John Glenn Middle
Alissa Hernandez, Hoover Elementary
Jared Flores, Andrew Jackson Elementary
Leslie Mejia, Thomas Jefferson Middle
Leah Manriques, John F. Kennedy Elementary
Nicklaus Garcia, La Quinta Middle
Kyara Ruiz, Abraham Lincoln Elementary
Kenia Gutierrez-Hernandez, James Madison Elementary
Erin Dimatula, Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle
Joseph Lehman, Palm Desert Charter Middle
Bianca Vazquez, Ronald Reagan Elementary
Liliana Angulo, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary
Aiden De La Cruz, Harry S. Truman Elementary
Adam Katan, George Washington Charter Elementary
Jose Garcia, Dr. Carreon Academy
3rd Annual DSUSD
Elementary School
Soccer Tournament
The challenge is on! Who will
be DSUSD elementary school
soccer champs?
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News and photos always welcome!
Send to [email protected]
The tournament takes place on
Saturday, January 30, with the first match at 8:40 am.
The day’s play is expected to finish around 7:00 pm.
According to coordinator Robert Brock, participating
elementary schools are Abraham Lincoln, Amelia
Earhart, John Adams, George Washington, Gerald Ford,
Dwight Eisenhower, Herbert Hoover, Andrew Jackson,
James Monroe, Lyndon B. Johnson, John Kennedy, Dr.
Carreon Academy, Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan,
James Carter, and Benjamin Franklin.
Kindly submit all informational flyers
as jpgs (not pdfs).
4
development opportunities, and assists families with the
navigation of the college-going process.
Teacher Scholarship Available
University of Phoenix is offering a scholarship program
to current teachers or aspiring teachers. Through this
program, twenty (20) full-tuition scholarships will be
offered. Each scholarship will allow a prospective
student the opportunity to complete either a Bachelor’s
of Science in Education or a Master’s of Arts in
Education degree at University of Phoenix. Both online
and ground classes are available at University of
Phoenix. Only the first 200 qualified qpplications that
meet the defined eligibility criteria will be considered.
Deadline to apply is February 9.
Tickets: general $100; counselors/teachers $50. To
purchase tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/d/ca-palm-springs/cvep-2016-fafsa-kickoff-fundraiser/
Not able to attend? Support this year’s fundraiser with a
donation at http://portal.cvepwfe.com/donation-form
Robots Take Over PDHS
Over 200 middle and high school students from southern
California took part in the January 9 robotics tournament
held at Palm Desert High School. The only such
competition in the Coachella Valley, students designed,
built, and programmed robots that climbed mountains
and gathered debris. The event was sponsored for FIRST
(For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology).
For more information visit their website at
http://www.phoenix.edu/tuition_and_financial_options/s
cholarships/institutional-scholarships/prospectivestudents/teacher-scholarship.html
Ford Elementary Receives Grant
The Table Grape Foundation has
awarded a $750 grant to Gerald Ford
Elementary School to assist with the
creation of a weather station.
The commission was established in 1968,
to show support for the places where the
growers live and work. The community
outreach program includes two and fouryear scholarships for table grape field
workers and their children, education
grants to support innovation in the classroom in
California’s grape growing areas, and four-year
scholarships for students from the Coachella and San
Joaquin Valleys who plan to study agriculture at a
California college or university. Other activities have
included Chefs Move to Schools, science fairs, after
school programs, 4-H, and health and nutrition projects
in schools and senior centers.
Award Presented
As reported last summer,
La Quinta High School’s
2013-2014 yearbook, the
Talon, received a Premier
Print Award for
outstanding achievement
from the Printing
Industries Association.
PIA recognizes
achievement in print
quality, design expertise,
and the overall appearance
of a publication. The
award was presented last
week by Chris Joy, Jostens representative, to Marcy
Herrera and Rebecca Cook. Marcy is the LQHS
yearbook adviser and activities director; Rebecca is
proud principal of La Quinta High School.
CVEP 2016 FAFSA Campaign Kick-Off
CVEP Workforce Excellence and Toscana Country Club
will host a cocktail reception on February 17 to help
support local high school seniors planning their higher
education. Proceeds from the event benefit the Battle of
the High Schools, which raises awareness about the
importance of completing the FAFSA (Free Application
for Federal Student Aid). Almost all colleges and
universities use the FAFSA to determine students'
eligibility for financial aid programs. CVEP seeks to
increase the region's college-going rates by
helping students access a higher education and prepare
for higher-skill, higher-wage jobs in the growing
Coachella Valley economy. Additionally, CVEP offers
students scholarships, academic and professional
To unsubscribe from The Beacon, email
[email protected]
5
Advertising Scholarships Available
The Sonnet Man at Amistad
(From The Desert Sun.)
On Thursday, January 7th, Amistad High School had the
privilege to witness an amazing feat of lyrical poetry
when Devon Glover, "The Sonnet Man," brought
Shakespeare's sonnets and soliloquys to life. Mr.
Glover's unique approach to Shakespeare, which uses hip
-hop and rap music to bring this classical literature to
life, is unparalleled. Not only did he entertain, he helped
open up this challenging literature to students—making
it easily accessible to them in their own language.
High school students with a future in advertising have
the chance to compete for a scholarship from Desert Ad
Federation as $10,000 worth of scholarships will be
awarded to valley high school juniors and seniors and
their respective schools who create outstanding, thoughtprovoking advertising campaigns within the theme of Be
True to Your School. Participating students are required
to develop and present a campaign with two advertising
elements. One element must be electronic such as TV,
radio, or web advertisement with a series of storyboards
(four slides minimum and script) and the other element
must be for print such as billboard, newspaper,
magazine, or direct mail advertisement. All material can
be dropped off beginning January 25 through February 1
at 5:00 pm to Jeff Levine at Lamar Outdoor Advertising
at 77583 El Duna Court, Suite J, Palm Desert. Contact
[email protected] for more information with 2016 Be
True to Your School as the subject line.
During the performance, Mr. Glover took Shakespeare's
words—verbatim—and put them to a beat. He then
provided his own rapped interpretation, maintaining the
theme and Shakespeare's message.
Seeing a flood of students rush up to Mr. Glover,
following the show, one could plainly see that this
educational experience was a great success. Even Gary
Tomak, school board member, could be seen tapping his
feet to the music.
Roadrunners New Champs
The DSUSD elementary school flag football
season came to a close with the John Adams
Roadrunners as this year’s champs. Over 300
students participated on the field and as
cheerleaders for this season. Special thanks to
Jory Kirchhevel for organizing the schedule,
scoreboard, and recruitment and to Carl
Arnold for organizing the referees and
coordinating the rules and the trophies. Final
scores were 20-12 as Adams played Kennedy
and 19-6 in the Hoover versus Ford game.
It’s the Cherland Way
Participating elementary schools were:
Lyndon B. Johnson (Bill Baker, coach), Dwight
Eisenhower (Carl Arnold, coach), Amelia Earhart (Satish
Reese, coach), Carrillo Ranch (Mona Kilmmek, coach),
Dr. Carreon Academy (Jory Kirchhevel, coach) (photo
below), Abraham Lincoln (Stephen Spurlock, coach),
Andrew Jackson (Robert Abadie, coach), Herbert
Hoover (Mario Pimentel, coach), Gerald Ford (Alfred
Castro, coach), John Adams (Todd Mendoza, coach),
John Kennedy (Raul Escarsega, coach), Theodore
Roosevelt (Juan from the ASES program, coach),
Washington Charter (Nan Davis, coach), and Ronald
Reagan (Omar Castro, coach).
Michelle Cherland, a California Teach of the Year, was
recently recognized at a City of Indio Council meeting
with a proclamation. In addition, an Indio street was
temporarily named Michelle Cherland Way and the
actual sign was presented to the Carrillo Ranch
Elementary School teacher.
Left to right: Michelle’s parents Kim and Grace McLaughlin,
daughters Erika and Monique, husband Rodney, Michelle, and Mayor
Glenn Miller.
6
Aztec Classic
BofA Foundation Seeks Student Leaders
for Paid Internships and Summit in D.C.
The Palm Desert High School
Foundation will be presenting
the Aztec Classic on March 20
with an 8:00 am “shotgun”
start (scramble format). The
event will be hosted by famed
Dodger and desert resident, Steve Garvey. Sign up
information can be found on page 24.
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation is
accepting applications for its 2016 Student Leaders
program. The program seeks high school juniors and
seniors with a passion for improving their communities
to participate in an eight-week paid summer internship
with a nonprofit organization and a week-long, allexpense-paid Student Leaders Summit in Washington,
D.C., from July 10 to 15, 2016. Conducted in
partnership with the Close Up Foundation, the Summit
introduces students to aspects of civic, social and
business leadership and provides them with knowledge
and skills they will use throughout their life to create
positive community change. Students can apply by
January 29 at www.bankofamerica.com/studentleaders.
The foundation notes that there are six ways for PDHS
fans to help out.
1. Enjoy the lunch, a $35 ticket that includes the silent
auction, raffle, and ball drop.
2. Play golf, an entry fee of $175 (there are early bird
specials available—see the form) includes
tournament play, lunch, silent auction, raffle, and
ball drop. (There is even a hole-in-one car giveaway.
3. Be a sponsor, all levels include golf entry and lunch.
4. Take a chance, ball drop is $10 per ball or three for
$20.
5. Donate, auction and raffle items would be most
appreciated.
6. Volunteer, email Desi Okamoto at
[email protected]
Video Encourages Healthcare Leaders to
Participate in Local Career Pathways
CVEP (Coachella Valley Economic Partnership), with
the support of Kaiser Permanente, produced two
videos, in English and Spanish, promoting health career
pathways among high school students in the Coachella
Valley. The videos encourage healthcare professionals
to participate in preparing the students for careers in the
industry, while also raising awareness among parents
and students about health career academies, job
shadows, internships, and scholarships available
through their high school. The videos feature healthcare
professionals, including Carlolyn Caldwell, CEO of
Desert Regional Medical Center, who ends with a call to
action: "Desert Regional would like to challenge other
businesses in the Coachella Valley to take part in
training the next generation of workers."
Storybook
Heroes
Two special John
Glenn Middle
School students
turned a
community service
project into a
holiday giving
event for the
children at Martin
Van Buren
Elementary School.
To view the English version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN_l4RK6N0w
To view the Spanish version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_jCDSEO74g
Correction
Natalie Wright and Haley Calasan collected over 500
children’s books. They then called Van Buren Principal
Melissa Pizano-Grunnet (shown above with the girls)
and asked if they could distribute the books to the
students. They noted that many of the students from
Van Buren do not have books in their homes and the
girls wanted to make certain that each child had a book
to read over the winter break.
A photo in the January 11 Beacon was misidentified.
Students who cleaned up North Shore and earned
$2,000 for the Youth Active Conference In Idyllwild are
members of Desert Ridge Academy Club Live.
The Beacon is published weekly by Desert Sands Unified
School District. Contents are the property of the district and
reprinting or reuse of the material is available
by emailing the public information officer
[email protected].
Accompanied by their fathers, Haley and Natalie had a
tour of Van Buren then spoke to students and staff about
their project before handing out the treasured
storybooks.
Publisher: Gary Rutherford, Ed.D.
Editor: Mary Perry
Copy Editors: Adriana Romero and
Blanche Ramirez
7
Cappello Named Director
Kitchen Tour
The newly appointed director of
Nutrition Services, Dan
Cappello has a career in the
food service industry that spans
over 25 years. Dan has held
general manager positions in
restaurants giving him excellent
training in cost controls and
customer service. In 2004, Dan
accepted a position with San
Diego Unified School District as
a nutrition area manager. San Diego Unified gave Dan
the opportunity to learn all aspects of the national
school lunch program. In 2008, Dan was offered and
accepted the position of director of student nutrition for
Fallbrook Union High School District. Besides being a
successful director, Dan has held leadership positions
with the California School Nutrition Association. In his
free time, Dan has a passion for travel and enjoys time
with his Belgian Malinois Dusty.
Christa Aubry’s second grade class from James Monroe
Elementary School recently took a tour of the district
kitchen. The cookies and milk were a great way to end
the tour.
Honoring Indio High School Staff
The DSUSD Board of Education
voted unanimously to name spaces
at Indio High School in memory and
in honor of long time staff members.
Welcome New Staff
The holidays brought lots of great presents including
some fabulous new staff members. Welcome to:
Classroom 3138 will now be known
as the Christine Adkins Classroom.
Mrs. Adkins worked for 20 years at
DSUSD with 15 of them at Indio
High. A mother of eight, all of
whom attended IHS, Adkins was devoted to her
students. One of her sons spoke at a recent board
meeting, brought to tears as he remembered the many
things she did for “her kids”. He remembers asking why
she was making so many school lunches, more than she
needed for her own children and she explained that she
made them for students who didn’t have lunches. She
loved the students and they loved her back.
Marcia Andrade, La Quinta High School, nutrition
services assistant
Franklin Bachman, Shadow Hills High School,
nutrition services assistant
Lea Butler, Indio High School, nutrition services
assistant
Hardiman Cureton II, Amistad High School, teacher
Melissa Flores, education services, administrative
assistant
Racquel Ibarra, La Quinta High School, nutrition
services assistant
Sharyl Kuehnert, Indio Middle School, teacher
Antonio Morin, special education, applied behavior
assistant
Maricela Parra, Indio High School, nutrition services
assistant
Carolina Ramirez, Shadow Hills High School,
nutrition services assistant
Nicholas Rose, fiscal services, accounting technician
Victoria Sidhu, La Quinta High School, nutrition
services assistant
Tara Silva, Shadow Hills High School, teacher
Kirstin Sherman, John Kennedy Elementary School,
teacher
Amy Torres, Thomas Jefferson Middle School,
teacher
Nadia Tovar, La Quinta High School, nutrition
services assistant
Within the new Indio High School Performing Arts
Center is the J. Rodrick Basehore Theater. For 34 years
Mr. Basehore shared his life with the performing arts
with his students. He also helped in the design of the
new performing arts center. His wife noted that it was
his dream to have the theater named for him. Board
member Matt Monica remembered the many
performances directed by Basehore, especially Of Mice
and Men.
In recognition of his 29 years of service and her 25
years of coaching, the track at Indio High is now called
the Paul Hendrickson and Becky Baker Track. Both
Baker and Hendrickson were instrumental in not only
leading winning teams but of creating student athletes.
They inspired and they led by example.
8
Jackson
Elementary
School was
selected as the
graphic for the
month of January.
Desert Sands Gallery of Fine Art
(The following article appeared in the Friday, January 15 edition of
the Neighbors section of The Desert Sun. Since that time, art work
has changed.)
In the business offices of
Desert Sands Unified
School District, the work
dedicated to the support
of education takes place
at desks throughout the
buildings located on
Dune Palms Drive in La
Quinta. But the hallways
serve as an art gallery,
showcasing the work of students from elementary,
middle, and high schools.
All of the schools
in the district have
the opportunity to showcase their art in the Desert Sands
Gallery of Fine Art. An end-of-year event will be held
on Tuesday, May 3, from 6:30 to 7:00 pm as part of the
Front and Center program that precedes regularly
scheduled DSUSD school board meetings.
Currently on display are ceramics by the students of
Amistad High School in one case with other additional
creations in clay by La Quinta High School students in
the other. Amistad teacher Rebecca Nabors and LQHS
teacher Terry Kauffman selected the works to be
displayed at the district office and artfully arranged the
work in the display cases. Paintings currently on view
are from the students of Yolanda Jue’s art classes at
John Glenn Middle School. A nearby label describing
the works states “The art students at John Glenn Middle
proudly present a group exhibit simply titled AUTUMN.
Our hope is that our viewers will be transported into a
moment in time, perhaps in younger years, and relive a
sweet memory; one which perhaps has slipped into
slumber but will be happily awakened by the colors of
the season.” Mrs. Jue’s class has often taken advantage
of the opportunity to showcase their work at the district
office and has exhibited oils, water colors, and
charcoals.
The latest exhibition, currently on display, by Allison Hualdes
ASES students at Dr. Carron Academy.
REMINDER: Please email [email protected]
to reserve art gallery space at the DEC!
A Winning Kiss
Students at
James Madison
Elementary
School recently
raised $728 for
the United
Way—all in
pennies.
Teacher from
the winning
classroom
received an
unusual
honor as
seen in the
photo below
as Nancy
Howell got
some extra
loving from
Franklin the
piglet.
The work of the younger
children can also be found
hanging on the walls. A
collage poster of aliens,
planets, and stars serves as
both a work of art and a
testimony to the fun to be
had in the Dr. Carreon
Academy ASES (After
School Education & Safety) program. Mrs. Ealey’s 1st,
2nd, and 3rd graders used the beauty of the changing
leaves to create art work and the wise old owl to
symbolize their own love of learning.
In the building known as DEC North, an exhibition of
posters created by students at all grade levels showcases
the entries for the annual Riverside County Student
Drug Use Prevention Poster Contest. Love Yourself Be
Drug Free by Nevaeh Guzman, a 2nd grader at Andrew
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Flyer and registration forms on page 22.
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“Developing reading and research skills at an early age
helps students prepare not only for future academia, but
also for life,” said Jeffrey Hisgen, Carter Elementary
School Principal. “School libraries are a wonderful
resource for children to become better equipped to
understand and conceptualize what they are learning.”
Helping To Make Wishes Come True
At least two Desert Sands schools participated in the
holiday Macy’s Make A Wish Foundation program to
generate as many letters as possible to send to Santa. The
California Scholarship Federation, a philanthropic honor
society at Shadow Hills High School, raised $400.
Shanna McCown (pictured below with her students) is a
co-advisor of the group along with Barbette Beck, Ed.D.
The school’s principal, librarian, teachers, and officers of
the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) came together to
draft the grant request. They plan to purchase up-to-date
nonfiction books that support required topical research
and general reading enjoyment for all elementary reading
levels. They will also add new current and classic fiction
titles, particularly those that complete series at the library
as well as Caldecott, Newbery, and California Young
Reader Medal winners.
Students at Amelia Earhart Elementary School also
participated in the Macy’s letter drive. Coordinated by
2nd grade teacher Gloria Christopoulos, the children
wrote 693 letters. By turning them in on “double day”
the kids received extra credit raising $1,386 for Make A
Wish Foundation.
“One of the great aspects of the Coachella Valley
Spotlight is that we present grants for varying
community needs,” said Catharine Reed, Program
Director for the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation.
“Past awards have supported technology, so it’s fun to
award this grant that gets back to basics, but is still so
important.”
Carter Elementary School, like many schools, prioritizes
the Accelerated Reader program, which tests students’
reading level and comprehension. So far this year, Carter
students collectively earned 21,366 AR points and read
14,643,418 words.
Local Elementary School Receives
$25,000 for New Books
(Reprinted from www.hnberger.org/recent-news/)
“In a world of fast-moving technology, it’s great to see
reading is still a top priority for the educators at Carter
Elementary,” said Mike Stutz, General Manager of Gulf
California Broadcast Company, which owns and
operates CBS Local 2.
James Earl Carter Elementary School was the first
recipient of 2016 to receive a $25,000 grant from the
H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation, in partnership
with CBS Local 2. The Palm Desert school, which offers
K-5th grades to about 680 students, will use the funds to
purchase books for the library.
Along with the grant, James Earl Carter Elementary
School was featured on CBS Local 2’s Eye on the
Desert, in public service announcements and on the
www.cbslocal2.com website throughout the month.
“Access to books and reading is truly a gift, and we are
so grateful to receive this grant from the Berger
Foundation, so we can continue to update and expand the
material we offer our students,” said Cheryl McKee,
Carter Elementary School Library Media Technician.
All High School Honor Band
The new Indio High School Performing Arts Center will
host the annual DSUSD High School Honor Band
Concert on Sunday, January 31, at 2:00 pm. Participating
musicians represent four district high schools including:
Indio, Shadow Hills, La Quinta, and Palm Desert.
Special guest conductor for the performance is Maestro
Anthony Parnther. Currently in his fifth season as music
director and conductor for the Anaheim-based
Symphony Orchestra and the Temecula Valley
Symphony, Parnther is a national recognized performer
and conductor.
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La Quinta High School Medical
Health Academy sophomores
recently received CERT
(Community Emergency Response
Team) training in disaster
preparedness and emergency
response. According to Kathy
Pederson, the program’s
coordinator, the students, who are
already trained in CPR, AED and
first aid, participated in training
sessions on:
Winners Announced
It’s official, the first annual Blackhawk Mile was a
success. Winners of the event were:
8th Grade
Blake Whitlock (6:54.91)
Akemi Von Sherr (5:41.12)
6th Grade
Garrett Whitlock (12:04:56)
Emmi Von Sherr (6:04.163)
5th Grade
Ronaldo Coronado (6:21.11)
Aspen Edwards (7:02.53)
 Extinguishing small fires
 Conducting search/rescue
 Assisting the injured
 Set up treatment areas
 Assisting first responders
 Identifying and anticipate hazards
 Reducing fire hazards in the home and workplace
 Helping reduce survivor stress
4th Grade
Aymi Miwa (9:54.3)
3rd Grade
Brooke Whitlock (9:22.53)
2nd Grade
Roman Ansley (7:07.72)
Pauline Ansley (9:57.46)
The students were recognized at a recent La Quinta City
Council meeting.
KMIR and Random Acts of Kindness
There’s a new initiative sponsored by KMIR TV to
spread “random acts of kindness” and the first example
of how the program worked took place at John F.
Kennedy Elementary School as KMIR not only donated
new basketball hoops...they hung them. Of course, what
is a hoop without a basketball so the station also kindly
donated a few of those. The entire campus came out to
celebrate and take part in the festivities, which just
happened to be on
Principal Ann
Morales’ birthday!
Dare to be Aware
Palm Desert High School’s Health Academy students
recently attended Riverside County's Dare to be Aware
Conference. The annual event increases youth awareness
regarding many of life challenges including depression,
substance abuse, self-esteem, and relationship issues.
This year's theme, I decide. I change. I lead particularly
focused on better understanding mental illness,
encouraging students to become peer mentors.
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G.A.M.E. is on
Harvard Bound
Led by Deputy District Attorney Michael Tripp, Gang
Awareness Mentoring & Education (G.A.M.E.) brought
a presentation focused on juvenile law and gang
enforcement to Desert Ridge Academy. Tripp brought
along three guest speakers to share their personal stories
of drug abuse and gang involvement. Students saw the
dark side of being on the other side of the law and
learned that now is the time to say no.
Karina Maciel, a junior a La Quinta High School was
recently recognized by the National Academy of Future
Scientists and Technologists for her outstanding grades.
She will be attending this summer’s Congress of Future
Science and Technology Leaders academic honors
program in Boston representing her school, the district,
and the State of California. Karina is placed in the
academic top of her class, she plays water polo, is on the
swim team, is a Girl Scout, and is a member of ASB
(student government).
Put together by Dean of Students Craig Christensen, the
event has become an annual day of education in a yearlong effort to keep his kids safe. “I want to make a
positive impact on their personal lives, homes, and
neighborhoods. My goal is to educate my students
beyond the walls of DRA,” said Christensen.
Healthy At Van Buren
It was a week to brag about health initiatives at Martin
Van Buren Elementary
School. On January 19,
students participated in a
Front and Center
presentation to the Desert
Sands Unified School
District on healthy eating.
Their skit was both funny
and informative and their
assistance in directing board
and staff members on what
to take from the salad bar
was very helpful. Several of
the adults needed to be
reminded to “not forget the
fruit”. Earlier in the day
they participated in their
first Running Club event
with more than 75 students,
staff, and family members
finishing laps around the
school grounds. The
students are currently taking part in a district nutrition
department program called the Nutrition Advisory
Council (NAC). Following the presentation, the students
led attendees at the school board meeting in the Pledge
of Allegiance.
He further noted that this interaction with law
enforcement helps when it comes to solving problems
throughout the year. “If I have concerns regarding a
student’s direction, they will come out to DRA for
personal interventions,” Christensen said.
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Phishing is the attempt to acquire sensitive information
such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details
(and sometimes, indirectly, money), often for malicious
reasons, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an
electronic communication.
Don't take the bait, don't be fooled by a legitimatelooking request for your password.
Welcome to a new column by Charles King, DSUSD manager of
computer network services. The column will be titled Tech Advice.
When is a Fish a Phish?
Communication via email, text, social media, and phone
calls is useful and has become necessary to support our
fast-paced, technology-driven lives. What comes with
our ability to connect with people we care about are
those who seek to take advantage of these tech mediums
and steal from the unsuspecting.
Thanks to the
generosity of Randy
and Darrell Lovernich
and the McCallum
Theatre Institute, 38
PDHS students were
treated to the
performance of
Pippin at the theatre
with the added bonus
of an opportunity to
meet the high-flying
cast members.
There are those who want your username and password,
your account information, or your phone number, so that
they can masquerade as you, steal your identity, take
money, create mayhem, and find others who would also
be compromised.
Phishing is hacker lingo for "fishing for
information". Unscrupulous people will send out emails,
text to your phone, even call on a voice line to ask for
your private information. Do NOT take the bait! Here
are three simple rules:
1. If the email, text, or voice call was unexpected expect that it might be a phishing attack.
2. If the request is suspicious, it’s worth a couple of
minutes to contact the sender directly and ask them if
they sent it. Do not reply to the email and don't call the
number they left—use your independent contact
information to find out.
3. When in doubt - DELETE! If it looks suspicious, its
best to delete it and do not open it or respond to it.
NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER give out your username
and password. This is just not done by legitimate
senders. If they are asking for this information - then it
will be a phishing expedition.
Let's say you received an email from your boss, who is
out of town at the moment. The email says "I have a
document for you". If you open the document it then
asks for your login information. What do you do? Well,
delete it! Call your boss or send an independent email to
them, and ask about it. It’s best to be safe than suddenly
find someone has overtaken your email account and is
sending out mass emails in your name, asking for
information from your contacts list.
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IMS College and Career Day
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
The California Retired Teachers
Association, Desert Roadrunner
Division #43, is offering $1,000
scholarships to high school seniors
whose parents or grandparents are
teachers in Desert Sands Unified
School District. Scholarship
applications are due in March and can
be obtained by contacting:
Terry Ceja
[email protected]
Patty Meister
[email protected]
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
This year’s race is dedicated to the memory and legacy of
Becky Baker. Becky passed away on May 16, 2015—the
same year she would have celebrated 25 years of service to
Desert Sands Unified School District. Originally hired to teach
health and physical education, Baker put her heart and soul
into using sports as a means to teach her students about
commitment, team work, and their importance in life. Becky
was Indio High School’s head cross country and track and
field coach for 23 years and her girls earned a collective 23
Desert Valley League Titles. Her legacy lives on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8cdUSjOpVo&feature=youtu.be
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
Ball Drop
$10 per ball
Three for $20
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENTS
Community Events of Interest
 March 3, 10:00 am-2:30 pm: WoW
benefiting SafeHouse of the Desert at Westin
Mission Hills Resort & Spa. Information at
www.safehouseofthedesert.com
To be included in this list of
community events, please email
[email protected].
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