Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>March</strong> <strong>2016</strong> THE <strong>Reader</strong> • 17<br />
<strong>Reader</strong> Education<br />
<strong>SCV</strong> eDuCation FounDation<br />
Hartmann named new executive director<br />
By Pearl obispo<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Alocal resident who’s known for her<br />
long-time dedication to worthwhile<br />
causes, such as the Special Olympics,<br />
was recently named the new executive director<br />
of the Santa Clarita Valley Education<br />
Foundation.<br />
Jackie Hartmann brings her 30 years of experience<br />
in the human resources field to the<br />
foundation, where her duties will include<br />
overseeing daily operations, core educational<br />
programs, staffing, fundraising efforts, sponsorships<br />
and volunteer recruiting, just to<br />
name a few.<br />
In addition to her experience as a career<br />
professional, Hartmann has also been involved<br />
with numerous local nonprofits, including<br />
her long-standing commitment to the<br />
Special Olympics for the past 20 years.<br />
Hartmann and her husband of 31 years,<br />
Dan Hartmann, serve the Special Olympics as<br />
coaches, event coordinators, chaperones and<br />
committee members.<br />
“Our favorite, though, is coaching,” Hartmann<br />
said. “There’s nothing better than<br />
working with our athletes and seeing them<br />
learn a new skill or improve their performance.<br />
We look forward to weekly practices.”<br />
Wendy Ellet, regional sports manager for<br />
the Special Olympics Santa Clarita and Tri-<br />
Valley Regions, said Hartmann’s hard work<br />
and dedication is unparalleled.<br />
“Jackie embraces the mission of the Special<br />
Olympics,” Ellet said. “She is passionate about<br />
advocating for individuals with intellectual<br />
disabilities, not only on behalf of the Special<br />
Olympics, but on behalf of the community, as<br />
well.”<br />
Hartmann, the mother of two adult children,<br />
will be bringing that same passion to<br />
her new role as she seeks to broaden the<br />
foundation’s reach.<br />
“I would like for the foundation to increase<br />
Privacy opt out deadline looming<br />
By Pearl obispo<br />
Staff Writer<br />
The deadline is looming for parents<br />
wanting to opt out of a recent court decision<br />
that paves the way for the release<br />
of their children’s private information<br />
to two nonprofit groups in Northern California.<br />
The decision was handed down by a federal<br />
court judge and has angered some parents.<br />
“I think it’s insane that this organization<br />
could get access to all this personal information,”<br />
said Kimmy Cavallo, a parent whose<br />
children attend Charles Helmers Elementary<br />
School. “I am perplexed and don’t want them<br />
to have my kids’ information.”<br />
Cavallo also questioned why the nonprofit<br />
groups have the right to gain access to such<br />
private information.<br />
The Morgan Hill Concerned Parents Association<br />
and the Concerned Parents Associa-<br />
Jackie hartmann was recently named the new executive<br />
director of the Santa Clarita Valley education<br />
Foundation.<br />
its name recognition and of course be able to<br />
fund additional education-based programs in<br />
conjunction with the 54 schools in this valley,”<br />
Hartmann said. “I’m not sure how aware<br />
the community is that the foundation is the<br />
driving force behind such programs as the<br />
Teacher Tribute, where we have the privilege<br />
of recognizing one teacher from each public<br />
school in Santa Clarita.”<br />
The <strong>SCV</strong> Education Foundation is a nonprofit<br />
organization that provides support,<br />
programs and scholarships to benefit K-12<br />
public schools in Santa Clarita.<br />
James S. Backer, president of the Education<br />
Foundation, is looking forward to working<br />
with Hartmann and continuing the organization’s<br />
mission.<br />
“Education is critical to our community’s<br />
well-being and its future,” Backer said in a<br />
press release. “And the Education Foundation<br />
is thrilled to have Jackie Hartmann to help<br />
us continue our service to the Santa Clarita<br />
Valley.” R<br />
tion, advocacy groups for kids with special<br />
needs, filed suit against the California Department<br />
of Education, claiming the department<br />
was non-compliant with special<br />
education laws.<br />
The group argued the access to the<br />
statewide database is needed to monitor<br />
compliance with federal law.<br />
The release of this data, which dates back<br />
to 2008, includes the names, addresses, social<br />
security numbers, assessment results<br />
and disciplinary records of all California public<br />
school students.<br />
The CDE tried to fight the release of student<br />
information, but to no avail.<br />
Judge Kimberly Mueller of the Eastern District<br />
of California addressed security concerns<br />
in her ruling by not allowing the<br />
distribution of the information to outside<br />
sources. She also ordered the nonprofit<br />
groups involved to “return or destroy” the<br />
See Privacy, page 29<br />
School officials, parents, and students attend the unveiling of Arroyo Seco Junior high School's, MakerSpace.<br />
PhoTo By PeARL oBiSPo<br />
arroyo SeCo Jr high<br />
MakerSpace: ‘60s woodshop to Tech Hub<br />
By Pearl obispo<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Who would have thought a small<br />
woodshop from the 1960s could be<br />
transformed into a 21st century<br />
gathering place where students and teachers<br />
come together to solve real world challenges?<br />
That’s exactly what happened at Arroyo<br />
Seco Junior High School’s new MakerSpace, a<br />
place where, as Principal Rhondi Durand describes,<br />
students can apply STEM (Science,<br />
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)<br />
concepts to their everyday lives.<br />
“I’ve been following the Maker movement<br />
for the past few years,” Durand said. “I<br />
wanted to convert our wood shop into a place<br />
where students could use technology, engineering<br />
skills and creativity, and make things<br />
out of paper, plastic, metal, wood.”<br />
The opportunity to transform the space<br />
presented itself when the school’s woodshop<br />
instructor retired last June.<br />
“We jumped at the opportunity to take the<br />
space and the courses taught there to a new<br />
21st century level,” Durand said.<br />
As part of the statewide ESTEME network,<br />
which creates a K-16 STEM pipeline, Arroyo<br />
Seco now offers courses in engineering and<br />
science, in addition to the courses already in<br />
place before joining the network, such as<br />
music, art and culinary art.<br />
With the improvements to the woodshop,<br />
Durand said students are now provided with<br />
a strong foundation to further STEM learning<br />
in high school and beyond.<br />
That transformation was recently unveiled<br />
at an open house, where students showcased<br />
their designs and findings in fields including<br />
wind and flight, math through art, and energy<br />
and the environment.<br />
One such student was 8th grader Azariah<br />
Beaugard, who was a math through art presenter.<br />
“I personally love this,” Beaugard said. “The<br />
fact that we get to work with electronics in<br />
class makes it super fun.”<br />
Beaugard, a self-proclaimed “sports dude”<br />
who loves football, said a resource like MakerSpace<br />
would definitely make him a better<br />
student.<br />
“I want to get a degree in cooking and engineering,”<br />
Beaugard said. “I think having this<br />
space will make it easier for me to achieve my<br />
goals.”<br />
Seventh grader Hannah Watson agreed.<br />
“When I came to this class, I wasn’t sure<br />
how it will go because I wasn’t interested in<br />
it,” Watson said. “But after taking the class<br />
(energy and the environment) it became a lot<br />
of fun and I really enjoyed it.”<br />
Durand, who worked closely on this opportunity<br />
with Dr. Marianne Doyle, director<br />
of College Career Readiness, which provides<br />
students with work-based learning and career<br />
guidance, said plans are in the works to<br />
allow the general public to utilize the space.<br />
But improvements still need to be made and<br />
funds (through sponsorships and grants) are<br />
still being sought.<br />
“My vision would be to open it up for folks<br />
to come in and build whatever they want, use<br />
the machines and equipment,” Durand said.<br />
“But we need to make sure they are safe and<br />
supervised.” R<br />
hannah Watson, 12, demonstrates the energy efficiency<br />
of Wind Turbines at Arroyo Seco Junior high<br />
School's open house to celebrate MakerSpace. Photo<br />
by Pearl obispo