November 19th, 2009 03:17pm

Remembering Eileen Resnikoff

by Extra.Credit

The Santa Rosa School Board asked for a moment of silence for former Doyle Park principal Eileen Resnikoff at the beginning of last night’s epic board meeting at Elsie Allen High School. Resnikoff, a longtime educator who led Doyle Park for more than 10 years, was an “inspiration to us all as we saw her in action,” said Patti Fitch, a first grade teacher at Doyle Park. “She loved Doyle Park … Read More »
November 16th, 2009 04:08pm

Live from Piner and ‘Choices’ program

by Extra.Credit

I’m at Piner High School this morning hearing the first run of the Choices program. Sponsored by the North Coast Builders Exchange and supported by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the program will hit all Santa Rosa City Schools high schools outlining what happens to students’ futures if they do not complete high school in four years. Every ninth grader on campus will hear the two-day presentation today and Tuesday. Presenters … Read More »
November 16th, 2009 07:00am

SSU to host hunger, homelessness panel tonight

by Extra.Credit

Sonoma State University will host a panel discussion on the state of hunger and homelessness in Sonoma County Monday night. The free discussion will be from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of the Student Union. Sociology professor Sheila Katz will head the discussion that will also include a discussion about recent developments in state and national policy. “With the nation’s unemployment rate over 10 percent and California’s even higher, … Read More »
November 15th, 2009 07:00am

21 locals make National Merit semi-finals

by Extra.Credit

This is a follow up to an earlier post highlighting Santa Rosa High’s National Merit Scholarship Program’s semi-finalist. I now have the full county-wide list, so here are our 21 locals who are semi-finalists in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship program. To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal and earn SAT scores that … Read More »
November 14th, 2009 05:00pm

Trione, Molinaro honored by Cardinal Newman

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Cardinal Newman High School has named Henry Trione and Ken Molinaro as recipients of the Henry Newman Award. The annual award is given to one alum and one member of the community who have showed “lasting and meaningful service to Cardinal Newman High School and the greater community,” and other qualities, according to school officials. Trione, a longtime philanthropist in all corners  of Sonoma County, initiated and sponsored the Cardinal Newman and … Read More »
November 14th, 2009 07:01am

Santa Rosa High ag student honored at national convention

by Extra.Credit

Santa Rosa High student Cliff Russell received the American FFA Degree at the National FFA (former Future Farmers of America) Convention in Indianapolis last month. It is the highest degree awarded by the National FFA organization. The award recognizes leadership abilities and outstanding achievements in agricultural business, production, processing and service programs, according to the FFA. Russell, who studies under Lisa Piehl in Santa Rosa High’s FFA program and ag department, works at … Read More »
November 13th, 2009 11:07am

Piner opens doors to eighth graders

by Extra.Credit

Piner High School opened its doors Thursday to about 100 Piner-Olivet Charter School students in a bid to get the eighth graders excited about what Piner has to offer, said Piner activities director Andrea Correia. “We are just trying to highlight all the stuff at Piner,” she said. “We want them to come to our school.” Students toured Piner’s geospatial tech classrooms, culinary facilities, heard about the early college magnet program and other things specific to … Read More »
November 12th, 2009 05:00pm

Using names in today’s story: Was it necessary?

by Extra.Credit

There has been an approximately five-fold increase this year in restraining orders sought by Santa Rosa City Schools against violent students – and all five came in the first seven weeks of school. In the course of reporting the story, there was discussion about whether or not we should, or needed to, name the staffers who sought protection. The discussions were prompted in part by one employee’s request not to be … Read More »
November 11th, 2009 11:42am

New twist on fundraising: Cash for test points

by Extra.Credit

A colleague pointed this one out to me. A middle school in North Carolina, struggling with unsuccessful fundraisers, thought selling grades might bring in a little more money than hawking wrapping paper and candy. “Last year they did chocolates, and it didn’t generate anything,” Rosewood Middle School Principal Susie Shepherd told the Raleigh News Observer. In the quickly aborted scheme, a student who brought in $20 got 20 extra points – 10 points … Read More »
November 11th, 2009 07:00am

SSU psychology series continues on 14th

by Extra.Credit

Here is information on the next in the Sonoma State University Depth Psychology series. It is intended for psychologists, therapists and social workers: “Gareth Hill, M.S.W., Ph.D. speaks on Masculine and Feminine Patterns in Alchemy, Saturday Nov. 14,  10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cooperage on the Sonoma State campus. This seminar is an integrative exploration of the parallels between a model of the Self based on the archetypal patterns … Read More »