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Daily education news and conversation

SRCS trustees assigned graduation posts

Wednesday, at 6:50 by

Ceremony assignments are set to be formalized tonight for the string of Santa Rosa City Schools graduation festivities. For those interested, here is the lineup of which trustees will preside over which events. All graduations are on May 31 except for Mesa which is on May 30: Elsie Allen and Midrose, 5 p.m.: Laura Gonzalez. Maria Carrillo, 6:30 p.m.: Frank Pugh Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.: Ron Kristof Piner and Grace: 6 p.m.: Larry Haenel Santa Rosa, 6:30 p.m.: Donna Jeye Mesa, 5:30… Read More »

Piner dedicates admin building to Bob Zeni

Thursday, at 11:19 by

Piner High School dedicated its administration building last Friday to long time administrator and Prospector booster Bob Zeni. Zeni was the first vice principal at the Fulton Road campus and served in that capacity from 1966 until 1989. He has been a Piner booster ever since, supporting several campus groups, including the Piner Athletic Hall of Fame. Zeni was honored by current principal Sally Bimrose as well as Santa Rosa City Schools Trustee Larry Haenel whose wife Lana was a… Read More »

UPDATED: Piner to honor former V.P. Zeni in dedication ceremony

Monday, at 6:43 by

UPDATED: I just got word from Piner Principal Sally Bimrose that while Pete Stringfellow will be on campus April 12 to host a question and answer session with seniors, he is not available to perform as part of the Bob Zeni dedication. A change has been made in the item below: Piner High is preparing to celebrate a former vice principal of the Fulton Road campus by naming the renovated administration building for him. A plaque will be installed honoring… Read More »

Piner’s observatory dome has arrived on campus

Wednesday, at 11:56 by

The observatory has arrived. The domed structure has landed on the Piner High School campus, signaling significant progress in the quest to open the school’s new science facility. The 4,000-square-foot facility will house the observatory, a planetarium and computer lab. It will be headquarters for the school’s award-winning Geospatial Technology Pathway but will be open to science, math and other classes that need high-tech presentation space. Principal Sally Bimrose said construction should be completed in June and classes will be held in… Read More »

Joint choral performance by SR City Schools a hit

Wednesday, at 10:31 by

The choral programs from all five Santa Rosa City Schools high schools came together on one stage last Friday for the annual William Barclay Memorial Scholarship Concert. Typically held at Santa Rosa High, this concert was staged at Sonoma State University’s Weill Hall. Superintendent Socorro Shiels on Wednesday night lauded the event. “Showcasing the students and their amazing talents – things like that are really amazing,” she said. More than 200 students performed in the two-hour performance. Jenny Brent, Sonoma State’s director… Read More »

SchoolsPlus ups its annual contribution to Santa Rosa schools

Thursday, at 10:34 by

SchoolsPlus is at it again. The nonprofit that has been supporting athletics and arts in all Santa Rosa City Schools middle and high schools for more than two decades has upped their annual contribution to each campus, according to the group’s leaders. This year, all five comprehensive high schools will get $20,000 (up from $12,500 last year) and middle schools as well as Ridgway High will receive $10,000 (up from $6,250 last year). The money is to be split evenly… Read More »

Top of the tops Poetry Out Loud contest Feb. 10

Monday, at 6:31 by

Twelve Sonoma County high schools will be sending students to the countywide Poetry Out Loud competition Feb. 10. In the program, students memorize then recite poems. The pieces are not written by the students, but are typically considered greats in the English language. The participating schools include: Analy, Cloverdale, Creekside, El Molino, Elsie Allen, Maria Carrillo, Montgomery, Piner, Rancho Cotate, Roseland University Prep, Santa Rosa and Sonoma Academy. Santa Rosa High held their qualifying event Thursday night. I acted as… Read More »

UPDATED: Santa Rosa School Board campus, committee assignments

Monday, at 11:34 by

UPDATE: A small change to the committee assignments below. Trustee Laura Gonzalez will not serve on the finance committee as previously noted. The change has been made below. ________ The Santa Rosa City School Board has made its new committee and campus liaison assignments. Board President Bill Carle requested board member preferences and past assignments before the following assignments were created, according to the district. Here is a list of who’s what and who’s where: Laura Gonzalez: Elsie Allen and… Read More »

Which school has the best attendance rate? The worst? (And why it matters)

Wednesday, at 6:07 by

Santa Rosa City Schools has released its annual attendance rates for 2011-12, tallied by school. Here is are the average rates of absenteeism (ranked highest to lowest) on each campus: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Brook Hill, 5 percent Steele Lane, 4.94 percent Doyle Park, 4.71 percent Monroe, 4.57 percent Lincoln, 4.24 percent Biella, 3.91 percent Burbank, 3.46 percent Hidden Valley Satellite, 3.37 percent Helen Lehman, 3.31 percent Hidden Valley, 3.28 percent Proctor Terrace, 3.17 percent   MIDDLE SCHOOL Cook Middle School, 6.79… Read More »

SRCS sports report: Money spent and participation disparities

Tuesday, at 12:59 by

The annual sports report is out. Santa Rosa City Schools has released its competitive athletic unaudited fiscal analysis for 2011-12. The report details what the district’s general fund pays to support athletic programs at middle and high schools and separates funds that are received and expended via student body accounts or donations. That number grew by $42,185 last year from a total of $566,535 in 2010-11. The total general fund contribution to high school athletics was $811,549 and $227,763 for… Read More »