School zone
By Liz Hedrick 11/20/2008
Too little, too late?
The Pasadena Unified School District experienced both an economic and a psychological victory on Election Day with the three-to-one passage of Measure TT, a $350-million bond to upgrade facilities, improve student safety and security and improve access to technology.
But while the 74.5 percent support for Measure TT from Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre voters represents hope for a surge in community involvement in schools, the reality is that most of this money will be put first toward rectifying school safety hazards — leaving little funding to update libraries and purchase computers.
Not only that, but the state is preparing to reduce spending for education, which accounts for about 40 percent of the state’s budget. Although lawmakers recently approved a budget for this year, California is already running a $10 billion deficit, due largely to the stock market crash and other symptoms of economic decline.
Vanessa Watkins, principal of PUSD’s K-8 Norma Coombs Alternative School, said, “All of the TT money given to Norma Coombs will be put toward facilities. At the beginning of the year, a team of architects and engineers gave each school a ‘master facilities plan,’ so for my school the money will be used for such things as replacing unsafe copper pipes.”
Despite California’s low per-pupil funding — compounded by PUSD’s own financial troubles — Norma Coombs appears to be well provided for. The school has a fully stocked library and a computer lab with full-time instructors in each. Students have adequate school supplies, and each classroom has at least one new computer.
“But all of the school’s computers and our computer teacher have been provided for by outside private donors,” Watkins said. “What many people don’t understand is that even though schools are state-funded entities, everything beyond the bare necessities is paid for by philanthropic individuals. And this situation is not unique to our school or our district.”
Pasadena Education Foundation member Guil Babcock was actively involved with the creation of Coombs’ state-of-the-art computer lab. After serving as honorary Principal for a Day in 2006, Babcock, brother of PUSD Board of Education member Alexander “Mike” Babcock, realized the need for technological advancements in the school.
“I subsequently visited several computer labs, in both public and private schools, to find out how such a lab could be constructed.” he said. “In a period of terrible budget constraints, this type of outsourcing for an important resource is most important.”
In addition to donations from private sources, Norma Coombs also receives federal funds as a Title 1 School, based on its high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced lunches. Watkins reports that teachers’ aides’ and librarians’ salaries come from Title 1 funds. That so many Coombs students are eligible for free lunches also means that a large number have no computer at home. “Students must be computer-literate to compete in this economy,” Watkins said. “And parents expect schools to provide them with these skills.”
Watkins fears what more cuts would mean for her school. “We are all bracing ourselves,” she said. “There wasn’t much fat left to cut, so doing without any more is almost unimaginable.”
Calling all aspiring young authors
During the first weekend in December, Barnes & Noble Bookstore on Colorado Boulevard will host the final judging of a young writers’ contest open to all students under 17. Sponsored by YouthInkwell Publishing, the contest invites young writers to envision their ideas of a perfect world and submit their pieces to YouthInkwell Publishing by Dec. 2. All contest semi-finalists will hear theatrical readings of their stories by professional actors from South Pasadena’s Parson’s Nose Productions.
Jennifer Sarja started the YouthInkwell Writing Center in 2005 as an independent writing school for students of all ages. “I think that writing is an incredibly important but undervalued skill,” Sarja said. “YouthInkwell classes give students the opportunity to improve their skills while also discussing and writing about an important social issue. Not surprisingly, this year’s theme has been politics.”
Though the writing center employs two teachers and has 30 students enrolled, there are still spaces available. One goal of the writing contest is to reach out to a broad range of people — especially those for whom extracurricular classes are a challenging expense. “I was always a scholarship kid and financial aid programs paid for my entire education,” Sarja said. For this reason, Sarja is offering full scholarships to contest winners in each of four age categories. The second-prize winner in each category will receive a $30 Barnes & Noble gift card and a $30 donation to any charity. Third-prize winners will receive $20 gift cards and $20 donations. First- place winners will also see their stories published in the Pasadena Weekly.
All submissions must be under 500 words and can be sent to YouthInkwell Publishing, 155 S. El Molino Ave., Ste. 102, Pasadena, Calif., 91101 or dropped off at Barnes & Noble at 111 W. Colorado Blvd. Mention the writing contest at B&N that weekend and a portion of your expenditures will go toward YouthInkwell’s current water conservation project.
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