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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
VP Family Picnic on Sunday continues 50th Anniversary Celebration
VP Family Picnic on Sunday continues 50th CelebrationVilla Park’s 50th Anniversary celebration continues this weekend on Sunday May 27, 2012 with the Villa Park Family and Friends Community Picnic at Irvine Lake from 11:30 am – 4:30 pm. Incorporated in 1962, 50 years later what better theme for this years’ annual Villa Park Family picnic than “ The 60’s Live on Forever”. Of course no one better represents the 60’s than the King of Rock and Roll himself Elvis- so it is no surprise that the King himself (or at least one of his many reincarnations) Will be there to entertain and for photo opportunities, because who can pass up a picture with ELVIS????
The afternoon brings all of Villa Park and their Greater Orange neighbors together this year to celebrate 50 years of life in Orange County’s “Hidden Jewel”. Aside from Elvis, festivities will include lots of food vendors, a rock band, contests, prizes, carnival rides, a dunk tank and free boat rides on the lake. If that wasn’t enough, the featured rivalry of Villa Park Elementary vs. Serrano Elementary in a tug-o-war for city bragging rights is always a highlight. That would be more than enough, but yes this is an official part of Villa Park’s 50th Anniversary celebration, so this year will include a scavenger hunt for Elvis's Blue Suede Shoes!
Tickets are just $ 2 a person ($5 for an immediate family) and can be purchased at the Villa Park City Hall, Villa Park Pharmacy, or at the gate on the day of the picnic.
For more information CLICK ON: PICNIC
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
OUSD Trustees vote-a-rama at April meeting
ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
a news service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
Independent insight into OUSD
Trustee vote-a-rama at April meeting
At their April 19, 2012, the Orange Unified School District Board of Education became embroiled in a “vote-a-rama” over revisions to various OUSD Board Policies brought on by on-going updating to the document that governs the Board of Trustees. The on-the-outs board minority made up of Trustees Kathy Moffat and Diane Singer argued unsuccessfully to delay adoption of three proposed board policies through a precession of voice-call-votes that saw the duo lose to the aligned OUSD Board majority of Board President Timothy Surridge, Mark Wayland, Dr. Alexia Deligianni, Rick Ledesma and John Ortega.
Moffat’s reasoning was that the first reading for the proposed changes were done at a little noticed Special Board Meeting held March 22, 2012 (CLICK HERE: SPECIAL) which had no members of the public present and was not video taped and shown on local cable like regular meetings. Moffat argued that she felt in the spirit of transparency that the Board should delay the 2nd reading of the policy changes one meeting since none were time sensitive, thus giving the public time to review them. That idea was voted down, so Moffat sought to have the policies that she felt strongly about divided from the other policies and voted on separately. Moffat and Singer were supported by Wayland and Surridge in dividing the policy vote, with Wayland quipping about his vote, “I’m curious!”.
As it turned out, Moffat pulled items from Board Policy 9250 pertaining to: Board Meeting stipend compensation; rules related to increasing Board stipends; and policies on trustees receiving district health benefits. All the questioned policies have origins in various California government codes. Moffat reasoned that those origins in government code did not require OUSD Board Policies addressing them. About the stipend rules, Moffat argued it had never been needed in Board Policy and now was a bad time to add it considering the economic crisis. Moffat argued that a policy allowing a trustee to show up for any part of a meeting should to receive the stipend should be changed to some type of proportional formula, and she argued not including the state language on heath benefits. Moffat also stated that most school district trustees in California are not compensated.
Surridge argued that trustees do more than just show up at meetings, and that the stipend is small compensation for the work they do. He additionally argued that the health benefits are there if any one needs them and that the cost to the district is small, plus without them the district may have trouble attracting people to run for office. John Ortega argued that OUSD is “the most transparent district in Orange County and California”, while Ledesma argued that not including them in district policies because the items are in the state codes when they do apply to the district, was itself “not transparent”.
In the end, the Board voted repeatedly by roll call (at Moffat’s request) to approve all of the policy changes and not approve Moffat’s attempts to delay the adoptions.
INSIDE the May 19 Agenda: El Rancho Charter Renewal
The Thursday May 10, 2012 OUSD Board Agenda (page 8) includes the petition to renew the charter of El Rancho Charter School. The middle school is one of two OUSD charter middle schools. None of the past bruising fights OUSD has seen over charter renewals are expected to occur over the non-controversial Anaheim Hills school’s renewal.
Other Items:
Closed Session 4 C – The Board will review the performance of popular OUSD Superintendent Michael Christensen.
Announcement Item 9 E (Agenda page 3-4) – resolution declaring May 20-26 Classified School Employee Week (district support staff)
INSIDE Former Superintendent Godley’s
Retirement Bonus
Running total (beginning 8/2008)
$54,270.00*
* The Godley Retirement Bonus presented here is an estimate of the amount in “bonus retirement” accrued since the Superintendent’s retirement on 6/30/08 using a 6% lifetime formula calculated here at $1210 a month since 8/08. The actual retirement plan the former OUSD Superintendent opted to take is not public information and the figures presented are only as an estimate of the taxpayer costs after the OUSD trustees voted against an amendment to exclude Godley from the retirement program. The on-going estimated figure is presented as a reminder to the community of the high cost in educational tax dollars the OUSD Board vote to allow the former Superintendent to participate in the 6% retirement incentive cost the OUSD education community in tax dollars. Godley retired from OUSD on June 30, 2008 after he worked for the school district for a little over five years.
NEXT BOARD MEETING May 10, 2012
Next OUSD Board Meeting Thursday April 19 2012 -OUSD BOARD ROOM
CLOSED SESSION- 5:30 pm
OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm
For AGENDA-CLICK ON: MAY AGENDA
For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015
ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
Independent insight into OUSD
is an independent news service of /O/N/N/
“Independent Local Insight”
WATCH FOR Orange Net News newest investigative series:
Orange Unified’s Grade Inflation Out of the Box or Out of Control?
a news service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
Independent insight into OUSD
Trustee vote-a-rama at April meeting
At their April 19, 2012, the Orange Unified School District Board of Education became embroiled in a “vote-a-rama” over revisions to various OUSD Board Policies brought on by on-going updating to the document that governs the Board of Trustees. The on-the-outs board minority made up of Trustees Kathy Moffat and Diane Singer argued unsuccessfully to delay adoption of three proposed board policies through a precession of voice-call-votes that saw the duo lose to the aligned OUSD Board majority of Board President Timothy Surridge, Mark Wayland, Dr. Alexia Deligianni, Rick Ledesma and John Ortega.
Moffat’s reasoning was that the first reading for the proposed changes were done at a little noticed Special Board Meeting held March 22, 2012 (CLICK HERE: SPECIAL) which had no members of the public present and was not video taped and shown on local cable like regular meetings. Moffat argued that she felt in the spirit of transparency that the Board should delay the 2nd reading of the policy changes one meeting since none were time sensitive, thus giving the public time to review them. That idea was voted down, so Moffat sought to have the policies that she felt strongly about divided from the other policies and voted on separately. Moffat and Singer were supported by Wayland and Surridge in dividing the policy vote, with Wayland quipping about his vote, “I’m curious!”.
As it turned out, Moffat pulled items from Board Policy 9250 pertaining to: Board Meeting stipend compensation; rules related to increasing Board stipends; and policies on trustees receiving district health benefits. All the questioned policies have origins in various California government codes. Moffat reasoned that those origins in government code did not require OUSD Board Policies addressing them. About the stipend rules, Moffat argued it had never been needed in Board Policy and now was a bad time to add it considering the economic crisis. Moffat argued that a policy allowing a trustee to show up for any part of a meeting should to receive the stipend should be changed to some type of proportional formula, and she argued not including the state language on heath benefits. Moffat also stated that most school district trustees in California are not compensated.
Surridge argued that trustees do more than just show up at meetings, and that the stipend is small compensation for the work they do. He additionally argued that the health benefits are there if any one needs them and that the cost to the district is small, plus without them the district may have trouble attracting people to run for office. John Ortega argued that OUSD is “the most transparent district in Orange County and California”, while Ledesma argued that not including them in district policies because the items are in the state codes when they do apply to the district, was itself “not transparent”.
In the end, the Board voted repeatedly by roll call (at Moffat’s request) to approve all of the policy changes and not approve Moffat’s attempts to delay the adoptions.
INSIDE the May 19 Agenda: El Rancho Charter Renewal
The Thursday May 10, 2012 OUSD Board Agenda (page 8) includes the petition to renew the charter of El Rancho Charter School. The middle school is one of two OUSD charter middle schools. None of the past bruising fights OUSD has seen over charter renewals are expected to occur over the non-controversial Anaheim Hills school’s renewal.
Other Items:
Closed Session 4 C – The Board will review the performance of popular OUSD Superintendent Michael Christensen.
Announcement Item 9 E (Agenda page 3-4) – resolution declaring May 20-26 Classified School Employee Week (district support staff)
INSIDE Former Superintendent Godley’s
Retirement Bonus
Running total (beginning 8/2008)
$54,270.00*
* The Godley Retirement Bonus presented here is an estimate of the amount in “bonus retirement” accrued since the Superintendent’s retirement on 6/30/08 using a 6% lifetime formula calculated here at $1210 a month since 8/08. The actual retirement plan the former OUSD Superintendent opted to take is not public information and the figures presented are only as an estimate of the taxpayer costs after the OUSD trustees voted against an amendment to exclude Godley from the retirement program. The on-going estimated figure is presented as a reminder to the community of the high cost in educational tax dollars the OUSD Board vote to allow the former Superintendent to participate in the 6% retirement incentive cost the OUSD education community in tax dollars. Godley retired from OUSD on June 30, 2008 after he worked for the school district for a little over five years.
NEXT BOARD MEETING May 10, 2012
Next OUSD Board Meeting Thursday April 19 2012 -OUSD BOARD ROOM
CLOSED SESSION- 5:30 pm
OUSD Regular Session: 7:00 pm
For AGENDA-CLICK ON: MAY AGENDA
For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015
ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
Independent insight into OUSD
is an independent news service of /O/N/N/
“Independent Local Insight”
WATCH FOR Orange Net News newest investigative series:
Orange Unified’s Grade Inflation Out of the Box or Out of Control?
Sunday, May 06, 2012
VP Rotary sponsors BE THE MATCH event
Villa Park Rotary sponsors BE THE MATCH bone marrow event
The Villa Park Rotary Club wants the Greater Orange Community to know that each person may have the power to save a life through the life saving power of bone marrow. You can give hope to patients with blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, sickle cell and other life-threatening diseases. Thousands of cancer patients are waiting for a bone marrow transplant donor.
The City of Hope has established a BE THE MATCH registry to match donors and patients. The Villa Park Rotary Club is partnering with the City of Hope in honor of a member with cancer who needed a bone marrow transplant and was able to find one using the registry. However, with more patients than donors, the Rotary Club is getting involved by sponsoring a BE THE MATCH DRIVE on Saturday May 12, 2012 in front of the Villa Park Ralphs/Civic Center from 10 am-1 pm.
You can visit the drive to learn more on how simply giving a “swab” could potentially match you as a donor to save a life.
You may also learn more or register on line HERE:
BE THE MATCH
Friday, May 04, 2012
ORANGE ROTARY to host GRAND GARAGE SALE
.
Orange’s first “GRAND GARAGE SALE” A garage sale may not seem like news- unless it is “The GRAND Garage Sale” that the Orange Rotary Club is planning for Saturday May 19, 2012.
The inaugural event is designed to raise funds for the Orange Rotary Club’s youth and teacher programs, plus helping support other local organizations by inviting them to participate and keep the profits. The Orange Rotary Club supports youth and teacher programs through grants and scholarships all year round.
Community organizations and individuals are welcome to participate for the nominal fee of $100 for 800 square feet of space ( larger spaces for an additional fee are available). Whether you’re a seller or a buyer, this first ever GRAND Garage sale is certain to be another success from the award winning business and community group.
The Grand Garage Sale will be held at El Modena High School 3920 E Spring Street from 7:30 am to 3:30 am Saturday May 19, 2012. Sign-ups for spaces are due by May 10th, 2012. To sign up for a space, or for more information contact Orange President Jean Abdalla at 714-637-7321 or email her at jeanaabdalla@att.net
The inaugural event is designed to raise funds for the Orange Rotary Club’s youth and teacher programs, plus helping support other local organizations by inviting them to participate and keep the profits. The Orange Rotary Club supports youth and teacher programs through grants and scholarships all year round.
Community organizations and individuals are welcome to participate for the nominal fee of $100 for 800 square feet of space ( larger spaces for an additional fee are available). Whether you’re a seller or a buyer, this first ever GRAND Garage sale is certain to be another success from the award winning business and community group.
The Grand Garage Sale will be held at El Modena High School 3920 E Spring Street from 7:30 am to 3:30 am Saturday May 19, 2012. Sign-ups for spaces are due by May 10th, 2012. To sign up for a space, or for more information contact Orange President Jean Abdalla at 714-637-7321 or email her at jeanaabdalla@att.net
