The Weekly Newspaper of Inglewood
Daily News on a Weekly Basis - Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - November 16, 2017
Teen Center Students Get Lesson
in Distracted Driving Awareness
Inglewood City Councilman Alex Padilla (far right) visits with youth as they participate in AT&T’s “It Can Wait” awareness program at the Inglewood Teen Center on November 1. The youth experienced a
virtual reality driving lesson that demonstrates what can happen if you use a smartphone while operating a vehicle. They then took a pledge not to practice distracted driving in the future. Photo provided
by South Bay Workforce Investment Board
Inglewood Schools Get Upgrades
By Haleemon Anderson
Improvements are on the way for Inglewood
school sites, with detailed plans revealed at last
week’s School Board meeting to make use of
funding from Measure GG, Prop 39 and other
state and local funding sources. All 18 school
sites are undergoing a facility needs assessment,
according to Eugenio Villa, Inglewood Unified
School District Chief Business Official.
Educational specifications, aligned with
education goals, will be incorporated into
the plans, said Villa. A draft assessment and
report of needed repairs is scheduled to be
completed by the December School Board
meeting. “We are modifying our classrooms to
meet our education specifications,” said Villa.
The detailed update on facilities planning
and construction includes already completed
projects and several currently underway.
At Coleman, the field was renovated. The
exterior façades at Kelso and Inglewood have
been painted, and eight schools received new
roofs or roof coatings through the State of
California’s emergency repair program.
Current projects include installation of
district-wide energy efficiency measures
and a remote monitoring system; restroom
restorations, and IT network improvements
and increases in broadband capacity. “What
happens with facilities [improvements] will be
really critical to the process of returning to
local control,” said Villa. Inglewood Unified
is currently under the leadership of State
Administrator Thelma Melendez de Santa
Ana, who is tasked with guiding the District
through the process of regaining local control.
Melendez works with the District’s
administrative team and the Advisory Board as
a condition of a $55 million dollar emergency
bailout from the State in 2012. She is the fifth
State appointee to helm the District.
Director of Human Resources Nora Roque
gave the 2016-17 annual report, citing
advancements in orientation and training of
all new employees. “We’ve become more
robust in this area,” said Roque. She cited a
leadership institute, with 21 teachers attending,
and noted that leaves of absence are down.
Dr. Carmen Beck, Chief Academic Officer,
reported on Dashboard, a new state and federal
accountability system. The software program
aggregates student information across multiple
indicators, including grades, graduation rates
and English learner progress. The new system
will eventually include information on chronic
absenteeism, and college and career readiness.
Beck said the State wants alignment between
Dashboard and LCAP. LCAP is a tool for
local educational agencies to set goals, plan
actions, and leverage resources to improve
student outcomes. The LCAP is a part of the
new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).
Each school district must engage parents,
educators, employees and the community to
establish these plans.
Public comments focused on personnel
concerns. Residents expressed disdain for
potential layoffs and a staff rehire included
in the agenda. The item (15.a.3) listed eight
positions, all classified, for layoff or reduction
in hours. Five of the positions are currently
unfilled.
Union representative Chris Graeber
challenged the action. “I’m concerned that
once again, the District is cutting from the
bottom for mistakes that were made at the
top,” said Graeber. Cheryl Joseph also objected
to the proposed layoffs. The Board approved
the item unanimously, with Dr. D’Artagnan
Scorza absent.
Several residents and educators objected to
item 15.a.2, an agreement to retain the District’s
head of Special Education Dr. Marjorie Rudy
as a consultant. Rudy is scheduled to resign
from the District on November 15.
Don Hughes questioned the arrangement.
“What is this revolving door pattern at
Inglewood?” he asked. A parent, Ms. Gomez,
expressed exasperation with Rudy. She said
her special needs daughter is still without
services under Rudy’s tenure. President of the
Inglewood Teachers Association Abu Ngissah
also questioned the wisdom of keeping Rudy on
in a consultant capacity. The District allocated
$123,000 for the new post.
Aisha Royal, who is the grievance chair
for the teacher’s association, asked the Board
to evaluate the effectiveness of the current
training schedule. “I appreciate the professional
development, but everyone doesn’t need the
same thing,” she said. Royal noted that when
teachers are out of the classroom, they are
covered by substitutes.
Board President Dr. Carliss McGhee
addressed the audience near the end of the
meeting, expressing frustration at the perceived
criticisms. “We do hear you,” she said. “Your
concerns are our concerns.”
Student representatives to the Advisory
Council were also on hand to update the Board.
Larenee Gordon gave the student report from
Inglewood Continuation High School. Gordon is
a senior at the alternative high school. Theresa
Sanchez, also a senior, gave an update from
City Honors.
The Inglewood School Board meets once
monthly. The next meeting is scheduled for
Wednesday, December 6, at 5:30 p.m. at 401
S. Inglewood Avenue in the Dr. Ernest Shaw
Board Room. •
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................5
Classifieds............................3
Film.........................................4
Food.......................................5
Hawthorne Happenings....3
Legals............................2, 6-7
Pets........................................8
Obituary.................................3
Sports....................................4
Weekend
Forecast
Friday
Partly
Cloudy
67˚/54˚
Saturday
Partly
Cloudy
71˚/51˚
Sunday
Partly
Cloudy
71˚/55˚