A look back at the year in schools

The year 2012 for schools across the country was still on a slippery slope as budgets continued to be cut and the possibility of further cuts at the federal level made front-page headlines. There were also many positive stories that hit the front page this year surrounding youth, especially in Healdsburg.
January
The Healdsburg School presented its first major art exhibition, working with local artists on projects that derived from pieces by famous artists and varied mediums. Close to a dozen Sonoma County artists gave several months of their time teaching students technique, art history and aesthetics to help produce pieces that sold to the highest bidder and raised funds for the school.  
The Healdsburg Unified School District School Safety Team submitted an updated ‘Safe Schools Plan’ to the Board of Trustees to ensure that district officials understood the plan that is in place. The team worked on drills and instruction in using emergency equipment making sure that all staff had updated phone cards listing the contacts needed in case of an emergency and phone trees, emergency binder information and first aid kits in each classroom district wide.
February
Students from John Camp’s eleventh-grade English class at HHS were partnered with business professionals as part of a new internship pilot program.  Business owners offered interns hands-on experience in fields including web development, an advertising campaign, research and customer service.
A new breakfast program, ‘Morning Grumble’ kicked off at Healdsburg Elementary School with community volunteers distributing healthy snack items such as apples and cheese, carrots and whole-wheat crackers to more than 350 students.
March
Healdsburg Elementary School and Healdsburg Charter School were chosen to become the demonstration site in their region for the California Technology Assistance Program. Teachers began developing strategies and lessons using iPad technology. They are the first school in Sonoma County to implement this type of program at the elementary level.
For the second year in a row, two students from The Healdsburg School took first place in their subjects, one in spelling and one in geography, qualifying them to compete for the final win at the 2012 California State Elementary Spelling Championship.
April
West Side Union School District employee, Robert Lownes was nominated by his colleagues for the 2012 Classified School Employee of the Year. He was then chosen as a finalist in his category, Maintenance, Operations and Facilities, and was recognized at the Sonoma County Office of Education.
Healdsburg Community Nursery School expanded their program adding a new Pre-K school readiness program for students that would not meet the new statewide birthdate cut-off dates for kindergarten enrollment.
May
Healdsburg P.E. instructor and district basketball coach Travis Taylor administered CPR for eighth grader Abel Custodia who suffered a heart attack on April 26 while running track in P.E. class.
HHS Senior Cassidy Jourdan was awarded the James Family Scholarship that will pay for tuition, room and board and books during her four years at New York University.
June
Students at The Healdsburg School gave a school-wide service assembly where each class presented their yearlong service project as part of the school’s overall commitment to social responsibility. ‘A Caring School Community’ is one of three pillars the high school preparatory school has set as a goal for their students, which is displayed in the yearly service projects that each class grade takes on.
First-grade held a Read-a-Thon raising over $2,000 for Heifer International for their “Read to Feed” project while the eighth grade class raised money for the same organization by hiring themselves out for tutoring, cleaning and babysitting.
Other classes gathered pet supplies for the Sonoma County Animal Shelter, raised money for the World Wildlife Fund, supported an orphanage in Africa and one in Sonoma County and raised money to educate a little girl in Guatemala for two years.
July
Healdsburg’s Active 20-30 Charter President Dan Chapin organizes the annual fundraiser Bottle Shots that donates money to children’s charities. The event grossed $20,000 and the primary beneficiary was the Healdsburg Education Foundation.
“There is not a better local charity that I can think of because they are supporting education in our under-funded public schools and we really like what they do,” said Active 20-30 Charter President and event organizer Dan Chapin.
Each year the event venue changes, VML Winery on Westside Road hosted this year’s fundraiser.
August
The Geyserville Unified School District Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Wednesday, August 29, to take action on an item that if voted in favor would have begun negotiations with Healdsburg Unified to accept Geyserville High School students and eventually close Geyserville High. The four to one vote in favor of keeping the school independent was met with cheers from an audience of over 100 community members, parents and students.
The issue of keeping the small high school of less than 100 students open has been looming over the board and the community for five years as the budget has declined and state support has dropped.
September
Jenean Bingham, the head track coach at Healdsburg High School for 13-years and the athletic director for nine-years, was dismissed as track coach on September 7 causing an uproar among community and staff members at the HUSD school board meeting.
At the opening of the 2012/2013 school year, district officials said that parents and staff would start to see some big changes taking place including the possibility of reinstating five slashed school days.
“We are going to move forward with a proposal to the board to reinstate five school days that we had cut,” said Superintendent Jeff Harding.
HUSD received the proposal for reinstatement at their board meeting on September 19 and all five school days were reinstated.
October
Healdsburg High School student Dalton Baker was in an accident while riding his bike to a football game through the parking lot of Good Shepard Lutheran Church and rode into a chain that was tethered across the lot. Baker was able to get himself back home where his mother insisted he be taken to the ER. There they discovered his injuries were internal and serious. Baker is now home and doing well.
Healdsburg High School students in the Social Sciences Department participated in a mock election program provided by the California Secretary of State that encourages youth participation in government and strives to teach them about the importance of voting.
Students first spent time studying the presidential candidates before casting their vote on October 30. Of the 357 students that voted, 73.9 percent, or 264 votes, were tallied for President Obama.
November
Healdsburg High School students attended the HUSD board meeting to oppose the idea of the school board voting to close their campus during lunch break. Currently the campus is open to juniors and seniors who choose to go off campus for lunch. The board still hasn’t taken action on the issue.
The John Jordan Foundation awarded 100 grants to local teachers filling supply wish lists that will benefit more than 11,000 students. The ‘Teacher’s Wishes Grant’ is in its first year, opening applications to all 8,000 Sonoma County teachers that need help purchasing supplies such as microscopes, whiteboards, reading materials and funding for college and career prep programs.
The Healdsburg Unified School District Board of Trustees named Donna del Rey as their new trustee. Five candidates interviewed for the appointed position taking the seat of former trustee Tony Pettis who stepped down after relocating out of the area.
December
Healdsburg High School Counselor Ilene Frommer, was chosen as the California League of High Schools Educator of the Year while Bruce Standifer was chosen as California League of Middle Schools Educator of the Year. Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Annie Millar, was chosen as California League of Middle Schools Administrator of the Year. The district honored them at their board meeting on December 12.
After 13 years connecting Healdsburg High School students to scholarships and college programs, Laurie Nimmo stepped down at the McCord Career Center and welcomes new coordinator Elaine Watkins.
West Side Union School District board member Quincey Imhoff stepped down after serving on the board for nine years. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors presented her with a Gold Resolution for her accomplishments.