Measures Q and R were local school bond measures to upgrade and renovate local school facilities that were both passed in the November election. According to the Sacramento City Unified School District, the average age of the local schools is 50 years and need significant updating.

All money raised by Measures Q and R will stay in our community and cannot be taken away by the State. No money can be spent on school administrator salaries. An independent citizens’ oversight committee will monitor expenditures and ensure all funds are spent properly.

If you are interested in being on the committee, contact Gabe Ross, Chief Information Officer at 643-9145 or email improvesacramentoschools@gmail.com

Here are breakdowns of how your neighborhood schools fare and how they should be improved.

DAVID LUBIN

David Lubin Elementary School was constructed in 1975. During the 2006 modernization, renovation and upgrades were made in the following areas: health and safety, site exterior and miscellaneous upgrades. The school’s facilities received high ratings for completion of maintenance and safety procedures. The frontage street inhibits ability for a gracious welcome. The unsafe environment posed by overlapping bus and parent drop off leads to unsafe arrival and departure. There is no flashing light to indicate a pedestrian crosswalk.

Visitor and staff parking is inadequate. Accessible parking stalls and path of travel needs reconfiguring/relocating. Irrigation and drainage at the play fields needs to be reworked to resolve flooding and muddy conditions. Refurbishing of the blacktop, shaded small group seating areas, and clear definition of specific hardscape uses based on age-appropriate activities would be a positive upgrade. Providing a shade structure would improve the stage presence and encourage additional activity use such as outdoor learning and lunchtime dining.

Poorly patched flooring needs new finishes at Kit Carson Middle School. This is one of many examples of physical improvements that can be made because of the passage of measures Q and R. / photo courtesy

KIT CARSON

The site is just more than nine acres in a fully developed residential neighborhood just off Folsom Boulevard. The site is small but appears adequate for this school that was built in 1976, This existing Middle School campus is in generally fair condition and has been looked at as a viable candidate to be converted into an IB Program to support Grades 7-12.

The buses currently bring about 70 percent of the students to school and create some traffic issues within the neighborhood. The buses must route through the neighborhood to enter and exit the school but are able to loop from Folsom Boulevard and back with reasonable convenience. There are, however, no designated passenger loading and unloading zones, no separation for parents and buses and no barrier free drop off spaces.
Drop offs take place along the “N” Street frontage and in the staff parking lot at the west side of the campus. Both locations currently generate traffic conflicts and unsafe conditions. At a minimum, a barrier free drop off space is required and a designated drop off lane is recommended. The public and main entrance to the school and administrative offices is located along “N” Street and at some distance from the available visitor parking.

Additional parking area is recommended and should be located in reasonable proximity to the school’s entrance and administrative office. There have been recent path of travel upgrades to the staff parking lots but more is needed to be fully code compliant.
The campus is a pleasant homogenous design with good internal circulation and the core secured by ornamental steel gates. The campus is well planned for a compact facility and suited to the neighborhood. However an updated color scheme would be more appropriate for the age group. Some modernization has been completed to upgrade restrooms for code compliance but has left unsightly patches in tile finishes. Additional upgrades for code compliance are needed throughout the campus.

The school buildings were built with little consideration for energy efficiency and improvements could be made through the use of more efficient windows and mechanical systems. Benefits could also be gained through more efficient lighting and effective energy control systems. The student gathering areas of the campus are primarily associated with the Quad. This area is well located, adequate and in reasonably good condition. The student snack bar is adjacent to the Quad.

The athletic fields and paved play courts are adequate for the current enrollment but in fair condition. Resurfacing is needed for some areas of the courts and water efficient irrigation recommended for the play fields.

Based on the opportunities, facility conditions and code issues identified in this report, the Kit Carson School appears to be a fair candidate to support the facility and programmatic transformation to a 7-12 IB School.

SUTTER

The site is 7.5 acres in a confined fully developed semi-urban location and is unsuitably small for this middle school. A typical suburban site for this size school would be at least twice the area. The school was built in 1958 and serves just more than 1,200 students with most of the classrooms on second and third floors.
Access to the campus is along I Street just off Alhambra Boulevard. A drop off lane was added along “I” Street but conflicts with traffic into and out of the parking areas remain. There is no convenient turn a round or loop routing for buses. Parking is less than adequate and adversely affects student circulation. In addition to street, parking and drive conflicts there are significant “path of travel” issues around and within the campus. While the area is served by public transportation, there is no fully compliant path of travel to the campus. These are apt to become major circumstances with future modernization.

The upper floors are served by stairs and a single elevator. The fifty plus year old school was built with little consideration for energy efficiency and improvements could be made through the use of more efficient windows, wall systems and mechanical systems.

Benefits could also be gained through more efficient lighting and effective energy control systems. The structure is primarily steel and masonry with large areas of window wall systems including awning windows and spandrel panels.

The condition and age of the windows and window system shows signs of deterioration and has numerous leaks. In addition to the overall condition issues, the windows and panels are single glazed un-insulated and inefficient. The interior corridors on the second and third floors of the main classroom building are wide and lined with lockers, but access to and from the classrooms does not comply with code.

These conditions will likely require significant upgrades with any future modernization. The design of the school is dated and the classrooms and amenity areas reflect the age of the school with some deterioration and many barrier free access issues. The student snack bar has access to the Quad for outdoor eating. The gathering areas of the campus appear adequate and in reasonably good condition. The campus core has a small “Quad” area that appears underutilized.
The campus core is secured by unsightly ornamental steel gates and fencing.

THEODORE JUDAH

Theodore Judah is a historical structure built in 1937, and is the oldest continuously used elementary school in the district. The original building has been renovated to improve HVAC, technology capability, and classroom casework / sink accessibility, but a considerable amount of site and building accessibility non-compliance issues remain. Outdated and unused heating radiators in classrooms could be removed to gain additional casework and storage.

The buildings, including the portable classrooms, are in need of renovation and repairs. The cafeteria, kitchen, staff lounge, auditorium, and administration area all require refurbishing and modernization for code compliance.

The core of the campus has many instructional gardens and potential outdoor learning areas. Efforts are in progress to improve landscaping, but irrigation and drainage is in poor condition at the entry turf areas and playing field. The current orientation of the
portable classroom buildings makes site supervision difficult. Bus and parent drop-off is provided curbside only. The absence of accessible paths of travel should be resolved.

Information for this story is courtesy of SCUSD.

Sacramento State will sponsor two state senatorial forums this month that will enable voters to compare the candidates’ respective positions on the issues and to make more informed choices on Nov 2.

On Thursday, Oct. 21, incumbent Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, will square off against Republican Marcel Weiland and Libertarian Steve Torno to represent Senate District 6. The forum, scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m., will be held in the University Union Ballroom and moderated by the League of Women Voters of Sacramento County.

The Senate District 1 forum will be Wednesday, Oct 27, at 6:30-7:15 p.m., in the University Union Ballroom.
Assemblyman Roger Niello, R-Sacramento, and Rancho Cordova Democratic Mayor Ken Cooley have agreed to attend. Assemblyman Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, and former Republican Assemblywoman and current member of board of equalization, Barbara Alby have been invited. The event will be moderated by Professor Val Smith of the Communications Studies Department.

The District 1 forum will be transmitted via live video streaming, courtesy of Sac State’s Academic Technology and Creative Services in tandem with Information Resources and Technology. The program will also be posted on the University’s news page. Live-streaming is important because this sprawling senate district encompasses 12 counties.

Comprehensive coverage is consistent with the CSU system’s public-service mandate that political forums and debates be presented on campuses during an election cycle. It also dovetails with Destination 2010, President Alexander Gonzalez’s goal of strengthening the bond between campus and community.

SACRAMENTO – Joined by a diverse coalition of business and community leaders, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced endorsements for school board candidates running in three key races in the Sacramento City Unified School District.

Endorsements included teacher Paige Powell in Area 1, teacher Andrea Corso in Area 2, and community activist and attorney Shane Singh in Area 6.

“For too long, our city’s schools have failed to deliver a quality education our students deserve,” Johnson explained. “This is unacceptable, and accountability must begin at the top. We need school board leadership with the vision and courage to bring real reform to our failing schools.”

Johnson’s much anticipated announcement comes after a series of meetings with candidates running for school board positions. He explained that the coalition sought to support candidates who emphasized accountability, results, and a willingness to put children’s interests above all else.

“Paige, Andie, and Shane are some of the most talented and exciting candidates to run for the School Board in recent memory,” the mayor said. “They understand the challenges students, parents, teachers and administrators face. More importantly, they are committed to challenging a broken status quo that impedes progress and reform.”

The mayor was joined by a diverse coalition of business, faith, civic, education, and public safety leaders united in a commitment to make school reform a top priority for the city.

“The children of Sacramento are the city’s most important asset,” said Mark Tyndale, vice president of the Sacramento Police Officers Association. “We applaud and join the efforts of Mayor Johnson to bring reform and vision to a system that is failing too many students and families.”

“From a business perspective, we cannot sustain a strong city without great schools,” explained Frank Washington, owner and CEO of Moon Shot Communications. “An educated workforce is essential to ensuring Sacramento’s competitiveness in an increasingly global economy.”

Johnson is the latest in a series of major endorsements earned by the candidates. All three have been endorsed by the Sacramento Police Officers Association and Metro Chamber PAC. In addition, the Sacramento Bee has endorsed Corso and Singh. Corso has also received support from Democrats for Education Reform. Singh’s endorsements include SMUD Director Larry Carr, and former Sac City Unified Board Members Karen Young, Rick Jennings, Tom Griffin and Nancy Findeisen. Powell’s additional endorsements include Supervisor Jimmie Yee and Council Member Robbie Waters.

Johnson’s involvement in the school board races is the latest in a series of efforts to improve Sacramento schools.

His STAND UP education initiative has convened three education summits since 2009, authored an “Education That Works” white paper, and most recently, hosted two sold-out private screenings of the new documentary “Waiting for Superman” to stimulate community discussion on school reform. Johnson also played a key role in passing state “Race to the Top” school reform legislation, and chairs two national Mayoral Task Forces for US Education Secretary Arne Duncan and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

For more information on the candidates, visit www.corsoforkids.net, www.shanesingh.com, and www.paigeforschoolboard.com.

*THIS INFORMATION BASED ON SEMI-OFFICIAL RETURNS REPORTED BY THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS.

Since 1992, no incumbent Sacramento City Councilmember has lost a re-election bid; on Tuesday night, that all changed.

The June 8 Primary Election has changed the make-up of the Sacramento City Council.

The June 8 Primary Election was a defining moment in politics statewide: for the first time, the California Republican Party was running not one, but two women for statewide office, with Meg Whitman as the party’s gubernatorial nominee and Carly Fiorina as the GOP pick to run against Barbara Boxer in the U.S. senate race. Adding to this historic development was the local result – Sacramento City Councilmembers Ray Tretheway, from Natomas’ District 1, and Robbie Waters, representing Pocket-Greenhaven’s District 7, have apparently lost in their race to serve another four years at City Hall. It’s been 18 years since such an upset has occurred in Sacramento City politics.

According to semi-official results released June 9 at 1:48 a.m. by the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters, both incumbents lost to political newcomers, Tretheway falling to Natomas grassroots campaigner Angelique Ashby, and Robbie Waters being edged out by Ryan Chin and Darrell Fong. Tretheway, who claims he was a target because he would not support Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson’s strong-mayor initiative, had been recently seen by political watchdogs as very vulnerable, especially as Ashby scored a number of major endorsements and political allies (Johnson being one of them). Waters, who ran twice unopposed (most recently in 2006), faced a tough fight of his own, desperately trying to fend off two candidates that were as equally funded and organized.

The District 7 Race

According to the semi-official results, Chin was the big winner Tuesday night, taking in 38.45 percent of the vote; Fong came in second with 31.41 percent; Waters, the four-term incumbent and only Republican on the City Council, garnered 27.44 percent; and college student Diedre Hobart came in a distant fourth place. With no candidate earning a clear majority, the results set up a likely run-off election this November between the first- and second-place winners, Chin and Fong, respectively.

Waters, who has served on the City Council since 1994 and raised more money and spent more money in this election than any other City Council candidate, was fighting a determined battle in his re-election bid. Challengers Chin, a strategic communications officer with Sacramento State, and Fong, a retired Sacramento Police captain, seized early on to the anti-incumbent sentiment sweeping the U.S.

In their first public debate held last spring, the District 7 challengers came out swinging, saying that Waters was out of touch with the current needs of the district. Waters, for his part, pointed to a number of recent accomplishments, such as the building of a new library; however, the library issue had turned into a slight political misstep among some Pocket voters as the new building was named after Waters. Some screamed impropriety; Waters and his supporters have said the councilmember simply followed the wishes of library volunteers.

Also dampening Waters’ re-election momentum was news that his son, Dan, had been allegedly involved in a city scandal involving building permits in Natomas, an area off-limits to new construction due to persistent flood concerns. Although the councilman had no direct connection to the permit mess, Waters nonetheless appeared in a number of news reports discussing the situation and deflecting character attacks.

In a special interview prior to the election with Valley Community Newspaper reporter Celia Green, Waters had said that he hoped to serve one more four-year term and then retire from city politics. That retirement, it seems, will come early.

The District 3 Race

Although the Pocket-Greenhaven community saw quite the political upset, the District 3 race was anything but; Councilmember Steve Cohn, Midtown and East Sacramento’s longtime representative on the City Council, will remain in office for another term. The incumbent had faced a strong challenge from East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce President Chris Little and Midtown business owner Shawn Eldredge, but the incumbent persevered, winning his bid for a fifth term as the District 3 representative.

Cohn, who will now be one of Sacramento’s longest-serving councilmembers, garnered 53.95 of the vote, winning a clear majority and avoiding a run-off election in November. Little and Eldredge scored 37.73 percent and 5.52 percent, respectively, while candidate Jeff Rainforth garnered the remaining votes.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Race

A bruising primary election will likely turn into a bruising general election: candidates Scott Jones and Jim Cooper, both captains with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, did not win a clear majority of votes and will now face one another again in the November General Election.

In what has been one of Sacramento’s most hotly contested races, Jones and Cooper threw mud, hurled accusations, and laid charges of political impropriety and professional misconduct. The race has also come to represent a battle between two law enforcement legacies, as Cooper, endorsed by former Sheriff Lou Blanas, and Jones, endorsed by outgoing Sheriff John McGinness, attacked one another for their political connections as much as their administrative philosophies.

Jones came out on top in Tuesday’s race, but not by much, taking in 46.17 percent of the vote; Cooper came in second and garnered 41.37 percent of the vote; a third candidate, Bret Daniels, drew the remaining votes.

Sacramento County voters can expect the war of words to continue into the fall. The 2010 General Election is Nov. 2.

Sacramento Area Race Results listed as “semi-official” by the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters (winners listed in CAPS, % of vote listed in parentheses, incumbents listed as necessary):

Sacramento City Council, District 1

ANGELIQUE ASHBY (50.98%)

Ray Tretheway, incumbent (41.55%)

Efren M. Guttierrez (7.36%)

Write-in (.12%)

Sacramento City Council, District 3

STEVE COHN, incumbent (53.95%)

Chris Little (37.73%)

Shawn Eldredge (5.52%)

Jeff Rainforth (2.69%)

Write-in (.11%)

Sacramento City Council, District 5

JAY SCHENIRER* (47.04%)

Patrick Kennedy (34.32%)

Henry Harry (6.41%)

Terrence Johnson (6.04%)

Leticia Hilbert (6.00%)

Write-in (.19%)

*(As no candidate won a clear majority of 50-percent-plus-1-vote, Schenirer will likely face Kennedy in a run-off election in November, according to semi-official results)

Sacramento City Council, District 7

RYAN CHIN* (38.45%)

Darrell Fong (31.41%)

Robbie Waters, incumbent (27.44%)

Diedre Hobart (2.67%)

Write-in (.04%)

*(As no candidate won a clear majority of 50-percent-plus-1-vote, Chin will likely face Fong in a run-off election in November, according to semi-official results)

Sacramento County Board Of Supervisors, District 1

PHIL SERNA (71.60%)

Keith Weber (28.15%)

Write-in (.25%)

Sacramento County Board Of Supervisors, District 2

JIMMIE YEE, incumbent (78.05%)

Raymond Kemp (21.73%)

Write-in (.22%)

Sacramento County Board Of Supervisors, District 5

DON NOTTOLI, incumbent (70.01%)

Lovie Kirkland (29.75%)

Write-in (.24%)

Sacramento County Assessor

KATHLEEN E. KELLEHER (63.98%)

David A. Benson (21.60%)

Margaret Pennington (14.28%)

Write-in (.14%)

Sacramento County District Attorney

JAN SCULLY, incumbent (79.39%)

Julius M. Engel (20.44%)

Write-in (.14%)

Sacramento County Sheriff

SCOTT JONES* (46.17%)

Jim Cooper (41.37%)

Bret Daniels (11.77%)

Write-in (.70%)

*(As no candidate won a clear majority of 50-percent-plus-1-vote, Jones will face Cooper in a run-off election in November, according to semi-official results)

For complete Sacramento County election results, visit http://sacresults.e-cers.com/default.aspx. For information on statewide races and ballot measures, visit www.sos.ca.gov.

E-mail Ryan Rose at ryanrose@valcomnews.com.

At its Jan.19 meeting, the Sacramento County Board of Education approved Board Resolution 10-02 ordering an election to fill the board seat vacancy created when Trustee Christopher W. Woods resigned from his Area 3 post effective Jan. 11, 2010.

The Area 3 seat will be filled at the regularly scheduled election on June 8, 2010.

The Area 3 seat will be filled at the regularly scheduled election on June 8, 2010.

Trustee Area 3 represents the following communities: Arden, Arden Oaks, Arden Park, Campus Commons, La Riviera, Rosemont, Town and Country Village, and portions of Carmichael and Foothill Farms. Area 3 also represents portions of the Sacramento City Unified School District, the San Juan Unified School District, and the Twin Rivers Unified School District.

About the Sacramento County Board of Education

The Sacramento County Board of Education derives its power and authority from the State Constitution and laws of the State of California (Constitution, Article IX, Section 3.3). The County Board consists of seven elected members who serve four-year terms. The County Superintendent serves as secretary to the Board of Education. In addition to conducting its regular business, other responsibilities of the Board of Education include hearing student expulsion and inter-district transfer appeals.

Board meeting schedule and agendas

Board meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Unless otherwise noted, meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room of SCOE’s David P. Meaney Education Center, 10474 Mather Blvd., Mather. Board agendas are published in PDF format and are available online at http://www.scoe.net/board/index.html.