by A.T., 6th grade
This was a great year of improvement for the CCPA Phoenix basketball teams. Not only did both teams win more games than they did last season, but even the losses were much closer. Unfortunately this will be the last season for basketball at the school. Not enough fans are coming to the games.
“I don’t know what happened,” lamented Head Coach Kirsten Grimm. “Nobody comes to the games anymore.” Grimm is clearly reminiscing about last season when every single game was packed with fans.
Ashes asked the fan who came to the last game what brought him to the game. “I’m just waiting for my mom to come pick me up. I didn’t have anything else to do,” he said.
“We tried offering a better product and even reducing the price, but students don’t seem to care – where is everyone?” sobbed Assistant Coach Keith Drucker.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Due to parent demand, Centennial closing
by L.T., 6th grade
Centennial is now just three years old, but parents have had enough. CCPA will be closing next year at the request of parents.
“The parent community has spoken,” said Aspire CEO Dan Shively, “and spoken and spoken.”
The decision to close Centennial did not come suddenly as decision makers have mulled the school’s fate for the last several months. Concerned about the education of their sons and daughters, parents have continued to voice complaints about detentions and school lunches.
Trouble began early. The year started poorly for Centennial when the school only improved a disappointing seventy eight points on last year’s CST. The final nail in the coffin was Centennial winning an EPIC award, given to only twenty one schools in the entire United States whose students show outstanding growth.
“This school is the best school in Huntington Park. Our children are learning more than ever. It is a safe, rigorous learning environment,” exclaimed Claudia Dorovich, a seventh grade parent, at a recent meeting, “so, obviously, it needs to close NOW!”
Parents cited the quality of food and the shoe policy as the major reasons for closing the school.
“As parents, we need to focus on what will really help our kids and prepare them for the future,” stated Melisa Samayoa, parent of 8th grader Dylan Sanchez. “My son can’t wear whatever shoes he wants, so I’m changing him to Gage.”
Centennial is now just three years old, but parents have had enough. CCPA will be closing next year at the request of parents.
“The parent community has spoken,” said Aspire CEO Dan Shively, “and spoken and spoken.”
The decision to close Centennial did not come suddenly as decision makers have mulled the school’s fate for the last several months. Concerned about the education of their sons and daughters, parents have continued to voice complaints about detentions and school lunches.
Trouble began early. The year started poorly for Centennial when the school only improved a disappointing seventy eight points on last year’s CST. The final nail in the coffin was Centennial winning an EPIC award, given to only twenty one schools in the entire United States whose students show outstanding growth.
“This school is the best school in Huntington Park. Our children are learning more than ever. It is a safe, rigorous learning environment,” exclaimed Claudia Dorovich, a seventh grade parent, at a recent meeting, “so, obviously, it needs to close NOW!”
Parents cited the quality of food and the shoe policy as the major reasons for closing the school.
“As parents, we need to focus on what will really help our kids and prepare them for the future,” stated Melisa Samayoa, parent of 8th grader Dylan Sanchez. “My son can’t wear whatever shoes he wants, so I’m changing him to Gage.”
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Life on the Outside - by D.M.
Students should really be thankful for what they have in CCPA, because here in Montebello Intermediate School (MOI), there are fights almost every day. Cops come at all school days and hours, sometimes even the teachers and students "get down". Many parents get into fights with the teachers, deans, principles, and counselors!! Can you believe all the drama!?
The teachers don't really care about the students. If you don't turn in an assignment, for them it’s just one less paper to grade. The only sports in school are only the ones in P.E and sometimes we don't even do any sports and we just sit and take notes.
We have three programs in the school. They are ICES, Avid, and Project Safety Net. I don't really know what the First two stand for, but Avid is a program, more of a class really, that "helps" you for high school but you just do your homework there and the tutors just text on their phones!! ICES, is the only after school program that the school has, and I don't really know what they do there because I'm not in that program.
Project Safety Net, is a "rehabilitation" program for the drug addicts. I put rehabilitation in quotes, because most of my friends are druggies and they are in that program but they aren't receiving any help. They still do drugs!!
In this school, there is no money at all for books, computers, field trips, dances or anything else really. We had dances every Friday with a D.J named Charles, and it was awesome. The thing is that now there is no money for the school to continue doing that. There are only 3 computers in each class, and we have to pay for the field trips out our own pockets.
I really miss that school, because everyone gets a laptop, there are many. many more activities, and things we can participate in. There are many worse things that will just get me tired of writing here.
The teachers don't really care about the students. If you don't turn in an assignment, for them it’s just one less paper to grade. The only sports in school are only the ones in P.E and sometimes we don't even do any sports and we just sit and take notes.
We have three programs in the school. They are ICES, Avid, and Project Safety Net. I don't really know what the First two stand for, but Avid is a program, more of a class really, that "helps" you for high school but you just do your homework there and the tutors just text on their phones!! ICES, is the only after school program that the school has, and I don't really know what they do there because I'm not in that program.
Project Safety Net, is a "rehabilitation" program for the drug addicts. I put rehabilitation in quotes, because most of my friends are druggies and they are in that program but they aren't receiving any help. They still do drugs!!
In this school, there is no money at all for books, computers, field trips, dances or anything else really. We had dances every Friday with a D.J named Charles, and it was awesome. The thing is that now there is no money for the school to continue doing that. There are only 3 computers in each class, and we have to pay for the field trips out our own pockets.
I really miss that school, because everyone gets a laptop, there are many. many more activities, and things we can participate in. There are many worse things that will just get me tired of writing here.
ASB's Economic Crisis by E.G.
Many students in our school have been saying, “Our school dances never have enough decorations!” Which leads my brain to thinking, well then, WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE ASB MONEY?!?!
Students last year raised about $15,000 through fundraisers and all the events that ASB made. But now all we have is around $400. And it was all from YOU, the students that went to the dances, sold chocolates, and went to the basketball games. We raised about $8,855.36 through chocolate sales alone. So what happened to all the money?
I have been doing some research of my own on who is responsible for “losing” the money that could be used for our dances. I asked last year’s office manager, Ms. Isabel Fernandez. Last year she was responsible for handling the money. The first question I asked her was, “What was your role with ASB funds last year?” She responded, “I was responsible for contacting the home office and getting instructions from the Aspire policies on how to deposit the money. I was also responsible for receiving, counting, and depositing. Also I was to keep records of the money raised or received from a donor and by the clubs or activities.”
So then I asked Ms. Fernandez, “Do you know anything about the missing ASB funds?” Ms. Fernandez answered, “I don’t know anything. I have given all the copies of the raised or collected money to the administrators. However, the money from the general bank account was moved to another account by the home office.”
That is all I have so far but keep on waiting for the next issue of Ashes because this is only the beginning.
Students last year raised about $15,000 through fundraisers and all the events that ASB made. But now all we have is around $400. And it was all from YOU, the students that went to the dances, sold chocolates, and went to the basketball games. We raised about $8,855.36 through chocolate sales alone. So what happened to all the money?
I have been doing some research of my own on who is responsible for “losing” the money that could be used for our dances. I asked last year’s office manager, Ms. Isabel Fernandez. Last year she was responsible for handling the money. The first question I asked her was, “What was your role with ASB funds last year?” She responded, “I was responsible for contacting the home office and getting instructions from the Aspire policies on how to deposit the money. I was also responsible for receiving, counting, and depositing. Also I was to keep records of the money raised or received from a donor and by the clubs or activities.”
So then I asked Ms. Fernandez, “Do you know anything about the missing ASB funds?” Ms. Fernandez answered, “I don’t know anything. I have given all the copies of the raised or collected money to the administrators. However, the money from the general bank account was moved to another account by the home office.”
That is all I have so far but keep on waiting for the next issue of Ashes because this is only the beginning.
We're Being Spied Upon! by S.V.
As you might know, CCPA now has cameras. We went and interviewed Mr. Chavez and Mr. Seigel.
We asked them, “How much did the cameras cost?” Mr. Chavez and Mr. Seigel responded by this, “It was very expensive and worth it.”
We also asked, “How many cameras are there in total?” They both responded, “Eight cameras can be seen, but there are at least sixteen cameras in total.”
Another question that we asked was, “How are the cameras being used?” They responded, “The cameras are recording at all times. We can check them at our home to keep our students safe and to prevent graffiti.”
Our final question was, “Who came up with the idea?” They answered, “Mr. Sanchez and myself came up with the idea. Mr. Zapata, Mr. Seigel, Ms. Chai, and Ms. Garcia discussed the idea and thought it was an excellent idea and approved it.”
Try to find all sixteen cameras. This really does not feel comfortable.
We asked them, “How much did the cameras cost?” Mr. Chavez and Mr. Seigel responded by this, “It was very expensive and worth it.”
We also asked, “How many cameras are there in total?” They both responded, “Eight cameras can be seen, but there are at least sixteen cameras in total.”
Another question that we asked was, “How are the cameras being used?” They responded, “The cameras are recording at all times. We can check them at our home to keep our students safe and to prevent graffiti.”
Our final question was, “Who came up with the idea?” They answered, “Mr. Sanchez and myself came up with the idea. Mr. Zapata, Mr. Seigel, Ms. Chai, and Ms. Garcia discussed the idea and thought it was an excellent idea and approved it.”
Try to find all sixteen cameras. This really does not feel comfortable.
Friday, February 20, 2009
First Online Issue!
First Issue
This school year's second issue of Ashes came out today. What did you think? Add your comments!
Articles will be posted soon.
This school year's second issue of Ashes came out today. What did you think? Add your comments!
Articles will be posted soon.
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