Thank you all who supported our children in opposition of @DrDeasyLAUSD proposal to eliminate the $7M Program. 

Parents throughout Los Angeles mobilized to support after school programs and demonstrated opposition to the Superintendent's proposed money saving measure.  This included a Press Conference by Local School Board Member Bennett Kayser hosted by our neighbors at Dahlia Heights Elementary and an online petition which garnered over 1,300 signatures in support of funding our after-school programs

On Tuesday, the LAUSD School Board had a symbolic vote unanimously in opposition to Dr. Deasy’s proposed cut which would have impacted thousands of our children who participate in these threatened after-school programs.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, Superintendent Deasy announced late Wednesday that he will find the $7M to continue the after-school programs.

“Though funding is extremely tight, we must do all that we can to preserve vital programs that serve some 42,000 children across the city," Deasy said.

Today, Thursday, June 28, the LAUSD School Board will meet again to vote on the proposed $6.3B Budget for fiscal year 2012.

Our community partners at Dahlia Heights Elementary are inviting you to attend a press conference, tomorrow, Friday, 06/22/12 at 10:30a with our Local School Board Member Bennett Kayser to protest the cuts to after school programs such as Beyond The Bell. 

Conference will be at Dahlia Heights Elementary which is located 1 block east of Trader Joes:

Dahlia Heights Elementary School
5063 Floristan Ave
Los Angeles, CA  90041

Additionally, they have setup an online petition through Change.org if you'd like to show your support from the Cloud:

http://www.change.org/petitions/john-deasy-superintendent-save-the-beyond-the-bell-youth-services-after-school-programs

Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at 1:00p, the LAUSD School Board will convene to review and act upon a series of Board Actions. Last but certainly not least in tomorrow's agenda is Item 42 which the Board will be voting to recommend the authorization for their Human Resources Division to deviate from making offers of reemployment to certificated employees in order of seniority when personnel with special training and experience are needed. 

If passed, this vote will improve upon the chances for our RIF'd (Reduction In Force) teachers who are certificated in their respective disciplines, particularly those certified in Gifted Education.  We call upon our Eagle Rock Elementary Community to attend tomorrow's Board Meeting to voice your interest in this matter and to pursuade our Board Members to vote in favor and once again here these Eagle Rock Elementary Eagles Scream!

If you cannot make it to the meeting, please call, fax and email a brief letter in support for our affected teachers to our respective district representative, Mr. Bennett Kayser and the rest of the LAUSD Board of Education:

Bennett Kayser, Member, Local District 5
333 S Beaudry Ave, 24th Fl
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 241-5555
(213) 241-8467 Fax
[email protected]
[email protected]

Dr. John Deasy, Superintendent
[email protected]

LAUSD Board District #1
Ms. Marguerite LaMotte
[email protected]
213-241-6382
Fax: 213-241-8441


LAUSD Board District #2
Ms. Monica Garcia
[email protected]
213-241-6180
Fax: 213-241-8459

LAUSD Board District #3
Ms. Tamar Galatzan
[email protected]  
213-241-6386
Fax: 213-241-8979

LAUSD Board District #4
Mr. Steve Zimmer
[email protected]
213-241-6387
Fax:  213-241-8453

LAUSD Board District #6
Ms. Nury Martinez
[email protected]
213-241-6388 
Fax: 213-241-8451

LAUSD Board District #7
Dr. Richard Vladovic
[email protected]
213-241-6385
Fax: 213-241-8452

Thank you all for your amazing and continuous support!

The Los Angeles School Board is scheduled to consider a new homework policy next month. The recommendations will be reviewed at four community meetings, which will also allow time for questions and comments from the audience.

The next community meeting will be on Thursday, March 22nd at 6pm at Marshall High School.   

Marshall High School
3939 Tracy St.
Los Angeles, CA 90027

City Councilmember @JoseHuizar and @MetroLosAngeles CEO Art Leahy met  with our Ms. Caesar's Eagle Rock Elementary School second-graders to launch a new program  offering free bus and rail access for school field trips!

http://thesource.metro.net/2012/02/15/metro-school-field-trip-program-takes-students-to-chinatown/

http://www.atvn.org/news/2012/02/mayor-villaraigosa-inaugurates-la-metro-free-field-trip-program

Teachers, please follow this link to book your next field trip!
http://www.metro.net/about/metro-student-field-trip/

Hello Eagle Rock Families!

************************************************************************
"Este  correo electrónico se puede leer en español más abajo"
************************************************************************
On Tuesday, February 14,the LAUSD School Board of Education will be convening
to vote on eliminating the Arts Program in the elementary school level.   We must let the district know that this is not acceptable.  PTA believes that visual and performing arts should be a basic and integral part of a balanced curriculum for all students.  The purpose of public education is to level the playing field for all students, and arts education cultivates the innovation, problem-solving and creativity skills necessary for pursuing a career in the 21st-century American economy. Eliminating this vital program will not solve the budgetary challenges facing LAUSD.  It will only hurt our students.

The Board of Education will be voting on finalizing the budget for the 2012-2013 program year, on Tuesday, February 14, 2012, at 1:00 pm.  The meeting will be at 333 S. Beaudry Ave., Los Angeles, 90017. LAUSD School Board meetings are open to the public.  Due to heavy media coverage and major issues within LAUSD, it is expected that this meeting will draw large crowds.  Those wishing to attend are advised to arrive early and plan to stay for several hours. 

In addition, the PTA has been collaborating with the California Alliance for Arts Education, which consists of local arts advocacy groups that support the arts program in the schools, and represents the voice of the parents and students.  Arts4LA is our local advocacy group that has a letter written ready to be sent to the LAUSD Board of Education members, and to Dr. Deasy, asking them to preserve the arts program in the elementary schools. Please
click on the following link and send your letter to your board member:  http://advocate.artsforla.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9435

The district is also proposing to eliminate the Adult Education Program and the Early Childhood Education Program, three of the most vital programs that are greatly needed.  Over 300,000 adults benefit from the Adult Education Program, and the ECE Program prepares our preschool children to be ready for kindergarten, and educates and empowers parents to become advocates for thei children's education. 

It is imperative that we act on this quickly and we must once again rally as a community to save the Arts Program, the Adult Education Program and the Early Childhood Education Program.

Thank you so much for your continued support!

**********************************************************
Estimados padres de la escuela de Eagle Rock!

Este martes, el 14 de febrero, el Consejo de Educación del Distrito Escolar de Los Ángeles va a votar en la eliminación del Programa de Artes en la escuela primaria. Debemos informar al distrito que esto no es aceptable. La PTA cree que las artes visuales y dramáticas debe ser una parte básica y integral de un plan de estudios equilibrado para todos los estudiantes. El objetivo de la educación pública es el uso de la educación artística a cultivar la innovación,
la solución de problemas y habilidades creativas necesarias para seguir una carrera en la economía estadounidense del siglo 21 para todos los estudiantes. La eliminación de este programa vital no va a resolver los problemas presupuestarios que enfrenta el LAUSD. Sólo le hará daño a nuestros estudiantes.

El Consejo de Educación votará en la finalización del presupuesto para el año del programa 2012-2013, el Martes, 14 de febrero 2012, a las 1:00 pm en las oficinas del distrito ubicadas en 333 S Beaudry Ave, Los Ángeles, 90017. Las reuniones de la Junta Escolar están abiertas al público. Debido a la amplia cobertura mediática y los temas principales dentro de LAUSD, se espera que esta reunión será atraer a grandes multitudes. Aquellos que deseen asistir se les recomienda llegar temprano y planea quedarse por varias horas.

El distrito también está proponiendo eliminar el Programa de Educación de Adultos y el Programa de Educación Inicial, tres de los programas más vitales que son muy necesarias. Más de 300.000 adultos se benefician del Programa de Educación de Adultos, y el Programa de la CEPE prepara a nuestros niños en edad preescolar para estar listo para el kinder, y educa y capacita a los padres a convertirse en defensores de la educación de sus hijos.

Es mut importante que actuemos en este rápido y tenemos que reunir una vez más como una comunidad para salvar el Programa de Artes, el Programa de Educación de Adultos y el Programa de Educación Preescolar.

Muchísimas gracias por todo su apoyo!!

You rally our parents, staff and the public and project one of the strongest voices with a simultaneous phone, fax, and web campaign, that's how! Shock and Awe indeed!

Thanks to all of our amazing parents, teachers, staff and all others who helped get what may be one of the swiftest responses from LAUSD.  In case you haven't already noticed, the LAUSD delivered (3) Girls and (3) Boys portable toilets yesterday not long after lunch. These portables will serve as a temporary solution while our permanent children's bathrooms near the lunch pavilion and in the west wing are still undergoing repairs.

It was through your persistence and passion that yielded this wonderful example of truly working as a community and using all of our available resources to get some action on a long outstanding campus issue.

Here's to all of you...Great work everyone!!!

Below is the response received from Board District 5:

Hi All,
 
This morning, our office received numerous phone calls regarding a situation with bathrooms at Eagle Rock Elementary School (ERES).  Our staff member Juan De La Cruz followed up immediately with our facilities department and 3 male and 3 female portable restrooms have been allocated to ERES and should be there by the close of business today.  These portable restrooms will be cleaned on a daily basis to ensure cleanliness and safety.  Furthermore, I have gone to ERES today and followed up with Dr. Posada about the current situation and some long term solutions regarding bathrooms.  The bathrooms near the lunch shelter that are currently under construction will be functional by next Wednesday (11-9-11).  Our office would like to thank all the parents, community members, District staff, and ERES staff that have assisted with mitigating this situation.  Lastly, our office is aware of the custodial concerns in terms of maintaining the cleanliness of all the bathrooms at ERES and of the delay in the lunch shelter project.  Our office will continue to work with our facilities department to find permanent solutions to all the concerns above.  If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact our office at (213) 241-5555.
 
Board District 5
 
David Estrada
Board Member Bennett Kayser’s Office