This is the archive for April 2008
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BEIJING — One of the factors in the Tibetan crisis that hasn't had a good airing is why Tibetans are treated as second-class citizens.
Chinese citizens are generally freer than ever. They can get passports. They can change jobs at will. They can choose where they live and marry whom they wish. Some of that also applies to China's 56 minority groups. But Tibetans don't enjoy all the freedoms of other Chinese. They are restricted in their movements within the Tibetan Autonomous Region, frequently turned back at police checkpoints. They can't get passports very easily, sometimes waiting years and occasionally flatly denied. It is a similar situation among Muslims in Xinjiang. And when Tibetans and Muslim Uighurs travel around China now, hotels often deny them rooms. In the run-up to the Olympics, it simply appears to be an unwritten rule that hotels must turn them away.
Posted by courier at 07:27 PM. Filed under: News
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Sample questions from the survey:
It’s lunchtime! You’re waiting in back
of a long line trying to get some food.
You see a person walk calmly to the
front of the line and get in front of
everyone. What do you do?
Your friend decides to “show off” a
weapon he/she brought to school.
What do you do?
The bell to end school has rung. You exit
campus to go home.
How safe do you feel?
By Jamie Maxfield, Courier Staff Writer
While the sophomores had to take their STAR tests on Friday, juniors and freshmen who bothered to attend school during the testing period took a survey that was created by by S.A.V.E. (Students Against Violence Everywhere). The S.A.V.E. club, which meets after school and was started by junior Cody Harper, aimed to assess students' attitudes toward a variety of hypothetical school violence scenarios.
Unfortunately, some juniors and freshmen took the morning off, because they had no tests to take during their assigned testing periods.
Posted by courier at 07:05 PM. Filed under: News
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By Tim Johnson
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)
BEIJING — Nervous that troublemakers may slip across the border before the Olympic Games, China is making it harder for foreigners to obtain entry visas and halting public gatherings where embarrassing protests over Tibet might take place.
Authorities suspended a May 1-4 rock festival that's the biggest annual outdoor music event in China, saying the event could be dangerous, an organizer said Thursday.
Other commercial events also have been canceled in recent weeks, including a Celine Dion concert in Beijing and a pillow fight aimed at drawing shoppers to a mall.
Posted by courier at 08:12 AM. Filed under: News
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By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer
John Mattos, principal at Eastin Elementary School for the past five years, will become principal of Alvarado Middle School for the 2008-09 school year, and current Alvarado principal Yvonne Hull will become House Principal for the sophomore class at James Logan High School.
John Rodriguez, assistant principal at Conley-Caraballo High School, and Grace Kim, assistant principal at Alvarado Middle, also will become house principals at Logan, New Haven Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Pat Jaurequi also announced today, completing the house staffing at the high school.
Posted by courier at 11:31 AM. Filed under: News
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Current House 9 Principal
Matt Smith Courier Photo
Matt Smith, who as a house principal this year helped introduce “freshman families” into the ongoing effort to establish small learning communities at James Logan High School, will serve as the school’s Vice Principal, Teaching and Learning, in 2008-09.
“Increasing our emphasis on instruction is our top priority at Logan, and continuing to move toward smaller learning communities is critical to that mission,” New Haven Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Pat Jaurequi said. “Matt is someone who has shown he can lead us in both areas.”
Posted by courier at 08:07 AM. Filed under: News
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Callie Force, from Camp Galileo,
said the job faire was a success.
Both employers and job seekers came out to Logan with high expectations for the recent Job-O Expo.
For the organizations that set up their booths in Colt court last Thursday, associates hoped to find interested and eligible students for open job positions. This created a very effective event, as many Logan students were equally optimistic, hoping to find suitable jobs for the approaching summer.
Circulating through the rows of tables, including ones set up by associations such as the Courtyard Residence Inn, Union City Leisure Services, Great America, 1st United Services, Union City Library, Dry‑wall Apprenticeship, many were not surprised to find the miscellaneous knick‑knacks being distributed to charm the likes of students. The Army was a crowd favorite with their pull‑up bar, enticing students to compete for various prizes. Though many people found the free food and items more pleasing than the actual purpose of the employers, the appeal was able to lead some students to actually sign‑up and receive information from the employers.
Posted by courier at 01:46 PM. Filed under: News
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By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer
To give parents an opportunity to ask questions and receive information about the changes coming to the District’s middle schools in 2008-09, this month's New Haven Community Forum is being integrated into the annual Open House evenings at each middle school. The Forum will come to Alvarado Middle School this Thursday (April 24), from 5:30 to 7 p.m.; and to Cesar Chavez Middle School next Thursday (May 1), also from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The Forum met at Barnard-White Middle School last week.
Posted by courier at 12:49 PM. Filed under: News
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Courier Staff Report
Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors started the annual STAR testing process Tuesday, but took different tests than originally scheduled because of a testing materials mix-up.
The testing schedule had called for students to take the mathematics portion of the state-mandated battery of standard-based tests, which run until next Tuesday, but a shortage of about 525 Algebra 2 testing booklets forced test administrators to switch to testing English skills today, instead.
Posted by courier at 07:46 PM. Filed under: News
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By Wailin Wong
Chicago Tribune (MCT)
CHICAGO — For many of the 255 million Americans with cell phones, the gadgets are indispensable for everything from tracking appointments to taking photographs to telling time. Now, advertisers want their piece of the mobile phone.
As consumers increasingly use their handsets to browse the Web, it's no wonder that advertisers see mobile screens as valuable turf. In the U.S., cell phones haven't yet proved to be the same kind of advertising bonanza as the Internet, mostly because of the wireless industry's more controlled nature and the slower adoption of text messaging and mobile Web services.
But momentum is gradually building, especially behind text-based marketing campaigns.
Posted by courier at 01:08 PM. Filed under: News
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By Jessica Rosales, Courier Special Projects Editor
The week James Logan's new security system was implemented, the Union City Fire Marshall cited the school for safety violations related to gates closed as part of the reduction in entrances to the campus.
On April 2, the fire department informed Logan administrators of the fire violations. In both cases, the citations related to the pins that extend into the ground below to secure the gates in a closed position. One was locked in the closed position; another was stuck closed.
Freshman house principal, Matt Smith was actually the one who signed the Fire Inspector’s citation after school that day. In an email response to questions submitted by The Courier , he said that “everything we’re doing in trying to implement the new security plan is for the safety of the students.”
Posted by courier at 12:34 PM. Filed under: News
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By Stephen Aguilar and Christine Khayat, Courier Staff Writer
While Thursday’s Job-O Expo in Colt Court brought opportunities that were welcomed by many students, one booth seemed to sprout mixed feelings among Logan—the U.S. Army. Undoubtedly, if you walked through Colt Court and passed the job fair, you most likely saw the men in uniform, surrounded by students eager to talk with them or who wanted to try a few pull-ups, either out of curiosity or to impress those observing. Regardless, many did not feel the visitors were welcomed on our campus.
Posted by courier at 12:19 PM. Filed under: News
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By Debbie Ly, Courier Staff Writer
Halfway into the second week of the last quarter of the school year, it is evident that most students around Logan are anxious at the thought of summer. For seniors, however, there may be a range of mixed emotions, from excitement about the upcoming prom, Grad Night, or simply graduation, to anxiety about leaving home and long‑time friends, and going off to college.
For some, the approach toward the end of the school year has been something they’ve been waiting for practically the whole year.
“I can’t believe the fourth quarter’s already here! I’m ready to graduate,” said Karla Estabillo, 12.
Posted by courier at 01:08 PM. Filed under: News
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By Krystal Henderson, Courier News Editor
The Powderpuff game April 4 was described as "one of the most exciting games in the last three years." It was fast-paced and physical.
The Seniors won the coin toss, then got right down to business with a touchdown in the first minute. Jasmine Rubin caught the pass and ran unstoppable from mid-field into the endzone. While the "Senioritas" cheering squad danced and roused the crowd, Rubin ran the ball for the extra point.
Posted by courier at 12:04 PM. Filed under: News
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Susan Walerski, 46, of Trainer,
shops for groceries with a limit
of $25 with her daughter Gianna.
Michael S. Wirtz/Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT
PHILADELPHIA — Twenty-five dollars. That's all Sandra Walerski can spend in the Save-a-Lot today for a week's worth of groceries.
Walerski, 47, who lives in Trainer, Pa., travels over the Pennsylvania line to shop in tax-free Delaware — part of a mighty fight to keep her family of six afloat as the hard-time economy grows wide and deep.
Food and gas prices soar while the dollar weakens and employers shed jobs. People like Walerski are among the worst casualties — a rising number of working poor, generally defined as families with one or more workers making no more than twice the poverty level.
Posted by courier at 10:37 AM. Filed under: News
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image: World Council of Churches
CHICAGO — Public officials rallied for tougher gun laws Tuesday in the wake of yet another teen shooting, but of the nearly 1,000 Chicago public school students who joined them at the James R. Thompson Center, many said the solutions are more complicated.
In the chanting, sign-waving crowd, Corine Minniefield, a junior at Banner Linc Academy, said that school officials need to get truants and drop-outs back in the classroom and that police need to tighten up their protection.
Posted by courier at 12:48 PM. Filed under: News
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By Rick La Plante,
New Haven Schools Public Information Officer
By an overwhelming margin, teachers in the New Haven Unified School District have voted to approve a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract, through June 2011.
Members of the New Haven Teachers Association voted 302-21 on Wednesday to approve the tentative agreement reached last week, NHTA President Charmaine Kawaguchi said. The Board of Education will vote to ratify the contract at its May 6 meeting, Superintendent Dr. Pat Jaurequi said.
Posted by courier at 10:33 AM. Filed under: News
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By Rick La Plante,
New Haven Schools Public Information Officer
Children who are being bused across town to receive special services will attend their neighborhood schools next year – and children being sent to non-District schools will be able to return to the District – under a new plan for special education being adopted by the New Haven Unified School District.
“We’re going to keep our students closer to home and provide them with better service,” Superintendent Dr. Pat Jaurequi said. “Our Special Education model is outdated, quite frankly, and we’re going to fix it.”
Posted by courier at 07:45 AM. Filed under: News
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By Jessie Mangaliman
San Jose Mercury News (MCT)
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Usha Lama is expecting eight or nine people at her home in Fremont, Calif. Jamyang Nordup is ready for up to 50 people at his 3,500 square-foot home in Richmond, Calif., and has been collecting bedding for months. Stanford University graduate Yangchen Lhamo is sharing her small one-bedroom in San Francisco's Sunset District with four cousins from Portland, Ore., and Seattle. Sunnyvale, Calif., resident Tenzin Tethong is expecting a guest or two from New York.
An army of 2,000 exiled Tibetans from across the U.S., bedrolls at the ready, began descending on the San Francisco Bay Area Monday to protest the running of the Beijing Olympic torch in San Francisco on Wednesday.
Posted by courier at 08:16 AM. Filed under: News
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By Rex Crum
MarketWatch (MCT)
SAN FRANCISCO — Almost since the day Apple Inc. released the iPhone less than a year ago, speculation has surfaced about when the company would release an updated version of the touch-screen phone, iPod and Internet device.
Apple has taken some steps in that direction, rolling out iPhones with more storage than the initial models, as well as unveiling a software kit that allows outside developers to build applications for the iPhone.
Posted by courier at 08:01 AM. Filed under: News
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By Rick La Plante,
New Haven Schools Public Information Officer
Carol Gregorich, whose work as Chief Business Officer has enabled the New Haven Unified School District to minimize the financial impact of declining enrollment and state budget reductions – while at the same time maximizing resources for teaching and learning – has announced her retirement.
“Like most people in her position, Carol understands the BUSINESS of education. Unlike some, though, she also understands EDUCATION,” Superintendent Dr. Pat Jaurequi said. “She’s always worked with the knowledge that the stakes are extremely high.”
Ms. Gregorich has worked in New Haven since 1993. Her last day will be June 30.
Posted by courier at 03:35 PM. Filed under: News
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A graffito protest by the pool
Monday has since been removed
Courier PhotoBy Jennifer Torres, Debbie Ly, Karen Mui and Tawab Fakhri
Courier Staff Writers
Despite griping from students and staff, the first week of new security measures at James Logan went relatively well, according to Principal Don Montoya.
"Frankly, it all worked quite well," Montoya said in an email update on the changes Saturday. Even so, "we will continue to refine the procedures until we get it all where it needs to be."
As part of that fine-tuning, he said that interior gates in the school would be unlocked earlier, and that students late to school will be directed to enter campus only through front gate near the attendance windows, so tardy students can be processed more efficiently.
Posted by courier at 09:24 AM. Filed under: News
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By Daniel Carvajal,
Courier Staff Writer
The upcoming scheduled minimum day set for April 24 has been canceled as was the last scheduled on on February 27.
These days had been set to be minimum days when the academic schedule for the year was set back in August, but with first semester final exams taking three days rather that the usual two days, the minimum days must be canceled in order to have students in classes for enough time to satisfy state requirements, school administrators say.
Posted by courier at 05:33 AM. Filed under: News
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By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer
The New Haven Unified School District and the New Haven Teachers Association announced today that a tentative agreement has been reached on a three-year contract, through June 2011.
District Superintendent Dr. Pat Jaurequi and NHTA President Charmaine Kawaguchi jointly announced the agreement, which was reached after only five days of bargaining, a sharp contrast from the previous round of negotiations. In 2005, the two sides narrowly averted a strike.
Posted by courier at 11:56 AM. Filed under: News
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By Jamie Maxfield, Courier Staff Writer
Student forums have been going on for about five years now at James Logan, though they have stopped recently and some are questioning if they are worth the time they take out of the school day.
Efren Gonsalez, a junior, said he thinks that the student forums are stupid because they make the students waste their time answering questions that they never see the results of. He said he does not think that enough people take them seriously because they don’t enjoy the forums. With the repetitive questions being asked to the students, there seems to be nothing but foolish answers that will not really help anything. Gonsalez believes that if there were better questions asked that interest the students the forums would become more productive rather than a waste of time.
Posted by courier at 08:57 AM. Filed under: News
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By Christina Karma,
Courier Staff Writer
The American Red Cross will again ask James Logan students to give the gift of life by donating their blood.
Twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring, the organization sets up shop, usually in the Alfonso Roderigues Gymnasium to draw blood from students. Their spring visit this year will be April 9.
Participants are taken out of their classes for a short amount of time to donate blood.
Posted by courier at 08:08 AM. Filed under: News
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Jerry Ortega
Debbie Ly/Courier Photo,
Courier Staff Writer
Jerry Ortega, James Logan’s current “Materials and Equipment Clerk”, is set to retire in August 2008. After working for James Logan and the New Haven Unified School District for the past 17 years, Ortega’s career will soon come to an end.
As the Materials and Equipment Clerk, Ortega’s main duties throughout the year are ordering and receiving supplies, maintaining the stock, and distributing them to teachers as needed. He is also responsible for distributing the books during Language Arts book rotations, and making sure that the teacher access copy equipment is off and running.
Posted by courier at 02:56 PM. Filed under: News
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By Bob Fernandez
The Philadelphia Inquirer (MCT)
PHILADELPHIA — Software whiz Bram Cohen released BitTorrent for free on the Internet in 2002 so his hippie friends could swap concert videos. The first big success was a Grateful Dead concert.
Today, Cohen's peer-to-peer technology is so popular and powerful that it accounts at times for 50 percent of Internet data traffic, and has the potential to alter the economics of broadband Internet for companies like Comcast Corp. and millions of consumers.
Posted by courier at 12:24 PM. Filed under: News
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