Senior Volunteer Dies

Raymond V. McCarville, former Monrovia Senior Volunteer of the Year, died at age 85.

http://tinyurl.com/27b94wx

- Brad Haugaard

Sustainability Fair Pix

Some pictures of the Sustainability Fair, including a picture of the planned train station.

- Brad Haugaard

End Monrovia Property Tax?

A petition to end Monrovia's property tax has been filed with the city. The measure will apparently be on next April's municipal ballot.

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_16163636

- Brad Haugaard

Football: San Dimas 35, Wildcats 34 :-(

So close.

http://tinyurl.com/2ecuw8v

- Brad Haugaard

Mars Scientists To Monrovia

Wired Magazine reports that hundreds of space scientists will come to Monrovia next week to decide where the next Mars rover should land.

http://tinyurl.com/36qwhzo

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Finalist in Community Policing Competition

The International Association of Chiefs of Police has made Monrovia's Community Activist Policing program a finalist for its Community Policing Award.

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_16154361

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Amazing Continuation High School

Teacher/administrator John Russell and Principal Flint Fertig.

Continuation high schools don't send their graduates to four-year colleges. Just doesn't happen.
Except that it does - big time - in Monrovia, and maybe only in Monrovia.

Flint Fertig, principal of Monrovia's Canyon Oaks High School (a continuation school, though Fertig prefers calling it "alternative" because of the negative associations of "continuation"), said he was at a Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) meeting and heard someone say that he had heard from someone that there was a continuation student somewhere who had been accepted at a four-year school, but then again... he wasn't sure.

So, apparently the percentage of contiunation high school students who go to four-year colleges is essentially zero, except for Monrovia's program, which this year has had an astonishing 32 percent of its 2009-10 grads (27 students total) accepted to four-year schools.
Thirty two percent!?

Yup. Fertig said that for forty years Monrovia's continuation program matched the lousy record of other continuation schools in sending zero grads to four-year schools. None in 40 years! Then, for the 2007-08 school year, one student went to Cal State LA and in 2008-09 two students went to four-year schools, and now, in 2009-10, 27 students were accepted at four-year schools.

Incredible for a continuation school! How does it compare - on average - to regular high schools?

Fertig said, "I don't think anywhere near 32 percent of regular high school students go on to four year schools."

His students have been accepted to such schools as UC Irvine, Cal State LA, and Cal Poly Pomona. "They're not," Fertig admitted, "going to Stanford or Harvard ... yet."

And in case you were wondering, the Monrovia continuation program does not have some unusual set of students. The demographics are like those of any other continuation school. Single parent homes, or zero-parent homes, students in trouble at school and with the law (Fertig guesstimates maybe 60 percent are on probation.) And some of them, administrator/teacher John Russell adds, are from "horrific backgrounds."

Okay, so what I really want to know is: How do you bottle this?

So, with that in mind, let me highlight some principles that seemed to emerge as I listended to Fertig and Russell talk about their school.

Accreditation and State Standards
Fertig said his first goal on joining the Monrovia School District in 2007 (from West Covina High) was to get the district's continuation program accredited by WASC, and to do that meant aligning the school's curriculum with state requirements.

So, I ask, You mean continuation schools are generally NOT accredited and their curriculums are generally NOT aligned with state requirements?

Fertig and Russell said they frequently are not.

Sigh.

Russell said that in aligning with the state requirements the teaching staff "stripped out the minutia" and focused on the core elements of each state requirement and so impressed the accreditation team that the school got a three-year initial accreditation instead of the standard one-year initial accreditation.
Accreditation, by the way, means coursework counts for colleges. If you take a math class from an accredited school then the college agrees that you have really taken the math class. Also, students from accredited schools can get financial aid, which is a pretty big deal.

A Good Environment
Fertig and Russell describe a school environment that is loving (I get the feeling that staff almost consider themselves surrogate parents) and strict. And this seems to have instilled a sense of school pride among the students.

Fertig - who looks like he could handle himself if push came, literally, to shove - tells of starting his job by facing off tough guys and checking students as they arrived at school to make sure they were dressed according to the school's code. If not, he called a parent to pick up the student or bring a change of clothes. "We have a dress code and rules, and we're very, very strict. The kids hated me for a while," he said, "but hugged me on the graduation podium."

"The kids are so proud of this school," he said. "It's spotless! And these were taggers! In other schools," he said, reaching around to a computer keyboard in the library, "the keys have been pulled out of the keyboards. But here they sense that the teachers care about them."

I had to agree. The library was beautiful and the grounds were in good repair and untagged. The janitor there has it easy.

Fertig said it is a safe place for students who have had it rough. "We almost never have fights," he said. "We've had two fights in four years."

The students, he said, even took it upon themselves - and without the knowledge of the staff - to have a "Nerd Day," in which the whole school dressed up as nerds. Fertig said that in a regular high school you might have 10 percent participation, but here, he said, virtually the whole school participated.

Superstar Teachers
Key to the school's success are the teachers, and both Fertig and Russell call them "superstars."
They try to be a bit delicate about it, but clearly neither Fertig or Russell (who was about to quit when Fertig arrived) were thrilled about the situation when Fertig first came to the school.

"A good principal," Fertig said, "can change the teachers, who in turn can change the test scores."
He said it takes a unique person to teach at Canyon Oaks, and you "help the others find something else." Some teachers, he said, decided that "this is not the place for me to work."

Since he had built a following at Covina High School, he brought some teachers from there as openings occurred. He said it is rare for a tenured teacher to leave, so when they do, "you have to replace them with superstars."

And by "superstars," they mean teachers who have taught AP and honors students. Russell adds that they should be flexible. And Fertig says, "I look for passion."

Fertig is flexible himself. Russell said Fertig steps in and teaches, taking the most difficult students off the hands of the teaching staff, actually making the students open their books and do work. He's not babysitting.

Persistence also seems to be important. Russell said that "some kids are hard to reach for a long time, but if you keep working with them then something eventurally flips."

But how do you attract superstar teachers - who could presumably be teaching in La Canada or San Marino to advanced students - to a continuation school in Monrovia?

"There is always some hesitance," Fertig said. "They need to know the school is well run, safe, and has the resources. We've created that environment. The best and brightest want to be here."

Data-Driven Innovation
Another key to success is using data to modify teaching techniques.

Russell said the teachers examine the test scores to see what they have done that works and what they have done that didn't work, then adjust their teaching.

And, because the same technique may not work with each student, they can select the best technique for different students.

For example, if a student is disruptive, maybe he will be assigned to do his work alone at a computer. And because Fertig is in charge of all the district's alternative programs, he is well positioned to find a program or technique that fits the student.

Other Factors
Another big factor for success is money. Much of it - in these days of limited educational budgets - comes from grants. And, of course, support from the district office is critical.  Fertig said the district has been very supportive of their "crazy" efforts.

So, with all its success, you'd think the educational establishment would be beating a path to Canyon Oaks' door to find out how to emulate its success, and, well, Fertig says maybe the establishment would beat a path to the door if its success was better known. "Education would be turned on its ear if they walked in here," he said.

I walk away sort of wishing I'd gone to Canyon Oaks High School, even though as a kid I didn't get in much trouble ... although there was that incident of the - oh, never mind. Anyway, if you know students who might benefit from it, Fertig says the school can even accept students from other districts.

- Brad Haugaard

Shoo Big Kitty! ... and Other Police Activities

[From Monrovia Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for Sept. 16-22. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 549 service events, resulting in 116 investigations.  Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:

Residential Burglary

September 17 at 1:39 p.m., an officer went to a residence in the 400 block of Park Rose regarding a burglary.  The victim told the officer he had filing boxes with old checks, receipts and documents from an old business that no longer exits.  The boxes were kept near his front door, which is kept open a lot.  Someone apparently entered the residence and took the boxes.  Nothing else was taken.

Residential Burglary

September 17 at 3:10 p.m., a resident in the 500 block of West Foothill reported she had just returned home from work and someone had broken into her home.  An officer responded and cleared the location.  Entry was made through a side door.  Some jewelry and old checks were taken, but the victim was unsure if anything else was taken.  Investigation continuing.

Commercial Burglary - Suspects Arrested

September 17 at 3:51 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington regarding a male and a female in custody for shoplifting.  The officer determined the subjects had committed burglary; both were arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested

September 18 at 1:08 a.m., an officer noticed a vehicle traveling south on Myrtle that was following another vehicle too closely.  He noticed the driver was also swerving on the roadway.  He stopped the driver and during the investigation, determined the driver was under the influence.  The driver was arrested.

Domestic Violence / Battery on a Peace Officer

September 19 at 2:28 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 00 block of Hidden Valley regarding a domestic violence incident in progress.  When they arrived, the husband was attempting to restrain his wife, who was intoxicated and violent.  As an officer entered the location, he was pushed by the wife.  The officers were able to restrain the wife and she was taken into custody without further incident.  The husband was bleeding and had sustained visible injuries.  He did not desire medical treatment.  The wife was not injured.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle - Suspects Arrested

September 19 at 7:20 p.m., an officer on patrol located a stolen vehicle in the area of California, near Duarte.  He followed the vehicle into a parking lot in Duarte.  Additional Monrovia officers were requested to assist in a high-risk traffic stop.  Two suspects were arrested and later interviewed.  After investigation, the female driver was charged with grand theft auto and receiving stolen property.  The male passenger was released, pending further investigation.

Mountain Lion Sighting

September 20 at 10:20 p.m., police received the report of a mountain lion sighted in a backyard in the 700 block of Oakglade.  Officers were able to direct it back into the hills.

Airport Plaque

Councilman Tom Adams said there is a plaque on the front of Albertsons about the old Monrovia Airport. Yup. That I didn't know that shows I don't do much shopping for my family I guess.

- Brad Haugaard

Three Non-Fiction Books for Three Dollars

You can get three hardback or trade-paperback non-fiction books for $3 at the Friends of the Monrovia Public Library bookstore through September 25 (i.e. Saturday). To get to the bookstore, walk in first set of doors at Monrovia Public Library. It is immediately on the left.

- Brad Haugaard

Lutz is Citizen of the Year

Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz will be honored by the Luck Baldwin District Boy Scouts as "2010 Citizen of the Year."

http://tinyurl.com/25c6dow

- Brad Haugaard

City Beat News

City Beat, a joint City, KGEM and Chamber of Commerce video production, is now airing on cable stations 3 (Time Warner) and 6 (Champion). This month's topics:
 
* The Sustainability Expo, featuring an interview with Heather Maloney of the City's Environmental Services Staff
* The Formative Years Program with Police Lt. Jaime Alfaro
* Business Development, featuring the newest corporate residents on Huntington Drive - Living Spaces, Henry's Market and Kohl's Department Store.

Air Times: http://tinyurl.com/27rgtjq

- Brad Haugaard

Where in Monrovia?

Another one of my Monrovia paintings. The location of this one shouldn't be hard to guess.

- Brad Haugaard

Students Designing Super Fuel-Efficient Car

Monrovia High students are designing a super fuel-efficient car to enter the Shell Eco-Marathon in Texas next year. Last year MHS came in 18th out of 34 vehicles. Details here:
http://tinyurl.com/2walh66

Did Argument Lead to Fatal Crash?

Did an in-car argument lead to the fatal crash that killed a Monrovia woman?

http://tinyurl.com/2emwcok

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovian Rises Above Polio

An inspiring story of a Monrovia polio survivor who didn't let it defeat him, but has taken up para-triathlons, in which he races in a wheelchair, hand-propelled cycle, and swims.

http://tinyurl.com/2gy3m3f

- Brad Haugaard

City Manager: Sacramento Fiddles While Rome Burns

I don't think Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa is a fan of the state legislature. This comment is from his weekly report:

"Among the issues and bills Monrovia tracks are the Bell-related disclosure pieces of legislation and Prop 22. The Bell legislation is mostly political grandstanding by the Legislature - the proof? A bill that would have required the Legislature to live under the same rules as those being imposed on cities died a quiet death in the Senate. A budget 90 days late, and they fiddle while Rome burns..."

http://tinyurl.com/29h2k57

- Brad Haugaard

Is LA Times Investigating Monrovia, Other Cities?

From Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa's weekly report:

"Seeing as the Bell-scandal is the gift that keeps on giving, the LA Times is now requesting a great deal of information from (I believe) all cities. Specifically, the paper wants - going back to January 1, 2005 - all redevelopment agency documents relating to legal services, lobbying services, any professional services contracts over $10,000 a year, bond counsel and bond underwriting fees, any maintenance services contracts over $100,000 a year. They also want detailed information on our towing contractor. Luckily, we have much of this information on hand because our own local gadflies make similar types of requests. Still, this is a pretty tall order."

http://tinyurl.com/29h2k57

- Brad Haugaard

Cops at Friday Night Activities

The city has assigned two bicycle officers to patrol Library Park and the Pavilions shopping area because some juveniles "were acting as you would expect for teenagers to act - generally goofy and sometimes wild." That according to City Manager Scott Ochoa, who said in his weekly report that, "Much of this problem would be abated if parents would simply keep track of and supervise their kids."

http://tinyurl.com/29h2k57

- Brad Haugaard

In-N-Out Burger Approved for Home Depot Parking Lot

City Manager Scott Ochoa reports that the Planning Commission has approved a proposed In-N-Out Burger, to be located in the Home Depot parking lot along Evergreen Avenue. He estimates that "by July 2011, we should all be enjoying delicious burgers, fries and shakes. Good work by our Community Development Department to keep this project moving forward!"

- Brad Haugaard