EYE ON EDUCATION A Publication of the Paramount Unified School District
15110 CALIFORNIA AVE., PARAMOUNT, CA 90723 • TEL: 562-602-6000 • FAX: 562-634-6029
MAY 2008
Association of California School Administrators ACSA’s Top Awards Region 14 Superintendent of the Year Award The Association of California School Administrators Executive Board recently announced the recipient of its annual Region 14 “Superintendent of the Year Award”. This year’s award recipient is Dr. David Verdugo, the Superintendent of the Paramount Unified School District. Dr. Verdugo was nominated and selected as Superintendent of the Year in Region 14 which includes the following School Districts: ABC, Bellflower, Downey, Beverly Hills, Compton, Culver City, Inglewood, Long Beach, Torrance, Norwalk-La Mirada,
Superintendent, Dr. David Verdugo is joined Board members Linda Garcia, Vivian Hansen, Alicia Anderson, Sonya Cuellar and his secretary Isela Preciado during the ACSA Region XIV Administrator Awards Recognition Dinner.
Santa Monica/Malibu and the South Bay comprised of
Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Lawndale, Wiseburn,
Lennox, Hawthorne and Palos Verdes. Dr. Verdugo has served as the Superintendent in Paramount Unified School District for the past three years. The award is presented by ACSA Region 14 in recognition of administrative achievement and performance. Verdugo stated, “this is a great honor and it is truly a reflection of the “team effort” that we have established here in Paramount. This award could not be realized without all the great work taking place by all the members of our team. That includes our Board, our teach-
ers, our classified employees and our administrators”. In addition, Verdugo added that the great progress we have been witnessing in Paramount Unified School District is also a result of all the stakeholders who consist of our students, parents and City who truly desire to see a brighter future for our children. A Celebration of Leadership reception was held in late April which was sponsored by The Association of California School Administrators Region 14 recognizing Dr. Verdugo for his work.
When Big Corporations and Schools Collaborate, Students Are The Winners! Microsoft’s DigiGirlz Day is a one-day event designed to provide girls in grades 6 through 12 with a better understanding of what a career in technology is all about. The students have the chance to use cool Microsoft Technologies, learn about various careers in technology, and interact with Microsoft employees and executives to learn what it’s like to work in the dynamic world of Microsoft. Participants in DigiGirlz Day gain a better understanding of the various opportunities available in the hightech field of technology. They also gain a better understanding of how they can turn their current interests into a future career. During spring break, twenty lucky girls of Howard Tanner School eagerly rode the bus to
Microsoft Technologies in Irvine, California. They were anxious to explore the career opportunities they had heard of in class but had not seen in action. Fortunately, they did not have to wait long.
Soon after exiting the bus, they ventured into the Envisioning Center where Microsoft staff member Brittany Ngo provided powerful demos and simulations of the life at Microsoft. Then
the lucky girls were provided with an internet safety workshop that helped them learn how to cautiously navigate the world wide web. This workshop was held in Microsoft’s state of the art conference room where students were able to conference via phone, video, and messaging to each other and the Microsoft staff members. As the students completed the first part of their day, Matt Kestian, the Director of Microsoft Technology Center, joined the group and spoke about the services the Technology Center provides to their clients while following up his presentation with an exciting guided tour. The interactive tour allowed him to better explain the process they follow as they service their clients. Students were also given a hands-on mini-lesson on computer software. Mr. Kestian concluded his presentation with an explanation of the various career opportunities available at Microsoft and the need for more women in the booming field of technology. Through out the visit Mr. Kestian and Ms. Ngo remarked how excited they were to see the girls at Howard Tanner ask-
ing such insightful questions and taking full advantage of the day’s events to gain a better understanding of this career field. A few students were even recruited for volunteer work as “game-testers.” At the end of the day, students were provided with goody bags which included Microsoft software. Howard Tanner School’s “DigiGirlz” will be forming into teams and using their software to design websites for the middle school teachers. The DigiGirlz program helped our female students explore the traditionally male-oriented field of technology. Many of our students left with a new found interest in technology and a desire to pursue a career in this fast growing field. Some young ladies have already begun inquiring and preparing for internship opportunities. Keep an eye out, because ten years from now the next software on the market may have been the idea of one of Howard Tanner School’s DigiGirlz! Caroline Lopez Counselor Tanner School
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DATES May 13, 2008 – May 27, 2008 Board of Education meetings are held at 6:00 p.m. in the Boardroom at the District Office, 15110 California Avenue, Paramount, and are open to the public