Hometown News Since 1889
Good News Real News Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXX, NO. XXXII
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020
COMMUNITY
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
ROBLAN OF THE YEAR 2019
2019 Beautification of the Year Award
PERRY SELECTED AS 2019 ROBLAN
LOCAL POLITICS
Local Activist Sets Sights on California Assembly Seat
Entrance to Oak Park in north Paso Robles highlights the improvement of the residences in the area. Photo by Melanie
DAWN ADDIS
McDowell
PR Housing Authority granted award for Oak Park transformation
Women’s March CoFounder, Dawn Addis, addresses bid for Calif. 35th District Assembly seat
By MELANIE MCDOWELL for the Paso Robles Press
By MARK DIAZ mark@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce granted the Beautification of the Year 2019 Award to the Paso Robles Housing Authority for the transformation of the Oak Park Community that has been ten years in the making. The Oak Park Community project has been a collaborative effort, led by Executive Director David Cooke. “It has been a big collaborative effort,” Cooke said. “What it comes down to is that it takes a lot of people, time and money to put these things together, and it is just great to see it all happen, and finally become a reality.” Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin said, “The transformation of the Oak Park areas is one of the more dramatic transfor-
NORTH COUNT Y — Being an educator, Morro Bay council member, co-founder of the Women’s March SLO and a local activist, Dawn Addis (D) is no stranger to having her voice heard. In November, Addis decided to use that voice to represent the California Assembly 35th District. “When I look back at the last four years,” Addis said, “I have been active and advocating and really out in the public eye. I haven’t seen as much positive change as we would like to see on the Central Coast.” Addis said that she doesn’t believe Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham adequately represents all of the Central Coast. “When I think about social issues, the incumbent just
CONTINUED ON PAGE A10
Mark Perry stands near the Paso Robles Carnegie Library, home of the Paso Robles Historical Society. Photo by Nic Mattson
Esteemed recognition honors lifetime of giving back When Paso Robles Cham- known her for quite some community members – and ber of Commerce CEO Gina time, so it was really special to it’s hard to believe that I rank Fitzpatrick contacted Mark hear the news from her.” up there with all of them. I’m PASO ROBLES — Mark on Christmas Day to notify His reaction? a lifelong Roblan, and I just Perry was born and raised him of the honor, it was an “I was pretty emotional,” love Paso Robles.” in Paso Robles, is a Bear- unexpected gift. Mark said. “There are so Calling the recognition an cat through and through, “ M y s o n , N o l a n , k e p t many people on the list of “honor and a privilege,” Mark contributes countless hours the secret and helped plan past Roblans of the Year that has a tough time believing to the community, and now the call,” Mark said. “I just are truly special – friends, that his name has been added he’s the Roblan of the Year thought Gina was calling to mentors, some of my past to the list. for 2019. say Merry Christmas! I’ve teachers and pr incipals, CONTINUED ON PAGE A10 By MEAGAN FRIBERG for the Paso Robles Press
CONTINUED ON PAGE A10
PASO ROBLES JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Does Paso Even Assign Homework? Chief Academic Officer explains District’s philosophy
S he said that teachers in the Once a student reaches the fourth week. The times stated are for standard one year. According to Hattie’s findPRJUSD have always assigned home- grade, the times increase to one hour students. According to the PRJUSD ings, “effect sizes” range from unhelpful work. per day, Monday through Thursday and policy, “students enrolled in Advanced at -0.2 percent to extremely producPASO ROBLES — After some The amount of time a student middle schoolers should not exceed 90 Placement and Honors courses may tive at 1.2 percent. The average — what recent questions on the topic, Carol is expected to spend after school minutes of homework per day, which have additional assignments outside he refers to as a hinge point — is 0.4 Kenyon, Paso Robles Joint Unified increases with age. Kenyon told equates to six hours per week on top of of the stated guidelines.” percent effectiveness. School District Chief Academic Offi- the Board that kindergartners and the more than 30 hours spent at school Kenyon stated that the homework “He is kind of a god in the education cer, explained the fundamentals of the first-graders should spend approxi- per regular school week. curriculum is based on the findings of world,” Kenyon said, adding that Hattie PRJUSD homework policy to the mately 15 minutes per day reading and The party is over once minors make author John Hattie, detailed in his book has been able to determine the most School Board at its last meeting. performing “appropriate math facts it to high school where their home- “Visible Learning.” Hattie pulled infor- effective teaching strategies based on “We actually do give homework at practice,” Monday through Thursday. work time is limited to five hours per mation provided from multiple stud- his research. Paso Robles Joint Unified,” Kenyon said Second and third-graders are required day per course. In an extreme scenario ies to compile metadata statistics in his Hattie’s research shows that the to the Board. “But it is important that to spend 35 minutes per day, with the (or a perfect storm from the student’s research. He then determined which “effect size” of homework falls below the we all have an understanding of what majority spent on reading and then perspective), they could spend well over teaching practices produced the best desired .04 measurement for elementary CONTINUED ON PAGE A10 that looks like across the district.” math skills. 80 hours doing school work in one results to achieve one year’s growth in By MARK DIAZ mark@pasoroblespress.com
pasoroblespress.com
SPORTS
KRISTIN SMART WARRIORS FOR KRISTIN PRESENT
twitter.com/ @PasoRoblesPress
PASO ROBLES to build new shelter | A8
WOMEN’S MARCH attendees explain their reasons for marching | A4
WEATHER
Please join your friends and neighbors in this peaceful demonstration to honor the legacy and the quest for justice for Kristin Smart!
Saturday, February 1 5:00 PM
67808 24135
WHY THE MARCH?
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR
facebook.com/ @PasoRoblesPress
5
ECHO SHELTER SLO
7
CAL POLY reciever J.J. Koski set to play in All-Star game at Rose Bowl | B1
SANTA ROSA PARK SAN LUIS OBISPO
DEVELOPMENT in Smart case brings new excitement to case | A3
The Paso Robles Press
High 64 • Low 44
Paso Robles. Real News.
Stay connected with your community.
Good News • Real News • Your Hometown News
pasoroblespress.com