By: Deborah Cahill
As a secondary school teacher in California for a number of years and as a classroom teacher for over 25 years I can at “test” to the fact that one of the major complaints teachers have is that we spend far too much time teaching to the test and then taking even more time out from our regular courses of study to complete the tests! It has gotten to the point where we loose weeks each year on tests which teachers feel are unnecessary and really devalue our time. As a result, the amount of material we love to teach and which excites the students, and which we have been able to cover, seems to diminish each year. Here is a brief article that addresses that concern.
California’s Top Teachers Say Law Hampers Classroom Creativity, According To Study.
California’s Press Enterprise (1/26, Straehley) reported, “The best teachers don’t like the effects of the No Child Left Behind act, saying it hampers creativity in the classroom and makes it harder to teach students to love learning,” according to a UC Riverside study published in Policy Matters today. Researchers “surveyed 740 national board certified teachers in California” and “found that 84 percent reported overall unfavorable attitudes about the” law. Many teachers said that “too much class time is devoted to teaching what’s on the state tests, and there’s little time left for creative and fun lessons.” Titled, “Does the No Child Left Behind Act Help or Hinder K-12 Education,” the reports also says that “teachers did see value in the focus and high expectations set by the act, but” did not see NCLB as helping students reach those standards.
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Posted by Deborah Cahill on January 28th, 2010
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The Oaks of Calabasas
The Oaks of Calabasas—Los Angeles County’s premier master-planned community. Years of thoughtful planning have created neighborhoods of the highest caliber and have taken into consideration the largest to the smallest of details.
The Oaks’ geographic location is prime—chosen for its beauty, availability of views and vistas and serenity, but also for its convenience to excellent schools, shopping and entertainment and outdoor recreation. Residents enjoy a 24-hour guarded entrance, well-maintained grounds and a 3 1/2 acre community park that includes a multi-use clubhouse, champion sized pool, kiddie pool, tennis and sport courts, a picnic area, playing field and a jogging/walking trail.
Calabasas, California
It is generally accepted that Calabasas means "pumpkin," "squash," or "gourd," derived from the Spanish calabaza. Some historians hold the theory that Calabasas is a translation of the Chumash word calahoosa. In honor of its namesake, the city's Chamber of Commerce holds an annual Pumpkin Festival in October, including carnival games, exhibits, demonstrations, and live entertainment. The festival has evolved from a small town fair to an annual event. Though the location of the Pumpkin Festival changes from year to year, the original festival was meant to have taken place where, according to legend, a traveling wagon carrying pumpkins overturned and started the area's first pumpkin patch.
The City's official logo, depicting the red-tailed hawk flying over the Santa Monica Mountains, symbolizes a commitment to preserving the community's natural beauty and semi-rural quality of life. The City logo is featured on the Calabasas City flag which is flown in front of City Hall and hangs in the City Council Chambers.
Education
Calabasas residents are zoned to schools in the Las Virgenes Unified School District, which also includes nearby Agoura Hills. Students within the district can fairly easily choose to attend either high school.
Between the years of 1997 to 2001 and 2005 to 2009 Calabasas High School[23] had hired a new principal at the beginning of every school year.
In January 2004, A. C. Stelle Middle School was opened on the corner of Mulholland Highway and Paul Revere Ave.
Calabasas is also home to the private Viewpoint School and Calmont School.[24] It is also home to the elementary schools Round Meadow Elementary and Chaparral Elementary.
Civic Center
n July 2008 under the financial leadership of Dr. Gary Lysik, Chief Financial Officer for Calabasas, the City completed construction of a brand new civic center and library complex. Located at 100 Civic Center Way, the two building complex is the first municipal-owned and constructed 'green' civic center structure in the state of California. It is estimated that the complex cost approximately $45,000,000 to complete. This figure includes the outright purchase of the land on which the complex sits.
Notable Residents of Calabasas
Calabasas is the home of rock band Incubus- all five of their original members were born and raised in Calabasas. / The Kardashians (including Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner) also live in Calabasas / Justin Berfield, Reese from "Malcolm in the Middle" TV Show. / The most recent famous additions are pop singer Britney Spears who has moved to the Prado De Los Suenos house in The Oaks community for 8.9 million dollars and a high ranking member of her security team who purchased a home that is said to be valued at more than 12 million dollars and is also located in the elite The Oaks Of Calabasas Community. / Also, american rock legend Meat Loaf resides just outside of Calabasas, California, near Saddle Peak and Calabasas Peak.
Calabasas Peak Trail
The four mile trail, constructed for pedestrian and equestrian use, completely surrounds our 557-home community. Oaks residents can access the trail just outside the main 'Oaks of Calabasas' entry gates.
