Textbooks

Gary Moskowitz NORTHWEST DISTRICT -- Science teachers from Burbank's three middle schools met Wednesday to quickly review their newly purchased science textbooks before school begins next week. Barbara Weiss, a sixth- and seventh-grade science teacher at Luther Burbank Middle School, said new books are usually purchased about every six or seven years. "In purchasing these new textbooks, we are responding to new state standards that decide when we teach specific things," said Weiss, who served on the textbook adoption committee that began reviewing potential textbooks last February.

In response to a letter to the Leader by Ena Doerzapf, I would like the citizens of Burbank to know that the Board of Education of the Burbank Unified School District approved the new construction of Burbank High School and John Burroughs High School without lockers after much thought and deliberation. They took into consideration the issue of students having to carry heavy textbooks from home to school and back again. In the fall of 2000, a high school textbook committee, composed of parents, students, teachers, library coordinators, administrators and a board member, was established.

BURBANK — With the approval of new text books for Burbank Unified School District elementary classes, students could soon be making beautiful music together. For the first time in at least a decade, all elementary school classes in the district will receive music instruction from the district's two new music teachers while working with a text to supplement the instructor's curriculum and California teaching standards. "We haven't adopted a new music textbook for elementary schools for many years," Deputy Supt.

SEATING AND ELECTION OF BOARD OFFICERS The board elected Debbie Kukta president of the board. Larry Applebaum became vice president and Dave Kemp was elected clerk. Roberta Reynolds, former President of the PTA, claimed her member's seat on the board for the first time. She replaced John Dilibert, who did not seek reelection. WHAT IT MEANS Kukta will now conduct all board meetings. VOTE: 5-0 ATHLETIC FIELD AT BURBANK UPGRADE The board approved upgrades and modernization to the athletic field and baseball field at Burbank High School.

Jacqui Brown Budget cuts at Burbank Unified School District have forced officials to cut by 25% the hours of media specialists at Jordan and Luther Burbank middle schools, and the schools are feeling the pressure. Carol Simpson, Jordan's library coordinator, is hoping that the school board will reconsider making these positions full-time again. They work six-hour days now. The specialists handle anything media-related, including text books and videos.

Gov. Gray Davis has signed legislation written by Assemblymen Dario Frommer (D-Burbank) and Rod Pacheco (R-Riverside) aimed at reducing children's health risks that result from excessive backpack weight. Assembly Bill 2532, signed into law Sept. 29 by Davis, requires the state Board of Education to adopt maximum weight standards for elementary and secondary school textbooks. Supporters of AB 2532 included the California Chiropractic Assn., the California Physical Therapist Assn.

Molly Shore NORTHWEST DISTRICT -- Students at Bret Harte Elementary School and their parents attended Family Literacy Night Tuesday in the school's library. It was one of several events of the school's seventh annual Literature Extravaganza, held throughout the month. This year, Family Literacy Night's emphasis was information technology. "The goal is to make students more successful in comprehending what they read, especially history, social science, and science textbooks, which are more difficult to comprehend," Assistant Principal Kathleen Murphy said.

Textbooks aren?t supposed to have personality. They aren?t supposed to be casual or friendly, welcoming a reader to investigate an unfamiliar subject. Textbooks are supposed to be rigid and factual. The late Walt Stanchfield didn?t seem to adhere to the usual textbook rules, though. During his 60-year career in animation, Stanchfield developed a penchant for thinking ? and drawing ? outside the box. While working for Disney in the 1970s and ?80s, he successfully established weekly drawing classes for young animators and other interested artists to learn from his experience.

For Larry Newman, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School’s band director, a high-definition camera and weekly lessons at the Apple Store were all it took to secure an Emmy Award. Newman, who accepted the award on Sept. 6, won for his film, “Children’s Music Workshop: 2007 All Schools Honor Orchestra,” in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Children/Youth and Music Programming. The film featured nine Burbank Unified School District elementary school students — Alec Bieker, Abhi Varma, Ayaka Kojima, Alex Tarandek, Alan Edgar, Pablo Edgar, Nicole Bieker, William Dougall and Nick Van Loo. The work shows the annual UCLA concert of 130 honors orchestra students enrolled in his Children’s Music Workshop program.

Textbooks aren?t supposed to have personality. They aren?t supposed to be casual or friendly, welcoming a reader to investigate an unfamiliar subject. Textbooks are supposed to be rigid and factual. The late Walt Stanchfield didn?t seem to adhere to the usual textbook rules, though. During his 60-year career in animation, Stanchfield developed a penchant for thinking ? and drawing ? outside the box. While working for Disney in the 1970s and ?80s, he successfully established weekly drawing classes for young animators and other interested artists to learn from his experience.

For Larry Newman, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School’s band director, a high-definition camera and weekly lessons at the Apple Store were all it took to secure an Emmy Award. Newman, who accepted the award on Sept. 6, won for his film, “Children’s Music Workshop: 2007 All Schools Honor Orchestra,” in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Children/Youth and Music Programming. The film featured nine Burbank Unified School District elementary school students — Alec Bieker, Abhi Varma, Ayaka Kojima, Alex Tarandek, Alan Edgar, Pablo Edgar, Nicole Bieker, William Dougall and Nick Van Loo. The work shows the annual UCLA concert of 130 honors orchestra students enrolled in his Children’s Music Workshop program.

Jan Britz, assistant superintendent of instructional services, reported on the results of the 2007 State Accountability Progress Reports to the board. The test results included the district?s Academic Performance Index and Adequate Yearly Progress scores. ? The district is in for a challenge in reaching its testing progress goals for the coming years in accordance with the No Child Left Behind Act. The Adequate Yearly Progress expectations of English and math subject proficiency in the district must increase gradually to 100% by the year 2014.

BURBANK — With the approval of new text books for Burbank Unified School District elementary classes, students could soon be making beautiful music together. For the first time in at least a decade, all elementary school classes in the district will receive music instruction from the district's two new music teachers while working with a text to supplement the instructor's curriculum and California teaching standards. "We haven't adopted a new music textbook for elementary schools for many years," Deputy Supt.

BURBANK ? Teachers rely on them, class days revolve around them ? the importance of textbooks should not be underestimated, said Burbank Unified School District Supt. Gregory Bowman. The selection process for new textbooks, however, is threatened by a lack of state funding and complicated by a district requirement that, in a particular subject, the same publisher be used for multiple grades. In the next four years, committees of elementary and middle school teachers will be juggling these issues as they make new selections, shedding old textbooks for new ones.

Jacqui Brown Budget cuts at Burbank Unified School District have forced officials to cut by 25% the hours of media specialists at Jordan and Luther Burbank middle schools, and the schools are feeling the pressure. Carol Simpson, Jordan's library coordinator, is hoping that the school board will reconsider making these positions full-time again. They work six-hour days now. The specialists handle anything media-related, including text books and videos.

In response to a letter to the Leader by Ena Doerzapf, I would like the citizens of Burbank to know that the Board of Education of the Burbank Unified School District approved the new construction of Burbank High School and John Burroughs High School without lockers after much thought and deliberation. They took into consideration the issue of students having to carry heavy textbooks from home to school and back again. In the fall of 2000, a high school textbook committee, composed of parents, students, teachers, library coordinators, administrators and a board member, was established.

Gov. Gray Davis has signed legislation written by Assemblymen Dario Frommer (D-Burbank) and Rod Pacheco (R-Riverside) aimed at reducing children's health risks that result from excessive backpack weight. Assembly Bill 2532, signed into law Sept. 29 by Davis, requires the state Board of Education to adopt maximum weight standards for elementary and secondary school textbooks. Supporters of AB 2532 included the California Chiropractic Assn., the California Physical Therapist Assn.

Molly Shore NORTHWEST DISTRICT -- Students at Bret Harte Elementary School and their parents attended Family Literacy Night Tuesday in the school's library. It was one of several events of the school's seventh annual Literature Extravaganza, held throughout the month. This year, Family Literacy Night's emphasis was information technology. "The goal is to make students more successful in comprehending what they read, especially history, social science, and science textbooks, which are more difficult to comprehend," Assistant Principal Kathleen Murphy said.