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Navajo School News


July 1997

Navajo School News

Cuyamaca & Grossmont Colleges

Applications are being accepted now for fall semester at Cuyamaca and Grossmont Colleges. To begin the enrollment process, you need to complete an application form from the Admissions and Records Office on either campus.

Class schedules are available at either campus bookstore, at Admission and Records offices and from newsstands at the entrance to each campus. Catalogs are available for purchase at either bookstore.

For more information, call Grossmont College at 644-7186. Admission and Records Office hours are 8 to 7 Monday to Thursday and 8 to 3 on Friday.
For information on Cuyamaca College, call 660-4275. Cuyamaca Admissions and Records Office hours are 8 to 7 Monday to Thursday, 8 to 4:30 on Friday and 9 to 1 on Saturday.

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Foster Elementary School

The Allied Gardens Community Council presented two wagon loads of toys to Foster Elementary School for use in the school's sandbox. The AGCC also presented one of the two wagons containing the toys. The second wagon was donated by Pat Burkes. Principal Kay Pittman and teacher Bobbi Wiley accepted the toys from Marty Marcus, school board representative for the AGCC, and Betty Torre, President of AGCC.

Wiley discussed the need for the toys with Burkes, a former AGCC Board member, who approached AGCC to donate the items. Pat then shopped around for the appropriate mix of toys at the best price.

Principal Pittman discussed the value of the sandbox toys in developing social skills among children. She stressed that the fun was not limited to only the younger children, but provided even 6th graders an opportunity to express themselves artistically.

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The school office closed will reopen on Tuesday, August 19th. Class assignments for the 1997-98 school year will be posted on August 29th. School begins on Tuesday, September 2nd.

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Beginning September 2nd, Foster will have on-site before and after school care provided by SAY San Diego (Social Advocates for Youth) in the school cafeteria area. Care will be offered from 7 am to 9 am and from 12:20 to 6 pm.

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Gage Elementary School

Students from Carole Wilson's second grade class at Gage Elementary in San Carlos display the total mileage run by the entire student body during the 1996/97 school year. The 29,830 1/4 miles were tabulated as a math project for the class.

This is a special program organized by Coach Corey Brucker to promote health and physical fitness throughout the school. It is an optional activity offered before school and during recess. Each year Ralph's Supermarket donates hundreds of popsicles that are given to students after every 10 mile increment logged on their jogging cards. "That's almost 3,000 popsicles and the students learned that as a group they jogged more than once around the world.

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Police Officer Sgt. Mills reads one of his favorite children's stories to students at Gage Elementary School.

Eleven San Diego Police officers assigned the City's Eastern Division read nearly 60 books to Mrs. Wilson's second grade class at Gage Elementary during the last three months of school. This was a pilot project for the Navajo Community and is part of the Community Oriented Policing program instituted by the Police Department. According to Community Relations Police Officer Matt Hicks, "it is the Police Department's intent to make certain children learn that police officers are their friends and are much more than just someone who writes traffic tickets, arrests criminals. Mrs. Wilson stated "the children looked forward to the arrival of the police officers. It was a great learning opportunity for the students. In addition to reading to the students, the police officers discussed subjects such as bicycle and street safety, home security, and why you should not to talk to strangers. The officers continually emphasized good citizenship and the importance of doing well in school."

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Marvin Elementary School

A new principal will be greeting students at Marvin beginning with the '97-'98 school year. After six years at Marvin, Mr. Ernie McCray will become the principal at Cabrillo Elementary School in Point Loma. Before coming to Marvin, Mr. McCray was a principal in the San Diego Unified School District for the past 20 years. He also taught at Perry and Sherman Elementary. A native of Tucson, Arizona, Mr. McCray graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.S. in Physical and Health Education while playing four years of basketball for the Wildcats. He also went on to earn a Master's in Education. Mr. McCray's motto has always been, "To get up every morning to do something, no matter how small, to make the world a better place." He has done that by showing a genuine caring for Marvin students and encouraging them to be the "best they can be." The Marvin
community wishes him the best at his new school.

Joining the Marvin team is Mrs. Adele Lancaster, a principal for the previous seven years at Ocean Beach Elementary. Mrs. Lancaster comes to Marvin with a B.A. in Education from Cal Western and a Master's in Administration from Pt. Loma Nazarene College. She also has her credential in Special Education/Learning Handicapped from SDSU. A part of the San Diego Unified School District since 1965, Mrs. Lancaster has been a classroom teacher (2nd-4th grade), special education/learning handicapped classroom day teacher, a reading resource teacher, a vice principal and a principal. She's married, has helped numerous foster children over the years and has hosted exchange students from Sweden, Denmark and Japan. She loves to read and travel, but really enjoys "being a home body." She's a member of First United Methodist Church in Mission Valley and is a season ticket holder for Lambs Players. The staff, students and parents at Marvin welcome her aboard and look forward to working with her!

End-of-the-Year Marvin Mover Award Winners for 100% Participation in the Walking/Running Program are: Front Row (L to R): Cameron Ferrigno, Paige Presnall-Kelleher and Robin Fink. Back Row: Kristen Buono, Katie
Townsend, Rebecca Fink and Niall Presnall-Kelleher.

Patrick Henry High School

5x3Patrick Henry High School Varsity Women's Softball Team seniors (from left to right) include Catcher Michelle Merino, Pitcher Kelly Murphy, Head Coach John Ferguson, Left Fielder Lisa Talbot, First Base Person Laura Irwin and Shortstop Marianna Fenelli.

Patrick Henry High School's Varsity Women's Softball team led by coaches John Ferguson and Steve Miner won the Eastern League championship in the final game of the season with a thrilling 2 to 0 victory over second place Mira Mesa High School. Although PHHS was upset 1 to 0 in ten innings in the county playoffs, the team finished the season with an impressive record of 24 wins and 6 losses and ranked # 4 in the county.

Senior pitcher Kelly Murphy was selected Eastern League Player of the Year, All- C.I.F. First Team, All League First Team, and PHHS team Co-Most Valuable Player. Her pitching record led the team in wins (18), shutouts (12), strikeouts (157), and Earned Run Average (0.51).

Senior shortstop Mariannna Fenelli was also named All-C.I.F. First Team, All League First Team, and PHHS Co-Most Valuable Player. In addition to being one of the county's best defensive shortstops, she led the team in hits (48), runs (36), and batting average (.511).

Senior catcher Michelle Merino was selected All-C.I.F. Second Team, All League First Team, and PHHS Co-Most Valuable Player. In addition to her brilliant defensive play as catcher, she led the team in runs batted in (27) and doubles (10) and was second in batting average (.374).

Senior first base person Laura Irwin was selected All League Second Team. Laura who made numerous spectacular defensive plays at first base was voted PHHS Most Inspirational Player.

Senior left fielder Lisa Talbott was also named to the All League Second Team. Lisa was third on the team in both runs batted in (19) and batting average (.325).

Sophomore center fielder Ericka Lorenz was also picked All 'League Second Team. Lorenz who led the team in runs batted in (27), triples (10), and homers (2) was voted PHHS Best Offensive Player.

The remaining three PHHS starters - Sophomore second base person Monica Fenelli, Sophomore right fielder Lisa Bengtson, and Sophomore third base person Shawndy Sutherland - were all named All League Honorable Mention. In addition, Fenelli and Bengtson were voted PHHS Most Inspirational Players.

Other varsity players who contributed to the team's success were pitcher Liz Smith who won 6 games and utility players Kelsey Rewa, Kristin Irwin, and Renee Ontiveras.

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Patrick Henry High School will hold its annual fundraising Silent Auction on November 15th. This is the major fundraising event for the PHHS Foundation. The monies have been used in the past to support the school and students in many areas including art supplies, paper goods, lab equipment, baseball pitching machine, soccer equipment, college scholarships, etc. The event has been very popular in the community and each year the attendance has increased, with over 400 last year.

The success of the event is determined by the amount of monies raised. The key to that success is items auctioned. We are looking for donations of items for auction. If you or your business would like to help the school through a donation of an item to be auctioned, please contact Mike Pieratt at 287-6153. Be creative; if you have a service or an item that you feel someone would want, we could probably use it. In these times of limited budgets, the monies raised for the school are an important piece in making for a positive school year.

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Pershing Middle School

2-1/4x3Alan Fedder

Alan Fedder, Library Technician at Pershing Middle School, was named the San Diego City Schools Classified Man of the Year at a ceremony at the Education Center auditorium May 22nd. A former Pershing Junior High School student, Alan began his career at Pershing 20 years ago. He has extensive knowledge of library organization and procedures and expertise with computers and the Internet. But according to teachers and administrators who nominated him, his greatest strength lies in the assistance and encouragement he provides to students whom he takes time for, no matter how busy he is. He helps students by teaching them to find their own answers.

As Pershing became a middle school this year, Fedder found himself teaching not only the new students but also the new teachers in the use of computers and the library. One staff member said in praise of Alan, "He always goes that extra mile, and he puts a sparkle in the life of each student who comes across his path."


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