Compton Unified School District

Sep 20 2012

Budget shortfalls loom large

Darin Brawley has been appointed the new Superintendent of Compton Unified School District at a very tough time.

He replaces interim superintendent Carmella Franco, and is the fifth person to hold the position in the last 10 years.

May 17 2012

California Distinguished School

Compton Unified School District’s Laurel Elementary celebrates dual honors received from the state—being named a California Distinguished School and a Title I Academic Achievement award winner. Officials recently marked the occasion. Pictured above from left are second grade teacher Guadalupe Velasco, former principal Francisca Owoage, Ed.D., school secretary Gordon Jenkins, current principal Frank Lozier to her left, second grade teacher Marlene Veliz and Interim Superintendent Karen Frison.

May 3 2012

They perform in eight categories, including PowerPoint

More than 50 Compton Unified School District (CUSD) students, grades K through 5, overcame stage fright to perform monologues, poems, and essays at the district’s annual oratorical contest.
 

Jun 16 2011

Janna Zurita defeats incumbent

Janna Zurita, cousin of former Compton Mayor Omar Bradley, narrowly defeated two-term City Councilwoman Barbara Calhoun, and is expected to be sworn into office no later than July 1. After failing to obtain the 50 percent plus one vote needed to win outright, the outgoing second district councilwoman, who has often been ally of current mayor Eric Perrodin battled Zurita for the council slot. Despite her low showing in the April primary (615 votes), Zurita upset Calhoun by capturing 1,637 (51 percent) of the ballots cast.

Jun 9 2011

Seeking academic excellence

Compton students recently spent several days exploring opportunities on their academic career paths. At left, Roosevelt Middle School seventh-grader Natachi Onwudiwe, who said she wants to be either a science teacher go to medical school, won first place in the Compton Unified School District science fair with her project Soil Pit to the Rescue. It demonstrated the effect of acidity on soil and plant growth. At right, youngsters from the Kelly Elementary School band and orchestra warm up before a performance at the Arts and Aviation Career Expo.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.