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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Proporcionando clases de Inglés para padres y familias de nuestros estudiantes

For English, please click here.

Una de nuestras metas en el Distrito Escolar de South Bend es proporcionar servicios impactantes
no sólo para los estudiantes sino tambien para los padres y miembros de la familia de nuestros estudiantes. Creemos que la educación de los estudiantes es un esfuerzo de la comunidad -- participación de la escuela, la familia y la comunidad para ayudar a las necesidades de los estudiantes en todos los aspectos.
Estoy orgulloso del hecho de que tenemos una población de estudiantes diversa en South Bend. Mientras camino entre los estudiantes cada día a escucho dos idiomas hablados: Inglés y Español. De hecho, nos estamos acercando a casi un divido igual entre los estudiantes de habla Inglesa nativa y de habla Español nativo.
A medida que avanzamos acoplar a todas las familias que envían a sus hijos a South Bend, lo hacemos para aprender cómo podemos apoyar mejor a los padres y las familias en educar a sus hijos. Una de las cosas que hemos aprendido es que algunos
de nuestros padres y familias de habla Hispana es el deseo de aprender Inglés.
En el esfuerzo por satisfacer este deseo, el Distrito Escolar de South Bend llevará a cabo clases de Inglés a base semanal para todos los padres de estudiantes de South Bend que quieran aprender. Tenemos la suerte de tener a María Rangel, la esposa del Sub-Director Manuel Rangel, enseñanndo estas clases de Inglés, y ella se complace en ofrecer este servicio. La señora Rangel ha dado instrucciones de clases de Inglés antes, y está a la espera para ayudar a nuestras familias de esta manera.
Nuestra primera clase está programada para el 2 de Noviembre del 2016 a 5:30PM en la escuela. Habrá cuidado de niños. El costo de la clase es de $ 10.00 por semana, e incluye los materiales del curso.
Si conoces a padres de estudiantes de South Bend que les gustaría aprovechar de esta oportunidad, por favor, comparta esta información con ellos. Puedes enviar preguntas al Sr. Rangel a mrangel@southbendschools.org, o a la señora Rangel a miaramosl@yahoo.com.
Esperamos que estas clases de Inglés sean de beneficio para nuestros padres y familias, a medida que se esfuerzan para apoyar la educación de nuestros estudiantes.


Monday, October 24, 2016

Larry Bale--the man behind the lens

Anyone who attends athletic events in the South Bend/Raymond/Willapa Valley area has come to know a certain "resident photographer" found just off the court, in the stands, or in the mud if last Friday's football game is used as an example.

Just as sure as the game itself, Larry Bale is at the ready to capture our local students, fans, and community members in those competitive moments throughout each and every sports season.  Larry is an example of a true supporter of kids, dedicated to all schools and their programs.

"Sports photography really boils down to being about the kids, capturing moments they will be able to enjoy for years to come," says Larry.  "I'm just out there having fun and paying it forward for the experiences I had growing up locally," he continues.

Well, here is a little more to the story...

The inspiration


Larry has been a student of photography for the last 20+ years, learning the skills and investing in the equipment needed to do what he says is, "a proper job of shooting sports photos."  Larry's interest began when his own kids began participating in sports.  "My interest [in sports photography] all began out of a need for a diversion from the excitement of the game when the kids were playing," he recalls.  "My competitive nature would come out as I watched my kids play."  "I found that the process of taking photos allowed my focus to shift just enough, providing a calming influence on how I viewed the game."

After Larry's youngest son, Levi, graduated from South Bend High School in 2012, Larry had more time to do what he enjoys.  "Not having a kid in the game allowed me the flexibility to attend other local school's games and activities."  "As a 'statesman' photographer, I try to get as many of the local teams covered during the season--when they play each other it's a double win for me."

Continuing to learn


Larry notes that like anything else, education and practice is key.  "The self-education came from reading articles on photography and asking experienced photographers how to achieve the best results with the gear at hand."  "Fortunately they were very patient and helpful in pointing me in the right direction, " he explains.  "But it requires a whole lot of practice to develop the knowledge and skills needed for some consistency in the final product."  And practice he does... "I'm still learning and practicing to the tune of several 100,000 clicks each year, whether it's sports, landscapes, or wildlife in the viewer, my favorite photography is whatever is in front of me at the time."

A satisfying purpose

If you have seen Larry's sports photos, you will notice that he takes all aspects of the event he is shooting.  "One of my goals is to record the action so that a person not present might get a feel for the event," Larry notes.  "The perspective I take is usually from the home team, but I always take in both teams' athletes, cheerleaders, and fans as much as possible."  Larry explains that his pictures attempt to capture the emotion of the game.  "It is both challenging and rewarding to capture those special moments during the game and around the game."  "I try to show the athletes both in the team setting and as individuals, showing the range of emotions that pulse throughout the contest."


Sharing his photos to all

If you frequent social media, especially Facebook, you will find Larry's pictures posted almost immediately after a sports contest, or throughout various times of the day as he shares his natural encounters.  Often, you will find a Facebook post simply stating, "Good Morning," as he shows a stunning view from a walk in the woods, or a picturesque sunrise as he drives to work.

But before he shares, Larry goes through each photo to ensure a consistent quality.  "Everyone sees me at the field or gym but maybe doesn't realize that there will be at least an hour or two of rough editing before I'll post anything to Facebook."  One can certainly tell that Larry takes a lot of pride in his work.  The quality of Larry's photos is superior.

A true community service

One of the many special benefits of living in a small community are the generous contributions made from people like Larry Bale.  Larry provides a service to our students and families, and his efforts are appreciated by us all.  "I've been very blessed by folks who approach me with tears in their eyes who say, 'thank you for capturing our kids, it means so much to us'," Larry says.  "It doesn't get much better than that," Larry concludes.  "If a picture evokes an emotion, then it really has done its job."

That being said, a picture can't do its job if it's not taken in the first place.  As superintendent and a member of the South Bend community, I appreciate all of Larry's time and efforts in supporting our kids.  The next time you see Larry, I encourage you to give him a word of thanks.













Friday, October 14, 2016

When weather happens...how we make the call

Pacific County residents received multiple tornado alerts Friday
Today was a first.  Over the years I have had to make decisions for lots of weather events and potential weather impacts--this was the first for a possible tornado...let alone multiple tornadoes.

Whenever we call off school, call a 2-hour delay, or send kids home early, we get comments and concerns on both sides of the decision.  People always tell me after the fact, "calling off school or deciding to go is a no-win scenario."

So what exactly goes into our decision to cancel school, call a 2-hour delay, or remain on schedule?  Well, I wish it was a hard science.  Obviously, emergency alerts sounding on your cell phone have a big impact, especially in conjunction with today's weather technology and the conditions we see and experience.  However, we have a lot of people working together to help inform the decision, and it starts with transportation supervisor Wyatt Kuiken and maintenance supervisor Gary Wilson.  I appreciate their dedication and commitment.


Assessing the situation
Real-time storm tracker image from Windytv.com

On days when we expect a weather event, Wyatt often leaves at 4:00 am (or earlier) to drive all bus routes, where he is looking for flooded roads, downed trees, or other obstructions and weather impacts that might hinder safe transportation--not only for our buses, but for people driving into school on their own.  Being dark in the morning plays a factor, and magnifies the risk.  This is one reason we often start with a 2-hour delay.  Daylight can help a lot.  However, weather changes fast.  I have been in positions when we have made a call, only to second guess that call 20 minutes later.  When some buses need to leave school 2 hours before we start, weather changes can impact transportation already en route.

Another player in the decision is maintenance supervisor Gary Wilson.  If we can safely get students to school, we need to be sure we can operate.  Weather conditions impact our ability to cook food, heat buildings, flush toilets, light classrooms, etc., etc.  Gary and his crew (Joe Dokter, Al Lewis, Roger Williams, Doug Sands) arrive before daylight to be sure buildings are not flooding, the heat is working, power is stable and we have the ability to functionally meet the needs of 600+ people in our buildings.

Making the call

Based on the early input from these staff, we make a pre-bus-departure decision.  2-hour delays solve the majority of concerns, allowing us to gain clearer perspective on weather, and for daylight to help safety conditions.  But as we experienced this morning, the weather can change quick and threats can increase substantially in a short amount of time.

At decision time, and as weather conditions develop in real-time, the buck stops with me.  Based on information I have at the moment, if I believe conditions are not safe or look to become dangerous, we're cancelling.  I understand and respect that others in the community might not always agree with the decision, but the safety of our students and employees will always be the primary factor.  That being said, no decision is "weather proof".  In that event, we have plans in place should the worst happen while at school.  We are in the process of reviewing these plans and making updates as needed.  Please take some time to review emergency procedures for your home, and be sure your children know how to respond.

As for this weekend, it looks like we could be in for a ride!  Stay safe out there, stay away from the beaches, and be alert.