The James Logan Courier

By Mike O'Sullivan, VOA News

In her novel Shanghai Girls, author Lisa See takes readers on a turbulent journey from China torn by war in the 1930s to Los Angeles' Chinatown.

Shanghai Girls is a story of two sisters, and it opens Shanghai in 1937. The city was a glamorous international center, known as the Paris of Asia. But according to Lisa See, that life was about to change for sisters May and Pearl.

"It was a final, final moment before things took a real change. In August of 1937, the Japanese invaded," See said. "The Sino-Japanese War rolled right into World War II. As soon as World War II was over, civil war [erupted]. And then in 1949, Mao [Zedong] and the communists took over the country. And so Shanghai went from being kind of like the Paris of Asia to being for many, many years a very dark, very gray, very grim place."

By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer

Tom Kitayama Elementary School is a 2010 California Distinguished School, as announced Mondaymorning by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell.

“Kitayama Elementary is a tremendous example how successful a school community can be when it has an dedicated principal focused on doing the right work, enthusiastic and well-trained teachers, energetic and supportive classified employees and active, engaged parents,” said Kari McVeigh, Superintendent of the New Haven Unified School District. “Schools like Kitayama – and in fact I would say this about all New Haven schools -- are public education at its best.”

MISCELLANEOUS
Don’t wait to get your copy of the exciting Powder Puff game! The DVD is professional quality and will be on sale for a limited time only for just $15. It includes the cheerleading show, and of course the controversial ending. Come see Coach Zuber in Room 305 to buy one now!

Drop-In homework/tutoring in Room 77. Daily before school 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Tuesday-Friday 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., and Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

By Farah Habad, Courier Staff Writer
Phlebotomists from the American Red Cross collected blood from Logan students and staff this month in the second ASB-coordinated blood drive this year.

According to Activities director Francis Rojas, because of the large population of our school we give the most blood to the Red Cross, compared to other high schools in Northern California.

Junior Julienne Sumodobila said, "It is imperative that we as a school band together to serve our community. We are supposed to be the leaders of tomorrow, but how are we going to do that if we cannot do something so simple, that can benefit so many?"

By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer

The Board of Education on Tuesday night approved a recommendation to use the District’s existing Transportation Department to provide transportation to special education students, which also could allow for some field-trip and extra-curricular transportation despite the elimination of K-8 home-to-school transportation due to state budget cutbacks.

The recommendation came after the District, citing unacceptable service, resigned from the South County Transportation Joint Powers Agreement. The decision will enable the District to retain 16 positions in the Transportation Department that otherwise would have been eliminated.

By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer

Changes in the Division of Teaching and Learning will enable the New Haven Unified School District to increase services to students, enhance safety and better manage risk -- while saving two classified positions and reducing the impact on the general fund -- Superintendent Kari McVeigh announced today.

With Director of Pupil Services Don Montoya retiring in June, the Board of Education on Tuesday night approved the appointment of Scott Pizani as Director of Student Intervention Services, responsible for the English Language Learner program, academic interventions in kindergarten through 12th grade, suspensions and expulsions, among other duties. Mr. Pizani, who was principal at Emanuele Elementary when the school made an impressive 39-point gain on its API score in 2005 and later served as the District’s Coordinator of Prevention and Intervention Services, has spent the past two years as Director of Instructional Support.

From wikipedia:
Clara Ward (April 21, 1924 – January 16, 1973)[1] was an American gospel artist who achieved great success, both artistic and commercial, in the 1940s and 1950s as leader of The Famous Ward Singers.

A gifted singer and arranger, Ward took the lead-switching style used by male gospel quartets to new heights, leaving room for spontaneous improvisation and vamping by each member of the group while giving virtuouso singers such as Marion Williams the opportunity to step forward in songs such as "Surely, God Is Able" (among the first million-selling gospel hits), "How I Got Over" (which she wrote; one of the most famous songs in the Black gospel repertoire), and "Packin' Up".

Visit clarawardsingers.com.