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SAN BERNARDINO, CA—-Two schools in San Bernardino County have been distinguished as 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools. This prestigious award recognizes schools based on overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. They are among the state’s highest performing schools.

Hidden Trails Elementary School in Chino Valley Unified School District and Valencia Elementary School in Upland Unified School District are among only 26 schools in California receiving this recognition.

“This is a distinguished award that schools all across our nation strive for, and we have two schools within our County receiving this high honor,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre. “I commend the efforts put forth by our educators and their outstanding commitment to transform the lives of students.”

National Blue Ribbon Schools is a program of the U.S. Department of Education designed to celebrate exemplary schools in which educators, students and families have worked to create positive and effective learning environments for all students.

The Department of Education recognizes all schools in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:

• Exemplary High-Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
• Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students.

 

Hidden Trails and Valencia Elementary Schools were both recognized as Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools for their work in establishing educational equity and for their dramatic gains in student achievement.

“At Hidden Trails, our focus has been on building the kind of school that engages students and makes them want to be here,” Hidden Trails Principal Lisa Sura said. “Our data-driven instruction and teacher collaboration have helped us build a positive school culture in which students are encouraged to reach their highest potential through a multi-tiered system of support.”

Both Hidden Trails and Valencia Elementary School principals noted this award serves as recognition of the hard work staff, students, educators and families put in to create a safe and welcoming school where students can succeed.

“Valencia believes it can collectively accomplish great things and make a positive difference in the lives of students,” said Valencia Elementary Principal Rachael Emery. “Our mission reflects the core belief that students, no matter their academic level, deserve focused instruction to achieve academic growth and to support emotional well-being. We owe our success to our staff’s collaborative work to implement evidence-based strategies with rigor to assure equitable access to quality teaching and learning.”

In total, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recognized 325 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2021. These outstanding schools will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on November 4 and 5, 2021.

For more information visit our website at www.sbcss.net and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. #transforminglives.

 

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- “We Mentor Men Towards a Better Future”, – This year marks the 65th year of the Social Lites Inc. as an organization and 55th year of them making a strong and lasting impact on our Black and Brown young men of our Inland Empire community.

This year we the organization is excited to be ushered in by President Sheri Lewis and Vice President Elsie Paulino who bring a wealth of knowledge and a combined 30+ years with new ideas to the program.

The Beautillion Program provides services that ensure that our youth are college bound and equipped to succeed in college and realize their full potential as men, career professionals, entrepreneurs, and productive citizens through the program. They also provide mentoring, leadership and character and life development skills to makes students from Elementary to High School.

In addition, participating high school seniors who express a desire to attend college may qualify for academic scholarships after completing a rigorous six-month extracurricular program that involves academics, community service projects, and refining social skills. To date, the Beautillion Program has given out approximately $2.5 million dollars in scholarships to college bound young men.  

The Beautillion Briefing will be from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 10 at The Center for Youth & Community located at 468 West 5th Street in San Bernardino.

Please call Marlene Davis at (909) 709-5502 for more information. Mark your calendars, this will be a life changing opportunity for the young men in your lives.  

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—The San Bernardino City Unified School District’s (SBCUSD) Welcoming Resource Center, currently at 781 #A W. Second Street in San Bernardino, will be closing October 1.

The district leased the Second Street location in 2018, opening a temporary Welcoming Resource Center where families could enroll new students while a new, permanent facility is built adjacent to the Board of Education building.

“The construction of the new resource center is slated to begin soon,” said

SBCUSD Administrator of Operations Sam Precie. “We’re excited to share more details in the coming months about our plans to break ground on this project that means so much to our community.”

“Our families have advocated for a permanent place that we hope will become a hub of valuable resources for students and families,” Precie added, “and we’re getting closer to making that a reality.”

The new center will be a single destination for families looking to enroll their children in SBCUSD schools, conduct a language assessment, access health and wellness needs, get support services for students in foster care and homeless situations, and technology needs.  

After considering several factors, SBCUSD officials determined it was not in the best interests of parents or employees to continue leasing the facility on Second Street. SBCUSD will close the building by October 1 and relocate the remaining employees to other facilities.

Enrollment and Placement Services, the Language Assessment Center, and the Family Engagement Office are among the departments still located at the Welcoming Resource Center (WRC) on Second Street. Families will still be able to enroll their children in school at any SBCUSD school campus and online while Enrollment and Placement Services relocates.

“Enrolling at your neighborhood school has always been an option for families, and school staff continue to be ready to provide good customer service to our new students and families while our Enrollment and Placement Services staff move,” said Chief Communications and Community Engagement Officer Ginger Ontiveros.

The departments located at Second Street will be relocated to the following locations:

Enrollment and Placement Services and the Language Assessment Center staff will be relocated to empty classrooms at Jones Elementary School, located at 700 North F Street in San Bernardino.

Family Engagement Office staff is scheduled to move to space at Dr. Mildred Dalton Henry Elementary School, 1250 W. 14th Street in San Bernardino.

Multilingual Programs staff will move to the Professional Development Center (PDC), 4030 Georgia Blvd. in San Bernardino.

Specialized Programs, GATE, transitional kindergarten (TK), and PE staff will move to Lincoln Elementary, 255 W. 13th Street in San Bernardino.

The District is committed to keeping families updated on the relocation process through the official SBCUSD website and social media channels, as well as notices via ParentSquare. ParentSquare is the District’s new all-in-one communication platform.

“We want to make this transition as easy as possible for our families,” Ontiveros said. “In the end, we know this move is the right thing for students and staff.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—-After a mask-wearing and music-filled event on Saturday, September 25 that brought much joy and excitement to the San Bernardino High School (SBHS) community, Abdel-Rahman Hussein and Jamie Villalobos were crowned the new Mr. and Miss Cardinal City, respectively.

The 2021–2022 pageant was unlike any held before. According to pageant

director and SBHS bilingual school outreach worker Jaime Rios, due to COVID-related cancellations of the separate 2020–2021 Mr. Cardinal and Miss Cardinal pageants, he made the decision to combine the pageants for 2021–2022.

“The students and staff have waited so long for the pageant,” Rios said. “It’s become a tradition and something that everyone looks forward to. Once we had the proper safety precautions in place to make it happen, I wanted to involve both sets of contestants.”

Rios worked closely with staff from SBHS and Sturges Center for the Fine Arts, where the pageant was held, to make sure that everyone would be as safe as possible from COVID. He also consulted with District officials, including the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) Safety & Emergency Manager Eric Vetere.

The COVID safety measures involved limiting the pageant audience to 250 invited guests only, which included only 10 members of each contestant’s family, pageant judges, performers, and a small, select group of Sturges and SBHS staff and judges’ guests. Since Sturges can accommodate 700 audience members, the extra space allowed the audience to be grouped by household with empty seats between groups.

Additionally, every person in attendance was asked to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth at all times, excluding when sipping water or for children under age 2, as allowed by law. Signage reminded attendees to assess their health before entering Sturges, and everyone had to submit to a temperature check. Hand sanitizer stations were available for the judges, backstage for the contestants, and for the audience. An industrial-sized, HEPA-grade air filter in the auditorium filtered the air for virus particles.

Filling out Mr. Cardinal City’s court are first runner-up Carmel Gonzales and second runner-up

Saul Felix.

Miss Cardinal City’s court includes first runner-up Kylee Bravo and second runner-up Laura Galindo. Miss International Beauty 2021 Trinity Ortega and Teen International Beauty 2021 Ashley Torrez were also crowned Saturday night and will be part of the Miss Cardinal City court.

The pageant also included several special presentations. Ivan Cruz, a SBHS Class of 2021 graduate, was named Mr. Cardinal City 2020–2021.

“The Mr. Cardinal City 2020–2021 pageant was cancelled just weeks before the event due to the COVID-19 lockdowns,” Rios said. “The contestants had been practicing and providing hours of community service up to that point, but they never got to take the stage. I couldn’t give that back to them, but I could crown an honorary Mr. Cardinal City 2020–2021 from among the contestants.”

Cruz was crowned shortly before Mr. Cardinal City 2021–2022 was announced, so his reign was short lived, but he will be listed as a former Mr. Cardinal City in official documents.

Dr. Harold Vollkommer, retired SBCUSD interim superintendent and former deputy superintendent, was honored for his longtime support of the Mr. and Miss Cardinal City pageants. He has judged several pageants and been the master of ceremonies for others.

Mr. and Miss Cardinal City and their Courts will represent Cardinal City, which is an official chartered city that encompasses the SBHS campus and all of its current students and staff, at various in-person and virtual functions.

According to Susan Jeske Irvine, the holder of the trademark for Miss International Beauty and Teen International Beauty, both titles focus on using the exhilaration of pageantry to teach women and girls important life skills, encourage involvement in community service, and use their “Crown for a Purpose,” while shaping the leaders of tomorrow. Miss International Beauty and Teen International Beauty were incorporated into the Miss Cardinal City pageant this year as part of a set of unique circumstances because of COVID and the passing of founder Louise Madlin.

Mr. and Miss Cardinal City are eligible for college scholarships when they graduate from SBHS. To donate to the Cardinal Scholarship fund, contact Communications/Community Relations secretary Susan Zavala at (909) 381-1250. Miss International Beauty 2021 and Teen International Beauty 2021 will each receive $100 in prize money.

INDIAN OCEAN—-Seaman Carissa Ledesma from San Bernadino, California stands communications watch during a replenishment-at-sea aboard the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan, flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman George Cardenas)

FONTANA, CA—Victor Glover was escorted into the press conference at the Jesse Turner Center on the arms of Miss Black Awareness and her Court, where he was greeted by his fraternity Brothers, elected officials, and the press.

This took place on Saturday, September 18 during the 5^th Annual Concerned Citizens for the Development of North Fontana. The event was a day of, “UNITY in the CommUNITY”. Other festivities of the event were the Chillin’ N Grillin’ BBQ competition.  A big thank you goes out to all the grillers for your participation, and Congratulations to the Riverside County Fire department for taking home the MasterChef award for 2021-2022. 

Representatives from Ted Porter Elementary School 5th grade class was invited to attend a VIP press conference with Commander Victor Glover, while over 100 of their classmates anxiously waited at the North Fontana Park Sports Pavilion.  The four Representatives asked very pertinent questions to astronaut Glover about how life was living in space for six months, and presented him with a banner that 5 grade classes had made for him.  

Victor Glover was pleasantly surprised to receive the key to the City from Fontana’s City Council members presented to him by Mayor Acquanetta Warren. After the press conference, he was transported by Fiona the movie car and her owner Elaine Francisco where he was led into the Sports Pavilion by Chaffey  High School Honor Guard Naval ROTC to a beautiful rendition of America the Beautiful sang by Amore’ the Songstress, accompanied by a 116 piece band from Summit High School under the direction of Mr Sharp.

The goal of the organization is not only to break bread together, but to bring CommUNITY Awareness to the Inland empire.  their initial purpose was to

bridge the gap between law enforcement agencies and the community.  However, the vehicle that fuels this event is education as stated by Ellen Turner, president of the Concerned Citizens, she further states that knowledge and partnership is the essential.

This annual event would not be possible without the help and support from the City of Fontana, and the Police Officers Association. It truly “takes a village”.

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INLAND EMPIRE, CA—- The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) has certified First Community Capital, Inc. as the first and only Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) located in Southwest Riverside County.  First Community Capital serves Southern California and Arizona.

Community Development Financial Institutions play an important role in generating economic growth and opportunity in some of our nation’s most distressed communities. By offering tailored resources and innovative programs that invest federal dollars alongside private sector capital, the CDFI’s take a market-based approach to supporting economically disadvantaged communities.

CDFI’s can loan money at very attractive rates to help people buy homes, and small businesses.

“Our mission is to foster economic justice and opportunity by providing access to capital and technical assistance to economically disadvantaged micro and rural businesses,” said Jay Diallo, CEO and Founder of First Community Capital, Inc.

“FCC is inspired to achieve the ambitious goal of economic inclusion by ensuring that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and women-owned businesses including immigrants, refugees and those formerly incarcerated have equitable access to capital and other financial resources to support business startups, while also strengthening existing businesses to withstand the economic impacts imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Diallo said.

First Community Capital helps low – and moderate-income entrepreneurs who lack sufficient training and education to gain access to capital, thereby delivering long-term economic strength to communities while helping small businesses become more resilient.

“We often lend to borrowers that may not meet mainstream institutions’ underwriting criteria, helping to bridge the gap between conventional lending standards and the needs of hard-to-reach borrowers,” said Diallo.

Before starting First Community Capital in 2019, Diallo was Vice President – Community Development Lending Officer at Pacific Premier Bank in Irvine, CA.  He also served as Executive Director – PPEP Microbusiness & Housing Developing Corporation (PMHDC), in Tucson, AZ.

Diallo earned undergraduate at bachelor’s degree in political science with a Minor in Economics, from Westmont College in Santa Barbara.  He also earned a graduate degree in Banking from Pacific Coast Banking School in Seattle, WA.  His fields of emphasis included: Credit and Enterprise Risk Management, Bank Financial Statements, Bank Financial Tools, Dynamic Leadership, Analysis of Business Conditions, Sales and Marketing.

Our

First Community Capital is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and a certified CDFI governed by an independent board of directors. The board provides fiduciary and organizational oversight, ensuring it achieves its mission of growing businesses and strengthening underserved communities in California and Arizona. The directors are responsible for approving all lending policies and procedures as well as reviewing the financial and programmatic performance of the agency.

“When the health and economic disaster of COVID-19 hit our small businesses, FCC swiftly responded to their critical needs. Through the US Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.  FCC has helped more than 65 microenterprises secure loans to fund their business operations through the pandemic to survive until the crisis has passed,” said Diallo.

“In addition, FCC has made direct loans specifically to minority-owned microbusinesses who did not qualify for the SBA EIDL loan and would have otherwise been left without financial assistance and forced to close their businesses, likely to never reopen,” Diallo added.

For more information on First Community Capital, Inc. go to https://www.fccbi.org or call (951) 249-5767

Board of Directors

T. Jay Diallo, Chairman, President & CEO 

Mark Davis, Vice President-BDO-PM 
Canyon Community Bank

Vincent McCoy, Vice President 
Riverside County Black Chamber of Commerce

Fatimoh Muhammed

President & CEO – Wamufat International

First Community Capital Locations

California Locations

Southwest Riverside County

26111 Ynez Rd. Suite B30

Temecula, CA 92591

Inland Empire

2060 Chicago Ave. Suite A13

Riverside, CA 92507

Los Angeles County

879 W 190th St. Suite 400

Gardena, CA 90248

Southern Arizona Market

Pima County

8321 E Broadway Blvd #103

Tucson, AZ 85710

Maricopa County

1510 W McDowell RD #4

Phoenix, AZ 85007

Yuma County

8321 E Broadway Blvd #103

Tucson, AZ 85710

About First Community Capital Inc.

Established in 2019 as an economic development nonprofit agency, First Community Capital has already made significant contributions in helping entrepreneurs to start and grow their small businesses. In leveraging our network of bankers, community development organizations and leaders, we have provided training, seminars, and workshops to about 200 small business entrepreneurs. We strongly believe that with each business financed and each job created and or retained, it represents a critical step in the transformation of a life, a family, and a community.

By Dr. Naomi Bardach, Safe Schools for All team lead

California school districts are close to fully reopening for the 2021-22 school year. Seventeen of the 20 largest districts have reopened with the other three on schedule to reopen soon. By implementing the right precautions, such as wearing masks indoors, parents can feel confident about their children being back in school for full, in-person learning.

With the help of scientists and medical professionals, we have gathered a lot more information about the coronavirus since it first hit America more than a year ago and those learnings are being applied to the new school year. It is imperative that we work together to support learning and growth for all students by fully reopening schools, which play a vital role in our communities. 

Living with the virus has become our reality and we are learning to adapt. There will continue to be challenges this school year but with a multi-layered strategy in place — testing, vaccinations, masking, improved ventilation — we are confident this is the best path to safely returning to in-person learning.

As we dig into the school year, there are several things that parents should keep top of mind that will directly impact their children’s safety and well-being. Here are five key areas that I recommend paying close attention to.

Vaccinations remain key to COVID-19 prevention in kids.

Medical research has shown that children are less likely to catch the coronavirus than older students and adults. Most children contract the virus from a close relative in their home, not from other students or school personnel. Vaccines substantially reduce the need for quarantines, especially in middle and high schools.

Remember all teachers and staff in K-12 public and private schools are required to get vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. 

The requirement to get vaccinated or weekly COVID-19 testing applies to the state’s 320,000 public school teachers and more than 250,000 support staff — from cafeteria employees to campus custodians — and at least 80,000 private school employees, according to the California Department of Education and labor unions. It will also pertain to school volunteers. These individuals will set the tone on our campuses and ensuring their safety allows for more focus on the students.

School-associated cases are evidence that schools are screening out COVID-19.

Schools are creating safe spaces through layered approaches including testing and contract tracing which supports identifying cases, in addition to sending ongoing notifications to keep parents updated. Vaccinations for anyone 12 years of age and older and masks for all students supports schools in being safe spaces for students. 

Schools reopening promotes mental and social-emotional health.

The last year and half has been a long and hard challenge for many of our students. The absence of school structure has led to social isolation and anxiety which severely impacts student’s social and emotional development. Research supports the reopening of schools to promote the mental, social-emotional and academic well-being of students. We must do all we can to mitigate the substantial effects of students remaining out of in-person learning. We want them back doing the things they love – socializing, spending time with their friends and playing sports.

The Delta variant remains a concern. 

The presence of the Delta variant has created a need to increase testing capacity in many schools, although children are not the principal drivers of virus transmission. Vaccination is the best way to protect against the Delta variant. Unvaccinated children may safely return to school, but that makes other protective measures such as masking more important for them. 

For more information and ongoing updates, parents can visit https://schools.covid19.ca.gov/pages/parent-page.

RIVERSIDE, CA- The Pink Ribbon Place, a program of Riverside Community Health Foundation, is proud to announce the return of its 10th annual breast cancer awareness walk – Pink on Parade -with virtual and in-person activities that highlight the importance of raising breast cancer awareness, screenings and early detection to save lives.
 
According to the CDC, the total number of cancer screening tests received by women through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (Early Detection Program) declined by 87 percent  for breast cancer during the pandemic.
 
“Breast cancer screenings and treatments have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic; many have delayed, and some have even skipped annual screenings, which can be instrumental in the early detection of breast cancer,” said Nicole Stovicek, Director ofThe Pink Ribbon Place. “Pink on Parade is a celebration of strength, hope and survival, but it is also an opportunity to remind every one of us of the importance of early detection and to increase knowledge of breast cancer signs and symptoms. We ask everyone who can get involved in raising breast cancer awareness with us, to do so.” 
 
The Pink Ribbon Place invites you to kick off breast cancer awareness month early this year with two virtual contests, “Art on Parade” and “Paint the Town Pink”. “Art on Parade” invites community members to create an art piece inspired by the breast cancer journey in any medium and “Paint the Town Pink” invites locals to decorate the interior or exterior of their home and/or business in pink. Community members can enter the contests and vote for their favorite entries throughout October. All entries must be submitted by October 2 via pinkonparade.org.   
 
In addition to the virtual contests, the Pink on Parade route will return on Saturday, October 16th at Mt. Rubidoux (Ryan Bonamino Park 5000 Tequesquite Ave, Riverside, CA 92506) from 8AM-5PM. Individuals, family, friends, and co-workers are encouraged to start a team, fundraise, and walk the decorated route at their leisure and enjoy activities which include a Hula celebration and dedication at 8:30AM on top of Mt. Rubidioux, a Jeep Club car show, and breakfast & BBQ provided by Riverside Police Officers Association’s Lost in Sauce food truck are just a few highlights community members can look forward to at this year’s in-person walk.
 
Though registration is free for this year’s event, Team Captains are encouraged to register and engage their family and friends to fundraise and raise breast cancer awareness. Proceeds from Pink on Parade will go towards the no-cost services at The Pink Ribbon Place, which supports individuals and families impacted by cancer by providing education, client navigation, counseling, support groups, headwear, post mastectomy products, treatment kits and much more.  
 
The event is proudly sponsored by Aetna, who is committed to providing individuals, employers, health care professionals, producers and others with innovative benefits, products, and services.  
 
Important Dates to Remember: September 1?-?Contests Open; October 2 – Contests Deadline; October 8-22 – Community Votes; October 16 – Pink on Parade; October 29 – Winners Announced  
 
For more information about the Pink on Parade visit www.pinkonparade.org. 

The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) remains committed to slowing the spread of COVID-19 so schools can stay open for in-person teaching and learning.

“Not only do we want to provide in-person learning opportunities, in fact, we must,” said Chief Communications and Community Engagement Officer Ginger Ontiveros. “The State of California does not permit schools to offer distance learning as their primary means of education this year. Therefore, our focus is on making sure students are as safe as possible in our classrooms.”

SBCUSD has learned a great deal about COVID-19 over the past year, working closely with both the California Department of Public Health and the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health to prepare for re-opening.

“One month into school, and we have continued to learn and tighten our protocols both for safety and communication,” Ontiveros said. “All schools statewide are grappling with the challenges of operating in this unprecedented environment, and many are reaching out to learn from us. Most of what we planned has worked well, and we appreciate the partnership we have with parents and staff, whose input continues to help make us a model for best practices.”

At its most recent meeting on September 7, the Board of Education received an update from District staff on the multiple layers of protection and notification that SBCUSD is using to combat the spread of COVID-19. 

Safety measures include:

• daily health assessments for students and staff
• mandatory face covering for all while indoors and regular handwashing  
• regular sanitation for schools and administrative offices
• HEPA air filters in every classroom
• free, convenient on-campus COVID-19 testing for students and staff
• a medically trained and supervised COVID-19 liaison at each school for quick evaluation and contact tracing

SBCUSD also shared its notification protocol with parents, including the three types of letters parents may receive about a COVID-19 case in schools. Most families who receive a letter will just be informed about a case that was present at school with no direct exposure for their child. Students should continue to attend school as the COVID-19 case they are notified about and anyone who was identified as having been exposed as a close contact have already been quarantined. SBCUSD systems move quickly to contain infections and keep students and staff safe.

In addition, to promote transparency and accountability, the District began publishing an online COVID-19 dashboard, available at www.sbcusd.com/covid19dashboard. This digital tool is updated daily with confirmed data on active cases in each of the District’s schools. The numbers on the dashboard may not be the same as the number of letters families receive because the dashboard numbers reflect completed investigations that could prove previously suspected cases were actually negative for COVID-19.

District officials recently held a virtual town hall meeting on September 9 to give families, employees, and other stakeholders an opportunity to receive information about school operations. A video of the town hall is available on the SBCUSD YouTube channel.