Madagascar Jr. starts with a bang as each character announces themselves in the opening number. Mountain View Elementary students sat in rows this week on the multipurpose room floor and watched the story unfold with smiles on their faces. The plot kicks off as Marty expresses his desire to escape the zoo and experience the wild. Despite Alex’s protests, Marty decides to make a break for it and leave. COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff
El Roble Intermediate School’s instrumental music program has had a series of setbacks in recent weeks, including the loss of its enthusiastic young band director, Taylor Estep, and the cancellation of an ambitious—some say overly ambitious—trip to London planned for later this year.
Mr. Estep resigned in March. He declined comment to the COURIER for this story.
Anyone passing by Condit Elementary School Monday morning might have done a double-take, as the play yard was filled with students and actors dressed in colonial-era garb, and a fifer was playing a period correct tune.
No, it wasn’t Little House on the Prairie day, just a newly expanded version of a longtime Condit tradition.
Pomona College announced that Janet Inskeep Benton, a 1979 graduate of the college and long-time supporter of the arts, has donated $15 million for the college’s new museum.
Scheduled to open in fall 2020, the recently-named Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College or “The Benton,” is a 33,000-square-foot facility currently under construction on College Avenue and Bonita Avenue.
My conversation with Roger McNamee ran the gamut from the impetus for his new book, Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe, to his familiarity with Claremont, to his music career. Due to space concerns the COURIER could only use a portion of our 45-minute discussion for the main story. The following is a transcript of that conversation, with some edits and additions for clarity. —Mick Rhodes
There are lots of things to look forward to this spring thanks to the Claremont Educational Foundation. The CEF supports the Claremont United School District and has gifted $140,000 to schools and teachers so far in the 2018-2019 academic year.
The money goes toward arts and music instruction in the elementary schools and technology at the high schools. Here are some events in the coming weeks.
The Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award honors a midcareer poet with $100,000; the Kate Tufts Discovery Award recognizes the work of a poet of promise with $10,000. Claremont Graduate University (CGU) announces the selection of the 10 finalists for the 2019 Kingsley and Kate Tufts Poetry Awards.
The Claremont City Council isn’t the only legislative body in town making the switch to district-based elections.
The Claremont Unified School District Board of Education voted on December 20, 2018 to initiate a transition to by-trustee districts. The reasoning behind the move is similar to the city council—the district doesn’t want to receive a demand letter from an attorney that would result in fees estimated at $30,000.
First-year Chaparral Elementary School Principal Ann O’Connor is in a good place. “It’s been fantastic,” said Claremont Unified School District’s newest head administrator.
“I just love the school. And the staff and the parents really do like each other. It’s a wonderful, warm place to be. I couldn’t ask to be in a better place.”
Concern among some parents in the Claremont Unified School District has recently cropped up over an age-old controversy—sex ed. For many years, fifth and sixth grade students attending Claremont public schools have taken part in “family life,” a science supplement where they are introduced to basic concepts about sexual reproduction and their maturing bodies.
The Claremont Unified School District had a year marked by both stability and growth.
The passage of Measure G last year allowed the district to fully renovate the CHS gym, install new roofs on all the schools and replace some worn and outdated modular classrooms.
A highlight for students and teachers is undoubtedly the upgrading or installation of air conditioning and efficient, new windows at many sites.
For years, the Claremont Unified School District has taken kids to Riley’s Farm in Oak Glen, a “living history farm” that combines apple picking with immersive history presentations.
But now, the district had parted ways with Riley’s Farm, citing the questionable online presence of its owner, James Riley. Mr. Riley, in turn, has sued CUSD for nearly $11 million in lost revenue and defamation.
Claremont Graduate University celebrated the installation of Len Jessup as the university’s 12th president with a special celebration, “Carrying the Flame, ” held Saturday on Mudd Quadrangle, on the north side of Honnold Mudd Library.
Mr. Jessup officially took office this summer after serving as the president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The Claremont After School Program will honor Carole Harter and Maureen Beith, whose vision of an intergenerational program launched the CLASP summer camp at Mt. San Antonio Gardens senior community. The celebration will take place Sunday, November 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Garner House in Memorial Park, 840 N. Indian Hill Blvd., in Claremont.
