Articles in this issue

• Ferd. Kiesel Memorial Distinguished Service Award
  ACSA’s Ferd. Kiesel Memorial Distinguished Service Award can be bestowed upon any educator, legislator or community member, but one criteria is clear: The recipient must have made a significant impact on public education. Robert Price, superintendent of Empire Union School District, embodies that criteria.
• Governor starts talks on budget woes
  To the surprise of no one, the state budget the Legislature passed and the governor signed mere weeks ago has blown up faster than a package of Mentos in a liter of diet soda. On Nov. 6, the governor called for a special legislative session. He defined the overall budget deficit through 2009-10 and introduced his plan to fix it.
• Leadership Summit proves to be time for rejuvenation
  The emphasis was on reflection and renewal for the resilient group of more than 1,000 education leaders at this year’s ACSA Leadership Summit, Nov. 6-8 in San Diego. While attendance was down, those who experienced the event agreed it was well worth the time and expense, even as schools have had to cut back on spending.
• Meléndez de Santa Ana named CA National Supt. of Year
  ACSA has selected Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana as California’s nominee for the 2009 American Association of School Administrators National Superintendent of the Year. “She is a passionate educational leader whose dedication to student success is clearly evident in the work she does,” said ACSA Executive Director Bob Wells.
• Valuing Diversity Award
  Eliseo Dávalos, director of student services for Corona-Norco USD, is one of education’s leading lights in reaching out to underrepresented groups of students and in promoting the cause of diversity. His efforts have resulted in ACSA naming him the 2008 recipient of the Valuing Diversity Award.
• Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence
  San Ramon Valley USD Superintendent Robert Kessler is the recipient of ACSA’s Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence, sponsored by School Innovations & Advocacy. He was formally honored Nov. 7 at the 2008 Leadership Summit.
• Robert E. Kelly Award • Sponsored by Bank of America
  Walt Buster’s career in the superintendency at Clovis Unified School District was filled with achievements. But after he retired, his efforts became legendary. His volunteer tenure as interim superintendent for Fresno USD in 2004-05 established stability and created an action plan that guides the district to this day.
• Partners in Educational Excellence Award
  These days, education can use all the help it can get from outside resources. That’s why organizations such as the Santa Cruz/Silicon Valley New Teacher Project and the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim are true local treasures and recipients of ACSA’s Partners in Educational Excellence Award for 2008.
• Corrective Action assigned to LEAs in Cohort 2
  The State Board of Education assigned NCLB Corrective Action 6 to 50 local educational agencies in Cohort 2. Corrective Action No. 6 is considered the lightest of the seven sanctions required under federal law.