APRiL 15, 2011
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Lango Kids Long Beach demographic due to the program not extending to the middle schools. Lallite added that she expects French to also be offered in addition to the two other languages when Lango Kids relaunches in fall 2011. As part of their networking, Lallite and Brown introduced Dr. Malcolm Awadajin Finney, professor and chair of the department of linguistics at CSULB, as a guest speaker to define the program’s credibility to the parents attending the PTA meeting. “I was born and raised in a multilingual community,” Finney said. “When I met with the representatives of Lango Kids… I told them, ‘That is exactly what we need.’ If you look at the world, about 70 percent of the world is bilingual, and unfortunately, the United States is one of few countries
COMMuNiTy where ‘monolingualism’ seems to be the norm… the world is becoming increasingly interconnected. It seems as if English-speaking countries are the [most reluctant] to provide our kids with the opportunity to acquire other languages.” Concerning the differences between a child learning a language at a younger age as opposed to learning it in adolescence or adulthood, Finney said, “You look at most of the theories of how people acquire languages… everything points to the notion that the younger the child is, the [more successful they’ll be at learning it].” He then praised Lango Kids’ use of culturally inspired kinesthetic learning, music, dance, and games to teach the foreign language. “It’s best to learn a language within the context of its particular culture in which the language is used,” Finney said. “It’s a socio-cultural benefit.” Before the PTA meeting continued with its normal proceedings, Longfellow Principal Brian
Moskovitz added, “[Lango Kids is] doing what kids need, and it’s doing it in a way that’s exciting for students. We’ve had… Spanishlanguage programs off and on at Longfellow over the years, and they do a decent job, but it definitely doesn’t have that same enthusiasm, that same total package.” Before and after the meeting, Lallite and Brown distributed Lango Kids Long Beach literature, including a flyer that listed several
SiGNAL TRiBuNE
statistics, such as: children who study a foreign language perform better on standardized tests; learning a foreign language enhances cognitive abilities; children who learn a foreign language early are more likely to be fluent and have a native-like accent; [and] bilingual candidates have greater opportunities for college admission and careers. Lango Kids Long Beach will begin hosting its after-school Spanish and Mandarin Chinese classes
once a week for their two separate five-week sessions at the cost of $125. The spring session is set to begin May 9 and finish on June 10. The classes are 45 minutes each. Class registration and payment is required by Friday, April 22. --------------------------------------MORE INFORMATION Langokids.com Info@langokidslongbeach.com (562) 552-1838
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located on the west side of the Century Villages at the Cabrillo campus and will replace and expand the existing Elizabeth Ann Seton Residence, which has been in operation since 1998 and has provided shelter for more than 2,000 families through the years. “We have demonstrated, I think to everyone, that it is really possible to work collaboratively to support all kinds of people that fall down to hard times– whether it be veterans, families, the elderly– and get them back into our community,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. The communal shelter complex will: assist families in finding and maintaining stable employment; provide secure housing that includes a recreational area, counseling offices, kitchen and dining facilities; and serve a maximum of 448 homeless individuals each year. “35,000 families in Los Angeles County alone are going to be losing benefits,” said Knabe. “Our ability to coordinate services and encourage independence will help give our vets, our families and others in need truly a second chance.” Located on a former US Naval housing site, CVC currently provides housing to more than 1,000 residents that include veterans, families and
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impacts to the cities. According to a staff summary of the reports, the studies cited concerns of increased crime. Specifically, they noted a number of increased DUIs involving marijuana near dispensaries and concerns surrounding increased “street level resale of marijuana to persons without doctors’ recommendation.” Since state law currently conflicts with federal laws regarding medical marijuana, cities like Signal Hill have developed policies to address requests from dispensaries who want to set up shop. But since the 2.2-square-mile city is surrounded by Long Beach, which has allowed for some medical marijuana dispensaries to operate legally within its boundaries since May 2010, some city officials have argued that there is no need for more dispensaries in Signal Hill. “We’re surrounded by a city that already does it,” said Planning Commissioner Tom Benson. “So it’s not like our citizens would be affected negatively because there is a network of facilities still available,” he said just before voting in favor of the Commission’s recommendation to City Council. City Councilmember Michael
youth. Family Shelter I will be 3,946 square feet and serve up to 36 residents. Measuring 4,538 square feet, Family Shelter II will house up to 20 residents within its five units. Seventh District Councilmember James Johnson was also on hand for the project groundbreaking and expressed his support in providing a safe shelter for homeless families and individuals in the Long Beach community. “We’ve made great progress, and I think it’s a tremendous testament that this center for homeless and nearhomeless is seen as an asset by the community and not a negative,” Johnson said. “Having a facility of this quality and this caliber is also a rare thing.” Funding for the shelters comes from sources that included CVC, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, the Ahmanson Foundation Grant, Weingart Foundation Grant, Murphy Foundation Grant, the County of Los Angeles Emergency Shelter Grant, the County of Los Angeles Housing and Homeless Program Fund Loan and the State Emergency Housing and Assistance Program Capital Development Loan. CVC has been working since 2004 to get the project started and, as construction commences, the shelters are slated for completion in early 2012. ß
Noll, who sat in the audience and listened to the staff report at the Planning Commission meeting, also weighed in on the issue in an interview Tuesday night. Long Beach has “good ordinances in there that provide marijuana clinics for the people that need it,” said Noll, explaining concerns regarding Signal Hill’s size, schools and parks. “But our Signal Hill residents can go to Long Beach and get the service.” Noll explained that some Signal Hill residents had complained about the two dispensaries that had been operating illegally. “The residents weren’t happy with it,” Noll continued. “Signal Hill residents weren’t. But … you can legally grow marijuana if you have the certificate or license to do so, but we just don’t want commercial/retail in the city for marijuana.” No one from the public spoke in favor of or against the recommendation to change the zoning ordinance. According to city staffers, the zoning ordinance would not regulate individual households who were legally growing marijuana for private medicinal use. The amendment would only address commercial distribution. ß
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