Hometown News Since 1889
Good News Real News Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXXX, NO. XXXII
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020
COMMUNITY
pasoroblespress.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
ROBLAN OF THE YEAR 2019
2019 Beautification of the Year Award
LOCAL POLITICS
PERRY SELECTED AS 2019 ROBLAN
Local Activist Sets Sights on California Assembly Seat
Entrance to Oak Park in north Paso Robles highlights the improvement of the residences in the area. Photo by Melanie
DAWN ADDIS
McDowell
PR Housing Authority granted award for Oak Park transformation
Women’s March CoFounder, Dawn Addis, addresses bid for Calif. 35th District Assembly seat
By MELANIE MCDOWELL for the Paso Robles Press
By MARK DIAZ mark@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce granted the Beautification of the Year 2019 Award to the Paso Robles Housing Authority for the transformation of the Oak Park Community that has been ten years in the making. The Oak Park Community project has been a collaborative effort, led by Executive Director David Cooke. “It has been a big collaborative effort,” Cooke said. “What it comes down to is that it takes a lot of people, time and money to put these things together, and it is just great to see it all happen, and finally become a reality.” Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin said, “The transformation of the Oak Park areas is one of the more dramatic transfor-
NORTH COUNT Y — Being an educator, Morro Bay council member, co-founder of the Women’s March SLO and a local activist, Dawn Addis (D) is no stranger to having her voice heard. In November, Addis decided to use that voice to represent the California Assembly 35th District. “When I look back at the last four years,” Addis said, “I have been active and advocating and really out in the public eye. I haven’t seen as much positive change as we would like to see on the Central Coast.” Addis said that she doesn’t believe Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham adequately represents all of the Central Coast. “When I think about social issues, the incumbent just
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Mark Perry stands near the Paso Robles Carnegie Library, home of the Paso Robles Historical Society. Photo by Nic Mattson
Esteemed recognition honors lifetime of giving back By MEAGAN FRIBERG for the Paso Robles Press PASO ROBLES — Mark Perry was born and raised in Paso Robles, is a Bearcat through and through, contributes countless hours to the community, and now he’s the Roblan of the Year for 2019.
When Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce CEO Gina Fitzpatrick contacted Mark on Christmas Day to notify him of the honor, it was an unexpected gift. “My son, Nolan, kept the secret and helped plan the call,” Mark said. “I just thought Gina was calling to say Merry Christmas! I’ve
known her for quite some community members – and time, so it was really special to it’s hard to believe that I rank hear the news from her.” up there with all of them. I’m His reaction? a lifelong Roblan, and I just “I was pretty emotional,” love Paso Robles.” Mark said. “There are so Calling the recognition an many people on the list of “honor and a privilege,” Mark past Roblans of the Year that has a tough time believing are truly special – friends, that his name has been added mentors, some of my past to the list. teachers and pr incipals, CONTINUED ON PAGE A10
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PASO ROBLES JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Does Paso Even Assign Homework? Chief Academic Officer explains District’s philosophy
By MARK DIAZ mark@pasoroblespress.com PASO ROBLES — After some recent questions on the topic, Carol Kenyon, Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Chief Academic Officer, explained the fundamentals of the PRJUSD homework policy to the School Board at its last meeting. “We actually do give homework at Paso Robles Joint Unified,” Kenyon said to the Board. “But it is important that we all have an understanding of what that looks like across the district.” pasoroblespress.com
S he said that teachers in the PRJUSD have always assigned homework. The amount of time a student is expected to spend after school increases with age. Kenyon told the Board that kindergartners and first-graders should spend approximately 15 minutes per day reading and performing “appropriate math facts practice,” Monday through Thursday. Second and third-graders are required to spend 35 minutes per day, with the majority spent on reading and then math skills.
SPORTS
Once a student reaches the fourth grade, the times increase to one hour per day, Monday through Thursday and middle schoolers should not exceed 90 minutes of homework per day, which equates to six hours per week on top of the more than 30 hours spent at school per regular school week. The party is over once minors make it to high school where their homework time is limited to five hours per day per course. In an extreme scenario (or a perfect storm from the student’s perspective), they could spend well over 80 hours doing school work in one
KRISTIN SMART
WHY THE MARCH?
PASO ROBLES to build new shelter | A8
WOMEN’S MARCH attendees explain their reasons for marching | A4
WEATHER
Please join your friends and neighbors in this peaceful demonstration to honor the legacy and the quest for justice for Kristin Smart!
Saturday, February 1 5:00 PM
67808 24135
ECHO SHELTER
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CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR
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one year. According to Hattie’s findings, “effect sizes” range from unhelpful at -0.2 percent to extremely productive at 1.2 percent. The average — what he refers to as a hinge point — is 0.4 percent effectiveness. “He is kind of a god in the education world,” Kenyon said, adding that Hattie has been able to determine the most effective teaching strategies based on his research. Hattie’s research shows that the “effect size” of homework falls below the desired .04 measurement for elementary
SLO
WARRIORS FOR KRISTIN PRESENT
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week. The times stated are for standard students. According to the PRJUSD policy, “students enrolled in Advanced Placement and Honors courses may have additional assignments outside of the stated guidelines.” Kenyon stated that the homework curriculum is based on the findings of author John Hattie, detailed in his book “Visible Learning.” Hattie pulled information provided from multiple studies to compile metadata statistics in his research. He then determined which teaching practices produced the best results to achieve one year’s growth in
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CAL POLY reciever J.J. Koski set to play in All-Star game at Rose Bowl | B1
SANTA ROSA PARK SAN LUIS OBISPO
DEVELOPMENT in Smart case brings new excitement to case | A3
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