Hometown News Since 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CIV, NO. XXVIII
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2020
EDUCATION
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ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
CONFERENCE
Central Coast Writers Conference Will Take Place Virtually
AUSD Approves Distance Learning to Start School Year ‘The Floating Lady’ by Ioan Baraban is one of the original murals placed Downtown in 2017. Photo by Hayley Mattson
By CONNOR ALLEN connor@atascaderonews.com
Equality Mural Project To Begin Downtown
ATASCADERO — The Atascadero Unified School District School Board met Tuesday morning, and after three hours of discussion unanimously voted to start school on Aug. 12 with full distance learning. On Friday, California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that schools in counties on the state’s watchlist could only open in distance learning and will only have the ability to open in-person instruction if the county is off the list for 14 consecutive days. San Luis Obispo County is currently on the state’s watch list. Trustees were presented with three options for the upcoming school year in a lengthy presentation by district staff. The possibilities included entirely in-person learning (A); a blended option that offered both in-person and online coursework (B); and distance learning (C). Options B and C operate with the same structure. The district students will be split into two groups, one group with last names ending between A and K and another with names ending in L through Z. At the high school level, one group of students will have two periods of instruction with their teachers from 7:45 to 10:35 a.m., while the other group can focus on their at-home distance learning from their two other designated classes for that day. Teachers will have a break from 10:35 to 11:55, at which point the students will switch, and the next group will have direct access to the teacher, whether online or in person, from 11:55 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. The school day at the elementary level will work the same with a group from 8:15 to 10:45 a.m., followed by one from 12:45 to 3:15 p.m. The main differences being that students will stay with one teacher, as they usually would, and have a lighter online course load. Kindergarten students will have 30 minutes of daily online work, while first through fifth grade will have an hour and a half. Whether online or in-person, attendance will be taken and monitored, and students will be expected to complete the daily instruction from their teachers. One of the requirements put in place by the state requires that students in grades 4-12 receive at least 240 minutes or four hours of “instructional minutes” per day. This model satisfies that requirement. “I think it’s important for the community to know that should the board approve full distance learning, we should be expecting a much more robust instructional program for our students. Our parents should be able to see that directly,” District Superintendent Tom Butler said. “In addition, grading and assessment will be comprehensive; students will earn the grades they receive.” Butler added that the District would be more equipped in the fall and continue to find the best methods.
Local teacher, Clarke Andros, to paint ‘Grow To Shade’ By CONNOR ALLEN connor@atascaderonews.com
T
he Equality Mural Project in Atascadero is a collective of local artists and community members dedicated to adding 10 different murals to downtown, depicting various aspects of equality. The group was inspired by the two paintings placed downtown in 2017, “The Floating Lady” by Ioan Baraban and “The Historic Mural” by Heather Millenaar that are visible from the Traffic Way and El Camino intersection, as a way to support gender equality and have now expanded their message to equality for everyone. “After talking about it, we decided
that we don’t want to limit it just to gender equality. We want to expand it to a more general, all-inclusive equality,” Zoe Zappas, a founding member of the Equality Mural Project, told The Atascadero News. The collective, which is filed under
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Reminder that there is still time to register for Nov. 3 General Election ATASCADERO — As we head into the 2020 election cycle, understanding our local government is essential. On Nov. 3, Atascadero voters will choose a mayor as the two-year term of current Mayor Heather Moreno is set to expire along with the four-year at-large seats of present Councilmembers Charles Bourbeau and Roberta Fonzi. The initial period for filing Nomination Papers is July 13 to Aug. 7. However, if a seated incumbent does not file nomination papers for their respective position, the filing period to submit nomination papers for that office will be extended to Aug. 12. Candidate information and essential election dates can be found online at slocounty.ca.gov. Candidate Packets (Nomination Papers) were available for all three races starting on July 13. The Atascadero City Clerk’s Office is the receiving agency for nomination papers for City Council candidates. Potential candidates, and citizens interested in more information about candidates, can contact the City Clerk at (805) 470-3400 or by email cityclerk@atascadero.org for more details. It is encouraged that all candidates initiate
LOCAL NEWS
the process as soon as possible to ensure completion of all required paperwork and secure a nominated spot on the ballot. The eligibility requirements to run for office are 1) you must be a resident of the City of Atascadero, and 2) you must be a registered voter in the City of Atascadero Individuals who intend to run for office must file certain Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) forms with the City Clerk’s Office before soliciting any campaign contributions or making any campaign expenditures. A potential candidate must also file a Candidate Intention Statement FPPC Form 501. Prospective candidates can submit their FPPC Form 501 anytime between now and the nomination period. After filing FPPC Form 501, should a candidate begin to campaign and raise funds, he/or she must also file an originally signed FPPC Form 410 with the Secretary of State (copy of the form to be submitted to the Clerk’s office) within ten days of receiving $2,000. Instructions for both forms are on the first page of each form. Please read the instructions carefully and thoroughly. Prospective candidates can mail their FPPC forms to the City of Atascadero at 6500 Palma Ave., Atascadero, CA 93422,
COVID UPDATE
By MEAGAN FRIBERG For The Atascadero News
or contact the City Clerk at 805-4703400 to set up a time to drop the forms off at City Hall. Understanding the Roles in our Local Government The City Council is composed of five members, a Mayor and four Council Members, elected at large by the citizens of Atascadero. The Mayor serves a two-year term, and Council Members serve four-year overlapping terms. The Mayor presides over the meetings and performs other ceremonial duties. As the policy-making legislative body, the City Council is responsible for enacting all programs, policies, and services of the City. The City Council acts upon all legislative matters concerning the City, approving, and adopting all ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other matters requiring overall policy decisions and leadership. The Council appoints the City Manager, City Attorney, and various other commissions, boards, and citizen advisory committees, all of which ensure broad-based input into the City’s affairs. In 1998, the Council initiated a unique strategic the planning effort to annually
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City Outlines Process of Running for Office, Role of City Officials STAFF REPORT
36th annual event will move forward on Sept. 24-26
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Central Coast Writers Conference will look a bit different in 2020 — it’s moving online. With social distancing practices in place throughout California due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers considered whether or not to postpone or move forward with plans to hold the popular event. “Once we looked at the logistics, and realized we had been successfully conducting business online for the past several months, it became clear that we needed to move forward and just change up the way we offered the conference this year,” said CCWC Executive Director Teri Bayus. “On behalf of our amazing, talented, and dedicated staff, I am thrilled to announce that our 36th Annual Central Coast Writers Conference is becoming a reality!” All of the expert advice, knowledge, and teachings that have made CCWC popular with writers for nearly four decades will be available again for three days in 2020 — Sept. 24, 25, 26 — in a virtual format via Zoom. Five 4-hour Master Classes will be offered on Thursday: Prewriting Your Novel, Composing Your Life Story, New Structures for New Audiences, Poetry, and Nonfiction Success. Choose from a selection of 100 classes on Friday and Saturday with categories in novel, beginning writing, poetry, screenwriting, and business. “Plus, attendees will have access to each of our keynote speakers,” said Bayus. “Author Christopher Moore will kick off Thursday evening, and will also offer a live Q&A segment. Jordan Rosenfeld will open
DECISION 2020
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SPORTS
Atascadero High School first-year English teacher and local artist Clarke Andros. Contributed photo
the SLO County Arts nonprofit, formally known as ArtsObispo, begins their journey toward painting 10 murals downtown and have their first artist and a verbal agreement to secure their first wall. The first of the murals will be painted by Atascadero High School first-year English teacher Clarke Andros and entitled “Grow To Shade.” “I am a visual artist that uses a lot of mediums, and this one was exciting to me because I have been thinking a lot about public discourse in the public square,” Andros told The Atascadero News. “Sometimes, there can be big
Central Coast Writers Conference Executive Director Teri Bayus. Contributed photo
TODAY’S SENIOR
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