By Jason KUROSU

Crescenta Valley High School hosted a meeting last Thursday night to educate parents on two issues that are of particular interest: school funding and adolescent wellbeing.

Measure K, a bond measure that was approved in 1997 to increase funds for GUSD school facilities, has been a key issue for parents who would like to see the bond measure put on the 2011 ballot for extension. GUSD representatives explained to the group what the district has been able to achieve with bond money so far which included the improvement of foothill school buildings. In the presentation, the district addressed the state of the economy and how budget cuts could affect Measure K, and in answering a parent’s question, how the bond measure works to amass money for schools.

Parents were vocal in their support of the measure and were interested in understanding how the bond measure affected them as taxpayers and what direct effects the measure would have upon Crescenta Valley High School particularly. Reducing class sizes has always been a key point of interest with parents and the GUSD representatives confirmed this intent with the measure money along with the removal of hazardous material from the school grounds, updating technology in the science labs, developing a career center, creating better campus security and becoming more energy efficient.

In addition, the representatives handed out information sheets to the parents so they could write down their own suggestions for potential projects for Crescenta Valley, should the district receive the bond money.

The second major topic of the meeting was put forth by Pamela G. Erdman, a psychotherapist who specializes in several areas but who focused especially on teenagers Thursday night. She spoke of her experiences, being in close contact with adolescents as her profession requires her to be, and how this has helped give her insight into the teenage mind.

Erdman started off by reading a poem entitled Adolescence is a Storm, which was written by a teenager and encapsulated the rigors of teenage life. The “storm” was a continual metaphor throughout the night, which Erdman used to characterize the different aspects of the emotional rollercoaster teens experience. She then offered several ways to “calm the storm” and emphasized connectedness with one’s children, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the child’s happiness.

Parents who attended the meeting are urged to fill out the district questionnaire regarding the Measure K funds and return it to the school at their convenience.

  cvhs, Measure K