abisuz's blog

The name and mascot of Merced Union High School District’s new community day school was decided over pizza.

Teachers at the new school – which will open on G Street’s East Campus Educational Center next month – sat in a room and debated what the place should be called.

El Capitan was one of the names posed by teachers, but newly assigned community day school administrator Torrin Johnson said that brought back too many memories. That was once the name of Merced High’s Olive Avenue campus before it combined with the east campus in the 1960s.

At this week’s Merced Union High School District board meeting, a presentation was given on the district’s BTSA induction program.

BTSA, or beginning teacher support and assessment, is a state-funded instructor induction program co-sponsored by the California Department of Education and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. It is designed to support the professional development of beginning teachers. Along the way, the program also helps those teachers meet the requirements to finalize their teaching credentials.

I have, for the second year, been given the honor of covering the Merced County Fair for our newspaper. I have been to the fairgrounds at least once every day since Friday. I have tasted many fair delicacies and drank more than my share of diet soda.

That being the case, it is no surprise that I have also frequented a few of the fine restrooms on the grounds. (I have been fortunate enough to not have to use a portable restroom yet, but I’m not ruling it out.)

Everyone deserves at least 15 minutes of fame in their short lives here on earth.

As a journalist, I’ve had my name printed on the front page of several different newspapers several hundred times. So, although I’m not a national celebrity, I feel like I’ve had as much fame as I deserve.

Another local probably felt his 15 minutes were up about 35 years ago. But, Ruben Patron -- the Merced County Office of Education’s migrant education assistant superintendent -- is famous again after the Los Angeles Times ran a column about him on Monday.

Do you have a thing or two to say about the shape of the campus your child attends?

If that campus in within the Merced City School District, I know a group more than willing to lend an ear.

The Merced City School District will hold a Facilities Master Planning Committee meeting at 6 p.m. tonight in the Joe Stefani Elementary School multi-purpose room, 2768 Ranchero Lane, Merced.

A half an hour earlier, at 5:30 p.m., a tour of the Franklin/Beachwood area campus will take place. The public is welcome to both the tour and the meeting.

As a kid, I tried to convince Mom and Dad that my frequent requests to visit the mall were educational.

But lessons in the value of the American dollar, conversion of European sizes to American ones or multicultural menu offerings at the food court didn’t impress them.

Too bad I didn’t grow up in Merced.

If I had, there would have been one week where I could have really participated in something academic at the mall – the Merced County Writing Festival.