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Valley Times
50 CENTS serving blythe,california Wednesday, March 15, 2017

PVUSD issues statement on

former Ruth Brown principal
Board president goes on the record on Mathews reassignment
By Uriel Avendano
Times Editor

The recent reassign-

ment of Ruth Brown
Elementary Schools
former principal, Laura
Mathews, from her post
has left the community
with questions regard-
ing the decision made by
the Palo Verde Unified
Photo by Cathyleen Rice/Palo Verde Valley Times
School District Board
Marie Smith is the proud daughter of Maria Gonzalez
(PVUSD) members.
and Willie Smith, and now the 2017 reigning Miss Blythe 25 years ago in No-
Outstanding Teen. vember, we lost one of

Q&A with Marie

our teachers. Laura
came and took her place. Photo by Cathyleen Rice/Palo Verde Valley Times
This was in November The Palo Verde Unified School Districts reassignment of former Ruth Brown Elementary
this was teaching School principal Laura Mathews from her post has left parents with more questions than

Smith, Miss Blythe Language Arts; this was

teaching 7th and 8th
grade. (Laura) had never
answers on the specifics behind the boards decision.
what they can be like. According to PVUSD transferred to a teaching

Outstanding Teen
By Cathyleen Rice
Times Reporter
Marie Smith.
Shes a bubbly 9th
grade student who is free
spirited and a bodacious
communicator, unafraid
to say whats really on
her mind.
Willie Smith, Criminal
Justice Instructor at
Palo Verde College and
former Imperial County
Sheriff, Smith is an ec-
centric teen who enjoys
being an older sister to
two brothers and one
sister.
Meeting with the
taught the subject on that She did a fine job. She Board President Jamey position, the governing
level (and) had never later on became an aca- Mullion, the reassign- board of the school dis-
taught that age group, demic coach, a teacher ment was made in ac- trict shall give such em-
stated Rosemary Mar- on special assignment. It cordance to California ployee, when requested
lowe, a former teacher was a shock to me, and to Education Code 44591 by him, a written state-
at Blythe Middle School many people who know and 44896 the latter of ment of the reasons for
and mentor. (Laura) her, to find out that, af- which states: such transfer. If the
did a fantastic job. She ter being what, a year Whenever a person reasons include incom-
had no discipline prob- and a half ago? Princi- employed in an admin- petency, an evaluation
lems, and if youve ever pal of the Year, she was istrative or supervisory of the person pursuant
gone into 7th or 8th marched off her campus position requiring certi- to Article 11 (commenc-
grade classes, you know a few weeks ago. fication qualifications is See principal/A2

Spelling bee champs

Shes the new Miss
Blythe Outstanding
Teen, whos pretty ex-
cited about the journey
that awaits her in this
new chapter of her life.
Inspired by the life
of a family friend who
battles Lyme Disease,
Smiths platform is cam-
paigning the education
and research to help
those who suffer from
having the disease.
As the proud daughter
of Maria Gonzalez and
Times for a brief inter-
view, Smith talked pag-
eant, talent and what the
future holds for her in
the coming years.
Times: How did you
get involved with the
Miss Blythe Teen Pag-
eant?
Smith: Ive been
watching them since I
was 5 and helping them
since its been in the
gymnasium.. Setting up
reserved seats and so
See teen/A2

Plan, progress, review

Palo Verde school district seeks
parent input for planning future
By Cathyleen Rice
Times Reporter
The Palo Verde Uni-
fied School District
needs residents help in
providing input on ways
to meet the needs of the
students.
As the State Board of
Education has imple-
mented a new way pub-
lic schools are being
funded, the LCAP (Local
Control Accountability
Plan) gives school dis-
tricts the opportunity to
engage with parents and
educators of the com-
munity, to help set goals
and take actions that
will help bring the dis-
tricts vision to fruition.
The LCAP is a three-
year plan that helps set
state and local priorities
for student achievement.
Because the State has
yet again changed the
template for how we put
together the LCAP, we
have an opportunity to
rebuild and adjust our
goals so that they reflect
the needs, wants and de-
sires of our community,
PVUSD Superintendent
Charles Bush said. It
will also allow us to en-
sure that we as a school
district are accountable
for how we spend the
public dollars we are
given and that we are
providing an education-
al system that is aligned
with the expectations of
our community.
Therefore, Bush said
the district is in need of
the community stake-
holders being present at
the upcoming meetings.
This is an opportuni-
ty for you to share with Photo by Uriel Avendano/Palo Verde Valley Times
us what you feel is im- In front of attending students, friends and family, the Palo Verde Unified School District recognized the citys 2016-17 Spelling Bee
portant in your childs winners at the last regular board meeting, March 7. First place: Rio Albanez (right), second place: Jose Cortazar (not pictured), third
See input/A2 place: Avalyn Bonty (left).