“In each case, (the number of cancer incidents) fell inside the expected range,” said Dr. Donald Lyman, head of the state Department of Public Health’s Chronic Disease and Injury Control Division.

“There is no unusual pattern,” he said.

Lyman and other state officials were in Carlsbad on Monday night responding to concerns raised by some residents, particularly parents of children with cancer.

A group of them has been calling for the Carlsbad Unified School District to test the soil, water and air at Kelly Elementary School, saying there is a high number of children and teachers with cancer there.

Asked Monday night if he would send his children to that school, Lyman said he would have no hesitancy in doing so.

I actually didn’t attend Kelly Elementary but I did attend the junior high right across the street as well as the high school right down the road. When I first heard of this, it was pretty freaky – but, the reports seem pretty clear that there isn’t much connection between any of the so called ideas. Still, talk about worrisome…

Bill Kowba, who has been tapped to lead the San Diego Unified School District, would earn $250,000 annually under a three-year employment agreement. Former Superintendent Terry Grier, who left in September after 18 months, earned a $269,000 annual salary on a contract that spanned up to four years.

The school board named Kowba superintendent last week pending contract negotiations. The board is set to officially offer him the job today.tues 6/29 The board today tues will also vote to approve next year’s $1.1 billion budget and $137 million in cost-cutting measures.

It’s a great move IMO. The last thing these guys need is a 350,000 salary when we can’t even keep teachers employed.

The sugary treats worked: Wolfe had 20 guests in the crowd when she addressed the class Thursday evening.

She led a class of 532 graduates who celebrated 25 years of Temecula Valley High School during commencement ceremonies.

Later, 723 Great Oak High School seniors received diplomas on a chilly night more appropriate for October football than a June graduation.

Wolfe’s cheering section included her parents, friends and even her pastor.

A big congrats to everybody who graduated. That’s an amazing accomplishment. Props are sent out to the school as well.

Teachers disappointed with contract negotiations in the Escondido Union School District staged a dramatic protest two weeks ago by throwing shirts on the floor in front of trustees and claiming they only had “the shirts off our backs” left to give after accepting salary reductions and increased insurance fees.

Romero Maratea, president of the Escondido Elementary Educators Association, which represents teachers in the district, did not speak at Thursday’s meeting but said outside the board room that the last of 10 negotiation sessions with trustees had been completed Wednesday without resolution.

Teachers are working under a contract that runs until June 2011, but wages and benefits are renegotiated each year. Maratea said the union is prepared to continue negotiating into the summer and is waiting to hear back from the board.

The decision, which despite the pleas of parents and bus drivers who said it would create a hardship for many families, goes into affect with the 2010-2011 school year.

The cut will force about 3,300 of the district’s 33,000 students, or about 10 percent, to find other ways to get to and from school.

Special education students will be unaffected.

Trustees in the San Marcos Unified School District approved final layoff notices for 40 teachers Monday night as a step to help offset a projected $15 million budget shortfall in the next school year.

Michael DeVries, president of the San Marcos Educators Association, pleaded with the board to rescind at least some of the layoff notices originally announced on March 8 because several teachers have taken early retirements or resigned since then.

Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Len Judd said the layoffs will save the district about $2 million.

Besides the permanent teachers receiving layoff notices, the district is not rehiring 130 temporary teachers, including 41 who are working full time.

The district last year sent layoff notices to teachers in 50 full-time positions, but later rescinded the notices after the district received federal stimulus money.

Really, it’s just so sad. Teachers are the LAST ones that should be getting this treatment.

Vista Unified School District trustees voted Thursday to keep music teachers and health technicians at elementary schools next year, but made more than $500,000 in other budget cuts.

District officials are working to slash $15 million in spending from next year’s budget in response to funding cuts at the state level.

The board voted in January to eliminate the music program, but trustees asked district officials to continue looking for money to pay for it. They found that money by cutting magnet school funding by 10 percent, eliminating some administrative spending, and taking $250,000 from money set aside to pay for benefits for retired employees.

For the last three years, the district’s 10,000 or so students in kindergarten through fifth grade have gotten 30-minute music lessons once every three weeks.

At Thursday’s meeting, Chloe Smith, an eighth-grader at Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, sang an a capella version of “Colors of the Wind” from the film “Pocahontas” to thank the board for retaining the music teachers.

Facing a $14 million budget deficit for 2010-11, the district has asked employees to take a 7.25 percent salary cut.

Without some kind of reduction, more than 225 teachers and support workers could be laid off and class sizes increased, it was reported last month.

At Thursday’s meeting, information will be given regarding potential teacher layoffs, including financial and educational implications. The meeting agenda does not state how many teaching positions are on the chopping block.

The meeting will be at the district office, 41870 McAlby Court.

The Smart Start classes conducted by the California Highway Patrol are aimed at parents and their children ages 15 to 20 who recently have received a driver’s license, or soon will, CHP Officer Eric Newbury said.

Those interested may make a reservation through Newbury at 760-757-0824 for Feb. 9, 16 or 23. Classes run from 6 to 8 p.m. at police headquarters, 2560 Orion Way.