Pomona Unified School District
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Pomona Unified School District or PUSD is a school district that serves most of the Pomona Valley, California; from most of the city of Pomona to the northern portion of Diamond Bar (north of Grand Avenue). It has programs that range from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. The District also has career-oriented programs for adults.
Portions of the city of Pomona (particularly the triangle bounded by Foothill Boulevard, Thompson Creek, and the city of La Verne) are in the Claremont Unified School District.
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[edit] E-Rate Controversy
In July 2005, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin published a series of articles claiming that the school district was using 2001 E-Rate funds inappropriately. E-Rate funds are monies collected from a federal excise tax on the use of telephones. Under an audit conducted by the organization that administers E-Rate funds, the district was found to have possibly used 460 PowerBook laptops inappropriately, since they were purchased as file servers but not all were still being used as such three years later. The Internal Audit Division made a recommendation to seek reimbursement for the funds, though this has not occurred is still under appeal. The audit stated there were "no exceptions" and "no competitive bidding violations" with the procurement process. According to teachers, the laptops were described as a "joke" and additional servers had to be purchased for file serving purposes. The computers were not connected to the Internet, and many computers were used merely as "glorified DVD players." [1]
The newspaper also stated that the district spent too much money on the laptops (a total of $2.4 million, or over $5,000 per laptop), and that there was nepotism involved in the selection of the contractor, which was the parent company of Meshworx; the brother of the district's technology coordinator worked for Meshworx. In response, the PUSD sued the newspaper alleging libel. The school district stated that there was "nothing wrong or improper with the purchase of the machines" and that the problem "was that the machines has 'client' workstation user software installed in addition to 'server' software."[2] Part of the controversy is the recent retirement [3] of the superintendent and the implication by the newspaper that this is related to the E-Rate audit. The school board initially opted for an internal review but has since ordered an independent investigation of the expenditures. The review is still underway. The articles have spurred a group of local residents to initiate a recall four out of the five members of the school board. [4]
[edit] Other Controversies
Four of five school board members were served with a notice of recall in response to frustrations arising from the PUSD's handling of a conditional offer from the City of Diamond Bar to install an artificial turf field on the poorly maintained Lorbeer field. Negotiations resumed once the usage limitations were rescinded from the city.
Before the 2005 election of the one school board member not the subject of recall petitions, Andrew S. Wong [5], virtually all votes for 10+ years were unanimous.
[edit] Administration
- Superintendent: Dr. Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana[6]
- Assistant to the Superintendent, Public Information Officer/High School Support: Richard Martinez[7]
- Assistant to the Superintendent, Business Services - Facilities: Enrique Medina Jr.[8]
- Assistant Superintendent, Chief Financial Officer: Pamela J. Lopez[9]
- Deputy Superintendent, Instructional Services: Lois Wurmbrand[10]
- Deputy Superintendent, Personnel Services: Emmett L. Terrell[11]
[edit] Pomona Unified Schools
- Elementary Schools
- Alcott Elementary School
- Allison Elementary School
- Armstrong Elementary School
- Arroyo Elementary School
- Barfield Elementary School
- Decker Elementary School
- Diamond Point Elementary School
- Golden Springs Elementary School
- Harrison Elementary School
- Kellogg Elementary School
- Kingsley Elementary School
- Lexington Elementary School
- Lincoln Elementary School
- Madison Elementary School
- Mendoza Elementary School
- Montvue Elementary School
- Pantera Elementary School
- Philadelphia Elementary School
- Pueblo Elementary School
- Ranch Hills Elementary School
- Roosevelt Elementary School
- San Antonio Elementary School
- San Jose Elementary School
- Vejar Elementary School - Won California's Distinguished School Award in 1995.
- Washington Elementary School
- Westmont Elementary School
- Yorba Elementary School
- Middle Schools
- Emerson Middle School
- Fremont Middle School
- Lorbeer Middle School
- Marshall Middle School
- Palomares Middle School
- Simons Middle School
- High Schools
- Diamond Ranch High School - Won California's Distinguished School Award in 2003.
- Ganesha High School
- Garey High School and Garey Village
- Park West High School
- Pomona High School
- Village Academy High School
- Other Schools
- Pomona Alternative School
- Pomona Vocational Center
