State officials mediate pact on school bilingual council

Jennifer Leuer

GLEN AVON—Granite Hill Elementary’s bilingual advisory council members will get formal training and school staff will learn about the council’s role under a compromise mediated by state education officials.

State officials wrapped up a three-day visit to the Jurupa Unified School District on Wednesday, in response to parents’ concerns about the bilingual advisory council.

State Department of Education officials mediated a compromise between district representatives and a group of parents who were concerned that the bilingual council was not supported or valued by the school. The council primarily is made up of parents with children in bilingual education classes.

Pat Zevely, a Granite Hill council member, said the district agreed to a list of parents’ requests including formal training for council members, educating school staff about the council’s role, changing the election process for officers and increasing advertisement of meetings.

Zevely said she hopes the changes will help school staff see the council as a positive force at the school rather than as a threat.

“We’re quite happy with it at this point,” she said of the agreement.

She added that the state’s involvement is a good motivator for the district to follow through with the changes.

“If we start having problems all over again, we just have to make a phone call,” she said.

Memo Mendez, a district official who was involved in the agreement, said the district will update state officials on progress in areas outlined in the agreement.



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