By Irvine City News staff ​

The summer fun started early at Strawberry Farms Golf Course as Irvine civic, business, and education leaders came out to play, socialize and raise $68,000. Irvine Public Schools Foundation’s annual Tee It Up for Education Golf Tournament drew 110 golfers in support of public education initiatives in Irvine, including STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) programming. 

New and returning sponsors included more than 40 companies and community organizations, including $10,000 Ace Sponsors Strawberry Farms Golf Club, Konica Minolta, Kaiser Permanente, and $5,000 Eagle Sponsors Cox Business, KSK Medical, Volvo Cars of Orange County, and The Resort at Pelican Hill.  

The Travis Mathew Ice Cream Truck was on site to serve up tasty treats, while also giving golfers a look at the cool SoCal brand’s golf apparel, and Irvine-based HoneyBaked provided the boxed lunches for attendees.

After the tournament, IPSF hosted a cocktail reception, dinner, and raffle.  

Strawberry Farms Golf Course was also the venue for the annual Spirit of Community Awards. IPSF and Irvine Unified Council PTA (IUCPTA), hosted more than 150 guests at the luncheon. The Assistance League of Irvine was awarded the IPSF Spirit of Community Award at the event for their outstanding contributions to educational excellence and impact in the Irvine community. 

The Assistance League of Irvine provides and encourages volunteer opportunities for students in grades 7 through 12, an initiative that helps kids develop a sense of community responsibility, while learning public speaking and leadership skills. Some examples include visits to the Irvine Senior Center, making baby blankets to distribute to local hospitals, and assembling hygiene kits for the Operation School Bell program, benefitting over 650 Irvine families in need. 

“The Assistance League is an incredible example of recognizing a need and filling it,” says Neda Eaton, president and CEO of IPSF. “The organization collaborates with many local nonprofits in order to serve the community in the most impactful ways they can imagine.” 

One nonprofit supported by the Assistance League is IPSF and its Innovative Grants Program, helping enable IUSD teachers and counselors to enhance curriculum in classrooms. 
​
The Assistance League has also hosted the Young Master’s Art Show for the past 27 years. The two-week show features the work of one student from every IUSD classroom, kindergarten through 6th grade, to be displayed at Irvine City Hall. Since 1990, over 14,000 student artists have participated in this special program.  ​

By Irvine City News staff ​

The Orange County Department of Education revealed its 2018 Teachers of the Year recently, as Superintendent Al Mijares and an entourage traveled to six locations in a big yellow school bus to surprise six winning teachers in person.  

Two of the six stops were in Irvine: Kari Tucker-McCorkhill, who teaches psychology at Irvine Valley College, is the only community college honoree. And Irvine High’s Archana Jain is the second local educator to be named one of six Orange County Teachers of the Year. 

Archana Jain, who has been an IUSD math teacher for more than 12 years, was surprised with the Teacher of the Year honor in front of her students in her classroom. Superintendent Mijares, IUSD Superintendent Terry Walker, Irvine High Principal Monica Colunga, IUSD Board Member Lauren Brooks, Irvine Teachers Association President Teri Sorey, and members of her family were present, along with other OCDE officials 
Prior to joining IUSD, Jain was an aerospace engineer for a decade. She was also named the district’s 2018 High School Teacher of the Year. She has encouraged and inspired young women to get involved in STEM, and is a mentor for the Robotics Club, the Society of Women Engineers, the Engineering Club, Astronomy Club and OC Maker Challenge. Jain not only uses her experience and impressive background in the classroom but she has also used it to create an engineering pathway for Irvine High School students. She formed the Irvine Technology and Engineering Center to give students access to rapid prototyping tools and industry software.
By establishing a dynamic, project-based environment, Jain has helped students find academic success and purpose. 

“This is such a huge honor,” Jain said. “We are all capable of achieving more than we think if we persist and believe in our abilities.”  

Kari Tucker-McCorkhill has earned a reputation among students and colleagues at Irvine Valley College as a dedicated, enthusiastic and passionate educator. 

One example of her devotion to education: she dedicated the proceeds of a statistics book she published to fund student scholarships at the college. 
​
Tucker-McCorkhill constantly strives to make her psychology lessons relatable with real-world examples. Her students have used psychology principles they learned in her class to create a mentoring system aimed at helping new students adjust to the college life. 

“With many years of experience in the classroom, I have come to realize that truly effective teaching is a career-long endeavor that requires constant attention to the most important goal we have as educators – to inspire and encourage student’s learning and growth,” Tucker-McCorkhill said. 

Congratulations to two of Irvine’s outstanding teachers. 

They and the other teachers of the year were awarded with a trophy and prizes, and all six will be guests of honor at a dinner gala held at the Disneyland Hotel in November. There, they’ll receive cash awards from sponsor SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union and the Dr. James Hines Foundation, established by Orange County residents Bill and Sue Gross. The five Orange County finalists who teach pre-kindergarten through grade 12 are eligible to compete in the California Teachers of the Year program. 
 ​

Irvine City News staff ​

An estimated 5,000 people came out to the Orange County Great Park on a sunny Saturday for the family-friendly OC STEAM Fest. Put on by Irvine Public Schools Foundation, the event had fun and interactive activities for kids designed to spark their interest in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics, also known as STEAM. 

“The OC STEAM Fest provides students with a fun and educational opportunity to explore interests and discover the many different kinds of STEAM-related career opportunities that are available to them,” says Neda Eaton, president and CEO of IPSF.  

There were some 50 booths offering activities that included a “work and learn” virtual reality station by presenting sponsor EON Reality and a life size human foosball by Waste Management. Live entertainment and innovative demonstrations were part of the event as well, including a robotics competition between IUSD middle schools refereed by John Remar of Discovery Channel’s BattleBots. 

“Over the past 21 years, IPSF has proudly contributed over $68 million in programs and funds to support education in Irvine,” Eaton says. “It’s been so much fun to bring the community together with our partners and celebrate educational excellence for all children in Orange County.” 

IPSF provides millions of dollars in funding to Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) each year to support STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education, small-group learning, afterschool and summer programs, grants for classroom innovation, and support for mental-health initiatives, athletic trainers and school nurses. For more information, visit ipsf.net. ​

By Irvine City News Staff

Donald McKayle, a world-renowned choreographer, dancer, director teacher and writer who lived in Irvine and was a UCI professor for nearly 30 years, died recently at the age of 87. 

“Donald McKayle’s passing is truly the end of an era in American dance,” said UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman. “His passion for teaching and mentoring young, talented dancers remained unabated throughout his long life, and one of his greatest legacies is the hundreds of professional dancers now performing around the world.”

He was a five-time Tony Award nominee and one of the first African American men to both direct and choreograph major Broadway musicals, including “Raisin” (1973) and “Sophisticated Ladies” (1981).

McKayle’s contributions to the world of dance earned him a medal from the Kennedy Center as a “master of African American choreography.” His choreography garnered two Emmy Award nominations, an NAACP Image Award and a citation as “one of America’s irreplaceable dance treasures” by the Dance Heritage Coalition and the Library of Congress.

McKayle taught and mentored UCI students until his final days. 

The Los Angeles Times said McKayle’s “seven decades in modern dance distinguished him as one of the art form’s leading lights and socially conscious practitioners.”

“At least two of his works are considered modern classics,” The New York Times obituary said, citing “Games” from 1951 and “Rainbow ’Round My Shoulder” from 1959.

Born in Harlem, New York, McKayle began dancing during his senior year in high school after being inspired by a Pearl Primus performance. He made his professional dancing debut in 1948. During his seven-decade career, he danced or worked with Martha Graham, Anna Sokolow and Merce Cunningham and in the classic Broadway productions “House of Flowers” and “West Side Story.”

McKayle joined the UCI faculty in 1989 and was honored in 2000 with the UCI Medal, the university’s highest honor. He was the Claire Trevor Professor of Dance and Artistic Director of UCI’s Etude Ensemble, which he founded in 1995.

His original choreography “Death and Eros” was performed at the university’s annual Dance Visions just this February.
​
“The world knew Donald as a groundbreaking dancer and choreographer; we at UCI knew him as a great teacher and mentor,” said Stephen Barker, dean of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts. “Donald was a great choreographer because he was a great human being. We celebrate our opportunity to have known and worked with one of the giants of American dance for such a wonderfully long time.”

By Irvine City News staff ​

The first round of the 2018 National Merit Scholarships were announced recently, those sponsored by corporations, company foundations and other business organizations. 

Seven Irvine Unified School District students received one of the prestigious scholarships, the most students of any school district in Orange County and the second-most in the state, according to IUSD.  

In addition, two Irvine students attending Arnold O. Beckman High School in the Tustin Unified School District also received this category of National Merit Scholarships. 

National Merit-Sponsored Scholarships and University-Sponsored National Merit Scholarships will be announced in coming weeks, no doubt with more Irvine students receiving them. Corporate sponsors provide National Merit Scholarships for finalists who are children of their employees, who are residents of communities the company serves, or who plan to pursue college majors or careers the sponsor wishes to encourage.  

Most of these awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $500 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice. 

Nationally, 1,000 distinguished high school seniors have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards. NMSC will name recipients of National Merit $2500 Scholarships on May 9, and winners of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards on June 6 and July 16. 

Here is Irvine’s first round of National Merit super scholars: 
 
Avadh S. Patel 
Irvine High School 
Probable career field: Computer Science 
Schneider Electric North America Foundation Scholarship 

Irene L. Fu  
Northwood High School 
Probable career field: Consulting 
Aerojet Rocketdyne Foundation Scholarship 

Claire Li 
Northwood High School  
Probable career field: Business 
Allergan Foundation Scholarship 

Minu Choi 
University High School  
Probable career field: Psychology 
The PWC Charitable Foundation Scholarship 

Hartejas Dhindsa 
University High School 
Probable career field: Law 
BASF Corporation Scholarship 

Patryk T. Kozlowski 
University High School 
Probable career field: Mechanical Engineering 
Allergan Foundation Scholarship 

Shivakrish Vasireddy 
University High School  
Probable career field: Computer Science 
ADP Henry Taub Memorial Scholarship 

Michelle C. Xu  
Arnold O. Beckman High School 
Probable career field: Biomedical Engineering 
Schneider Electric North America Foundation Scholarship 

Brian Minh Tuan Chu  
Arnold O. Beckman High School 
Probable career field: Computer Science  
Northrop Grumman Scholarship  ​

By Irvine City News staff ​

One teacher can impact a person’s life…forever. Irvine families are fortunate to have teachers dedicated to serving the community and its children, from the first day of transitional kindergarten to the final lesson of high school. Now in its 32nd year, IUSD’s Teacher of the Year program recognizes exceptional instructors at the elementary, middle and high school levels.  
 

Elementary School Teacher of the Year 
Emily Bucago, Transitional Kindergarten Teacher  
Westpark Elementary 

Emily Bucago has been with IUSD for nearly 14 years. She received the Elementary Teacher of the Year designation for her never-ending enthusiasm and energy. Each day, Westpark Elementary’s youngest students begin their day of wonder as Bucago, who wears a different themed outfit, reminiscent of Mrs. Frizzle of the Magic School Bus series, greets them. 

According to Westpark Principal Deanna Rutter, “Mrs. Bucago has created a classroom environment that fosters learning and development through fun and play. Her students never know how intentional every activity is, but Mrs. Bucago does. Her infectious love for teaching and her students inspires us all!” 

Her passion for students and education extends beyond her classroom. She champions athletics, coaching the girls’ after-school soccer team and the school running club for any student who wishes to participate. She also serves as a district mentor to other transitional kindergarten teachers, working to align best practices. 


Middle School Teacher of the Year 
Nelly Tsai, Science Teacher  
Lakeside Middle School 

Nelly Tsai has worked for IUSD at Lakeside Middle School since 2012 as a science teacher. She has taught 7th and 8th grade science and served as department chair, Green Team advisor, Professional Learning Community facilitator coach, and science mentor.  

Tsai has written and reviewed items for the California Science Test, she has reviewed instructional materials for national standards and has been selected to review exemplary science lessons twice a year in various parts of the country. 

“Everything Nelly does is for her students, from building a garden to having them investigate the water of Woodbridge Lake,” says Lakeside Principal Gina Cuneo. “Every grant she writes, every state and national committee in which she is involved in is for one reason—to benefit her students. She strives to make them better and more enthusiastic science students. She is a gem!” 

 
High School Teacher of the Year 
Archana Jain, Math Teacher 
Irvine High School 

Archana Jain has been an IUSD teacher for more than 12 years. Prior to joining IUSD, she was an aerospace engineer for a decade. Jain not only uses her experience and impressive background in the classroom but she also has used it to create an engineering pathway for Irvine High School and formed the Irvine Technology and Engineering Center to give students access to rapid prototyping tools and industry software.  

Jain has encouraged and inspired young women to get involved in STEM. She is a mentor for the Robotics Club, the Society of Women Engineers, the Engineering Club, Astronomy Club and OC Maker Challenge. She is also working as a mentor for the propulsion team for the Irvine CubeSat program, which is an after school work-based learning program in which students from six Irvine schools have successfully built a Nano-satellite. The first and second year teams for the CubeSat program have been more than 50 percent female from Irvine High School. 

Irvine High School Principal Monica Collunga said, “Archana has embraced a growth mindset and intellectual risking taking—utilizing her real-world experience to foster a love of learning and resiliency for her students. She is an inspiration both inside the classroom and out, introducing and engaging students in STEM.” 

IUSD also named four Teachers of Promise, first- or second-year instructors who go above and beyond, while demonstrating professional curiosity and an unbridled enthusiasm for teaching. 

 
The 2017-18 Teachers of Promise are: 
Jane Huson, social science teacher, University High School  
Caroline Moghaddam, 2nd grade teacher, Bonita Canyon Elementary  
Lianne Linck, social science teacher, Sierra Vista Middle School  
Jeff Holton, 5th grade teacher, Northwood Elementary 

Nominations are submitted by IUSD employees, and candidates are then interviewed by a committee that includes teachers, principals and administrators. That panel selects the three teachers of the year based on evidence of a wide range of instructional strategies used effectively; commitment to the teaching profession; and demonstration of Irvine teachers’ values of integrity, empowerment, learning, collaboration and trust. 

The honorees will be formally recognized on April 27 at the Excellence in Teaching Awards dinner, which is organized each year by the Exchange Club of Irvine and the Irvine Teachers Association.  
 ​

Irvine’s newest high school is the “best of the best” in design and construction ​

By Irvine City News staff ​

Irvine’s newest and most innovative high school was honored for achievement in design and construction by Engineering News-Record magazine, which named Portola High School the “best of the best” K-12 education project in California, and in the United States. 

“This announcement comes as the culmination of a nearly year-long effort put forth by dozens of industry judges and the ENR editorial team to identify the pinnacle of design and construction achievement in the entire U.S., among projects completed between May 2016 and May 2017,” ENR said about the annual awards, which were announced in the magazine’s March issue. 

Portola High School doors opened to its first class of freshmen students in August 2016. Built on 43 acres near the Orange County Great Park, the school draws students from North Irvine, including Great Park Neighborhoods. The school will eventually enroll some 2,600 students in grades 9 through 12. 

“To be able to pursue our vision in this state-of-the-art facility has been a dream come true,” said Portola High School Principal John Pehrson about the award. “Many times the facility can get in the way of what is trying to be accomplished, but at Portola, it actually inspires us to do even more than we can imagine.”  

The state-of-the-art facility, Irvine Unified School District’s fifth comprehensive high school, features classrooms with common areas and flexible furniture for collaborative learning; an electives building that houses video production, 2D and 3D art, music rooms and science labs; dedicated science labs and a makers space. There’s also a 2,044-seat gymnasium, a 2,940-seat stadium, two soccer fields and an aquatics center with a 50-meter pool, among many other innovative facilities and educational amenities. 

“Portola’s design creates an environment for students to engage, problem solve, take intellectual risks, and work together in flexible learning spaces where they can share their thoughts and ideas with their peers and educators, as part of their everyday learning process,” says IUSD Superintendent Terry Walker. 

The ENR competition began last March with a call for entries to the construction industry, which resulted in approximately 700 industry project teams submitting their work to the regional Best Projects competitions. In each of the 10 regions, the editors assembled panels of judges to select the regional winners in 20 categories. 
Once the regional winners were chosen, the top winners in each category from each region moved up to the national competition. “A brand new set of judges from across the country and from all walks of the industry examined each project in an effort to distinguish the best from the best in terms of teamwork, safety, overcoming challenges, innovation and quality,” according to ENR. 

The U.S. and California Best Project awards recognize IUSD, the owner of the school; HMC Architects, the lead designer; C.W. Driver, the general contractor; and the civil and structural engineers on the project, Epic Engineers and RM Byrd & Associates, respectively.  

The ENR judges noted that the school’s “tilted roofs look like airplane wings, and a walkway through the center of the campus resembles an airport runway. Buildings made of earthen wall slabs, and the student union’s green roof, blur the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces.  

Best Project judges also noted the use of four separate construction teams to manage an aggressive construction schedule: a 19-month construction window for what would typically be a 27- to 30-month project. 
​
“Portola is our first high school built in accordance with IUSD’s award-winning Education Specifications,” said IUSD Board of Education President Sharon Wallin. “These specifications detail the features needed to support instruction and 21st-century learning at the highest levels and are the result of collaboration with our teachers, administrators, facilities staff and architects.  

“On behalf of the district and the board of education, we are immensely proud of our Facilities and Construction team for their innovative implementation of IUSD’s vision and we thank our partners HMC Architects and C.W. Driver.”  ​

By Irvine City News staff ​

Leaders of socially responsible local companies were invited to a reception at The Resort at Pelican Hill to honor their commitment to public education in Irvine. Neda Eaton, president and CEO of Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF), was the host of the 5th annual Top 100 Reception recognizing the companies that helped IPSF raise $3 million for Irvine schools. 

“We are proud to live in a professionally diverse community that allows us to build rich partnerships with companies across many industries. With their support, we are able to fulfill our vision of providing students with opportunities that prepare them for the future workforce,” Eaton said. 

Companies represented on IPSF’s Top 100 List include many of Orange County’s most influential corporations, including Microsemi, FivePoint, DCI Engineers, and Ingersoll Rand/Trane, as well as global brands such as Google, Maruchan, and Kia Motors.  

“These partnerships have provided a foundation for IPSF to fund grants that allow teachers to bring new, innovative curriculum to the classroom, build maker spaces to foster creativity and collaboration, and bring the Irvine CubeSat STEM Program to every high school in Irvine,” Eaton said.  

IPSF was recently ranked No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in California among K-12 education foundations by Stepping Up: The Nation’s Top K-12 Education Foundations.  

On Feb. 13, IPSF presented a $2 million check to Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) at its Board of Education meeting representing the foundation’s 2018-2019 school year funding commitment. During the meeting, the school district also announced IPSF’s support of a new funding area of focus for the next year, a $250,000 commitment to district-wide mental health resources. 

In addition to the mental health initiative, IPSF’s areas of funding support to IUSD for the 2018-19 school year include: Smaller Learning Groups, which allocates resources for additional elementary instructional assistants, and additional middle and high school teachers; funding of the grades K-3 Primary Music program at all elementary schools; the CubeSat STEM program at all high schools; and the Health and Wellness initiative, which funds athletic trainers at each Irvine high school, and provides nursing services for grades K-8. 

IPSF offers more than $3 million in additional support to ISUD through sponsored programs that include Instrument Rental, Afterschool Classroom Enrichment, Summer Enrichment Academy, and the Innovative Grants Program for teachers.  
​
Since 1996, IPSF has donated more than $68 million in grants, donations, and program support to IUSD.  ​

Irvine City News staff ​

Impressive enrollment growth is reported at UCI, as the city’s iconic educational institution continues to gain students and academic stature. Applications from incoming freshmen and transfer students for the fall 2018 class totaled 116,192, which is a record for the 51-year-old school. That’s an increase of 12,000 applicants over the 2017 entering class of 104,000. Over the past five years, UCI has seen a 41 percent increase in applications, the largest increase in the UC system.  

“The verdict is in: high school and transfer students understand that UCI’s distinctive combination of quality, accessibility and affordability makes it a preferred destination among America’s leading universities,” said UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman. “Earlier this year, The New York Times selected UCI as the college ‘doing the most for the American dream,’ and these 116,000-plus applicants exemplify our continued commitment to inclusive excellence.” 

Among UC campuses, UCI ranks third—behind only UCLA and UC San Diego—for total first-year applications (94,866). Of those, 71,130 come from in-state students, which places UCI second in that category. 

The first-year applicants to UCI include the largest number of underrepresented minority California residents in the UC system (29,978), including the most Chicano/Latino applicants (25,930) and the second-highest count of African American applicants (3,770) at any UC school. And here’s an inspiring fact: almost half of the in-state, first-year applicants (48.5 percent) to UCI are first-generation students. 

“These spectacular results represent exactly what we have set out to achieve: sending the message to California residents of all cultural or economic backgrounds that an exceptional education is not only available but affordable at UCI,” said Thomas Parham, vice chancellor for student affairs. “Our campus is the best place to nurture and support their dreams and aspirations.”  

Part of the increase is credited to UCI’s participation in the Achieve UC initiative, which reaches out to schools and communities that have significant numbers of UC-eligible students, but send relatively few to UCI.  

Parham visited students at Cabrillo High School in Long Beach this year, for example, “to share the message that their academic goals can be achieved at UCI,” according to reports from UCI. 
​
UCI was recently named one of the top-performing schools for Latino students by The Education Trust, and the school was recognized as a Hispanic-serving institution for the first time this year. That’s a federal designation awarded to universities with more than 25 percent Latino undergraduates. UCI is also designated as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution, “demonstrating the school’s dedication to providing a superior education to every qualified student.”  
 ​

​Irvine City News staff

Superintendent Terry Walker presented the first-ever State of the District at Portola High School on Nov. 2, updating parents, teachers, students, business leaders and community members about the status of Irvine Unified School District.

IUSD remains one of the fastest-growing and highest-performing school districts in the nation. “There should be no ceiling on what we and our students can achieve,” Walker told the crowd, noting that IUSD is preparing students for a world where “70 percent of the jobs [current students may have] have not been created yet.”

He said that IUSD is preparing students to be game changers and innovators who have the skills and abilities to be resilient, to see the interconnectedness between disciplines, be collaborative, embrace a growth mindset, be intellectual risk takers, critically evaluate content, and be effective communicators in our increasingly diverse world.

Walker explained how IUSD with all its accolades faces the challenge of being one of the lowest-funded districts in the U.S. IUSD’s per-pupil funding is $4,300 less than the national average and $1,600 per-student less than the state average. This funding gap costs the district an astonishing $150 million per year compared to comparable national unified school districts and $54 million per year compared to California unified school districts. 

Walker acknowledged the key contributions of IUSD partners in filling the funding gap and enhancing district programs, including the City of Irvine, Irvine Public Schools Foundation, PTA, FivePoint, and Irvine Company.

He cited the performance of IUSD teachers, staff and administrators of meeting the funding challenges and excelling in support of students: “We are surrounded by committed, hardworking and bright people who take tremendous ownership and responsibility, which makes a difference in our student’s lives,” he said. 

Other topics in the multi-media presentation included a look at new schools in the district built in the past five years, as well as upgrades to older schools through Measure E funds. A priority of the Board of Education is to provide educational equity in the district to provide equal access to state-of-the-art amenities found in the newest schools, including science, design and innovation labs, Internet connectivity, flexible seating to accommodate different ways of learning, music rooms, and other improvements.

Technology improvements are key, also. Over the last five years, IUSD has increased the number of Chromebooks from 7,500 to more than 34,000, enabling many classrooms to have one Chromebook for each student. This 1:1 model gives students access to individualized curriculum, learning activities, and online resources, which are personalized to meet each student’s individual needs. Walker also discussed robotics, 3D printers and other tools that are helping teachers transform how students learn. 
​
In conclusion, Walker said “I have no doubt that students will continue to set the bar and pace for the nation and state, you will continue to be a huge part of our success, and IUSD will continue to fulfill its promise of educational excellence and to continue our unprecedented success.”