Schools Receive Technology Grant

Ventura County schools received a $30,000 technology grant from GTE on Tuesday, coinciding with celebrations for the seventh Annual Education Partnership Week, an effort to strengthen bonds between schools and the community.

The grant was announced during the “Principal for a Day” portion of the week’s activities, a program in which local business, government and community leaders step into the shoes of a principal or superintendent.

“This is really exciting for me,” said Michael Raydo, public affairs director for GTE, who was stepping into Charles Weis’ role as county superintendent of schools. Raydo handed the $30,000 check jointly to Weis and Phillip Westin, chancellor of the Ventura County Community College District.

“This is exactly the kind of partnership we want,” Westin said.

The grant will allow the superintendent’s office to install a high-speed connection to the Internet, the first step of a long-term project that will eventually allow county residents electronic access to a wide variety of courses. The grant will also provide for the enhancement of communications equipment at Oxnard College.

After only a few hours as a school administrator, Raydo said he found many similarities between the public and private sectors. Both are dealing with shrinking budgets and are forced to become more efficient, Raydo said.

Principal for a Day activities were held at several county schools Tuesday and will continue for two weeks.

Tuesday, Oxnard Police Chief Harold Hurtt acted as principal of the county’s Juvenile Court School. Camarillo Mayor David Smith will be principal of the county’s Phoenix School on March 29.