As school approaches, we will all be reminded of how "things will be" are so dependent on the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of summer, I looked forward to rapidly falling numbers of COVID cases across the county – but the case rate has still remained pretty high.

The CDC released a report that vaccinated teachers and students could return to the classroom without masks in the fall.

A day or two later, the state took a different stance, saying in California that teachers and students must STILL wear masks in the classroom. However, the six foot social distancing requirement can be changed to three feet. Even if many want to "open up", I still consider the mask requirement to be a good idea, even if wearing a mask bothers me and my glasses steam up!

I keep my fingers crossed that everything will go well when the Delano Union School District welcomes students back to the classroom on August 2nd.

The Delano Joint Union High School District welcomes students back to the classroom on Wednesday, August 11th

The high school district was due to meet on July 12 to develop its return plan, but like most counties and businesses, government policies had to be awaited before any major decisions could be made.

After former principal of Delano High, Rene Ayon, assumed a new post in the county office, Shondra Walker became principal of Delano High on July 1.

She is a graduate of Coalinga High School and then earned her BA from Fresno Pacific and a Masters in Education and Administrative Law. She taught at Lynwood High School in Seattle, but when she and her husband returned to the Valley, she spent two years as an English teacher, two years in English and as a teaching coach, and then two years as director at Wonderful College Prep Academy in Delano.

For the past two years she was the Learning Director at Delano High. Commenting on her new post, she said, "Our goals continue to grow on the great work that laid the foundation and tradition. I've worked with some great teachers in the academic growth and strong school culture at Delano High, and I enjoy working with such a strong staff. "

The Delano High administrative team, led by Ms. Walker, also includes Albino Duran, Jesse Flores and Walter Fontejon. The latter was an excellent young math teacher who is now moving from math class to Walker's old job.

I didn't get a chance to get to Cesar Chavez High School, where Uriel Robles went as headmaster to become the head of Valley High School.

Chavez's new boss, Justin Derrick, took over on July 1st.

Dolores Rodriguez of Robert F. Kennedy High School is the only returned headmistress in Delano's three public high schools.

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Join Us for Lunch at the Library This Summer is offered on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Delano Branch Library.

In partnership with No Kid Hungry, Kern County Superintendent of Schools, and the Delano Union School District, the Kern County Library offers free take-away and take-away meals for children ages 2-18. Meals are available from 12pm to 1pm

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With the fingers crossed, the autumn sport starts today at the local high schools with football and from August 2nd with the other girls's sports golf and tennis, volleyball and cross-country skiing.

Delano High School sports director Albino Duran reports that potential athletes can download the physical form from the school website or pick up a copy at Delano High School.

Before students can begin practicing any sport, the student must have completed the online form, have a signed COVID-19 waiver, have achieved the required grade point average, and be physically fit. He said walk-ins can be purchased for $ 20 at Delano Urgent Care in 1201 Jefferson St.

I'm not sure when some sports will actually start competing, but the Delano soccer team has a scrimmage in Delano with Taft and Mira Monte on Friday August 13th, and Chavez is likely to receive West Bakersfield for one on the same day Scrimmage.

The Delano and Chavez teams will meet on the grid in Chavez for the first official games on Friday 20th August. I'm curious to see if the seasons will be postponed if the heat wave continues.

It seems that local schools and most of the schools in the central section are only using Uni- and Frosh-Soph teams. Some parents are reluctant to have their children return to sports, and many teenagers have become lazy or disinterested in sports, or at least that's a premise on which Duran and I agree.

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Many activities resumed for Delano Elks Lodge in 1761.

According to the lodge bulletin, regular meetings and lunches were planned on the same day on July 14th and 28th.

Elks Bingo is now also open twice a month on Thursdays.

The lodge has begun ticket sales for its 39th Dallas Night, scheduled for Saturday, October 16. Tickets will be billed around August 15th and must be paid for in full by October 1st.

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Sunday August 1st is the last day for children ages 3 to 9 to participate in Delano's Harvest Holidays Tiny Tots event. Those interested can send an email to missaprilgonzalez@gmail.com.

The harvest directors followed their last meeting with a potluck meal and then returned to more harvest deals. The next board meeting is Monday, August 9th.

Councilors Liz Morris and Joey Alindajao along with Arnold Morrison, Suzanne Villaruz and other local leaders are leading the way in proposing that the city sponsor a Veterans Day parade in Delano in November.

The Philippine weekend, which was provisionally scheduled for the end of October, has already suspended its parade, Cinco de Mayo has not had a parade for two years due to the pandemic and Harvest Holidays last fall had a "caravan" rather than a parade.

Groups are reluctant to host parades as the city charges $ 75 for parades and more than $ 1,300 for overseeing the event and setting up and dismantling barricades.

The parades were used to promote the Mardi Gras celebrations, but the Mardi Gras was suspended due to the cost of the venue and city requirements for police events, as well as county fees and insurance.

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A phone call from Sal Cruz, a friend of mine and a 1955 graduate of Delano High School, asked who to turn to name a Delano street after the recently deceased Monte Marshal.

Monte was known to many locals for his long history as a local pharmacist, his special attention and advice to his customers and his participation in many local events.

He chaired the Delano High Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, of which I was a member, and Monte was known for attending all of Delano High's class reunions, as well as the Delano Sports Dinner and other local events. He and I coached the Rotary Club Little League team together for several summers, even though neither of us were Rotarians.

I suggested that Sal contact Maria Galvan, the real estate agent for the new residential area on County Line Road. Perhaps the city would even consider converting the two blocks of Madison Street on the western edge of Cecil Avenue Park to Marshal Street, thereby maintaining alphabet practice for the older Delano streets.

source https://seapointrealtors.com/2021/07/31/delano-ramblings-fingers-crossed-that-all-goes-well-as-local-schools-start-year-the-delano-record/

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