St. Therese hosts teacher job fair
St. Therese is calling all prospective teachers who wish to work in the Catholic schools in the Diocese of San Diego to attend a job fair on March 21.
This collaborative job fair, hosted at St. Therese Parish’s Social Center, is a great way to interact and get to know the administrators responsible for hiring at more than 20-plus different Catholic schools throughout San Diego.
School administrators will be on site to answer questions about their school and discuss any pre-school through eighth-grade positions available for the 2020-21 school year.
Prospective teachers should bring several copies of their resume and cover letter to the job fair. Preschool, elementary and middle school teaching positions in every content area, along with teacher aide and other support staff positions, may be available. Some schools may require teachers who teach religion to be Catholic.
The Teacher Job Fair will be held March 21, from 9 a.m. to noon at the St. Therese Parish Social Center, 6026 Camino Rico, San Diego.
ALS Association hires San Carlos resident for fundraising role
The ALS Association Greater San Diego Chapter has hired San Diego native and San Carlos resident Melissa McElvain to the newly created position of associate director of development and donor engagement.
McElvain will play an integral role in advancing the mission of the ALS Association by developing non-event-related donor strategies and increasing fundraising opportunities, along with corporate sponsorships and planned giving, according to Steve Becvar, executive director, ALS Association Greater San Diego Chapter.
McElvain previously spent the past 18 years (2001-19) as head softball coach at the University of San Diego (USD). With more than 300 game victories, she owns the all-time record for most wins in the history of the USD softball program, which began in 1980.
McElvain graduated from Patrick Henry High School (class of 1995) and then attended Oklahoma State University (OSU) on a softball scholarship. McElvain played on the OSU Cowgirls squad when the team played in the 1998 Women’s College World Series, finishing third. She returned to USD to work as assistant sports information director for a year before leading the school’s softball program.
McElvain is a living donor advocate. In 2013, McElvain’s friend Dana Findley was suffering from focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSG), which causes scar tissue to form on the kidneys. With the waitlist being up to six years and Findley’s condition worsening, McElvain offered to donate one of her kidneys. In 2015, she became one of five founding members of Women Encouraging Living Donation (WELD), a group dedicated to increase, encourage and support living donation through public outreach. In 2016, she was recognized with the Sharp Memorial Hospital’s “Partner of Hope” award, which recognizes someone in the San Diego community carrying the torch for living donation. In 2018, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) honored McElvain with its Humanitarian Award in recognition of her continued work in raising awareness for living donation.
McElvain resides in San Diego’s San Carlos community with her husband Ryan and two daughters, Mia, 14, and Kamryn, 12.
San Diego Foundation grants to increase outdoor engagement
The San Diego Foundation today announced the availability of Environmental Initiative grant funding through the Opening the Outdoors Program. The 2020 grant cycle will prioritize nonprofit programs that provide access to San Diego’s natural resources for the enjoyment of all San Diegans – today and tomorrow.
According to The San Diego Foundation Parks for Everyone report, 45% of San Diego County’s total land area is green space, yet many low-income, communities of color have a disproportionately lower degree of access to parks and open spaces. This lack of access has decreased community engagement in the outdoors, directly impacting both the mental and physical health of San Diegans.
In response, The San Diego Foundation’s Opening the Outdoors grant cycle will invest in programs that clearly contribute to system or individual change resulting in opportunities for children and families in the San Diego region to grow, connect and thrive through positive interactions with the outdoors.
To be considered, eligible organizations must submit a proposal by April 6. The San Diego Foundation will prioritize applications with thoughtful collaborations, strategic partnerships and measurable goals. Proposals will be reviewed by foundation staff and a review committee comprised of a diverse group of community volunteers with expertise in philanthropy and the environment.
While participation is not required in order to apply, interested nonprofits are encouraged to sign up for the Informational Webinar hosted by The San Diego Foundation on March 11 at 1 p.m. Register for the webinar at bit.ly/32UzrCC.
For more information about The San Diego Foundation’s Opening the Outdoors Program, or to apply for one of the available grants, visit sdfoundation.org/OTO.
Blood Bank issues statement on virus fears
San Diego Blood Bank continues its efforts to monitor and respond to the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) with the safety of the U.S. blood supply and blood donors as its top priority, according to a press statement issued on March 4. “There is no known risk to the safety of the nation’s blood supply,” it read. San Diego Blood Bank also stated:
Individuals are not at risk of contracting COVID-19 from donating blood. COVID-19 also continues to pose no known risk to patients receiving blood transfusions, with no reported or suspected cases of transfusion transmission of this virus.
Increased donations are needed now as San Diego Blood Bank prepares for possible decreased blood donations as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions. If the outbreak continues to spread, additional challenges could arise, which could potentially reduce the number of eligible donors further.
“We are working with local hospitals to fill hospital inventory in anticipation of a potential drop in supply due to travel restrictions or other potential impact of the coronavirus,” said David Wellis, CEO, San Diego Blood Bank. “We are encouraging people to come donate blood to ensure a safe supply is available.”
San Diego Blood Bank is currently deferring people who have traveled to areas with WHO level 3 travel notices (currently China, Italy, Iran and South Korea) for 28 days from their date of departure from the outbreak area. If donors have been exposed to or treated for coronavirus, they are also deferred for 28 days. People experiencing coronavirus symptoms, including fever, cough and shortness of breath, should not attempt to donate.
San Diego Blood Bank strongly encourages all healthy individuals to donate blood. To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 114 pounds, and be in general good health. To make an appointment, visit sandiegobloodbank.org o llame al 619-400-8251.
Allied Gardens music educator to be honored by youth symphony
Coinciding with National Music in Our Schools month, San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory (SDYS) will present its 24th annual Celebration of Music Education concerts on Sunday, March 15, and Sunday, April 19, at Copley Symphony Hall, paying tribute to hundreds of outstanding music educators throughout the county. As the region’s largest nonprofit provider of ensemble-based music education programs, SDYS has advocated for performing arts curriculum and funding, with a special emphasis on in-school music learning opportunities, for almost 75 years.
Featuring performances by 10 large ensembles and orchestras, the concerts will also host winners of SDYS’ annual Concerto Competition as featured soloists, backed by their own orchestras. Also, two outstanding music educators will be honored with the youth symphony’s Profiles in Music Education Award at the opening of the concerts, and all San Diego county music educators are invited to attend the concerts free of charge by requesting tickets at sdys.org/educator.
One of the music educators to be honored is Allied Gardens resident Crystal Pridmore, who teaches music at Finney Elementary in the Chula Vista Elementary School District. She is the recipient of the 2019 CMEA Southern Border Section Elementary Music Specialist Fortissimo Award and was a Grammy semi-finalist in 2020. She holds a BA in Music Education and an MA in teaching from Point Loma Nazarene University, and a California single subject teaching credential in music. Pridmore will be honored at the March 15 showcase performance at 6 p.m.
She frequently performs throughout San Diego as a soloist and choir member and is the creator and co-host of the “Chaotic Harmony” podcast, chronicling the reestablishment of music programs in Chula Vista Elementary School District after a 30-year absence of arts education.
The other recipient is Serafin Paredes, who has been a music educator in the San Diego Unified School District since 1999. He is currently developing the music program at Memorial Preparatory Academy for Scholars and Athletes and serves as the Mariachi Director at the University of San Diego.
San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory’s Celebration of Music Education Concerts at Jacobs Music Center’s Copley Symphony Hall Sunday will be held March 15, 2020, at 1 and 6 p.m. and on Sunday, April 19, 2020, at 4 p.m. Visit sdys.org for tickets and information.
