Latest news with #Lodian
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Let's do something great': Community weighs in as Lodi Unified rolls out early plans for new school
May 8—Lodi Unified School District teachers on Tuesday questioned why preliminary plans for a new campus did not include rooms designed for specific subjects such as art, music and science. Tokay High School science teacher Susan Heberle told the district's board of education that the proposed construction of Samuel M. Gantner School was exciting, and that this was an opportunity for staff to create something extraordinary for students. "Because it's going to be an elementary school, it's okay to put in a science room, or a project room, or even an art room," she said. "Because students need that. It's about looking to the future, something we can do that will help our kids flourish. Maybe if we used (the room) as a role model, we could add it to other schools." District staff presented the new campus' specifications to the board Tuesday, and while the plans proposed outdoor learning areas and "collaboration flex space" to give students more room to work together in smaller groups, there was no mention of rooms where students could play instruments or undertake scientific experiments. The school, to be located on an 11.5-acre site west of GracePoint Church at Vine Street and Westgate Drive, will focus primarily on TK-6 grades, with the possibility of accommodating seventh- and eighth- grade students in the future, if necessary. The school's capacity would be 650 students in TK-6 and 850 students if it were to accommodate seventh- and eighth graders. Preschool through third-grade classes would have about 24 students each, while grades 4-6 would have 30 students in each class. Staff added that the campus' design would prioritize flexible, adaptable spaces; combine mobile furniture with built-in storage; have a sink in every classroom; and include backpack storage needed at all grade levels. "Whether it's including middle school students or not, we want to continue to have these thriving middle school programs," music teacher Mary Guida said. "Tokay is a powerhouse because we have these feeder programs. So we need to make sure we have guaranteed space for every teacher that is going to be on that site." Former board member Ron Heberle said he liked the idea of Gantner becoming a K-8 campus, but only if it's planned well. He said the district should build the school with the intention that 850 students will be attending on day one. "If you're planning a school, you need to plan growth and build for growth," he said. "The population will increase, because Lodi's population is going to increase during the lifespan of the school. Don't build it for what you have now, build it's for what's coming down the road." The school's name was unanimously chosen by the board in 2003 to honor the first Lodian killed in World War II. Gantner was a Lodi High graduate and a young father who was stationed on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor when Japanese forces attacked on Dec. 7, 1941. As planes approached, Gantner raced to his battle station, a 5-inch anti-aircraft gun on the deck. He fired at the attacking planes but was wounded and taken to the ship's hospital. Soon after arriving though, medics noticed he was no longer in the treatment area. He was later seen back at his battle station with his crew, firing at the enemy. An official citation read, in part: "He maintained an effective fire with his gun, in local control, despite heavy casualties on his gun, bomb hits, exploding ammunition on deck, and serious fires, and was killed at his station." He was 21. His remains were buried at the Punch Bowl military cemetery in Hawaii. Board member Sherry Alexander said the district should take Guida's suggestions, as well as Susan Heberle's, into consideration. "A science, music and art, or even a STEAM area would be hugely beneficial," she said. "When we have a chance to do something great, let's do something great."
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lodi Unified to discuss potential new school
May 3—After years of parents and teachers calling for a new campus to be built in Lodi, a new school has been proposed on the western side of town. The Lodi Unified School District Board of Education will get its first glimpse of the proposed Samuel M. Gantner Elementary School at Vine Street and Westgate Drive on Tuesday. The school, named after the first Lodian killed in World War II, will be located on an 11.5-acre site west of GracePoint Church. According to Tuesday's staff report, the campus will focus primarily on kindergarten-sixth grades, with the possibility of accommodating seventh- and eighth-grade students, if necessary. The school's capacity would be 850 students. Preschool through third-grade classes would have about 24 students each, while grades 4-6 would have 30 students in each class. Last year, district officials told the News-Sentinel that the district's student population had dropped around 10% — from 30,000 to less than 27,000 — in recent years. At that time officials said there were two new school sites ready to develop. One was Gantner and the other site was in North Stockton, west of I-5 in the Spanos Park neighborhood. Superintendent Neil Young said the district works with both county and city officials to anticipate new developments within the district. He says the growth numbers are used to develop the district's long-range plans and to project future student population. Behind the name Gantner was a Lodi High graduate and a young father who was stationed on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor when Japanese forces attacked on Dec. 7, 1941. As planes approached, Gantner raced to his battle station, a 5-inch anti-aircraft gun on the deck. He fired at the attacking planes but was wounded and taken to the ship's hospital. Soon after arriving, medics noticed he was no longer in the treatment area. He was later seen back at his battle station with his crew, firing at the enemy. An official citation read, in part: "He maintained an effective fire with his gun, in local control, despite heavy casualties on his gun, bomb hits, exploding ammunition on deck, and serious fires, and was killed at his station." He was 21. His remains were buried at the Punch Bowl military cemetery in Hawaii. The board unanimously approved naming the campus after Gantner in 2012. A destroyer-class escort named in his honor was launched at the Boston Navy Yard on July 23, 1943. The ship was later decommissioned and sold to China. Tuesday's meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the James Areida Education Support Center, 1305 E. Vine St. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the district's YouTube channel.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lodi vet unable to attend event commemorating battle of Iwo Jima
Mar. 29—A Lodi resident who fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima was planning to attend an 80th anniversary trip to the island this week, but his plans were cut short after a dizzy spell. U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Marvin Hernandez Garcia and cameraman Michael Cockrell were escorting 99-year-old Frank Wright back to Iwo Jima for the 80th Reunion of Honor as part of an outing put together by the Iwo Jima Association of America and Military Historical Tours. On Thursday, the trio was in Guam waiting for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to join the excursion, which included six other veterans who fought at Iwo Jima during World War II. In a social media post Friday, Hernandez Garcia said Wright was able to meet Hegseth and even embrace, but shortly afterward the Lodian began feeling lightheaded. Hernandez Garcia said he gave Wright water and doctors and nurses then began swarming. He said Wright looked dizzy, bu the veteran insisted he was fine. Wright was taken to an air-conditioned room where doctors took his pulse, but could not find anything wrong, Hernandez Garcia said. Then EMTs arrived, gave Wright an EKG and cleared him. He and Wright took a walk outside, and another doctor said it would be good to go to an emergency room to make sure there was nothing wrong. Hernandez Garcia took Wright to the ER, where again, his vitals were checked and he was cleared. "They said he was just dehydrated and to make sure he kept hydrating and the doctor that saw him said she didn't see an issue with Frank flying to Iwo Jima," he said. "I get a call from Michael who tells me they had made the decision to drop Frank and that only one of us escorts could go on the trip." Hernandez Garcia said he spoke with someone in charge of the tour, who responded "that the decision was made and there was nothing that could be done," and that doctors at the hangar where they met Hegseth had advised Wright not to go to Iwo Jima. On Friday, Hernandez Garcia tried to plead Wright's case, and said he was told that the other veterans on the trip "were not heat casualties." "We talked back and forth and I was even told that the temperature in Iwo Jima is 110 degrees and that the Military History Tours would not take the risk to take him like that," he said. Hernandez Garcia asked the staff what would happen if one of the other six became ill, and was told that none of them had passed out on Thursday. He said Wright never passed out, but was merely lightheaded and dehydrated. "He stated once again that it didn't matter as he wasn't going to risk it," he said. "That it was their policy that if something like that happens, they wouldn't take an older Vet to Iwo Jima." Hernandez Garcia suggested the trio sign waivers releasing MHT of any liability, and was met with another rejection. Born in Arkadelphia, Ark., Wright enlisted with the United States Marine Corps in 1942 at the age of 16 and fought in battles throughout the Pacific Theater during the war, including at Iwo Jima, where he witnessed the raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi, which has since been memorialized in Joe Rosenthal's photograph that has become synonymous with victory for American armed forces. An original member of the Marine Corps' Raiders special forces unit, he was wounded in the stomach by a bayonet while recapturing Guam, and was shot in the chest and arm by machine gun fire on the island of Iwo Jima. Wright was awarded the Purple Heart with two stars, the Presidential Unit Citation with two stars, Navy Unit Commendation, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign with three service stars, the Fleet Marine Force with four stars, the Marine Corps Expedition Medal, the Combat Action Medal with four stars, the Victory Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He is believed to be one of the three last surviving members of the Raiders, and penned a memoir about his experiences in 2019 entitled "Battles in the Pacific." "So, now I have a heartbroken hero that can't believe he is being treated like that," Hernadez Garcia said. "He even states he can still make his own decisions and how he regrets listening to me and having gone to the ER."
