Yearbook Delayed
Nicolas Gorman, Mirada Staff
May 25, 2020
Delivery of the 2020 Rio Americano yearbook has been delayed until August because of state-mandated restrictions at the printing plant aimed at protecting workers from Covid-19. Yearbook adviser Michael Mahoney said the news was disappointing but understandable. “The yearbook staff worked re...
UC President Proposes Dropping SAT/ACT Requirement
May 12, 2020
University of California President Janet Napolitano wants to stop using the SAT and ACT as admission requirements and replace them with a new test created for the 10-campus system--or scrap standardized testing entirely, according to a plan released Monday. Napolitano’s five-year plan, released Mond...
‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ a perfect read when you’re shut indoors
Sam Flores, Guest Writer
April 30, 2020
Marsh is not swamp. Marsh is a space of light, where grass grows in water, and water flows into the sky. Slow-moving creeks wander, carrying the orb of the sun with them to the sea, and long-legged birds lift with unexpected grace-as though not built to fly-against the roar of a thousand snow geese. From Where the Crawdads Sing
Plant Closure Not Expected to Affect Yearbook Delivery
Mickey Doolittle, Mirada Staff
April 18, 2020
The yearbook staff completed work on the 2020 Tesoro earlier this week, but printing of the book won't begin until April 27--at the earliest. The Herff Jones printing plant in Kansas closed on March 23 as part of the shutdowns across the country to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. The plant...
In 1920, Sacramento Bee coined gender-neutral pronoun ‘hir’
Emma Hutchinson, Staff Writer
April 7, 2020
A century ago Sacramento came to the forefront in the long effort to coin a new gender-neutral singular pronoun. Dozens of new pronouns had been proposed since the early 1800s to replace “he” as the supposedly gender-neutral singular pronoun, and efforts increased when women got the right to vote. In...
University of California Joins Other Colleges in Adjusting Admission Requirements Due to Coronavirus
Katie Newton, Staff Writer
April 3, 2020
Online AP tests. No spring ACT or SATs. Pass or fail classes. Distanced learning. The class of 2021 is facing new challenges as they prepare for college applications next fall. The changes in response to the COVID-19, or the new coronavirus, have affected their high school education, but it also af...
Senior makes masks to help community
Emma Hutchinson, Mirada Staff
April 2, 2020
While students are stuck at home under the shelter-in-place order, many find the news about the increasing severity of the novel coronavirus depressing, and many who are in self-quarantine at home miss seeing their friends. But some have taken the time at home to make a difference for others and imp...
Calif. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Says Campuses Will Not Reopen This School Year
Nicolas Gorman, Emily Borg, and Mickey Doolittle
April 1, 2020
“We are in unprecedented times, and it’s hard to tell what the future holds as we are all doing our best to flatten the curve.” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond
Campus closure extended; district switches to distance learning
Emily Borg, Annalee Gorman, and Allison Meier
April 1, 2020
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, San Juan Unified Schools District has extended campus closures at least through May 1 and will begin online instruction on April 13. The district has been working to adopt a new style of instruction, called “Distance Learning,” that will allow students ...
School Quiet on First Day of Shutdown
Nicolas Gorman, Emily Borg, and Mickey Doolittle
March 16, 2020
The campus was quiet and mostly somber on Tuesday, March 17, the first day of canceled classes following the announcement the previous Friday afternoon that school would be closed until at least April 13. This was the day that teachers would be allowed to gather materials from their classrooms an...
At Blend, colors beat beat flavors
Marian Tully, Guest Writer
March 16, 2020
Just down Watt Avenue towards Folsom Boulevard, a new smoothie and energy drink shop opened up last February. They sell energizing teas, nutritious shakes, and iced coffee, similar to Dutch Bros, a local favorite of Rio students. The strip mall, 8391 Folsom Boulevard, where the store is located is a bit...
In This Case The Most Generous Interpretation of Events is Also the Most Plausible
Adam Bearson, School Staff/Guest Writer
March 13, 2020
Many parents, especially Jewish parents--and I am a Jewish parent--may believe that the history of anti-semitism directs us to seek out the most sinister interpretation, the one that will inspire our community to rise up and stamp out any festering hatred in our school. But doing so may have the opposite effect.