Focus on Education: Salida budget session

SALIDA -- The Salida Union School District board will hold a study session on budget development at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the district boardroom, 5250 Tamara Way, Salida.

MANTECA BOARD TO MEET: The Manteca Unified School District board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the district boardroom, 2271 W. Louise Ave., Manteca. Trustees will consider the 2011-12 audit and discuss posting board pictures at schools. Members will vote on hiring an architect for the Regional Environmental Studies Center Building and contracts for network upgrades and the center. See the agenda at http://bit.ly/MantecaAgenda.

MHS HALL OF FAME: Friday is the deadline to submit nominations for 2013 induction into the Modesto High School Hall of Fame. Forms are available online at www.modbee.com or at the Modesto High School office, where they should be returned. For more information, contact Diana Scott at (209) 522-5701 or scottypad@yahoo.com, or Steve Grenbeaux at sgrenbeaux@sbcglobal.net.

MUSICAL FIELD TRIP: More than 1,800 third- through fifth-grade Merced County students will experience classic and contemporary pieces Friday morning performed by the Merced Symphony Orchestra at the Art Kamangar Center at the Merced Theatre. Conducted by Hendrick Jul Hansen, the performance will feature classics from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to contemporary pieces from the "Harry Potter" saga. The event is sponsored by the Merced Symphony Association and the Merced County Office of Education. A public performance will be offered at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the same venue (reception at 6:30 p.m.) at a cost of $35, $10 for students. For more, call (209) 383-3277 or go to www.mercedsymphony.org/calendar.html.

ACADEMIC DECATHLON: Weathering late-night study sessions and team practices and hours of reading, Stanislaus County high school students are prepping for the 2013 Stanislaus County Academic Decathlon, a two-day series of tests, speeches and interviews on this year's theme, "Russia." The public is invited to attend the culminating event, the Super Quiz and Awards Presentation, from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Feb. 2 in the Gregori High School gymnasium, 5518 Stoddard Road. There is no charge for admission.

ED TECH CONFERENCE: There are still openings at the Educational Technology Conference 2013, which will be from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at Gregori High School, 3701 Pirrone Ave. The 15th annual conference will offer professional development for administrators, teachers, aides and technology support staff. Sessions will cover technology applications, hardware and integration in education. Sponsors include the California Technology Assistance Project Region 6 of the Stanislaus County Office of Education, Modesto City Schools, Stockton Unified School District and CC CUE. Cost is $70, which includes conference materials and lunch. For more, or to register online, go to http://ctap6.k12.ca.us.

ENGLISH TEACHERS: English teachers will gather in Santa Clara on Feb. 8-10 for presentations and workshops, including ones on implementing common core and technology in the classroom. "Keep Calm and Read On!" will feature speakers Rebecca Mieliwocki, national Teacher of the Year, and California Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera. Go to www.cateweb.org for information on other major speakers, sessions and registration.