Branch debris being removed by students of the Irene Robledo school. Photo: Fredi Díaz.
Sofia Medeles.- After two branches fell because of the lack of maintenance on dry trees, workers of the Ajijic delegation finally pruned the trees, as they posed a risk to students and staff of the Francisco Márquez/Irene Robledo school.
The fallen branch from one of the trees on January 3 was the second incident of this type. The principal of the afternoon shift, Fredi Díaz, commented that for approximately four years he has been requesting the help of several municipal authorities to prune the trees that could represent a risk, without any response.
«This last time the branch fell, in the same area, I did not even bother contacting the Civil Protection, or any other authority, since they previously did not give us support to remove it. It was better to ask for help from the parents and some students, and we did what we could,» said Díaz.
The person in charge of the office, Maximiliano Macías Arceo, together with the delegation staff, decided to take action and prune the dry tree that caused the incident, as well as some others that presented a risk.
«The danger from this tree has been removed, but we will continue to prune the others. We have also received reports of a dry guava tree, several ficus trees that need maintenance, as well as pruning of the large trees, which can represent a great risk. In the next few weeks we will continue with this work,» said Macías Arceo.
For his part, the principal of the elementary school commented that he hopes that they really will continue with the work, since there are strong winds in the area that can affect the dry or older trees, causing accidents.
A similar accident occurred on August 19, 2021, when a eucalyptus tree, which was dry, fell into the facilities from outside the property, causing damage to the cyclone mesh.
This fact was ignored by the authorities at the time. Civil Protection, Fire Department and Parks and Gardens were contacted to ask for help, but no response was received from any of them.
After the event, at least two official letters were sent to the delegation to request help, and it was not until recently that they were given any attention.
Translated by Colleen Beery
By Leticia Trejo
Although the title of this article invites you to think that I will write about the joy of sexual pleasure, I regret to inform you that this is not the case. The pleasure of knowing that you love yourself has to do with those little flashes of happiness when you find yourself making good decisions for your health. They may be only brief seconds, but they are full of pride. Imagine, you are in a restaurant and the waiter asks you, what are you going to drink; thoughts of flavors that explode in your mouth like the taste of sugar in a cola, or the creamy and bubbly texture of a rich craft beer quickly go through your mind, but for some reason out of your mouth comes a «I’d like a glass of water without ice for me»: I’d like a glass of water without ice, please. The sky is shining, the day is brighter and you didn’t know why, but when they bring you the glass of water you enjoy every sip as if it were the first time you drink this precious liquid.
One of the signs that you are appreciating yourself more is precisely this kind of decision. You find yourself preparing a salad for lunch, you buy a box of chocolates and it lasts you more than three months, you even forget that there is chocolate in your pantry, the bread hardens in the cupboard and the tortillas become hard in the refrigerator. The anxiety to eat everything has diminished, it has become small, and your self-esteem has become bigger. This is not a fact that happens overnight, in reality these small changes have been developing through a deeper state of consciousness, which is being created with small daily actions. For example: before brushing your teeth, it was a mechanical and unconscious fact where you did not realize that this brushing lasted only 30 seconds, when you make it conscious you stay in front of the mirror of your bathroom feeling where the brush passes, you stay more seconds in each area of your mouth, you repeat the brushing, you open your mouth more, now you also brush your tongue until you feel that the cleaning has reached all the spaces of your mouth and the feeling of pleasure for feeling your teeth clean represents small flashes of happiness. Yes, happiness.
Taking care of our health can be simpler than it seems, and more satisfying than we want to admit, it has nothing to do with spending a few thousand pesos in sophisticated medical studies, MRIs and scientific experts that give us approval and attest to our well-being. The intimate pleasure of knowing that you love yourself has more to do with what you do for yourself on a daily basis. Smiling at yourself in front of the mirror, dancing alone in your room, cleaning your shoes, washing your clothes, reorganizing your closet, going to the market to buy for yourself what you are going to cook later, buying a comfortable pillow, changing your sheets, and so on. Happiness is hidden in each of these actions that you make of you for you.
«People look with the expectation that eventually they will be happy, but you cannot find true happiness by looking into the future,» said Eckart Tolle which reinforces the idea that it is presence, YOUR presence in every detail of the actions you perform that will make you notice the care, love and gentleness with which you treat yourself. Then you will stop blaming the other, resentment will settle into the corner where it should stay, and health, well-being, and happiness will find a permanent home in your life.
Facade of Chapala’s City Hall. Photo: Mr. Arturo Ortega.
Editor. – The Institute of Transparency and Public Information and Protection of Personal Data of the State of Jalisco (ITEI) ordered the Municipality of Chapala to publish in its internet portal biographical information on officials and information on administrative penalties.
During the Third Ordinary Session, the Plenary of the Council of the ITEI required the City Council to publish the information as required by Article 8, point 1, section V in accordance with file 514/2021 of the transparency appeal.
Since “no data was located in the reference section” of the Municipal Government’s website, the information must be published or updated in the next 15 days. If the information does not exist, the provisions of the transparency law must be followed.
The ITEI Board determined that the Municipality had already fulfilled the requests for payroll, vehicle fleet and internal regulation (information in files 2796/2021, 526/2021, 3316/2021 and 979/2021).
In November 2021, the ITEI fined Víctor Merino de Jesús, the head of the Transparency Unit of Chapala during the 2018 – 2021 administration, for not delivering complete information regarding internal regulations, the Municipal Development Plan 2018 -2021 and the Social Prevention of the municipality.
Translated by Elisabeth Shields
The provisional entrance to the kindergarten is through the Cruz Azul sports field.
Sofía Medeles – The construction works at the Auditorium of La Ribera, in Ajijic, unleashed complaints from parents of the students of the Aurelia Flores kindergarten, located next to the auditorium, due to the blockage of the entrance and the deplorable state of its infrastructure.
The first of the problems mentioned was the lack of an entrance, since the beginning of the school year in August 2021. When returning to classes, after the pandemic, parents discovered that the main entrance, located next to the Auditorio de la Ribera, was closed due to construction, so the provisional entrance is through the Cruz Azul sports field.
«There are many problems with the entrance. To begin with, the people from the field ask us not to cross, and to go around the field, so that the grass is not damaged. This causes, for example, that in times of rain, our path is flooded, and both the children and the parents get wet. For us there is no problem, we go home and change, but the children get wet feet and get sick,» mentioned one of the mothers interviewed.
In addition, the mothers denounced another group of shortcomings of the kindergarten, among them walls with damages that present a risk of falling; several bathrooms out of service – they reported that there are only two working; awnings in bad condition; and the lack of a custodian.
«Since we started the (school) cycle, there hasn’t been a custodian, because the previous one resigned, so among the parents we agreed to pay someone to do the cleaning. But we couldn’t arrange it. They say that one is going to come in, but this shows that neither the State Government nor the City Hall are looking at the kindergarten’s deficiencies,” added another of the mothers.
For her part, the president of the parents’ committee, Lucía Padilla, assured that the school’s director has already been in charge of sending an endless number of letters to ask for resources and personnel, but the authorities limit themselves to answering in a positive manner and the petitions never arrive.
«We are going back to school with many deficiencies, and it was two years in which the kindergarten was abandoned. Not only this one, but several schools are in bad condition. The Secretary of Education has neglected the schools. Not only the parents, but also the director is desperate for an answer, and above all, actions,» stated Lucía.
Regarding the entrance, Lucía commented that, although the provisional entrance is annoying, they prefer that to the children entering through the main entrance, since due to the work being done – which the workers themselves told them has no end date – an accident could occur that could harm the students.
Finally, Lucia commented that there is no way to obtain resources, since the pandemic situation prevents them from holding events. «How can there be a work of considerable investment, next to a kindergarten that is in poor condition, and that school not receive attention, even if it is just a little bit?” she questioned. “The community should know that we are going to try to improve the school, but it cannot be done without everyone’s help.”
Translated by Sandy Britton
In blue, CODE Jalisco representative, next to her Tito López and his wife, a team volunteer. On the right, Francisco Gutiérrez, director of COMUDE (Municipal Sports Council) Chapala and a member of the ‘Chapala Inclusive Team’.
Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).- Well-known athlete Ernesto López González fulfilled a promise with the formation of the first «inclusive sports team» for people with disabilities in the municipality of Chapala.
Ernesto, or “Tito” as he is better known by his friends, announced at a press conference on January 24 in the La Cristianía Park auditorium, the creation of his long-awaited sports club for people with disabilities, endorsed by the State Council for the Promotion of Sports (CODE) Jalisco.
The purpose of this club is to motivate people with disabilities to «be encouraged to get out of their homes and join us,» said Tito Lopez. Organizers will knock on doors in each neighborhood to invite those who qualify. Open registration will be at the offices of COMUDE Chapala, Plaza de Toros, at Privada Francisco I. Madero 507, Chapala.
«People with disabilities tend to enter a state of comfort when other people limit them, in addition to the lack of adapted recreational spaces in the municipality,» explained López González.
The Municipality of Chapala pledged to provide transportation for the athletes to get to future competitions, as well as provide needed items. Another promise is to replace the current athletic track in La Cristianía Park with a professional one with accommodations for people with disabilities.
At present, there is a team of approximately 15 people who will compete in athletics for the blind, soccer for amputees, and cyclists with hand pedals and manual propulsion chairs. Swimming will be added once the pools of the Parque de La Cristianía are rehabilitated.
Since the athletes are still beginners and need to be trained, the club will start with purely recreational activities, such as internal and inter-municipal competitions. Once the athletes are ready, they will look for ways to promote their sporting careers through CODE Jalisco programs. Resources for the team are expected to be obtained through private donations or foundations.
Tito assured that he wanted to «help teach them to fish, …we want them to be self-sufficient. But, for that, we need them not to hide», said the athletics coach who wants to see his disciples at the highest levels of Mexican sport.
Translated by Nita Rudy
El director del CUOP, Martín Morales Juárez entregó galletas de la fortuna al alumnado. Foto: CUOP.
Redacción. –El día primero de febrero, se celebra el Año Nuevo Chino «Año del Tigre», por eso, en el Centro Universitario Octavio Paz (CUOP) brindaron a sus alumnos una pequeña sorpresa, con frases en chino, con la intención de que los alumnos interactúen y conozcan otras culturas.
Al igual, se les obsequió una galleta de la fortuna como símbolo de la cultura china y del aprecio que los profesores hacia el alumnado.
Inscribe a tus hijos al CUOP para que vivan esta y otras experiencias: (376) 765 33 55 y 331 843 43 80.
La celebración involucró a todos los alumnos del plantel.
J. Vicente Negrete School started its first back-to-school cycle with considerable absence of children and educational staff. Photo: Courtesy.
Héctor Ruiz Mejía: With approximately 30 percent non-attendance of students and educational personnel, basic education schools in the municipality of Jocotepec returned to classes.
After it was announced (despite the worrying increase in cases of coronavirus by the omicron variant) that this Monday, January 17, basic education schools in Jalisco would return to one hundred percent of their capacity.
According to educational personnel, classes started with an average of 30 percent of non-attendance by students and teachers in the different schools in the municipality of Jocotepec.
Educational authorities, who preferred to remain anonymous, say the main reason why most of the children have not returned to classes is because their parents are sick.
Although it was not specified if they were Covid-19 positive, as stated by the interviewee who is a teacher at Jocotepec School, this first cycle of return to classes, after almost two years of distance education, started with 25 percent of students’ non-attendance and one child confirmed positive for the coronavirus.
The interviewee said one student who was sent home that same day has been the only child (so far) who has tested positive for Covid-19, «the situation is worrying and even more so after all the festivities that have taken place.»
In addition, the teacher does not see the outlook for the next two weeks in a positive light, adding that «after the holidays the parents are the ones who are infecting the children,» she said.
On the other hand, the J. Vicente Negrete school began this first school year with a 30 percent absence of students, as well as 20 percent of the teaching staff being sick.
However, in order to protect the health of the entire educational community, without affecting the training and integral development of children and young people, the Jalisco State Government announced the implementation of the strategy «Covid-19 Random Test Application Model for Educational Personnel,» a measure to be carried out in schools that started on January 19.
This strategy consists of randomly applying tests to educational personnel in the 125 municipalities of the state, with the aim of detecting positive cases and isolating those affected in a timely manner, minimizing the risk of contagion and providing appropriate follow-up to each of them.
The Secretary of Health in the state, Dr. Fernando Petersen Aranguren, announced that, «in order to carry out these actions, the Secretary of Education of the Government of the State of Jalisco (SEJ) acquired 45 thousand tests that will be given y health personnel in the Health Regions of the state.
Translated by Sydney Metrick
Santos Degollados High School, with its classrooms occupied by students.
Sofía Medeles (Ajijic, Jal.) – Although not all students returned to classes, and opinions about their presence are very divided, the principals of three schools shared that the students who returned expressed a great desire to be back in the classroom, given the loss in learning in class caused b y Covid.
In an interview for Laguna, Raúl Zamora Cárdenas, principal of Santos Degollado High School; Candelaria Castañeda, principal of Marcos Castellanos Elementary School; and Iván Ramos, principal of Francisco Márquez Elementary School, agreed there has been low turnout for the students but that they are enthusiastic to return to the classroom.
They commented that instructions for this return to classes were given by the Ministry of Public Education (SEP) and the Government of Jalisco, indicating that one hundred percent of the groups would be able to return with full health measures in place, although face to face attendance would not be mandatory.
«At the high school, there are two or three students missing per classroom, who have reported in as sick. Those who do not come to school in person participate through school WhatsApp groups. If someone decides not to come, they can use the RECREA platform to do their schoolwork,» asserted Director Raul, who added that it seems to him that the State Government does not take into account the needs of the schools, as there has been a lack of adequate financing to cover costs.
Principal Iván commented that, in the case of his school only 49 percent in attendance, approximately 101 students, while six percent of the absentees chose to take part in distance education.
«Those who do not attend have close family members who are ill, so, to reduce risks, they themselves decided not to come. They are given the option of distance education, with the understanding that they are the same activities that are done in the classrooms, with small modifications to make it easier for parents and students. We prefer this to RECREA, since all parents find the platform difficult to use,» said Ramos.
Meanwhile, at Marcos Castellanos Elementary School, teacher Mrs. Candelaria reported that of the 210 students in the institution, approximately 150 students are currently attending, and the number continues to rise.
«The first day we had very low attendance, approximately 77 students. On Tuesday attendance increased, reaching groups of up to 30, and the following days the number has continued to increase. The missing students report as sick, but we continue to work at school with the usual health measures.»
Regarding the loss of learning and achievement by the students, all those interviewed confirmed it had occurred. Although the teachers were sympathetic, they commented on the lack of material or resources of some students to follow online classes, the lack of support from the teachers that is given in face-to-face, little space and time for the parents to assist their children, among other reasons. However, based on the comments from their students, they affirmed that the children are happy to return to classes. «They are very eager to return. They are enthusiastic. At school they like to be in class and with their friends, but yes, they go home, and suddenly they are upset because of their parents’ comments that they are behind in their learning,» added Mrs. Cande.
Principal Raul commented that this form of schooling will prevail for the rest of the school year, and that at the end of the school year the school will be given new instructions for operating. The three teachers thanked the parents for their help in monitoring their children for possible contagion and informed them that they are still working, and as far as possible, they are trying to be risk-free.
Translated by Colleen Beery
Medical personnel from the Jocotepec Health Center, who were in charge of this vaccination day, confirmed that a considerable percentage of those vaccinated were from Guadalajara
Héctor Ruiz Mejía – The return to basic education classes has presented a new challenge, since a considerable percentage of teachers in the municipality of Jocotepec could not be vaccinated because they arrived with cold symptoms and were suspected to have contracted Covid-19.
Although a total of 2,494 doses of the Moderna biologic were applied during the last vaccination day for teachers on January 12, out of the approximately 3,000 doses available, most of the vaccinated teachers were NOT from Jocotepec.
Medical personnel from the Jocotepec Health Center, who were in charge of this vaccination day, confirmed that a considerable percentage of those vaccinated were from Guadalajara.
They also pointed out that, although no figures were specified, there was a considerable percentage of Lakeside teachers who could not be vaccinated because they had symptoms, as in the case of the J. Vicente Negrete school, located in El Molino.
The principal of the school, Mayra Berenice, stated that at least 20 percent of her teaching staff did not return to classes, as they were sick and some of those had not been able to get vaccinated due to their illness.
Translated by Colleen Beery
In Jocotepec alone, 9,100 children make up the basic education payroll. Photo: Courtesy.
Héctor Ruiz Mejía – Not even one percent of children in the municipality of Jocotepec benefited from the Jalisco Scholarship program, according to personnel from the Jalisco Ministry of Education (SEJ).
According to the SEJ, of the 12,106 scholarships awarded in 2021, only 106 went to children in the municipality of Jocotepec, representing just 0.84 percent of the total support granted to the state. In other words, of the approximately 9,100 children registered in the municipality’s basic education system, only 1.16 percent had access to the annual support.
The educational authorities of the lakeside municipality noted that this is a troubling situation, because although no precise data are available, they know from experience that there are many children who need support to continue or complete their studies.
Part of the problem, according to the municipality’s educational personnel, is that a considerable number of the applications do not meet the requirements and so do not qualify for the support. «We try to check that all the documentation is in order before passing it on to the person in charge, but in many cases the parents have failed to provide even proof of studies or proof of address,» said the representative, who preferred to remain anonymous.
Not meeting the requirements is one of the main reasons why the applications have been rejected. «We help with the processing of a thousand applications, however, for various reasons such as non-compliance with the paperwork, only 100 of these are approved» he explained.
The representative also made it clear that the low budget allocated to education programs is an ongoing obstacle to providing adequate support to the children and young people who need it to complete their studies.
In his most recent visit to Jocotepec, Jalisco Director of Focus and Follow-up of the Ministry of Education (SEJ Fernando Lozano Morales met with municipal education authorities to speak about the situation. He acknowledged the precarious financial situation due to the federal budget cuts, but also reminded those present that Becas Jalisco (Scholarships Jalisco) is one of the few support programs to survive the cutbacks.
Furthermore, Fernando Lozano assured that despite current budgetary challenges, the amount allocated this year to the program will be triple the previous budget. This year’s goal is to provide access to funding for more families in a vulnerable economic situation in the lakeside municipality.
The Jalisco Scholarship Program was established as part of a strategy to prevent students from dropping out of school solely due to their families’ economic situation. The support consists of a one-time (annual) payment exclusively for children in basic education; funding is available for 1,800 students for the period January – June, and for 1,200 students for the period September – December.
Translated by Rebecca Zittle
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