LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Carlé High School just finished up hazmat classes and certification.

The students who took the class were trained in the first responder “operations” or FRO level one.

There are three levels to the certifications: first responder “operations,” technician and specialist.

We are extremely fortunate in that our science teacher Angie Siegel is an officially certified trainer of the level one course.

The students who took the certification class are as follows: Jesse Adams, Doyle. J. Conatser, Kayla Doyle, Erik Fielden, A.J. Gelardi, Jasmine Heckard, Brianna Legg, Riley Nielsen, Ryan O’Bryan, Maria Pineda, Kedwin McAtter-Russel, Sierra Sell-McKay and Emily Simmons.

We would like to thank Chief Sapeta of Lakeshore Fire, Mark Hill the head of the hazmat team in Lake County, and firefighter Isom for the generous donation of their time and expertise to our learning process. We were able to visit them and taught us what equipment we would use in a hazmat situation.

In the class that our very own science teacher Angie Siegel taught, we learned the hazwoper regulations and what SINCIAPCPDDD is.

SINCIAPCPDDD is the operations we would follow when dealing with a hazardous situation. We also ran an exercise that helped us to learn how to cut off a the flow of the chemical to a storm drain by building a dam out of dirt and plastic bags.

Angie is very proud and happy to announce that every single student in the class succeeded in all the class hours and the final state certification test. They are now all certified as hazmat first responders.

Two students of the week were handed out for the first time in a year. The students of the week are Alicia Burgos and Doyle J. Conatser.

With the award comes a front of the lunch line pass, a free mini pizza from DJ’s pizza in Lower Lake (and we cannot express our gratitude enough for their long and continued support), and a free item from our school based enterprise. Both students are great students, who work hard towards their graduation.

The “Be Fresh” program is back on the Carlé campus to teach students about the importance of eating healthy. The program will be here for six weeks, and is run by Lake Family Resource Center. The effervescent instructor of the class is Jacque Fereer and we truly appreciate her energy and commitment to our students' health.

Student Kacy Barron won our CHILY award this week and he chose a football. He actually received the winning CHILY that morning from teacher Alan Siegel who has truly appreciated how responsible and community oriented Kacy is every day at school.

Secretary Barbara Dye and the staff changed the CHILY form recently. Barbara added check off boxes on it so staff members could express what the student did to achieve it. We added the new categories community, achievement, responsibility, lifelong learning and empowerment.

Valerie Peng, a counselor from Yuba College and a Carlé graduate stopped in to tell us and sign us up for the College Readiness class that is coming back for a second year to the Carlé campus.

Peng will teach the course for six weeks right here on our campus. The course runs an hour after school and students receive both college and high school credit for attending.

We truly appreciate Ms. Peng’s efforts to bring the class to our campus. This is the first college class in our history that has been brought to the Carlé campus.

Carlé truly appreciates all the people and groups who consistently donate time and effort to our students.

Our school-based enterprise trains our students that you always show appreciation to those who take care of you.

Our designers will make individual thank yous to each of these special people and groups.

In the last article about gold level we left one student out, the soon-to-be graduating Jasmine Heckard, who is a great student and has received gold level for seven consecutive grading periods!

Doyle J. Conatser is a student at Carlé Continuation High School in Lower Lake, Calif.