By Mark AbramsonSTAFF The San Mateo County Community College District has nearly completed a comprehensive plan for handling and inventory of chemicals in its classrooms and laboratories after the district was fined nearly $30,000 by the state earlier this year for safety violations.

COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO student Rocio Montesinos has joined a nationwide group in receiving awards for academics as well as civic involvement. She has earned a $1,000 scholarship from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and recently received a certificate from CSM President Michael Claire.

THE WEEK before Christmas, 18 Sacred Heart Preparatory students and seven adult chaperones traveled to New Orleans and worked on three hurricane relief projects with the Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Recovery Ministry.

By Michelle Hatfield, The Modesto Bee, Calif. Jan. 9--Educators are casting a safety net for teens who have high potential but aren't motivated to do well in class. Columbia College and Sonora Union High School District officials are partnering to offer Columbia Middle College this fall.

THE JEFFERSON Elementary School District received an $836,090 grant from the California Department of Education for mathematics programs. The department of education awarded $23.2 million in grants to schools across the state to go toward math and science programs.