School Notebook

The performing arts small learning academy at Narbonne High School in Harbor City took home two trophies from a regional drama competition in Reseda over the weekend. The Oct. 25 competition, at Reseda High School, was organized by the Drama Teachers' Association of Southern California.

The Gauchos won first place of 50 high schools in the Large Group Comedy category with a student-written scene called Power Rangers. Students Shannon Majdali, Ana Nicasio, Alan Pablik, Bryan Phillips, Zyaire Porter and Jacob Wysocki penned the scene.

The technical theater team won third-place for their det design of a production of Little Shop of Horrors. A third team placed in the top 10 for their performance of an adaptation of the story of Antwone Fisher, who life was adapted in a 2002 movie starring Denzel Washington.

The students will perform their scenes at Narbonne High's drama festival at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the school's auditorium, 24300 S. Western Ave.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 2:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Associated Press has a story that ran in today's paper about school libraries around the country adding coffee bars. The fans say it gets students into the library, but it seems to be at odds with the trend of getting rid of sodas on campus.

The coffeehouse trend comes at a time when many school systems around country are removing junk food and soda machines.

“They’re already providing horrible school lunches. Now they’re adding to that with 800-calorie drinks,” said Susan Levin, a registered dietitian with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Many students load up their coffee with sugar and cream or buy dessert-like coffee drinks, Levin said.

Read the story here.

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A new study from the National Women's Law Center in Washington D.C. doesn't overturn any deeply held societal conventions, but provides more evidence that dropping out of high school is a decision that brings a ripple of bad consequences.

The study tells us female dropouts are more prone to economic risk than their male counterparts. Girls are dropping out at the same rates as boys, the study found. But female dropouts earn lower wages than male dropouts, are more likely to stand in the unemployment line and are more likely to rely on welfare and other public support programs.

Girls "of color," as the study calls them, fare even worse. Nationwide, more than a third of Hispanic, two-fifths of black and half of American Indian or Alaskan Native females failed to graduate in four years in 2004.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of our favorite blogs - and a good spot to find national education news - is This Week In Education, an offshoot of Education Week. Written by former Senate education staffer and journalist Alexander Russo, it's got a pretty political bent, but serves as a good clearinghouse of links to a slew of other school-ish blogs and ed stories from across the country.

It's worth a look.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A South Bay nonprofit gets a shout-out in national magazine Edutopia, which devoted its October issue to documenting environmental innovations in schools around the country.

Based in Gardena, Trash for Teaching collects from myriad manufacturers discarded materials such as spools, plastic webbing, wires, pen parts and petri dishes, packs them up neatly in vegetable oil-fueled trucks and delivers them to schools throughout the region for kids to use in art projects.

The three-year-old company in the last year has distributed 17 tons of materials to some 60 schools across Los Angeles.

Read the magazine's story here. Or visit the Trash for Teaching website.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 6:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The New York Times' education section, always a wealth of great stories, has an interesting piece about a Boston area high school's effort to relax its ever-slammed, multi-tasking students. Since starting a campus Stress Reduction Committee, Needham High School has begun requiring all seniors to take yoga classes and implemented homework-free weekends and holidays.

Apparently a national movement is afoot, with 44 middle- and high-school administrators in San Francisco and sprinkled from Texas to New York cooperating to form a solutions-minded group called S.O.S. (or, Stressed Out Students).

Read Sara Rimer's story here.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 7:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

An analysis of U.S. Department of Education data recently completed by Johns Hopkins University shows that more than 1 in 10 American high schools have become "dropout factories," the name a university researcher gave to schools where no more than 60 percent of students who start as freshmen make it to their senior year.

Some 1,700 such schools, whether regular or vocational high schools, exist nationwide, according to the analysis that was conducted on behalf of the Associated Press.

Read the AP's story here.

And click here for a national chart detailing the concentration of dropout factories.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 5:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out Paul's follow-up on Tasby, the 17-year-old shot and killed at a Halloween party in San Pedro.

Teammates from the basketball team remembered the leadership skills of Tasby, who was pencilled as the starting center for the Pirate varsity team in January.

"He wasn't a gang-banger," said Chris Clayton, a 12th-grader and forward. "He worked really hard."

Known affectionately as "LT," Tasby would challenge other players to skill competitions. He once bet a player $5 he could dunk a basketball wearing cleats. "Bet five" was his catchphrase, players said.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 8:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The tech lab at Howard Wood Elementary School in Torrance is getting a major upgrade, thanks to a large grant from a local company.

On Monday, Torrance-based company Alcoa Fastening Systems presented the school with a $70,000 grant to buy 35 new computers.

Among other things, the machines will be used for Wood’s “accelerated reader” program, in which kids read books then take online quizzes designed to improve their comprehension.

Community partners since 2003, Alcoa annually provides all Wood first graders wtih backpacks full of school supplies, provides design boards and judges for the campus science fair and hosts a catered lunch for school staff during Teacher Appreciation Week.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 4:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Breeze editorial desk is throwing the nod to incumbent Dora de la Rosa and Larry Vanden Bos for the PV school board, shifting gears from its stance in the 2003 race, when it endorsed de la Rosa and now-incumbent David Tomblin.

Read why in the editorial.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Defensive end Laterian Tasby was shot and killed Saturday during a gang-related brawl at a party in San Pedro. Here's an exerpt from Melissa Evans' story.

Tasby, 17, was pronounced dead at the scene of the party in the 500 block of 11th Street in San Pedro, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles Police Department Harbor Division said.

San Pedro High School football coach Mike Walsh said he received about a dozen calls late Saturday night and Sunday morning from students and friends of Tasby.

"I don't think there was anyone I knew who didn't like him," Walsh said. "He was outgoing, funny, polite, and may have been one of the hardest working members of the team."

Posted by Paul Clinton at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The four candidates for the Palos Verdes Peninsula school board have drawn battle lines on the district's kindergarten program, which offers extended hours in four of the six elementary schools. Two incumbents (David Tomblin and Dora de la Rosa) have sided with challengers (Tomblin with Paul Neights, de la Rosa with Larry Vanden Bos) on the issue.

Here's Paul's story on the race.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's who the Breeze editorial page editor thinks would be right for the Torrance school board.

...we believe that the district has made strides in the past four years to strengthen its financial position and restore the reserve fund. The district has also revised procedures for handling visitors at school sites and plans to make changes in the training of security personnel. And board members made a point of hiring a superintendent and chief business officer with bond and school construction experience.

We feel that electing Ragins and Lee, both of whom have long records of community service and the support of many community leaders, would continue to move the district in a positive direction.

Go here to read the rest.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 8:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shelly Leachman spells out the positions of the four candidates for Torrance school board here.

The Torrance Unified School District has yet to propose an inevitable new bond measure, but the potential for such a campaign in the future has become the primary focus of an election that's just one week away.

On Nov. 6, four candidates will vie for two seats on the district's board of trustees, which will have to decide the shape and size of a bond widely considered essential for the 33-campus system to make much-needed facilities fixes and rebuild J.H. Hull Middle School.

Incumbent Terry Ragins, first-time board aspirants Don Lee and para-educator Irmi Lake, as well as repeat candidate G. Rick Marshall, all concur that the Hull project should be a top priority - and all agreed that a bond measure is necessary.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Breeze editorial page editor makes his choice for the Manhattan Beach school board.

In this race, we would hope that no matter who wins, all the candidates will remain active in the district. Our view is that Howorth merits re-election. She says the district must continue to demonstrate fiscal stability to voters before any future school bond measure could be placed on the ballot. Howorth also holds open the possibility of a parcel tax, which other top-performing districts in California depend upon.

For the second seat, we feel that Fournell would be a good fit given his service on the 7-11 panel and the need for the district to better use its properties to increase operating revenues.

Go here to read more.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Paul Clinton writes about two groups who want the same name for their Carson charter schools: Millennium.

One of the groups would need to pick a different name, said Greg McNair, the chief administrative officer for LAUSD's charter school division.

"We will definitely try to convince them to change their names if they choose a name that is similar to an existing school," McNair said. "The person who will have to change is the person who comes in second in terms of getting the charter approved."

The New Millennium group plans to open in the fall with 150 ninth-graders. Backers haven't chosen a location but would rent space.

The Millennium High group plans to open in the fall with 215 ninth- and 10th-graders.

Go here for the whole story.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shelly Leachman profiles the MBUSD candidates in today's story.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The seed of environmentalism has more than taken root at elementary and middle schools across the country, as Willie Hu reports in this story in the New York Times.

The school pickup line has become the latest front in a growing school-based environmental movement that has moved far beyond recycling programs and Earth Day celebrations to challenge long-accepted school norms.

Since 2004, dozens of public and private schools in Westchester and New York City and on Long Island have adopted no-idling zones, switched to plant-based cleaners in their buildings and, to a lesser extent, banned pesticides from playgrounds and playing fields, according to Grassroots Environmental Education, a nonprofit group that began a campaign this month promoting all three measures.

Similar efforts have spread across the country. The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, a nonprofit group, has recognized 163 Maryland Green Schools — nearly one-third of them in the last two years — for taking initiatives like preserving wetlands, banning disposable plastic water bottles or assigning environmentally themed readings.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 1:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Daily Breeze editorial today endorses Cristina Chiappe, a two-term incumbent, and Eugene Krank for the two open seats on the Hawthorne School District board.

The editorial cites Krank's new pespective as a parent with two students in Hawthorne schools and Chiappe for her work authoring a conduct code for public meetings.

For the scoop on the race, read Shelly Leachman's story in today's Breeze.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The crack staff of the Daily Breeze editorial department has at long last filled our need to know who to cast ballots for in the Lennox School District board race. Rather than spoiling the surprise, I'll let you click over to the editorial to unravel the mystery for yourself.

But wait. That's not all you get. A second editorial tackles Measure L, a nearly $11-million bond to upgrade technology at district campuses and expand the Lennox Math, Science and Technology Academy.

In the coming week, look for coverage of the race and Measure L in the news pages.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 3:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rubbed the wrong way by "a lack of courtesy" they say has become a national epidemic, a Texas-based company (that describes itself as the "leading North American supplier of etiquette books and training materials for children") has developed a distance-learning course so parents can teach children everything from "basic table manners to managing conflict and showing kindness."

Here's an exerpt from an e-mail to the Daily Breeze pitching the materials.

We're surrounded by rudeness...road rage, loud cell phone conversations, foul language, the Internet. In fact, studies show 79% of Americans believe lack of courtesy is a serious national problem. Now, there's a new program designed to instill manners in kids, teaching them that in a world of iPods and cell phones, it's still important to say 'please' and 'thank you.'

The materials drill skills using a series of workbooks, lesson plans and training tips. Read more at the company's Web site.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan's foundation has had a hand in the planning of a new charter high school set to open in Carson for the 2008-09 school year. They still haven't submitted a petition to LAUSD -- that's set for mid-November -- and have yet to hook local political support. But they do have a fairly clear framework laid out in Paul's story.

There's not much on the school's Web site yet.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 1:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Three upcoming meetings in Wilmington will provide residents an opportunity to air their views about a school proposed by the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn is hosting a meeting at 7 p.m. today at the Wilmington Senior Citizen Center, 1371 Eubank Ave. Board member Richard Vladovic, who won a reprieve for residents opposing the district’s proposed location, will also attend.

In November, the LAUSD will host two meetings. They’re set for 6 p.m. on Nov. 7 and 26 at Banning High School, 1527 Lakme Ave. Both Hahn and Vladovic support locating the school at a public storage site near the center instead of the district’s proposal to wipe out a commercial block with a bank, Latino market and other popular businesses at Avalon Boulevard and M Street.

The district wants to build a 1,278-seat K-8 school in 6.5 acres to relieve crowding at Broad, Fries, Gulf and Hawaiian avenue elementary schools. Enrollment at Wilmington Middle School would also be reduced.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Los Angeles Board of Education added 26 schools in Wilmington, San Pedro, Carson and Gardena to an existing program that provides health care to uninsured children in those areas.

Here's a passage from Melissa Evans' story showing the need at a San Pedro elementary school:

The Healthy Start clinic at Barton Hill Elementary School in San Pedro, where 98 percent of students fall below the federal poverty line, helps keep kids in the classroom, Principal Lou Mardesich said.

Students who are referred by the school nurse, along with their siblings or parents who don't have insurance, can use the clinic every Tuesday from 8 a.m. to noon. No one is turned away, health officials say.

"It's a great service," Mardesich said. "Students can't even enroll without their vaccinations."

Posted by Paul Clinton at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

They don't worry about high-school students at the Hermosa Beach School District, which hasn't stopped them from maintaining among the highest test scores of South Bay area districts.

A city councilman's brother, a district committee member, an apointed incumbent and a math teacher are vying for two seats on the school board. The Daily Breeze editorial gives the nod to Barbara Zondiros and Lisa Claypoole over Earl Keegan and Corey Glave.

Read it here to find out why.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sam Wasson, 19, died in an accident, after he fell asleep at the wheel of his Infiniti Q30, while returning to Loyola Marymount University from a research trip to Wyoming.

Read Larry Altman's story for more.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The San Francisco Chronicle has a piece today about a new sleep study by UC Berkeley and how insomnia impacts our waking behavior. The research reveals "a connection between negative thinking and a lack of sleep," writes Erin Allday.

In light of long-standing arguments over school start times and past studies showing that underslept kids also underperform, it makes for an interesting read. The story at one point quotes an expert who says that "sleep deprivation is a growing problem among teenagers."

Read the story here.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 5:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today, Daily Breeze Editorial Page Editor Mike Carroll released endorsements for the Centinela Valley Union High School District and the El Segundo Unified School District.

The paper chose Gloria Ramos-Jaime and Sandra Suarez over incumbents Jorge Luis Arroyo and Rafael Ramirez. Here's an excerpt from the editorial.

The challengers said they would focus on more technology- and industry-based education and ensure that classrooms at the performing arts center will be used to the benefit of students. Ramos-Jaime recognizes that smaller learning environments, such as Lawndale High, offer a better chance to improve student performance. Rather than trying more experimental programs, Suarez would like to see the district create a culture of high expectations and achievement.

In El Segundo, Tammy Tagami Reeves and Lisa Wilkin picked up the nod over Aleta Pottenger in the editorial.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 1:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Andrea Woodhouse covers the Hermosa Beach school board race in today's story.

But as the community prepares to elect two trustees Nov. 6 to govern the 1,134-student district, more changes are afoot.

The next group of leaders must contend with rising student enrollment in the two-school district as well as the possibility of asking voters to approve another bond or parcel tax measure. Although Hermosa Beach voters approved Measure J in 2002, another bond measure failed last year.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's stories include a look at what needs to change to protect children and some advice for parents.

Go here.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune asked teachers if students' text messaging habits creep into their schoolwork.

Kelsey Theis, a language-arts teacher at Pioneer Ridge Freshman Center in Chaska, Minn., said texting might be helping students learn an element of writing.

“We talk about the different components of writing -- organization, idea, content and individual voice,” she said. “But, a lot of times, students feel the need to stay silent. This might help them develop their individual voice.”

Still, the seepage of text messaging into student writing is vexing many trying to teach the importance of clear communication.

Eva Pitzel teaches seventh-graders and ninth-graders at Lake Junior High and Woodbury Junior High in Woodbury. She estimates that 25 percent to 40 percent of her students use some text-message abbreviations and slang in their in-class writing.

“I see it as a negative because they are not always showing me that they can write out the words correctly,” she said. “To compensate for this, we spend extra time editing in class and we talk about the different languages we use in our lives. I have to explicitly tell them that it is not OK to write like that for English class.”

In 2004, the Pew Internet and American Life Project said that 16 million American teenagers were using instant messaging and text messaging to communicate -- up from 13 million in 2000.

Nicole Muenchow, a social-studies teacher at Champlin Park High School in Champlin, said texting is rampant. “They’re not even writing proper sentences, using punctuation or spelling,” she said. “I keep having to tell kids that ‘people’ is spelled with six letters, not three.”

Derek Anderson teaches composition and literature at Mahtomedi High School in Mahtomedi. He has mixed feeling about the creep of texting.

“I sort of feel like any writing is good writing, as long as you get your point across,” he said. “But, for certain students, I think it holds some back. If you’re writing a college application and you write ‘2,’ instead of ‘to,’ you’re not going to get the same response.”

Read the story here.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The California Teachers Association recently launched its "Healthy Air, Healthy Kids" project, hoping to raise awareness of how indoor air quality can impact the learning environment by, among other things, triggering children's asthma and allergies.

As part of that effort, the organization's montly print magazine, California Educator, includes a story in its October issue that provides a wealth of related tips for teachers.

A sampling:

*Unblock vents and keep air flowing (fan controls should always be set to "on").

*Avoid scented products such as air fresheners, candles and perfumes.

*Choose allergy friendly classroom pets, like lizards, either avoiding furry animals altogether or keeping them caged and away from ventilation systems.

For more information, click here.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 5:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Third-year Torrance Unified teacher Marissa Whitmore, a science instructor at Madrona Middle School, has been named an Amgen Fellow, snaring a spot in the New Science Teacher Academy of the National Science Teachers Association.

One of only 100 teachers nationwide so selected, Whitmore throughout the 2007-2008 school year will participate in academy activities including online mentoring sessions and discussions with other science teachers. She will also take an all-expenses-paid trip to the association's national conference for a series of workshops there.

For more information on the academy, the fellowship and the association, click here.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today is the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 6 election, which includes races for school boards in most South Bay districts.
You’re eligible to register if you are a U.S. citizen and will be at least 18 by Nov. 6. You need to re-register if you have moved, changed your name or wish to change your political party affiliation.
Voter registration forms are available at most libraries, fire stations, post offices and city clerk offices. You can also download a form from the Secretary of State’s Web site. For more information, call the Registrar’s Office at 562-466-1310 or 800-481-VOTE, 24 hours a day, or go
to www.lavote.net.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 1:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The California Business for Education Excellence Foundation and Just for Kids-California singled out four local elementary schools for rasing the scores of African-American and Latino students to close the so-called "achievement gap" between those students and their Caucasian and Asian peers.

The two groups credited Bandini Street Elementary in San Pedro, Leapwood Avenue Elementary in Carson, 156th Street Elementary in Gardena and 186th Street Elementary in Harbor Gateway among 31 2007 Honor Roll schools.

"Each school demonstrated consistently high student academic achievement and made significant progress toward closing achievement gaps among all student groups," the group stated.

The groups said the schools are on track to meet the federal goal of 100 percent grade-level proficiency by the 2013-14 school year as required by the No Child Left Behind Act.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's stories include a look at the lingering effects of abuse, an analysis of the legal system that allows accused teachers to keep their credentials and an exploration of the difference between how male and female victims are treated.

Go here to read day two of the three-day series from The Associated Press.

You'll find day one's package here.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 7:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Paul Clinton profiles the candidates running for El Segundo school board here.

Three newcomers vying for seats on the El Segundo Unified School District board want upgrades to athletic and performing arts venues without another bond measure.

The three, all actively involved with the local PTA, are seeking to replace 10-year board member Michael Briney and 12-year trustee Chris Powell in the Nov. 6 election.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 7:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The College Board released its annual report on college costs. Guess what? College is getting more expensive.

Here's part of the story from The Associated Press:

The price of college again rose faster than the inflation rate this year, climbing 6.6 percent at four-year public schools and outstripping increases in the financial aid that lowers what most students actually pay.

The latest increases, reported today by the College Board, bring the average list price of four-year public universities to $6,185 this year, up $381 from 2006-2007. At four-year private colleges, tuition and fees rose 6.3 percent to $23,712.

Public two-year colleges — which educate about half of American college students — again got the best marks for keeping a lid on price increases.

Their average price rose 4.2 percent to $2,361. Accounting for aid, their average net cost is only $320 per year.

The published price is not the real price for many students, thanks to financial aid, but the net price is rising too. On average, accounting for grants and tax breaks, the net price for full-time students at four-year public universities this year is $2,580. That’s about $160 more than last year.

At private colleges, net cost this year averages $14,400 — up $638 from a year ago.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Patti Sponaugle is a Torrance High School graduate writing about her freshman year at Kenyon College in Ohio. This week, she learns that college is a little tougher than high school.

I had always gotten by in high school with fairly minimal efforts - good grades just came naturally. Why would I assume college would be any different? What knowledge had I to contradict this thinking?

And then my first exam was returned to me.

Let's just say that I was more than a little surprised by the result of the Roman Art History test. It was mind-set-changing. Kind of like learning that the friendly and lovable Mickey Mouse that used to hug me ever-so-sweetly at Disneyland was really just a teenager in a mouse suit who was probably wishing he was home in bed instead of coddling hyperactive tykes and their overzealous parents in the heat.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Associated Press put together a three-day series of articles about sex abuse in schools. We could only run part of it in print, but we'll post all of the report online.

Find day one's main story here.

Here's some of a second story that details flaws in California's laws that allow offenders to continue to work with children:

While some of the most egregious sex abuse is flagged, state law allows many offenses to remain confidential in education records, even when teachers go to prison and register as sex offenders.

The lack of information reflects a system for disciplining teachers that, across the country, is often shrouded in secrecy. That makes it difficult for states to share valuable information about deviant teachers and allows some to find jobs in the classroom again.

In California alone, The Associated Press reviewed more than 2,000 cases in which teachers were punished and confirmed that 313 of those were for sexual misconduct.

Hundreds of cases were classified as "general misconduct," requiring further AP research to determine the nature of the offense. The number of cases in California was so large that not all of them could be fully investigated, meaning the state undoubtedly had far more than 313 sexual misconduct cases during the five-year span.

Here's a link to the rest.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 7:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shelly Leachman breaks down the Centinela Valley Union High School District school board race here.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 7:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Although former Vice President Al Gore soaked up most of the spotlight for his decades of work and involvement in the 2006 film “An Inconvenient Truth,” LMU Professor Jeremy Pal is one of the thousands of scientists and authors who have added to the growing bank of information on global warming since the panel was formed in 1988.

Here's a snippet from Kristin Agostoni's profile of Pal in Saturday's Daily Breeze...

Jeremy Pal was mostly apathetic about his career when he enrolled in Santa Monica College after high school.

The Venice native, then 18 with something around a 1.5 grade point average, thinks his mom made him apply. One semester - even though he hadn’t declared a major - Pal signed up for a course on human ecology, which touched upon everything from DDT pollution and runoff to climate change.

“I was just this surfer-lifeguard guy teaching this class,” said Pal, who can’t even recall the man’s name.

But he admits that instructor made an impression, steering him toward a career in environmental science and research that got an unexpected boost last week.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 5:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just like the old Johnny Mathis song "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," another familar feeling is creeping in as we approach the holidays. This song could be called "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like a Contract Fight."

United Teachers Los Angeles launched the opening salvo. In an Oct. 17 "negotiations update" on the Web site, the union reported its opening demand for a 9 percent pay raise. The district has countered with a zero percent raise. Negotiations begin Oct. 31.

The union, which secured a 6 percent raise for the 2006-07 year, claims the money for a raise is available because the district received a 4.53 percent cost-of-living increase from the state.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 4:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Silver Spur Elementary School has scheduled a week of activities starting on Monday to promote a healthy lifestyle to coincide with Red Ribbon Week.

The Rancho Palos Verdes school will host the Super Kids Academy, a California Science Center assembly extolling the values of health, exercise and sleep.

Health booths will be set up at lunchtime and a fun run is scheduled for Friday (Oct. 26). The school is at 5500 Ironwood St. and can be reached at 310-378-5011.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Los Angeles Unified's total student enrollment has continued its expected decline, dropping 2 percent from 708,461 students last year to 694,288 this year, according to figures released Thursday by the district.

In Local District 8, Gardena High School reported the steepest decline, to 3,211 students from 3,428 a year ago. The school lost seven teachers and an assistant principal, officials said.

Read Paul's story for more.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Harbor Gateway elementary school is celebrating its 1907 opening on Friday with physical fitness activities, Peace Games activities, a book giveaway and visit from Board Member Richard Vladovic.

"Tomorrow is a big day for my community, especially after all of the racial tension we have experienced over the past year," Reed said. "Let's give a positive spin to an appreciation for diversity. We are all in this together. Our village has continued to soar in spite of our set backs."

Iron Mountain executives will present children with backpacks with the school logo. The event, "A Walk Down Memory Lane," is hosted by Principal Marcia Reed, the Afterschool Alliance, Beyond The Bell South, 186th St. School Staff, Healthy Start, Peace Games, PTA, madres activas, Parent Ambassadors, and Toyota Technical Center.

The event is at 2:30 p.m. Friday at 186th Street School, 1581 West 186th Street. Call 310-324-2305.

Addendum: 186th Street Elementary isn't the oldest school in LAUSD. That distinction belongs to San Pedro Street Elementary School near Skid Row, which opened in 1866.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jonathon Michael Evans, a 23-year-old student at Loyola Marymount University, was killed this morning when a motorcycle he was riding slammed into a parked car in Westchester. Evans was a senior pursuing a double major in physics and mathematics and a minor in philosophy.

Read Andrea Woodhouse's story for more.

If you're a student or facu