School Notebook

Just wanted to post a brief note to readers of the School Notebook blog. I have left the Daily Breeze after 4 1/2 years covering schools in San Pedro, Carson, Wilmington, Gardena, Lomita and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

As the Breeze looks in other directions for education coverage of these areas, I'll just note that I've had a blast reporting on these schools. I've learned a lot from the teachers, administrators, parents and others who provide the daily sweat to educate the area's diverse community of students.

Other opportunities lay ahead for me, which I'm excited to tackle.

Thanks again.

Paul Clinton

Posted by Paul Clinton at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

UCLA student, Narbonne High graduate and Lomita resident Michael Bailey had a novel idea: print vocabulary words on P.E. T-shirts to improve test scores at Wilmington Middle School. Bailey followed up on a theory, fostered by a UCLA communications course, that people's brains latch onto "visual cues" to process information. And he applied it to the words LAUSD students often see on standardized tests, words such as "define" and "analyze."

Bailey chose the school because his mom once worked in the attendance office.

Read Paul's story for more.

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

An LAUSD cleaning crew disinfected four classrooms at Lomita's Fleming Middle School on Monday and Tuesday. Read our story for more.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The residents of Lomita spoke out to their city leaders against a plan (pursued by Councilman Barry Waite) to build a high school at Lomita Park. They headed to the City Council meeting Monday with their southeast Torrance neighbors to protest.

Read Paul's story for more details...

Posted by Paul Clinton at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Members of the Southeast Torrance Homeowners' Association have logged their displeasure about a proposal to build an 810-student high school in northern Lomita, just south of the Torrance border, on a portion of Lomita Park.

Residents of the neighborhood near Walnut and 242nd streets have also opposed the idea. About 10 spoke out at the Lomita City Council's Oct. 15 meeting.

Southeast Torrance residents headed to their City Council Tuesday evening to protest the plan, which was hatched by Lomita Councilman Barry Waite. Members of LAUSD's facilities division has acknowledged studying the idea as a preferred alternative to building a high school along Western Avenue in San Pedro.

The association voted at its Monday meeting to oppose the plan, President John Bailey wrote in an e-mail to the Daily Breeze. The group can be reached via e-mail.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lomita's City Council drew fire Monday from a dozen residents living near Lomita Park about a proposal to bring a new LAUSD high school to the 20,000-person town. Residents said the school would bring congestion and suck up street parking. They said they didn't trust LAUSD.

One resident's view: “My concern is that you’re proposing Lomita Park and Lomita Park is the center of our community,” said Tony Arevalo, a north Lomita resident. “Turning that over to Los Angeles Unified doesn’t mean you’re going to get what you want.”

Read more from Paul's story in Wednesday's Daily Breeze.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 5:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From Paul Clinton's story in Saturday's Daily Breeze:

The Los Angeles Unified School District has quietly shelved a plan for a public high school in San Pedro, a move that staves off a nasty legal fight with an influential developer.

Rather - if funds become available - the district could build an academy-style school in Lomita, which has emerged as the leading option among several other locations.

Here's the link.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 6:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)