A belated and hearty congrats to the Beach Cities Robotics Team, a collaboration of Redondo Union and Mira Costa High students, which topped a total 600 such squads in the 2008 FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship held late last month in Hotlanta (that's Atlanta, Georgia, in case you're not up on the lingo).
Nice work y'all!
This very minute cheerleaders of Redondo Union High School are assembling outside school district headquarters on Inglewood Boulvard, planning to speak their mind during the 6:30 p.m. scheduled school board meeting.
Apparently their beloved coach, Cathy Horzen, was recently fired -- or forced into resigning, I'm still trying to determine details -- and the girls are not pleased. They plan to say so to school board members in hopes, I'm guessing, of somehow swaying this decision the other way.
Word is they were outside the administration building on campus early this morning, before school started, doing a similar thing, picketing with signs decrying their affection for Horzen and pleading that she be reinstated.
If you want to join in, or hear what they have to say, get down to RBUSD HQ post haste! The address is 1401 Inglewood, across from the Pacific Crest Cemetery. The board room is upstairs.
A press release I received today from Redondo Beach Unified details their increases and improvements in all things AP, from the number of students in AP courses to the number taking and passes AP exams.
For your reading pleasure:
Redondo Beach, ca, April 15, 2008: Redondo Beach Unified School District has accumulated five years of data from Redondo Union High School in order to better compare student enrollment and achievement in advanced placement classes. The five year comparison, from 2004 through 2008, examines total number of students enrolled in the classes, total standardized tests administered, and percentage of students who passed these given tests.
Results (see below) demonstrate that student enrollment has increased in each consecutive year since 2004, totaling a boost of 42%. Administered tests have also been amplified by 62%.
These increases should be noted and applauded, as student passing rates have been preserved—or even slightly improved—despite the larger student participation. Redondo Union High School has encouraged wider participation in advanced classes while maintaining excellent achievement outcomes.
Total # of students taking an AP exam:
2004 = 346
2005 = 379
2006 = 392
2007 = 424
2008 = 493
Total increase = 147 students or 42%
Total # of AP tests administered
2004 = 592
2005 = 706
2006 = 798
2007 = 826
2008 = 958
Total increase = 366 tests or 62% increase
AP Pass Percentage (Score of 3 or higher)
2004 = 81%
2005 = 78%
2006 = 78%
2007 = 85%
2008 = TBD
2008 - 100% of students enrolled in AP classes have paid money to take the AP exam.
Nice work, RB. How you other folks doing?
Last summer I profiled Redondo Beach youngster Zoe Ezzes, who paints rocks and sells them for $1 apiece in a few spots around town and donates all the money to aid efforts in Darfur. At the time I wrote about her, she had already some $700 on behalf of the organization Jewish World Watch, which provides solar cooking kits to women in the war-torn region.
I learned today that instead of slowing down, Zoe is ramping up her efforts, including launching a website to help spread the word and sell her happily decorated small stones.
The site features a brief, photo-full summary -- aimed at young readers -- of the situation in Darfur, plus a gallery of Zoe's creations and a visual explanation of how to paint the rocks on your own. There's also a message board, a donation button (it takes you to Paypal) and some good news: To date, the tween has raised nearly $4,500.
Keep on keepin' on, Zoe. Nice work!
For those of you who haven't heard yet -- although these kids have done such a great promoting job you likely have absolutely already learned of this -- the green-themed "Cooldown" club of Redondo Union High School tomorrow night is hosting its inaugural "Project Cooldown" benefit concert, hoping to amass some cash on behalf of efforts to stem teh spread of global warming.
Daily Breeze reporter Kristin Agostoni profiled the kids and previewed the concert in today's paper.
What follows is seemingly stale news -- the event occurred on March 15 -- but a) I just heard about it and b) it's still relevant and worth a hearty congrats to one local school.
Here goes: Redondo Beach-based St. Lawrence Martyr School landed in the top 10 -- from a total filed of 103 Catholic schools -- during the Los Angeles Archdiocesan Academic Junior High Decathlon held recently at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.
The South Bay team placed 9th in the competition that includes challenges in mathematics, religion, social studies, fine arts, current events and science, as well as logic and super quizzes. In addition, several students scored well in individual categories: Molly Hunt placed 10th in religion; Kristen Lee placed 9th in fine arts, Michael Luna landed at 6th place in current events and Matthew Kurata scored a 4th place finish in science.
The team's head coach, Vivian Lee, reports that the kids worked diligently to prepare for the competition, “giving up their days off, coming in early and staying late."
Congratulating Lee and the entire team, school Principal Shannon Gomez remarked, “It just goes to show that if you put your mind to something and work hard, you can accomplish anything!”
In addition to Hunt, Lee, Luna and Kurata, the team members are: Amanda Shimizu, Devon Kent, MacKenzie von Helmolt, Luis Perez, Bryce Lomas, Lauren Jones, Kristin Lee, Matthew Petersen, Colby Smith, Dylan Biel and Shannon Martin.
The Academic Junior High Decathlon was the brainchild of Dr. Mark Ryan in 1989. Today the 2008 AJHD still honors his goals to: promote academic excellence; collaborative spirit and cooperative learning skills; and logical higher–order thinking while recognizing the contributions of parents, teachers, school administrators and community members in supporting high standards for all students. Above all AJHD celebrates the diversity, excellence and tradition of Catholic schools.
St Lawrence Martyr School is a Catholic elementary School with grades K-8, currently boasting an enrollment of some 300 students. The school has been in existence for over 50 years.
For several months now, Redondo Beach Unified School District has been printing its own monthly paper, School News, which features short reports, updates and commentaries by Superintendent Steven Keller, every principal in the district and an assortment of others with ties to the local school scene.
The current issue includes stories about Redondo Union's success in the recent Los Angeles County Academic Decathlon and the participation of 30 high schoolers in the city's Chamber of Commerce "Leader For a Day" event, plus advice on choosing the best camp for your kids.
Kudos, Redondo. Your paper seems like a great way to keep everyone in the loop about the myriad goings-on districtwide.
Redondo Union High School senior Andrew Kim this week was named to California’s first-ever All-State Academic Team. He was one of 25 Golden State students so lauded — and the only South Bay local who landed on the list.
The elite group emerged from a total 144 standout public-school seniors recognized Tuesday during Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s inaugural Academic Recognition and All-State Academic Team Awards Dinner, an event conceived to honor teens for their outstanding achievements.
“I think it is extremely important that we take the time to honor the hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence all of these students have demonstrated,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement.
Echoing the Governor’s comments, the state’s Secretary of Education David Long said the impetus behind the event’s creation was to “celebrate our state’s greatest natural resource — the students themselves.”
The 144 honorees were chosen by county superintendents, on a proportional basis, based on the size of the county. The 25 All-Staters were then chosen by the Governor’s Office based on grade-point average, SAT scores and class rank, as well as extra-curricular activities, community service and volunteer activities.
Kim, an award-winning sports writer and manager of Redondo Beach Unified’s student-run internet provider, boasts a GPA of 4.53, an SAT score of 2300 and a class rank of No. 1.
As reported by Shelly Leachman in Saturday's Breeze, here's what each district would face under education funding cuts proposed by Gov. Schwarzenegger:
Centinela Valley Union High
Cuts: $3.5 million from a $68 million budget
El Segundo Unified
Cuts: $1.4 million from a 26.4 million budget
Hawthorne Unified
Cuts: $3.4 million from a $48.5 million budget
Hermosa Beach City Unified
Cuts: $0.4 million from a $9.4 million budget
Proposals: 28 teacher layoffs, increased class size
Lawndale Unified
Cuts: $2 million from a $30 million budget
Lennox Unified
Cuts: $1.9 million from a $61 million budget
Los Angeles Unified
Cuts: $460 million from a $8 billion budget
Manhattan Beach Unified
Cuts: $0.9 million from a $36 million budget
Proposals: 5-7 teacher layoffs, fund transfers, combining course sections at Mira Costa, using reserves
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified
Cuts: $4 million from a $95 million budget
Proposals: 50 layoffs, increased class sizes, eliminating extended-day kindergarten
Redondo Beach Unified
Cuts: $2.2 million from a $67.5 million budget
Proposals: Increased class sizes, early retirement incentives, combining classified positions, introducing fee-based transportation for athletic teams, reducing substitutes, using one-time monies
Torrance Unified
Cuts: $9.4 million from a $196 million budget
Proposals: 70 full-time teachers, 11 custodians, 5.5 full-time special ed teachers, reduction of security at high schools, elimination of incentives including the School Safety Violence Program and the P.E. Incentive Program, early retirement incentives, reduction of travel/conference allowances
Wiseburn Unified
Cuts: $0.5 million from a $17 million budget
Janet Barker (above right, with daughter Jenny, left), a teacher at Parras Middle School in Redondo Beach, on Wednesday night was named a 2008 Bravo Award winner by the Music Center of Los Angeles County.
Established in 1983, The award recognizes teachers and schools for creativity, innovation and excellence in arts education. Barker was a co-winner, alongside Safini Convey of Mount Washington Elementary School, in the general classroom teacher category; one arts specialist teacher and one school are also so honored.
Announced in a special evening ceremony at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, the awards were presented by noted film director Garry Marshall. Winning teachers each receive $4,000; the winning school receives $10,000.
Find more background on the BRAVO on the Music Center's website.
Some Inglewood area high-school students spent a day last week "job shadowing" staffers at Beach Cities Health District in Redondo Beach to gain more perspective on professional life.
Check out my School Notebook story, which appears in today's Daily Breeze.
A South Bay dropout prevention program was recently recognized by California schools chief Jack O'Connell as being tops in the state.
The joint School Attendance Review Board of Redondo Beach, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach Unified and Hermosa Beach City School districts last week was named one of seven "model" such programs in the state and, with the highest average score of them all, ranked No. 1.
The local program, and the six others so named, will be honored during the State Conference for the California Association of Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance on April 24 on The Queen Mary in Long Beach. All will retain their titles through the 2008-09 school year.
The SARB process for dropout prevention was created by the Legislature in 1974 to provide a
framework for school districts and county offices striving to deal with persistent school
attendance and school behavior problems. SARBs are composed of parents, representatives from
the school district, and members of the community at large, including representatives from law
enforcement, social services, probation, and school or county health care personnel. The
members meet regularly to combine their expertise and resources to develop dropout prevention
strategies and to meet with the high-risk students referred to them.
Districts or county offices applying for model SARB designation must demonstrate excellence in
content areas, including SARB chairperson leadership, interventions prior to SARB referral,
SARB collaboration, inventory of resources for high-risk youth, goals and objectives, program
design and content, measuring and reporting outcomes, and interpersonal communication.
Read Shelly's news analysis article on Measure C that looks at the difficulty local districts have had passing construction bonds.
The Redondo Beach Unified School District awoke this morning to find itself a new member of an exclusive South Bay education club: Districts that win school bond measures.
In an area that lately hasn't seen many such successes -- Torrance, Hermosa Beach and El Segundo all lost their recent bond bids -- the Redondo school system got the greenlight from voters Tuesday for its $145-million Measure C, with nearly 66 percent approval.
Congrats.
The balance of power may be shifting in Southern California's Academic Decathlon, as Torrance's West High didn't win the county competition, as the school has done so often in prior years. The school finished fifth in the regional competition of brainiacs answering esoteric Civil War questions. In the county event, 48 schools sent teams.
Other schools: Redondo Union High came in sixth and Torrance's North High came in eighth. In the Los Angeles Unified event, Narbonne High in Harbor City finished 14th. In the city event, 64 schools sent teams.
Schools advancing to the state competition in Los Angeles will be named this week.
Read Josh Grossberg's story for more.
From Denis Nix's story:
A Redondo Union High School student was one of two teens who were shot and killed during a melee at a party in Long Beach over the weekend, school officials confirmed today.
Breon Taylor, 15, died at Long Beach Memorial Hospital Sunday following the shooting the night before.
There's a photo of Breon, if you follow the link.
Redondo Beach Unified will ask voters for $145 million on Feb. 5 to upgrade facilities, such as the rusty lockers shown in this photo. Each campus would receive funds from Measure C; at Redondo Union High School the money would go for an aquatic center, upgraded athletic fields, renovation of the band building and auditorium, and a new student services building.
Read Shelly's report for more.
Six Southland teachers and three schools were named finalists for the Music Center of Los Angeles County's Bravo Awards honoring exemplary arts education.
General classroom teacher nominees are Janet Barker of Parras Middle School in Redondo Beach, Safini Convey of Mount Washington Elementary in Los Angeles and Lisa Jenks of Valley View Elementary in Glendale.
Students involved in the South Bay high school football rivalry have been getting carried away, by vandalizing the campuses. Here's a snippet from a staff report.
Buckets of green paint were unloaded on the Redondo Union High School football field and cafeteria, officials discovered this morning.The words "Mira Costa" and initials "MC" were sprayed on the field and building in retaliation for vandalism at their field last week, said Redondo Principal Mary Little.
Young local Jillian Ayers, 8, determined to create holiday cards for Iraq-stationed soldiers after her Army infantry cousin Joseph Anzack Jr. was killed there last spring. Starting the effort in her own Redondo Beach classroom, the movement has legs - it's so far spread to Torrance's Seaside Elementary, where Anzack Jr. attended, and generated 1,000 cards to date.
Click here to read Shelly's feature, which appears in Friday's paper.
John Bogert catches up with a bright boy he met years ago while talking to a second-grade class. Now the editor of the student newspaper at Redondo Union, our columnist finds the 17-year-old living up to his potential.
Hank loves history. He got a perfect score on his AP European history test, and pretty much the same on nine others. Over the summer he decided that all the history he picked up in Mrs. Julie Ferron’s class could be augmented with words on a “pimp pope” and the bizarre fears of powerful freaks and presented as a free AP history podcast.“I love history,” said Hank , who this year is shooting for 51 seconds flat in the 400 - meter run. “I wanted to make it so a girl like my 15-year-old sister, Maggie — a real science type — would enjoy the subject, too.”
Actually, Hank loves so many things and in such depth it’s hard to cover it all. This is nothing new. Back at Alta Vista teachers had him pegged as a writer, a natural. Later, at Parras Middle School, he’d be named Student of the Year and be described by one teacher as future presidential material, adding, “He stands out for his spark and verve, for his insight and creativity. He’s like a fire burning on a dark prairie.”
Read the column here.
Detailing various district statistics, achievements and future plans, Redondo Beach Unified hosted its first “State of Education” event Wednesday night.
After brief remarks by Mayor Mike Gin, school board president Drew Gamet and state Assemblyman Ted Lieu — who described the district as “outstanding” — Superintendent Steven Keller took the floor to run down everything from student demographics to test scores.
Briefly touching on the district’s facilities needs and reminding attendees that a new bond measure will appear on the February 2008 ballot, Keller simply urged, “Please vote.”
The evening ended with the presentation of the district’s inaugural, from hereafter annual, “Education Advocate of the Year” award.
The prize went to longtime volunteer and frequent education event planner Barbara ramsey-Duke, who Keller lauded for her “thorough dedication.”
A Catholic school in Redondo Beach is among 27 in California to gain federal Blue Ribbon status, Superintendent Jack O’Connell announced Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Education identified St. Lawrence Martyr Parish School as a model of excellence with the honor.
“I am tremendously pleased these outstanding California schools are receiving the national recognition they so clearly deserve,” O’Connell said. “They all are testaments to academic excellence and have created a positive school culture where students are able to thrive and reach their full potential.”
Read our story for more.
For the first time, Redondo Beach Unified School District is hosting a community event aimed at informing residents of the "State of Education" in the city.
Superintendent Steven Keller and school board president Drew Gamet are both slated to speak during the program, discussing such things as student achievement, district facilities and future plans. The district has said it will seek a new bond measure in February 2008.
The event begins with a meet-and-greet at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday night, with speakers scheduled from 7-8 p.m. It's being held on the second floor of the Redondo Beach Public Library, at 303 N. Pacific Coast Highway.
All are invited to attend.