School Notebook

In case you're interested but have missed the previous two such special board meetings, Torrance Unified suits and trustees will convene again tonight, in just about 40 minutes actually (at 7 p.m.), at J.H. Hull @ Levy school, to review for attendees the bond measures as proposed and, ideally, to get residents' input and feedback.

The district is considering going for two bonds at once in November, hoping to at last get voters to greenlight a large enough influx of cash to fix the myriad, well-known problems (rusting pipes and rotting ceilings and broken-down heating systems et al) that existence in ever-larger numbers at nearly all its campuses.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 6:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, they're set to run around a track anyway!

The sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade members of Torrance Unified's running club for middle schoolers (middle schools here don't have track teams) on Tuesday night are having their annual fun run, giving them a taste of competition to help prepare them for the real thing come high-school time.

Starting at 5 p.m., the some 100 young runners will compete in various relays and other races, with the top three in each category to receive medals of recognition.

The public event costs just $1 dollar for admission, should you want to check it out. It's being held on the track at West High, 20401 Victor St., in Torrance.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I got word today that Jill Crine, a math teacher at Torrance's West High, passed away last Thursday at her home in San Pedro. She was 43. The coroner, whose office I contacted, so far is calling her death an accident, not from natural causes.

The school will host a memorial vigil for Crine, a native of San Pedro who graduated from San Pedro High and USC, on Wednesday night. Set to start at 6:45 p.m., the event will be held on the campus's "Quad 5" according to the West website, where more details are available.

I never had the opportunity to meet Crine in my years of school reporting here; if any of you knew her, feel free to email your memories my way: shelly.leachman@dailybreeze.com.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 1:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In an effort to stem the massive bleeding expected to be induced by a proposed state budget that would slash education funding by billions, Torrance Unified is the latest local district to launch a targeted fundraising campaign, asking parents to pony up to help save programs and jobs.

The school system has already approved some $9 million in cuts for the 2008-2009 budget that include many jobs and a host of student services.

"Save Our Schools," a campaign of the Torrance Education Foundation, is asking for $360 per child in an effort to combat the cuts. The Torrance Council of PTAs has started a related awareness and contact-your- legislator sort-of effort called "Flunk the Budget."

A letter addressing both movements is en route to all Torrance Unified families.

Anyone wishing and ready to send a check should make it payable to TEF - SOS and send it to TEF - SOS, P.O. Box 3385, Torrance, CA 90510.

I'm guessing you'll hear more about this -- a lot more -- in the days and weeks to come.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 4:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On the eve of Earth Day -- how serendipitous is that? -- a group of eco-minded students from Torrance's South High will be honored by the local school board for the recent environmental efforts that scored them a national, $50,000 award.

The school's Landfill Improvement For the Environment, or LIFE, team, emerged from the crowd of competitors in the Lexus Environmental Challenge to become one of 14 first-place winners nationwide.

Holla!

The 10 South students, their teacher/advisor Joan Davidson and the school will all share the $50,000 prize in varying amounts, with the students each receiving $3,500 scholarships, Davidson getting a $5,000 grant and the school itself receiving a $10,000 grant. The campus reportedly plans to purchase a solar panel and attempt to become the first "renewable energy" school in the South Bay.

Making the kudo-collecting rounds this week, the students and Davidson tonight will be recognized by trustees of Torrance Unified during their regular board meeting, set for 7:30 p.m. in district headquarters at 2336 Plaza del Amo.

Tomorrow the group heads to Lexus's Torrance headquarters to receive their big, giant check and accompanying photo op with company muckety-mucks; on Wednesday they're being honored by the local PTA , as they've also won two state-level awards from that organization.

Bravo, young Spartans, bravo!

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I received this press release today from Torrance's Riviera Elementary School, which has a number of activities ongoing related to Earth Day, upcoming on Tuesday, the 22nd. Such things include the decoration and distribution of paper grocery bags bearing eco-friendly messages.

Here you have it, from campus Earth Day coordinator and PTA member Karen Wheeler:

"This is to announce Riviera Elementary School’s participation in the fifteenth annual Earth Day Grocery Bag Project! The students have decorated paper grocery bags with environmental messages. On Earth Day, April 22, 2008, and continuing through the week, shoppers at Sprouts Farmers Market in Torrance can receive their groceries in the decorated bags.The people in our community will get a very clear and positive message that the students at our school care about their environment.

Other Earth Week activities at Riviera will include: a used book drive to support the struggling libraries of two public schools in Compton, plastic waste-free lunch days, and a walk-with-your-kid-to-school day. We invite you to contact us to find out more about the specific activities at our school and the commitment of our students to the issue of environmental education.

The Earth Day Grocery Bag Project is a grassroots, nonprofit, international educational effort coordinated on the Internet at www.earthdaybags.org. A report from our school will be added to the website, so others will know about our efforts. The project started in 1994, with 43 schools reporting the decoration and distribution of 13,000 Earth Day Grocery Bags. By 1999, the number of schools reporting in reached nearly 1,200, with students decorating almost 400,000 Earth Day Grocery Bags! Every report from all the previous years is on the website. There are also thousands of pictures of schools from around the world involved in this project."

Thanks for sharing, Karen!

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 6:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's one for your calendar, all you spoken-word, slam-poetry fans: Torrance High School next Thursday night -- that's one week from today, got it? -- is hosting its first ever poetry slam competition to which the public is invited.

There are 7 individual finalists and 3 team finalists, with the winners in each category set to receive $100, not to mention the title "2007 Slam Champion."

The event is the baby of English teacher Ilene Marshall, who informs me the festivities include a guest appearance by nationally renowned slam poet Shihan, a past U.S. champ and featured performer on the HBO series "Def Poetry."

Marshall says in an email that she's been "floored by the talent of these students" and suspects we all will be, too.

If you're intrigued, and free next Thursday, April 24, the competition kicks off at 7 p.m., in the Torrance High auditorium.

Word.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 5:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The city of Torrance just announced the names of local kids selected for participation in its annual "Students & Government Day," during which the students -- eighth graders, all -- shadow various city workers and officials, from the Mayor on down, then kick off the evening's City Council meeting by playing those parts and conducting a little business.

The event is set for Tuesday, May 6, with the council-meeting portion kicking off at 7 p.m.

Winning students were chosen based on essays that addressed the topic: "a new student involved project that could help the Torrance community and enable students to make a difference in their community."

Without further ado, then, the selected students:

*Alex Baumgartner, St. James School
*Will Bingmann, Richardson Middle School
*Jasmine Galvan, St. Catherine Laboure School
*Maurick Gaunt, Madrona Middle School
*Amanda Goodwin, Magruder Middle School
*Aubree Graham, Bert Lynn Middle School
*Richard Herrada, Calle Mayor Middle School
*Gina Hong, Madrona Middle School
*Grace Huang, Madrona Middle School
*Hunter Johnson, First Lutheran School
*Jonathan MacNeil, Bert Lynn Middle School
*Makeena Martin, Calle Mayor Middle School
*Rebecca Miller, First Lutheran School
*Nicholas Mata, St. Catherine Laboure School
*Amie Morales, Casimir Middle School
*Leila Northington, Hull Middle School
*Caitlyn Pacina, Jefferson Middle School
*Ashley Poh, Casimir Middle School
*Cassida Ruggeri, Calle Mayor Middle School
*Chad Simon, Calle Mayor Middle School
*Michiko Sugimoto, Bert Lynn Middle School
*Lara Windisch, St. James School

Congrats to all.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

An academic living locally -- one who, coincidentally, has been quoted here in the Daily Breeze a time or two -- has just been awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholar award.

Thanks to the honor, Torrance resident Roger G. Robins, Assistant Professor of History and Political Science at Marymount College in Rancho Palos Verdes, will spend the 2008-2009 school year lecturing in Japan, where he will lead courses in American history and religion at Tokyo University.

Congrats Roger, that rules!

According to flackage sent my way by the school, "the Japan Lectureship is one of the most coveted awards in the Fulbright Scholar Program, which will send approximately 800 U.S. faculty and professionals abroad this year."

Established in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late Senator J. William Fulbright, the program’s purpose is to build mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the rest of the world.

Award recipients are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It operates in over 150 countries worldwide.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 5:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Los Angeles Times today goes deeper into the current state of homeschooling in California, which is back in the spotlight since a recent legal ruling (since vacated, pending a re-hearing in the next few months) that only credential-bearing parents can teach their kids at home.

Seema Mehta features two South Bay families in her story -- the Torrance-based Brownings and the Curtos, whose kids who attend classes at Hermosa's Hope Chapel in addition to learn at home with mom Kym.

It's a good read, with a nice accompanying photo gallery online.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 6:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A recent Torrance High School grad and a teacher who resides here have both snared big awards from the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship.

Holla!

Local Angie Mazzotta, an educator at LA Unified's Audobon Middle School and Magnet Center, was named "Teacher of the Year," while former Tartar Daniel Uribe, 18, was one of two "Global Young Entrepreneurs of the Year” for the foundation's Southern California region.

Both will be officially honored Wednesday at a special "Salute to the Entrepreneurial Spirit" ceremony in New York City. The awards are given annually to outstanding teachers and students in 34 regions throughout the U.S., Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa.

The NFTE is devoted to teaching entrepreneurship and business skills to low-income young people.

Mazzotta is being lauded for her comittment to increasing education and economic opportunities for low-income youth.

Uribe is being recognized for his operational business, Lazer Bearings, hereby adding to his list of accomplishments. He already placed third in the NFTE National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge and first in the NFTE Greater Los Angeles Regional Business Plan competition.

Along with the honor, both will receive a boatload of cash to put toward professional development (Mazzotta) and business capital or future education (Uribe).

Ok, they're only getting $1,000 each, but to most kids, many teachers and, dare I say, a majority of journalists, a $1,000 could qualify as a boatload.

Regardless, congrats to them both!

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You've still got time to mull this over, because these meetings remain in the offing, but the Torrance Unified School District has scheduled three public workshops aimed at drumming up input on the school system's proposed bond measures.

The district has discussed -- but not yet voted whether to go forward with -- putting a two-bond package on the November ballot that all told would equal about $350 million. The money would go toward fixing aging facilities and to rebuild, at its original location, J.H. Hull Middle School.

In three community meetings set for April 15, April 30 and May 7, Superintendent George Mannon, business chief Don Stabler and other cabinet members, as well as school board trustees, will be on hand to offer info, answer questions and receive feedback on potential projects to be completed, if a bond in fact succeeded.

All three sessions will be held at 7 p.m., at Hull at Levy school, located at 3420 West 229th Place, in Torrance.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 3:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're hearing that some Torrance Unified teachers, fourth- and fifth-grade instructors, to be exact, will be rallying outside tonight's Board of Education meeting, hoping to raise awareness of the potential impact of increasing class-sizes.

Putting more kids in classrooms is among the money-saving measures that the local district -- and undoubtedly many others across the South Bay and California -- are likely to enact due to the proposed state budget that will slash education funding by billions. Torrance alone is projecting a more than $9-million shortfall.

Torrance Unified trustees meet tonight, in the district headquarters located at 2336 Plaza Del Amo. Open session begins at 7:30 p.m.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's the text of the email circulating:

The 4th and 5th grade teachers will be holding a rally
at 6pm tonight, outside the Board of Education
facility on Plaza del Amo. Our teachers want to raise
awareness of the challenges our children will face
with the proposed class size increases, projected to
be ~36:1 in 4th/5th grade next year. Please bring your
family and friends and support the teachers in their
efforts to draw attention to the real impact the
education funding crisis will have on our children.

The meetings are open to the public starting at 7:30
p.m. the evening of the meeting. The board room is
located in the Educational Materials Building at 2336
Plaza del Amo.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The academic decathlon team of Torrance's North High was honored by its campus community with a special reception Tuesday night.

Held in the school library, the reception paid tribute to the 2007-2008 team, who placed fifth in the recent county competition, barely below long-dominant West High, which placed fourth this year.

North's team members are: Amir Abbasi, Travis Bentsen, Cory Goodwin, Stacy Hester, Devin Ketch, Nasar Khan, Jessica Lao, Donna Leong and Manuel Valverde. Their advisor is Dylan Barth and their assistant coach is Delaiah Barth.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 3:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Fox 11 news followed our lead on the story about the North High student who is spearheading a letter-writing campaign to fight school budget cuts. Here he is on TV:

Here's a link to the story we ran in the Breeze on Saturday.

Posted by Chris Berry at 1:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A former award-winning West High School (Torrance) academic decathlete, now a freshman at UC Davis, was arrested there Wednesday night when police found two pipe bombs in his dormitory room.

See reporter Larry Altman's story for more details.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 5:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Want to see some student art? Wonder if there are any budding Jackson Pollocks or Georgia O'Keeffe's lurking around the South Bay?

The works of local high schoolers will be displayed and judged in an annual art contest behind held Monday in Torrance.

The press release from Torrance Unified:

The 10th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Visions of Unity Student Art Contest will take place on Monday, March 10th at the Torrance Memorial Health Conference Center at 6:30p.m.

Every year students from all four Torrance Unified high schools submit entries in one of 5 categories - sculpture and ceramics, painting and drawing, poetry, essay, and fiction. Student entries explore ways individuals can work together to cultivate greater healing, harmony, and understanding within their communities.

The Visions of Unity contest is sponsored by the Human Relations Forum of Torrance with community partners including Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Torrance Unified School District, The South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach Volunteer Center, Torrance League of Women Voters, and Palos Verdes Chapter LINKS, Inc.

This event is possible because of generous donations by Toyota Motor Sales, Anastasi Development Corp, KTLA 5, Baha'i Communities Foundation, Palos Verdes Chapter LINKS, Baszile Metals Service, Shirley Ho for Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Virco Manufacturing Company, and Dorothy Wu.

This event is free and open to the public. Torrance Memorial Health Conference Center is located at 3330 Lomita Blvd, in Torrance.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 2:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Staffers of Torrance Unified School District have submitted to trustees their recommended cuts for the 2008-2009 year, some $9 million in reductions aimed at plugging the anticipated enormous hole to be torn by way of a proposed state budget that would slash California's public-education funding by some $5 billion.

A few highlights:

*The proposal includes laying off 70 full-time teachers, 11 custodians and 3 classified-staff supervisors, plus cutting back to half-time 8 middle-school assistant principals.

*It recommends reducing campus security, by nine hours at each of the district's four high schools, as well as eliminating entirely the P.E. Incentive Program and an intervention effort known as the School Safety Violence Program.

*It would reduce school-site services in the areas of English language learners, student retention and school and library improvement, among others. Further, it would reduce programs such as CAHSEE instruction, supplemental school counseling, peer assistance and review and Gifted and Talented Education.

*The proposal includes cuts to special education that include implementing a 4-day week for the district's "LAUNCH" program, as well as laying off 3 full-time speech pathologists, 3 full-time teachers and 3.5 full-time paraeducators the the elementary/middle school learning center and 5.5 full-time high-school special ed teachers.

For the entire exhaustive list of proposed cuts and what each would save the district, click here, then select "2008-2009 Committee Reductions Report."

Oh, and watch this weekend's Daily Breeze for a story detailing what all our local districts, Torrance included, are facing as a result of the Governor's proposed budget that people are saying will absolutely brutalize public districts statewide.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another reminder for the education-interested in Torrance: In a public session Tuesday night, Torrance Unified district staffers will present a primer on the ever-bleaker-looking state budget and -- even more interesting -- recommend to district trustees a slew of cuts aimed at filling an estimated $9-million hole in its 2008-2009 budget.

The special session of the board is being held in the cafeteria at JH Hull @ Levy, presumably to make more room for public attendance. The school is located at 3420 229th Street in Torrance.

Torrance has the biggest money gap to fill locally (outside of LAUSD, of course), but look for nearly every district in the area, in the state actually, to soon start making such proposals of their own. Prediction: It ain't gonna be pretty.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 4:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

EL SEGUNDO: Students from 28 schools learn about engineering at Raytheon

Middle-school students from 28 local schools participated in Raytheon's annual Engineers Week event at the company's El Segundo headquarters last week.

The students participated in a Lego League robotics demonstration, traveling space museum and video game challenge.

NASCAR driver Kevin Conway spoke about the importance of math and science education.

More than 250 students from Los Angeles Unified School District campuses, such as Curtiss Middle in Carson, Dana Middle in San Pedro, Peary Middle in Gardena and Fleming Middle in Lomita joined students from Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach and Lawndale.

Students from Lennox, Inglewood, Manhattan Beach and Palos Verdes also attended.

TORRANCE: Special session will explore school budget-cut options

Staff of the Torrance Unified School District will present budget-cut recommendations to the Board of Education in a special workshop on Tuesday.

The public session is set to address the estimated $8.7 million district deficit for the 2008-09 academic year that's being created by the proposed state budget, which may cut education funding by more than $4 billion.

Public comment will be taken at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of J.H. Hull Middle School at Levy, 3420 229th St., Torrance.

CARSON: Forum offers parents guidance on importance of education

The Los Angeles Unified School District is hosting a forum in Carson on Wednesday to boost college attendance and parent engagement.

The event, Create a College Bound Culture, will offer parents informative handouts, speakers and an educational marketplace. Any parent with a student in LAUSD is eligible to attend.

The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Carnegie Middle School, 21810 Bonita St. Parking is available at the DoubleTree Hotel on Carson Street.

Registration is required. Call 213-241-6900.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The annual College Information Fair in Torrance -- a cooperative event of Torrance Unified and the Torrance Council of PTAs -- is happening again this weekend at West High, with workshops on everything from application essays and admissions tests to academic support for athletes.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, high schoolers of all grade levels are invited to meet the representatives from more than 100 colleges, universities and trade schools who will be on hand.

Informational exhibits and seminars such as “Five Simple Steps to Plan and Pay For College” and “How to Find the ‘Right’ College For Your Child” will also be offered during the free event that is aimed at students and parents alike.

For a full listing of workshops, including exact times and scheduled presenters, visit www.tusd.org.

West High is located at 20401 Victor St., in Torrance.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 2:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Open enrollment for the 2008-09 school year is under way in the Torrance Unified School District.

Applications are available at, and should be returned in person to, the Child Welfare and Attendance Office during the following dates:

From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday through Feb. 29.

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, March 3 to 14.

9 a.m. to noon March 15.

In schools where the number of open enrollment applications exceeds space available, a lottery will be held and a waiting list established.

Families interested in intradistrict permits should also apply in person at the Child Welfare and Attendance Office, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, from March 24 to April 30 and May 1-9.

Anyone seeking an interdistrict (or nonresident) permit can apply starting April 28, with decisions being rendered from June 27 to Aug. 29.

The Child Welfare and Attendance Office, 2335 Plaza del Amo, can be reached at 310-972-6090.

Get more info here.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Read Shelly's story about a Shakespeare festival at the Torrance school. Some of the games they played:

In "Macbeth's Game of Skittles," students were awarded fake-flowered leis for a successful turn in a makeshift bowling lane of plastic pins and small balls.

"The Twelfth Night Cross-Dressing Competition" praised kids for the perceived stylishness of outfits hastily assembled from a deep, dark grab bag of garments.

Attired in cardboard armor over at "Hamlet's Knight School," they took turns jousting with thin sticks.

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

...attend the Torrance Unified presentation "School Finance 101" tomorrow evening. Superintendent George Mannon and district business chief Don Stabler will lead the informational session on how public schools are funded and the various budget structures involved. In light of a $14-billion state deficit and a predicted $8.7 million hole in the TUSD budget come fall, it's a good time to take in the now-annual event.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday. It's being held in the district's board room, inside the Educational Materials Building at 2336 Plaza del Amo in Torrance.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 5:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Six months after it was first proposed for termination but saved following outcry from outraged parents, a long-running Torrance Unified program for low-income families has been canceled.

With inadequate funding from the state, officials said the district can no longer afford the Torrance Children's Center child care and development program. It will cease operation when the school year ends in June.

"It's pretty devastating," said Lorena Johnson, who went through the program herself and whose 4-year-old daughter now participates. "I have no idea what we're going to do."

Read Shelly's story for more.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After placing fourth in the county contest and falling short of the point threshold for a wild-card bid, the long-dominant academic decathlon team of Torrance's West High School will not advance to the state competition this year.

Instead, Alhambra's Mark Keppel High School, runner-up the past two years, was named the winner of the event on Thursday, with second-place finisher Duarte High School tagging along as the wild card. The state showdown takes place March 8-10 in Sacramento.

Read our story for more.

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

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.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Torrance Unified's Superintendent, George Mannon, appeared recently on the local edition of CNN/Time Warner's "Headline News" to discuss how the recently released state budget -- with its proposed drastic cuts to public education -- may impact the district.

In his five-minute appearance, Mannon notes that the 33-school system is facing a potential $6-million hole in its general fund for the 2008-2009 school year that may result in "cuts in all areas," including layoffs of teachers, administrators and classified staff and increased class sizes.

"We are in a very difficult period right now," the schools chief said during the segment.

Hear Mannon's comments in their entirety:

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shelly Leachman reports that a Bay Area consulting group has found that Torrance voters might support $350 million in school bonds on the November ballot.

The Torrance Unified School District was informed this week that the survey, conducted Nov. 16 to Dec. 2, revealed 56.7 percent of those polled would green-light such bonds to improve school facilities. Under state law, 55 percent is required for approval.

The survey also found that 78 percent of respondents think the schools are in "moderate" or "great" need of renovation. So I guess that means that more than 20 percent of people who think the schools need help still don't want to help pay for it.

Shelly also notes in the story that in the district's 60-plus-year history, only one bond measure has passed. That was for $42 million in bonds, 10 years ago.

Read the story.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the new year, Torrance elementary schools are on something of a new schedule, letting out 45 minutes earlier every Wednesday to facilitate teacher development sessions. (The only exception is at Carr Elementary, which will continue its already in-place, early-release Tuesdays; kindergartens still get out at the same time.)

The extra time will allow the schools' teachers to collaborate and learn from one another as part of their newly implemented "professional learning communities." All Torrance middle schools made a similar shift in fall 2006.

No instructional time will be lost as a result of the change, which replaces the myriad early-dismissal days once scattered throughout the school year, the district said.

For parents unable to retrieve their children 45 minutes earlier, each school will have a substitute teacher on hand to supervise waiting students.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From Nick Green's report:

The city of Torrance will honor fallen soldier Matthew Ferrara at a ceremony Thursday when his name will be inscribed on Veterans Memorial Wall at City Hall.

The public is invited to the event, which begins at 10 a.m. at the corner of Torrance Boulevard and Maple Avenue.

Torrance Boulevard will close from 9:45 to 11 a.m. from Madrona Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard for the ceremony.

Road closure signs on Torrance Boulevard indicated the event was Friday, but they will be changed to the correct day, officials said.

The 24-year-old Army captain was killed in Afghanistan in November when the foot patrol he was leading was ambushed. Six Afghan soldiers and five others - including 23-year-old Army Spc. Lester Roque, who lived near Carson - of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force died in the attack.

Ferrara was promoted to captain posthumously and buried with full military honors at Rancho Palos Verdes' Green Hills Memorial Park.

The 2001 South High graduate was the third from the school killed in the last 12 months while fighting overseas.

Army Cpl. Joseph Anzack Jr., 20, a 2005 graduate, was killed May 23 after he was captured outside of Baghdad. Army Spc. Micah Gifford, 27, a 1997 graduate, died Dec. 7, 2006, in a bomb blast in Baghdad.

HOW TO HELP

South High School has established a scholarship fund in Ferrara's memory. Send donations to South High School, Activities Office, 4801 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

California State University, Long Beach student Diaa Eldanaf, of Torrance, has been inducted into the Golden Key International Honor Society, a global nonprofit organization that provides academic recognition to college juniors and seniors in the top 15 percent of their class.

Membership in Golden Key, which also offers leadership development opportunities, community service, career networking and scholarships, is by invitation only.

"It is only fitting that a top academic achiever like Diaa be recognized by Golden Key," Alexander Perwich II, the group's CEO, said. "Our members are inspired and motivated not only to achieve exceptional academic accomplishments, but also to make a positive impact on our world."

Eldanaf has previously received an achievement award from the math department at El Camino College, where she earned her associate's degree in June.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 2:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The West High School football coach who allegedly tied up girls at the Torrance campus and in his home, and who asked all the boys on his team to kiss him, has been fired from his job.

The Torrance Unified School District on Friday reported that Michael Anthony Smith, 51, who was arrested Dec. 7, was terminated.

See Larry Altman's story for more details.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 2:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Former South High School coach and South Bay YMCA athletic director Leonard Butler was sentenced Thursday to two years in state prison for engaging in sex acts with two underage girls.

Before Torrance Superior Court Judge Mark S. Arnold announced the sentence, Butler, 43, apologized to the teenagers, who were both in court.

"I'm sorry for what I did," the one-time youth mentor said. "I should never have been in those positions."

Read Denise Nix's story for more.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A West High School coach who allegedly tied up and handcuffed female students required each boy on his football team to kiss him before a recent game, players have told the Daily Breeze.

The odd behavior is now part of the Torrance police investigation into freshman football coach Michael Anthony Smith. The 51-year-old Torrance man was arrested Friday when detectives began looking into charges that he bound 13- to 17-year-old girls with tape for some unknown reason.

The latest allegations, confirmed in interviews with two 14-year-old players who said they kissed Smith at his direction, occurred late in the season, a day before the sixth or seventh game when Smith passed out clean jerseys.

Read Larry Altman's story for more.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently re-elected trustee and first-time school board member were sworn in as policy stewards of the Torrance Unified School District at a meeting Monday night.

Longtime school volunteer Ragins, who holds a Masters in Governance certification from the California School Boards Association, now begins her second term. Rookie trustee Lee is a former Torrance City Council member with three kids in TUSD schools and is a Torrance High grad himself.

The board also elected new officers on Monday, with Michael Ernst named president, Al Muratsuchi as vice president, and Mark Steffen the new clerk.

"This is a strong Board committed to working with the community to continue to keep TUSD a preeminent school district," Ernst said. "I greatly look forward to my role as president of this board. This district has great teachers, staff and administrators who are committed to ensuring student success. I'm honored to have the opportunity to help lead this team."

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 3:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Michael Smith, a "walk on" baseball coach at West High in Torrance, has been arrested for tying up four girls between the ages of 13 and 17. Police said Smith didn't engage in sex acts with the girls, according to Larry Altman's story.

Police on Monday could not explain the motive behind Smith's actions, whether the girls went willingly with him to his home, and whether they were forcibly bound or consented.

"Whether he was setting them up for something much more serious, that part of the investigation is still under way," [Torrance Police Officer Dave] Crespin said.

Posted by Paul Clinton at 8:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Torrance resident Andrew Hua, a junior at CSU Long Beach currently studying abroad through the Semester At Sea program, has been awarded a scholarship by Denny's, in partnership with the Hispanic College Fund.

The communications studies major was one of only 27 Latino students nationwide to receive the scholarship of up to $5,000, a merit and financial need-based award. The 2007 HCF Denny's Scholars were honored at a special gala in Washington D.C.

Speaking from his location in Egypt, having already been to Japan, China, Vietnam, India and elsewhere, Hua said: "Without this scholarship, my dream of traveling the world wouldn't have come true ... It has been an opportunity of a lifetime and I can't express how thankful I am."

Denny's partnership with HCF has helped more than 370 Hispanic students by providing more than $515,000 in scholarships over the past five years. To be eligible for the award, students must be a U.S. citizen of Hispanic/Latino heritage; be pursuing a bachelor's degree in a major related to business, engineering, technology or entrepreneurship; in good academic standing with a minimum 3.0 GPA; and enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student for a full academic year.

The Hispanic College Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to developing the next generation of Hispanic professionals in America. Its mission is to provide Hispanic students with the vision, resources and mentorship needed to attain successful careers and become community leaders.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 4:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a special meeting Monday night, the Torrance Unified School District board of trustees reappointed Owen Griffith to the personnel commission for a three-year term commencing Dec. 1.

Griffith has served the commission since May 1999. He previously sat on the district's school board from 1967-1995, with five terms as president.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Torrance Sister City Association is seeking Torrance residents who are high school sophomores through college freshmen, aged 19 or younger, to serve as cultural ambassadors in the Student Cultural Exchange Program.

Selected students will spend three weeks in July in Kashiwa, Japan, Torrance's sister city. The trip includes visits to Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima. Travelers are housed in Kashiwa homes.

The local association has sponsored the trip since 1974. Applications for the Summer 2008 journey are due by December 21. Interested students can find applications in their school's counseling office or by calling the Torrance Community Services Department at (310) 618-2930.

Posted by Shelly Leachman at 4:04 PM | 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)