Math

The following is from the Oct.26 meeting of the Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education. Strategic plan approved Supt. Sherine Smith presented the District Strategic Plan to the Board of Education for discussion, input and approval, and reviewed the District's Vision, Mission, Core Values and Strategic Goals, which were developed jointly with the Board at the Governance Team Workshop earlier this year. After a two-hour presentation, the Board voted unanimously to approve the District Strategic Goals.

Suzie Harrison Making sure their compasses were aligned properly, the small sailors mapped their navigation, checking the latitude and longitude, in preparation for their journey. They were to follow the same route that Richard Henry Dana took from Boston to California in the early 1830s on the tall ship Pilgrim. The sailors in this case were fifth-graders at Top of the World Elementary School working on a three-week course in which they studied Dana's travels to learn about science, math, history, social studies and language.

One of Glendale Unified School District's three National Merit Scholarship Finalists speaks English as a third language. One is a homecoming princess and a drama queen. The third competes on the tennis court and in academic quizzes. Mkrtich Ohanyan of Clark Magnet High School, Polet Bagatourian of Crescenta Valley High School and Andrew Bagwell of Hoover High School all seniors, all received the honor making them eligible for $1,000 scholarships. Only about 15,000 students of the 1.3 million who apply for the scholarship program are named finalists by the nonprofit Illinois-based National Merit Scholarship Corp.

Kerry Rubel Top of the World PTA is wrapping up a successful year. On Thursday, May 26, students and families enjoyed a wonderful evening of sharing as we celebrated learning with our annual open house. Proud children guided their parents though an impressive array of writing, artwork, science displays, poetry, and math games. Local color artwork was displayed in the multi-purpose room while the band played a terrific collection of songs before the honors chorus performed some impressive vocal music.

Suzie Harrison Gary Shapiro, a math teacher at Laguna Beach High School for 22 years, will present the 16th annual fundraiser concert for the "Safe and Sober Grad Night" party Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The concert, called "No Suits Allowed," will be made up of student performers and will be arranged and accompanied by Shapiro, who is also a musician. "It's a fundraiser for the seniors every year," chairperson Pam Levin said. She explained that almost every high school has a "Safe and Sober Grad Night" program.

The Coastline Pilot went to the Laguna Beach Boys and Girls Club and asked 'Who is your hero and why?' "My parents because they take care of me and they don't embarrass me in front of my friends." Diana Necula, 7 "My dad because he inspires me by taking me places like Utah to teach me how top ski double black diamonds." Brooks Freeman, 9 "My mom because she catches me when I fall and she takes good care of her kids." Nicole Delgado, 8 "My friend Taylor because she helps me when I get hurt or when someone pushes me."

Mary A. Castillo Teachers and students will return to classes this fall with a new learning tool. At its meeting last Tuesday, Laguna Beach School District board members gave their blessing to allocate $50,763 in SchoolPower Funds to purchase 13 SMART boards for the district schools. Top of the World, El Morro and Thurston will each receive three boards and four will go to Laguna Beach High School. "The benefit of the SMART boards is they're more engaging for the students," said Chris Duddy, principal at Thurston.

Kubisak-Smith Thomas and Debra Kubisak of Laguna Beach have announced the engagement of their daughter Valerie Jeanne, a 2000 graduate of Laguna Beach High School, to Brandon Delwyn Smith. Smith is the son of Delwyn and Rochelle Smith of Oroville, Calif. In May Kubisak will graduate from Vanguard University with a degree in mathematics. After graduation she will continue her education to earn a teaching credential and master's degree in English.

o7The following is from the Sept. 13 Laguna Beach Unified School District board meeting: f7 Class Size Reduction The school board unanimously voted to approve submission of the application to participate in the 2005-06 kindergarten through third-grade class size program to reduce class sizes, especially for reading and math classes. WHAT IT MEANS The program was implemented eight years ago to improve the educational program. The district gets incentive money from the California Department of Education to implement a pupil to teacher ratio of 20-1.