Robert Fraisse

The following is from the Nov. 10 meeting of the Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education. Reflections on Art recognized The district?s ?Spotlight on Excellence? shone on the PTA?s nationally celebrated Reflections on Art program. Coordinated by parent Jennifer Baker, the Laguna program provides students with opportunities to express themselves creatively and to receive positive recognition for works of art inspired by a pre-selected theme, while increasing community awareness on the importance of the arts in education.

Almost all Laguna Beach school district students were expected to hear President Barack Obama?s ?back to school? speech to U.S. students by today, Supt. Robert Fraisse said. Students didn?t hear the message in school when it was broadcast Sept. 8. Principals at all four schools have confirmed to the superintendent that the speech will be delivered in lessons at all grade levels by today, he added. Parents were given the ability to ?opt out? their children from hearing the speech, but so far only one student had been opted out by a parent, Fraisse said Thursday.

Laguna Beach schools are starting the new school year with $1.4 million in the bank, the Board of Education learned Tuesday. The funds were the result of conservative budgeting last year when the economy was beginning to falter, and an unexpected boost in property taxes, from which the district gets its funds, according to Norma Shelton, assistant superintendent for business services. “As the economy fell apart, we were cautious, and then we received more from property taxes than we projected,” Shelton told the board.

Laguna Beach Unified School District Supt. Robert Fraisse announced earlier this week that he will retire at the end of the 2009-10 school year, ending a 37-year career in academia in California, the last three of which he served in Laguna Beach. “It has been an honor to be part of the legacy of this community’s culture of continuous improvement and to work with our teachers, staff, parents, administrators and school board members in an effort to add value to this great school system,” Fraisse said.

El Hathaway was praised for his years on the Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education at his last meeting Nov. 18. Hathaway, who served eight years on the board, and was president this year, was praised for ?dedicated service? to the district by Supt. Robert Fraisse. Board members enthused over Hathaway?s leadership on difficult issues, such as the high school baseball field, and praised his financial acumen in helping to keep the district in excellent fiscal shape.

1 New superintendent selected The Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education selected Robert Fraisse as its new superintendent in April. Fraisse, an education veteran and leadership expert from the Conejo Valley, took the helm from Theresa Daem when she stepped down at the end of the school year. Fraisse previously served as the Distinguished Educator in Residence at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, where he co-directed the doctoral education program and headed its educational leadership department.