Robert Fraisse

This past weekend I was made aware that the Laguna Beach Unified School District would not allow our students to see the message from the president to the nation?s school children on the opening day of school, as a result of all the manufactured controversy surrounding it. Apparently the board and superintendent had been inundated with letters of protest from ?outraged? parents, despite the fact that the president was encouraging children to aim high and take responsibility for their education.

Students in Laguna Beach public schools didn’t hear an address from President Barack Obama on their first day of school Tuesday. After hearing from parents who threatened to pull their children out of school if the speech was aired, Supt. Robert Fraisse decided to tape the speech and make it available to teachers the second week of school. Parents who don’t want their children exposed to the presidential message may be able to “opt out” of the showing. In response, other parents and community members are accusing the district of allowing political divisiveness to interfere with education.

The following is from the Aug. 25 meeting of the Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education. Swine flu update Supt. Robert Fraisse told the board that the Centers for Disease Control has warned that H1N1, the so-called ?swine flu? virus, could affect half the population during the coming flu season, and that 90,000 deaths could occur. In response, health officials are proposing that public schools become inoculation centers when a vaccine is available.

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.

Patty Beaver became the first recipient of the Laguna Beach Unified School District?s ?Spirit of LBUSD? award during a recent ?welcome back? breakfast for district staff returning to work after the summer break. Beaver, who is human resources coordinator for the district, got a standing ovation when the award was announced in a surprise ceremony. ?There is no question that Patty Beaver?s quality of service to the students and staff makes her the perfect recipient of this award,?

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.

Top of the World Elementary School students and staff celebrated Monday morning with a special ceremony in which they raised their newest flag, honoring their selection as a California Distinguished School. The school was selected to be one of 370 campuses out of 5,700 across the state to be honored for its academics and focus on the whole child. El Morro Elementary, Laguna Beach’s other public elementary school, is holding its own Distinguished School celebration this morning “This is a very special day, and we’re here for a very special reason,” Principal Ron La Motte told students.

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.