New Programs for a New School Year
Kids may be mourning the end of summer vacation, watching it fade like a fondly earned tan, but Laguna Beach teachers are excited by the week ahead and the opening of school on Tuesday, Sept. 7.
"The energy here is bursting. We're ready to go," said high school Principal Don Austin.
At a time of massive cuts statewide in education funding, Laguna Beach remains anomalous in its expansion of programs, hiring of new personnel and adding new classrooms.
New teachers on staff this year are Jason Fritze, an elementary Spanish teacher at El Morro and Top of the World; Jay Williams, a fifth-grade teacher, and Heather Bosworth, a first grade teacher, both at El Morro; Brooke Bismack, a TOW kindergarten teacher; Jeanny Profeta, a Thurston Middle School math teacher; and at the high school, counselor Jeff Bockert, history teacher Kirstin Apodaca, and science/health teacher Cassandra Butler.
New offerings include Spanish at El Morro and Top of the World for fourth and fifth grade students, as well as an optional, one day a week after-school program for first through third graders. Both will be taught by Fritze, filling the only new position added this school year. Other new hires replaced teachers who retired or left existing positions.
TOW Principal Ron Lamotte said, "(Fritze) had multiple teacher conferences and has a lot of good background teaching other teachers. He's an expert in the field."
Students will also study from a new math curriculum, Pearson's "Envision Math."
Lamotte said, "We reviewed multiple publishers recommended by the state and chose this one because it has a lot of technology and audio visual as well as the math books and academics. It works together in a more whole-child approach… the 'Success Maker' program is built into it: students can do individual lessons tailored to what their specific needs are."
The popular silk screening class at the high school will also be expanded to include two sections daily. For the first time next week, the chattering of students and zipping of backpacks will fill two new classrooms built last year at El Morro. "These new classrooms allow everyone at the school to have their own classroom, including intervention and special education programs, " said Principal Chris Duddy.
District wide enrollment levels remain relatively unchanged from last year, though the first day of school will reveal true numbers once attendance is counted.
In addition to a new education program for drug and alcohol policy offenders, there are other new programs in the works, too. According to Nancy Hubbell, the district's assistant superintendent, they will ensure that transition points, for example when students enter kindergarten, middle or high school, are more successful. "In addition to tailoring programs to our students' and parents' needs, principals are researching best practices and successful programs from other districts," she said.
There is a new initiative by Laguna administrators to network with other schools and share ideas as well. Austin, who helped lead the effort, said, "Our big goal is to be better sharers, giving and taking info and best practices from other schools…36 high schools in four counties are all going to be coming here to share ideas and expertise where they have strengths. "We really want to return to putting the focus on classroom instruction. We always get a lot of nice things here. And we're lucky to have those things, but we're really going to get back to making connections with students and helping students that are struggling."
The district website, lbusd.org, will offer updates from the superintendent as well as emerging swine flu protocols from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
