Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 12, 2011

8

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Mountain Views News Saturday, February 12, 2011 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

SUPERINTENDENT EDWIN DIAZ NAMED ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

Hamilton Principal and Flintridge Center Also Honored

Alverno High School

200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3463 Head of School: Ann M. Gillick 

E-mail address: agillick@alverno-hs.org

Arcadia High School

180 Campus Drive Arcadia, CA 91007

Phone: (626) 821-8370, Principal: David L. Vannasdall

Arroyo Pacific Academy

41 W. Santa Clara St. Arcadia, Ca, 

(626) 294-0661 Principal: Phil Clarke

E-mail address: pclarke@arroyopacific.org

Barnhart School

240 W. Colorado Blvd Arcadia, Ca. 91007

(626) 446-5588 Head of School: Joanne Testa Cross

Kindergarten - 8th grade

website: www.barnhartschool.com 

Bethany Christian School

93 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3527 Principal: James Lugenbuehl

E-mail address: jml@bcslions.org

Carden of the Foothills School

429 Wildrose Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016 626/358-9414 
626/358-5164 fax office@cardenofthefoothills.com

The Gooden School

192 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-2410 Head of School: Patty Patano

website: www.goodenschool.org

High Point Academy

1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road

Pasadena, Ca. 91107 626-798-8989

website: www.highpointacademy.org

LaSalle High School

3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 351-8951 

website: www.lasallehs.org

Monrovia High School

325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016 

(626) 471-2000, 

Email: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.us

Norma Coombs Alternative School

2600 Paloma St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 798-0759 Principal: Dr. Vanessa Watkins 

E-mail address: watkins12@pusd.us

Odyssey Charter School

725 W. Altadena Dr. Altadena, Ca. 91001

(626) 229-0993 Head of School: Lauren O’Neill

website: www.odysseycharterschool.org

Pasadena High School

2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 798-8901 Principal: Dr. Derick Evans

website: www.pasadenahigh.org

Pasadena Unified School District

351 S. Hudson Ave. Pasadena, Ca. 91109

(626) 795-6981 website: www.pusd@pusd.us

St. Rita Catholic School

322 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-9028 website: www.st-rita.org

Sierra Madre Elementary School

141 W. Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-1428 Principal: Gayle Bluemel

E-mail address:gbluemel220@pusd.us

Sierra Madre Middle School 

160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 836-2947 Principal: Gayle Bluemel

Contact person: Garrett Newsom, Asst. Principal

E-mail address: gbluemel220@pusd.us

Walden School

74 S San Gabriel Blvd

Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 792-6166 

www.waldenschool.net

Weizmann Day School

1434 N. Altadena Dr. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 797-0204

Lisa Feldman: Head of School

Wilson Middle School

300 S. Madre St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 449-7390 Principal: Ruth Esseln

E-mail address: resseln@pusd.us

Pasadena Unified School District

351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91109

(626) 795-6981 Website: www.pusd@pusd.us

Pasadena, CA – The Pasadena Unified 
School District (PUSD) announced today 
that Superintendent Edwin Diaz, Principal 
Frances Weissenberger, and the Flintridge 
Center were selected by the Association of 
California School Administrators (ACSA) 
in Region XV for outstanding performance 
and achievement. All three recipients will 
be honored at a special ceremony in May. 
Both Mr. Diaz and the Flintridge Center are 
eligible for the statewide award.

“The entire Board of Education is very 
pleased to offer its congratulations to the 
PUSD winners who have been honored 
by ACSA,” said PUSD Board of Education 
President Bob Harrison. “These awards are 
certainly well-deserved, and reinforce what 
we’ve known for a long time – that we are 
fortunate to have such high-quality administrators 
and community partners serving 
our students.”

Superintendent Diaz, who was appointed 
Superintendent of the 19,000 student pre-
K-12 district in 2007, has been named Administrator 
of the Year. With a focused approach 
on improving student achievement 
through rigorous instruction, expanding 
the capacity of the organization and its employees, 
and meaningfully engaging parents 
and community in student learning, 
Superintendent 

Diaz has reinvigorated the academic 
achievement of PUSD students. 

“We are fortunate to have a Superintendent 
whose enthusiasm for educating kids has 
not waned even in these difficult financial 
times,” said Mr. Harrison. “He is a man with 
effective organizational skills and integrity 
which together equate to a great leader and 
a role model for our community.”

Student achievement has soared by 52 
points on the state’s Academic Performance 
Index over the past three years, surpassing 
the state’s rate of improvement. More 
PUSD schools have joined the “800 Club,” 
of schools that are considered high performing. 
With better collection of data and 
administrative teams focused on supporting 
students when they first show signs of 
leaving school before graduation, PUSD’s 
drop-out rate has decreased significantly. 

Mr. Diaz also led a major reorganization of 
the district’s facilities division and the development 
of the district’s Facilities Master 
Plan, which involved parents, school staff, 
and community members. In 2009, voters 
approved Measure TT, a $350 million 
school improvement bond to repair and 
modernize the district’s aging schools. To 
date, 90 percent of projects have been completed 
on time and under budget.

Hamilton Elementary School Principal 
Frances Weissenberger has also been selected 
as outstanding Beginning Administrator. 
She was named principal of the Blue Ribbon 
Award-winning school in 2009. 

This award recognizes outstanding performance 
and achievement by a new administrator 
who demonstrates strong support for 
the school management team, exceptional 
leadership in managing school programs, 
commitment to educational quality and 
student achievement, and creativity and innovation 
in dealing with issues and problems 
facing public education. 

As an instructional leader, Ms. Weissenberger 
conducts professional development, 
models lessons for classroom teachers, 
leads lesson studies, and lends her expertise 
to district-level decisions on curriculum 
and assessment. She has built community 
at the campus, gained parent support, and 
garnered resources for school. Ms. Weissenberger 
has also partnered with another 
PUSD school to create a joint professional 
development model, with a focus on supporting 
English learners. Her commitment 
to ongoing communication is demonstrated 
by a monthly school newsletter, weekly 
“Hamilton Happenings” e-mails, Sunday 
evening phone calls to all families, Twitter 
and Facebook updates. 

Pasadena’s Flintridge Center has won the 
Partnership in Education award, which 
recognizes programs and businesses that 
collaborate with administrators in support 
of education. Over the past 25 years, 
the Flintridge Center’s work and activities 
have been shaped by the community and 
its needs. Its mission has been to improve 
the quality of life for children, youth and 
families by initiating and supporting community 
partnerships, leveraging resources 
to strengthen nonprofit partners, and providing 
space for creative collaboration. 

In 
2003, the Flintridge Center formed a collaboration 
of students, community members, 
and local nonprofit, civic and business 
leaders to respond to the lack of after-school 
programs at John Muir High School. This 
led to the formation of Mustangs on the 
Move, which provides educational and enrichment 
activities on Muir’s campus. The 
impressive list of this program’s achievements 
includes:

• Mustangs on the Move's attendance 
rate is nearly double the national standard 
of after-school programs;

• More than 30% of seniors for the 
past three years have graduated on schedule 
after completing math, social science and 
English credit reclamation classes offered 
by Mustangs on the Move; 

• Of the ten seniors serving as student 
advisors during 2009/2010, nine were accepted 
to four-year universities;

• Students who regularly participate 
in Mustangs on the Move programs have 
a higher school attendance rate than those 
who don’t. They are also more likely to 
score proficient or advanced on state tests 
for all grades.

• 90% of students who completed the 
Mustangs on the Move preparation class 
for the California High School Exit Exam 
(CAHSEE) passed one section and 78% 
passed both sections.

The Association of California School Administrators 
was established in 1971. ACSA 
is the largest umbrella organization for 
school leaders in the nation, serving more 
than 16,000 school leaders. ACSA Region 
XV serves 56 school districts in northern 
Los Angeles County including cities such 
as Pasadena, Pomona, Palmdale, West Covina, 
Burbank, El Monte, Santa Clarita, 
Lancaster, Glendale, La Puente, Whittier 
and more. 


Business Leader Bill Podley (l) with Superintendent Diaz at a recent 
Pasadena Educational Foundation Event Photo by V. Parker/MVNews


SMALL BUSINESS PARTNERS 
WITH LOCAL INDEPENDENT 
SCHOOL TO ENTER THE 

LEXUS-ECO-CHALLENGE 
FOR $15,000 

 

Waste Less Living, Inc.—a local environmental company specializing 
in zero waste consulting and composting services—just 
recently partnered with the Enrichment Class Students at High 
Point Academy School in Pasadena to enter the Final Challenge 
of the Lexus Eco-Challenge. The Lexus Eco-Challenge is a nationwide 
competition to inspire students to take action and protect 
the environment and is offering $15,000 to winning applicants. 
The High Point students entered the competition back in 
October 2010 to reduce the amount of waste generated on campus 
for the month. They were one of 16 winners and received 
$10,000 for their project (http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/
article.jsp?id=3750833). The Final Challenge is designed to motivate 
students to reach beyond the local community to the greater 
world on a particular environmental topic. The students have 
chosen WASTE and are eager to share what they have learned 
with other students and the community....as well as demonstrate 
how they achieved their 76% waste diversion rate last year 
through the Waste Less Living program. 

 

Because of their enthusiasm and commitment to wasting less, 
Waste Less Living has agreed to help them in their next challenge. 
“We are so thrilled that our program has inspired these kids to 
do even more and we couldn’t be more pleased that they were 
recognized by Lexus. With this final challenge, we are hoping to 
inspire a nation to get on board with composting,” said Christine 
Lenches-Hinkel, Founder and President of Waste Less Living. 
The students have challenged themselves and set a goal of reaching 
out to at least 5 area schools in an effort to raise awareness 
about the environmental impacts surrounding solid waste. With 
assistance from Waste Less Living, the students will conduct a 
solid waste audit at each of the 5 campus’ to determine the waste 
generation rate at that school. The HPA students will also delivery 
a short talk on the purpose of the audit and provide waste sorting 
assistance. The results of the audits will be formally presented by 
the students at an Open House they plan to hold the first weekend 
of March. Each school, its students and parents are encouraged 
to attend. “The best part in all of this is that their outreach efforts 
will be documented by video and photographs to be transmitted 
via the social media channels to reach a much larger audience on 
an on-going basis,” added Lenches-Hinkel. 

 

The first solid waste audit that is to be conducted will be at Aveson 
School of Leaders (K-5) Charter School in Altadena located 
at 1919 Pinecrest Drive, Altadena, CA 91001 from 11:00am – 
1:00pm. The students and Waste Less Living are actively recruiting 
other schools to sign-on and Waste Less Living has offered to 
conduct the audits ‘at-cost’ for 4 other schools who sign on before 
March 5th. A typical solid waste audit and waste management 
plans runs approximately $5,000. Schools can take advantage of 
this opportunity and pay only $750 for a streamlined lunch-audit. 

 

As High Point Academy is now its second year with the Waste 
Less Living program, the students are well versed in the process 
and have taken their new waste management responsibility very 
seriously. They are in a key position to conduct the outreach and 
inspire other students and schools to do the same. 

 

For more information on this program and the products and services 
Waste Less Living provides, please contact: 

 

Christine Lenches-Hinkel, Founder/CEO at 626-786-5947 or 
wastelessliving@gmail.com

Gint Valiulis, Teacher High Point Academy at gvaliulis@highpointacademy.
org

Looking Into The Life Of A Teenager

 By Meaghan Allen

TEENAGER & WAFFLES

There is a restaurant in Pasadena that is infamous in the 
teenage world – beloved for its delicious food; this is the 
place to go if you are hungry. I had heard about this place 
on many occasions. Driven past it on the way to a friend’s 
house. Even seen a commercial for it in the cult movie 
TapeHeads. And for the first time in my almost seventeen 
years, I finally ate at the restaurant known only as Roscoe’s.

As I entered the restaurant, the haunting aroma of chicken 
and waffles saturated my senses, causing my mouth to water 
with anticipation. Although I’d never gone, I already 
knew what I was ordering: the Country Boy. The Country 
Boy consists of three pieces of fried chicken and one 
golden waffle the size of a dinner plate. Absolute heaven 
in the eyes of a teenager.

I had never been so eager to eat anything in my entire 
life, and the anticipation grew with each passing moment. 
When the food finally came, I was not disappointed. Lying 
before me was a hot plate covered in food that looked 
almost too good to be true. The fried chicken was crisp yet 
tender; the meat fell off of the bone with ease, and the gargantuan 
waffle was absolutely divine. Golden, fluffy, and 
with a hint of cinnamon, that waffle eaten in a makeshift 
burrito with the chicken was one of the best things I have 
ever eaten, hands down. The saltiness of the chicken was 
balanced perfectly with the sweet waffle – something that 
only Roscoe’s can truly achieve.

Almost two hours later, as my friends and I were leaving 
the restaurant, I knew that I had just discovered and entirely 
new frontier in my appetite and was already planning 
my next trip there. 


DON’T FORGET!

PUSD reminds 12th grade students that the application 
for financial aid for college, the FAFSA (Free Application 
for Federal Student Aid) is due March 2, 2011. PUSD high 
schools have been hosting “Cash for College” workshops 
where students and families can complete online applications. 
For more information on Cash for College and how 
to apply for scholarships, grants and financial aid for college, 
go to www.calgrants.org.

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com