Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 13, 2012

8

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Mountain Views News Saturday, October 13, 2012 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

SIERRA MADRE SCHOOL CONTINUES AS ONE OF THE BEST 
PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN THE PUSD AND THE STATE

Academic Performance Results Released 
Showing PUSD Emphasis on Science, 
21st Century Skills Position District for 
Next Level of Achievement 

Pasadena, CA – Student achievement 
in the Pasadena Unified School District 
(PUSD) remained steady, according to 
the 2011-2012 Academic Performance 
Index (API) growth results released today 
by the California Department of 
Education (CDE). Washington Accelerated 
Elementary saw the biggest increase 
among PUSD schools with a 49 
point jump to score an 810 and cross the 
800 API score threshold. National Blue 
Ribbon School Hamilton Elementary 
scored 901 this year, joining Sierra Madre 
School as the second school in the district 
to score above 900. Sierra Madre gained 
four points to score 912 this year, the 
highest in the district. The API measures 
the academic performance and growth of 
schools across a variety of measures. 

“I congratulate the schools that had impressive 
increases in their API scores, but I recognize 
that there is still room for improvement, 
especially among our schools that 
lost ground this year,” said PUSD Superintendent 
Jon R. Gundry. “We are taking proactive 
steps to emphasize science and math 
and to rewrite the curriculum so that it integrates 
21st century learning. However, I am 
concerned that if Proposition 30 and 38 do 
not pass, we will have detrimental funding 
cuts that will impact students, teachers and 
schools and thwart our five-year forward 
momentum.” 

PUSD has gained 41 points on the API since 
2008 and earned an overall score of 761. The 
API is a numeric index that ranges from a 
low of 200 to a high of 1000 with a statewide 
target of 800. Schools must meet school 
wide and individual subgroup growth targets 
each year. 

PUSD stands to lose $17.8 million in funding 
including approximately $7.8 million in 
midyear cuts from the 2012-2013 budget if 
both Proposition 30 and 38 fail in the November 
6 election. Even if Proposition 30 
passes, PUSD is still bracing for $10 million 
- $12 million in cuts from the 2013-2014 
budget because of the lapsing of one-time 
funds and declining enrollment within the 
district. The disastrous reductions could 
force the district to take desperate measures, 
including ending the school year in 
mid-May 2013. 

District schools are poised to move to the 
next level of achievement as the district 
introduces a revised curriculum that integrates 
the national Common Core learning 
standards, 21st century learning skills and 
an emphasis on science, technology, engineering 
and math (STEM) education. The 
revamped curriculum transforms teaching 
from the rote memorization that was best 
suited for multiple choice “bubble” tests to 
an approach that makes emphasizes critical 
thinking, comprehension and enduring 
skills that can be transferred across subjects 
during a student’s career. Although the new 
Common Core standards have not yet taken 
effect, PUSD teachers are already engaged 
in professional development this year about 
the new standards and piloting the new 
curriculum. 

“We are already looking ahead to the new 
API configuration that will include measures 
beyond standardized tests to measure 
the quality of our school,” said Gundry. In 
September, Governor Jerry Brown signed 
SB 1458, authored by Senate President Pro 
Tem Darrell Steinberg that will redefine 
the API by relying less on standardized test 
scores and more on other important factors 
such as graduation rates, student readiness 
for higher education and technical training, 
skills necessary for entering into a globally 
competitive job market. 

The federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) 
results were also released today. Four PUSD 
schools, Hamilton Elementary, Jackson 
Elementary, San Rafael Elementary and 
Washington Accelerated Elementary, met 
all components of the increasingly difficult 
AYP targets. 

For the first time, the CDE will be providing 
School Quality Snapshots. The snapshots 
gathers a multitude of information, putting 
test scores, fitness levels, class sizes and 
other important measures into one, easy-
to-read document for each of the state’s 
10,000 public schools. PUSD snapshots are 
available on the CDE website at www.cde.
ca.gov/snapshot. To see individual school 
API scores and background on the API 
and California’s other school accountability 
measures, please visit www.cde.ca.gov/
getschoolreport.

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

Foothill Oaks Academy

822 Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010

(626) 301-9809 

info@foothilloaksacademy.org 

preschool@foothilloaksacademy.org

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


2012 RED RIBBON WEEK® - YOUTH DRUG PREVENTION 
CAMPAIGN: "THE BEST ME IS DRUG 
FREE™” 

- Ten schools from across the U.S. will win $1,000 grant for drug 
prevention -- Ten families will win an iPad for the home -

The National Family Partnership® (NFP) announces the national 
contest for its 27th annual Red Ribbon Week®, Oct. 23-31. Red 
Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign 
in the country. In 1985 after the murder of a DEA agent, parents, 
youth and teachers in communities across the country began wearing 
Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness 
of the destruction caused by drugs. This year, families can get 
involved by entering a contest to promote awareness in their neighborhoods 
and win a drug prevention grant for their schools.

Families can enter Red Ribbon Week's® contest to win a $1,000 
grant for their school and a new iPad for their home. To participate 
in the contest families and students will decorate the front of their 
homes with this year's message: "The Best Me Is Drug FreeTM." 

Here’s how students and their families can enter to win $1,000 for 
their K-12 school and a new iPad:

1. Students bring the Red Ribbon Week® message home by 
working alongside parents to decorate their front door, mailbox, 
fence, etc. with this year’s theme “The Best Me Is Drug Free™.” 

2. Take a photo with the family and their Red Ribbon Week® 
decoration, then upload to www.redribbon.org/contest or www.
facebook.com/RedRibbonWeek by Nov. 2 (must be parents or 18+ 
to upload photos). 

3. The voting begins! Ask family and friends to vote for your 
entry at www.redribbon.org/vote Nov. 2-16. Ten lucky winners 
from regions across the U.S. will win. Winners will be announced 
at events at their winning schools in December. 

“Students will once again take Red Ribbon Week’s® message of prevention 
home to their neighborhoods with this national contest,” 
said the NFP’s Volunteer President Peggy Sapp. “By decorating 
their homes together with this year’s Red Ribbon theme, families 
carry the message to their communities.” The nation’s oldest and 
largest drug prevention campaign reaches more than 80 million 
people nationwide. 

 The DEA is co-sponsoring this year’s national contest. "DEA is 
excited to partner with the National Family Partnership® on this 
contest that empowers communities to come together to talk about 
the drug problem,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. 
“Red Ribbon Week® is also when we honor DEA Special Agent Enrique 
‘Kiki’ Camarena, who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our 
communities safe.”

Adds the NFP’s Peggy Sapp: “Take the Red Ribbon Week® pledge 
across America to help children grow up safe, healthy and drug 
free.” Visit www.redribbon.org/contest for contest information. 

About the NFP and Red Ribbon Week®

The NFP was established in 1980, and is a national leader in drug prevention, education 
and advocacy. Its mission is to lead our 
nation’s families and communities in nurturing 
the full potential of healthy, drug-free 
youth. Red Ribbon Week® is the nation’s largest 
and oldest drug prevention campaign, 
reaching 80 million people. NFP created the 
campaign in response to the 1985 abduction 
and murder of DEA agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ 
Camarena.


THE REEL DEAL: by Ben Show

Movie Reviews Especially for Teens & ‘Tweens

FRANKENWEENIE

 Tim Burton has created yet 
another classic. Just like ‘Nightmare 
Before Christmas’ or ‘Corpse Bride’, 
Frankenweenie makes you happy yet 
slightly disturbed at the same time. He 
uses all of his skills, on top of skillfully 
timed old horror movie references, to 
make a kids movie unlike anything you’ve 
seen.

 Victor Frankenstein (Charlie 
Tahan) has just lost his loved dog Sparky. 
His mother (Catherine O’Hara) and father 
(Martin Short) both try to comfort him, 
but nothing seems to work, until Victor 
finds this the perfect opportunity get his 
best friend back. While he does bring his 
dog back, not everything goes according 
to plan and a boy named Edgar ‘E’ Gore 
(Atticus Shaffer) tries to use Victor’s 
invention to win first place in the school’s 
science fair.

 This is a fun movie and just perfect 
for Halloween, as it has that creepy feeling 
as well. Tim Burton has melded two 
genres, horror and children’s movies, to 
bring us a new masterpiece that is sure to 
warm the hearts, and scare the crud, out of 
every child out there.