Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 7, 2013

8

EDUCATION & YOUTH

Mountain Views News Saturday, September 7, 2013 

DUARTE’S API TESTS REMAIN 
AT 784 DESPITE DECLINE IN 
TEST SCORES STATEWIDE

By Joan Schmidt

 A few days ago I received a Press Release from the Duarte 
Unified School District. The California Department of Education 
released the Academic Performance Index (API) based on tests 
taken last spring. Test results for each school range from 200-
1000, and the statewide target is 800.

 Duarte is pleased to report that despite a decline in scores 
this year by many school districts across the state of California, 
DUSD maintained a 784 API. This remains the highest in the 
district’s history. In addition, Duarte High School’s API grew by 
12 points to 759. This is the highest score achieved by Duarte 
High since the API system was instituted. Four out of five Duarte 
elementary schools achieved API scores that exceed the state-
designated target score of 800 again this year, placing them in the 
High Performing Schools category. They are Andres Duarte-813, 
Beardslee-823, Royal Oaks-861, and Valley View-849.Maxwell 
Elementary increased by 5 API points! 

 Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction 
released a statement blaming the lower scores across the state of 
California on budget cuts in education and the transition to the 
new Common Core Standards. He feels that “It is unfortunate 
that officials in Washington continue to endorse a program they 
have acknowledged is deeply flawed and paints too many high-
achieving schools with the same broad brush…As an elected 
official, I’m obliged to comply with the law. But as a teacher, I’ll 
continue to urge Congress and the Administration to get to work, 
change course, and replace No Child Left Behind with a workable 
law that fosters rather than hinders the progress California’s 
schools are making.” DUSD will comply with all the mandates of 
No Child Left Behind.

 DUSD will also be entering a new era of standards and 
assessments starting this school year. The state and district are 
transitioning to the Common Core Standards, a set of common 
standards that will be shared among 45 states that describe 
clearly and consistently what students are expected to learn in 
mathematics and English language arts from kindergarten to 
12th grade. The new Common Core Standards are being adopted 
into DUSD instruction and teachers have been preparing for the 
transition. For more information regarding the Common Core, 
please visit www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc. 

 Duarte School District Superintendent Dr. Terry Nichols said, 
“No matter the flaws or changes made to our current standardized 
testing system, we will continue to strive to refine our programs 
and practices to ensure that all of our students are achieving at 
the highest levels. With the exceptional support of our School 
Board, as well as our parents and community, DUSD will keep 
moving in a positive direction and our students will keep making 
academic gains.”

 The newly released 2013 API and AVP scores are now available 
to the public on the California Department of Education website, 
www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap.

AUSD MIDDLE SCHOOLS 
RANK HIGHEST ON API IN L.A. 
COUNTY - 

Foothills Middle School Tops the list

ARCADIA- The Arcadia Unified School District has three 
of the top four highest scoring middle schools in Los Angeles 
County on the Academic Performance Index. Out of 
the more than 300 middle schools in L.A. County, Foothills 
Middle School ranked number one, tied with Huntington 
Middle School, with an API of 977. 

Even more impressive, AUSD has two other middle schools 
that rank in the top four. First Avenue Middle School scored 
965 after improving 11 points on last year’s API, and Dana 
Middle School ranks fourth in the county with an API of 
956, an increase of three points from last year.

"We are so excited at First Avenue with the outstanding performance 
of our students,” said Jeff Wilson, Principal of First 
Avenue Middle School. “For us, it is a piece of evidence confirming 
that what we are doing as educators is supportive of 
student learning and of our instructional goals; and it gives 
us the impetus to continue to pursue our mission which is 
to provide a high quality, well-rounded education to all of 
our students."

AUSD is also one of just two districts in L.A. County (that 
have more than one middle school) that has all its elementary 
and middle schools scoring above 900 on the API. 

Of the hundreds of elementary schools in L.A. County, 
Baldwin Stocker Elementary ranks in the top 5 with an API 
of 971. 

The California API average for the 2012-2013 school year is 
789, after a 2 point drop from the previous year. The state’s 
minimum target is 800 which about 51% of California 
schools reached. The API ranges from 200-1,000. 

AUSD 2012-2013 API Scores

Foothills Middle School 977

First Avenue Middle School 965

Dana Middle School 956

Baldwin Stocker Elementary School 971

Camino Grove Elementary School 932

Highland Oaks Elementary School 964

Holly Avenue Elementary School 910

Hugo Reid Elementary School 943

Longley Way Elementary School 948

Arcadia High School 893

*California Average for 2012-2013 789

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

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: Brent Forsee

bforsee@ausd.net

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: Ethan Williamson

Kindergarten - 8th grade

website: www.barnhartschool.org

Bethany Christian School

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

(626) 355-3527 Principal: James Lugenbuehl

E-mail address: jml@bcslions.org

website: www. bcslions.org

Clairbourn School

8400 Huntington Drive

San Gabriel, CA 91775

Phone: 626-286-3108 ext. 172

FAX: 626-286-1528

E-mail: jhawes@clairbourn.org

Foothill Oaks Academy

822 Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010

(626) 301-9809 

Co-Principals Nancy Lopez and Diane Kieffaber

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 

Headmaster John Higgins

626-798-8989

website: www.highpointacademy.org

LaSalle High School

3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 351-8951 website: www.lasallehs.org

Principal Bro. Christopher Brady, FSC

Monrovia High School

325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016 

(626) 471-2800 Principal Darvin Jackson

Email: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.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: Gilbert Barraza

website: www.pasadenahigh.org

St. Rita Catholic School

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

Principal Joan Harabedian

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

Sierra Madre Elementary School

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

(626) 355-1428 Principal: Esther Salinas

E-mail address: salinas.esther@pusd.us

Sierra Madre Middle School 

160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 836-2947 Principal: Garrett Newsom

E-mail address: newsom.garrett@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

ARCADIA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

234 Campus Dr., Arcadia, Ca. 91007

(626) 821-8300 Website: www.ausd.net

MONROVIA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

325 E. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, Ca. 91016

(626) 471-2000 Website: www.monroviaschools.net

DUARTE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

1620 Huntington Dr., Duarte, Ca. 91010

(626)599-5000 Website: www.duarte.k12.ca.us

HILLSIDES TO HOST FOUNDER’S DAY ON SEPTEMBER 15

Event will celebrate charity’s 
centennial and offer family 
fun for all

(PASADENA, CA)--Families will be 
treated to an afternoon of old-fashioned 
fun during Hillsides Founder’s 
Day Celebration, which will be held on 
the charity’s main campus in Pasadena 
from 2 p.m. – 4: 30 p.m. on Sunday, 
September 15. The event marks Hillsides’ 
100 years of serving vulnerable 
youth and families throughout Southern 
California.

The celebration features refreshments, 
entertainment, games, and crafts. 
Families can enjoy ice cream sundae 
bars, popcorn, and cupcakes. They can 
also stroll through Hillsides’ historical 
display, which contains a timeline of 
important events, historic photos, and 
artifacts, to learn about the agency’s 
rich history. Children will be able to 
get their faces painted, make pinwheels, 
play a bean bag toss game, and have 
their photos taken with two Disney 
characters, among other activities. 

Hillsides was founded in 1913 by Episcopal 
Deaconess Evelyn Wile. A program 
is planned for 3 p.m., which will 
kick off with a “dramatic presentation 
of the founder's vision.” Several notable 
speakers are lined up, including the 
Right Reverend Joseph Jon Bruno, the 
Bishop Diocesan of the Episcopal Diocese 
of Los Angeles; Pasadena’s mayor, 
Bill Bogaard; Joseph M. Costa, the chief 
executive officer of Hillsides; and the 
agency’s board chair, Karen Tanji. 

“I invite everyone in the community to 
please join us for 
this celebration,” 
said Costa. “This is 
a wonderful chance 
to have fun with 
your family, meet 
fellow supporters of 
Hillsides, tour our 
facilities, and get to 
know more about 
Hillsides’ past, our 
mission today, and 
our future goals.”

During the afternoon, 
guests will 
also have the opportunity 
to give 
birthday presents to Hillsides in the 
form of donations. In addition, they 
can view the charity’s “100 Faces of 
Hillsides” video, which is a sampling of 
100 individuals who have made a difference 
to Hillsides or been impacted by 
what the organization does. One “face 
of Hillsides” has been featured each day 
for several weeks on the charity’s website 
and on social media sites as a build-
up to Founder’s Day. 

The centennial sponsors include Wells 
Fargo, The Walt Disney Company, and 
THE Magazine.

Founder’s Day is the culmination of 
nine months of centennial events, including 
a Centennial Gala and participation 
in the 2013 Rose Parade. This 
past year Hillsides has also rebranded 
with a new logo, mission statement, 
and redesigned website. The charity 
also achieved national accreditation 
through the New York-based Council 
on Accreditation (COA), demonstrating 
the best practice standards in the 
field of human services. 

Founder’s Day will be held on Hillsides’ 
main campus located at 940 Avenue 
64 in Pasadena. To RSVP, please contact 
Carrie Espinoza at 323-543-2800, 
ext. 121 or cespinoza@hillsides.org. 
Complimentary valet parking will be 
available. 

Hillsides, a premier provider of behavioral 
healthcare and education services 
dedicated to improving the overall well-
being and functioning of vulnerable 
children, youth, and their families. The 
organization provides high quality care, 
advocacy, and innovative services that 
promote safe, permanent environments 
where young people can thrive. 

To learn more about Hillsides or to 
view our 100 Faces campaign, please 
visit www.Hillsides.org or https://www.
facebook.com/HillsidesChildren.


THE REEL DEAL: by Ben Show

MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: City of Bones

 
I had heard 
very good things 
about the books that 
this movie was based 
on. Yet, when I saw 
the preview for ‘City 
of Bones’, it didn’t 
look like anything 
special. In fact, it 
looked just plain bad 
and now, after seeing 
it, I can say that the 
movie is very, very 
bad.

 After living a normal life, Clary Fray (Lily Collins) 
discovers that there’s more to her ability to see a strange man 
and her newfound obsession with drawing a strange symbol. She 
discovers that these abilities tie her to a Downworld, an alternate 
world of vampires, werewolves, and demon hunters. She and her 
friend Simon (Robert Sheehan) travel to the Institute, a place for 
demon hunters like herself, and unearth a deadly plot that could 
lead to the destruction of both the mortal world and Downworld.

 There were so many things wrong with this movie: bad 
dialogue, incomplete story, and, to top it off, special effects that 
weren’t even as good as ‘Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters’. ‘City of 
Bones’ was just a wreck and I would not recommend it to anyone, 
even fans of the books.