Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 30, 2013

EDUCATION & YOUTH

9

Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 30, 2013 

A VISIT FROM AN AUTHOR AND LOCAL ILLUSTRATOR TO OUR CLASS 

By Ms. Carolyn Halpern and her second grade class students at 

Sierra Madre Elementary School

Summer Saltz visited Sierra Madre Elementary School last Friday. Actually, she is adorable, funny, 
and spunky character created by author Connie Sewell and illustrator and Sierra Madre Elementary 
mom of two, Elyse Whittaker-Paek. They came to school to teach the fourth grade classes of 
Ms. Palmer and Ms. Ogtanyan, and second grade, Ms. Halpern's class, on how to develop a story 
and what goes in the making of a book. Through a PowerPoint presentation, they also talked about 
how they collaborated on writing and illustrating the book.

After the presentation, the students in Ms. Halpern's class took on a buddy or two to both write 
and illustrate a book. The kiddos had a lot of fun doing it and will be publishing their books soon. 
Parents have reported that they kids are now working on chapter books at home because of this 
experience. This fits perfectly with the new Common Core second grade unit "Be a Writer".

After Ms. Sewell and Ms. Paek left the school, they attended a sell-out book signing at Belles Nest 
in Sierra Madre. You can also find out about the book and Summer's adventures in Summer Saltz 
"I'm so Hollywood" online at www.summersaltz.com

Left: Dr. Esther Salinas, SME Principal, author Connie Sewell, and illustrator 

Elyse Whittaker-Paek.

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

WHAT TO DO WITH THE KIDS SPECIAL REPORT:

2013 Top 10 Family Christmas/Holiday Movie or Television Shows

In 2011 What To Do With The Kids® polled our followers and we asked them to give us their list of the top Christmas or Holiday Movies 
or Television Shows that the whole family can watch. The list was well received and judging by the feedback was very popular. Two 
years later however we decided to ask our followers again and there has been quite a shift in popularity of some of those classic movies. 

It seems that black and white movies are now out. Many parents suggested that once the movie started, the kids would complain about 
the color, or lack of it. Many families have said that although they enjoyed watching the old black and white movies in past years, they 
tend to agree with their kids that it has very little appeal today. The Frank Capra classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” dropped from second to 
third place while “Miracle on 34th Street” went from a tie in fifth to a tie for eighth place. “Miracle on 34th Street” fell off the list. 

Animated features are as popular as ever but many adults commented that they were not able to watch them on regular television as 
they normally would because of their busy schedules so they opted to purchase a copy on DVD. Many parents commented that they had 
purchased DVD or Blue Ray versions of their favorites but made an effort to only bring them out during the holiday season. 

Ron Howard’s “The Grinch” went from honorable mention to a tie for number six faster than a runaway sled pulled by a little dog while 
“A Christmas Story” was shot off the list 
(by a BB gun) all together.

Most respondents however had said that 
they still do get the family together to 
watch at least one holiday movie. 

With over 1,400 entries, What To Do 
With The Kids® presents the updated Top 
10 Family Christmas/Holiday Movie or 
Television Shows: 

1. “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” 
(1966 – Animated) – (#1 in 2011) 

2. “The Polar Express” (2004 – Animated) 
– (#8 in 2011)

3. “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946) – 
(#2 in 2011)

4. “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” 
(1964 – Animated) – (#6 in 2011)

5. “Elf” (2004) – (Not ranked in 
2011)

6. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” 
(1965 – Animated) – (#4 in 2011)

“The Santa Clause” (1994) – (Not ranked 
in 2011)

“Frosty the Snowman” (1969 – Animated) 
– (#7 in 2011)

7. “The Grinch” (2000) – (Not 
ranked in 2011)

8. “Miracle on 34th Street” (1947) – 
(#5 in 2011)

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” 
(1989) – (#8 in 2011)

9. “The Grinch” (2000) – (Not 
ranked in 2011)

10. “A Muppet Christmas Carol” 
(1992) – (#10 in 2011) 

Movies that are no longer on the list: “A 
Christmas Story (1983) – (#3 in 2011); “A 
Christmas Carol (1951) – (#5 in 2011); 
“White Christmas” (1954) – (#7 in 2011); 
“Home Alone” (1990) – (#9 in 2011)

What To Do With The Kids® is the website 
that adults go to when they want to know 
what to do with their kids. Find a lot of 
great ideas at www.whattodowiththekids.
com. 

For more information contact Brian Presley 
at brian@whattodowiththekids.com 
or visit www.whattodowiththekids.com if 
you want to know…..

Prep offers more. We know that educational opportunities 
don’t end at the campus gates and that they 
don’t stop when the bell rings.
Flintridge Prep 
Admissions Open HouseSunday, December 8, 20131 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Register at www.flintridgeprep.orgWhat are you looking for 
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THE REEL DEAL: by Ben Show

CATCHING FIRE

 
Having read the books I already 
knew everything that 
would happen in this movie. 
Since this is my favorite of the 
books, my expectations were very 
high. I hoped that this would be 
better than the first movie (which 
was pretty good) and I was not 
disappointed.

 After winning the Hunger 
Games and disobeying the Capitol 
at the same time, Katniss 
Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) 
and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) 
prepare themselves for the 
Victor’s Tour. They must travel 
through all of the Districts, ending 
with the final party in the 
Capitol. When President Snow (Donald Sutherland) warns Katniss 
of uprisings throughout the country, she and Peeta must 
make everyone believe that they are truly in love. If they fail, their 
and the rest of the Victors’ lives will be at risk.

 I was very excited for the change of directors (Gary Ross 
to Francis Lawrence), and I knew that there would be many improvements 
in the second installment. The Hunger Games was 
not a bad movie but it could have been as good as Catching Fire. 
Hopefully the trend of getting better as it goes along will continue 
with Mockingjay, parts one and two.