Mountain Views News          Saturday, August 9, 2014

6

EDUCATION & YOUTH

Mountain View News Saturday, August 9, 2014 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

ARCADIA UNIFIED HIRES FOUR NEW PRINCIPALS

ARCADIA-- The Arcadia Unified School 
District is pleased to announce the hiring 
of four new principals. The Arcadia 
Unified School District Board of Education 
unanimously agreed to the selections 
of Tom Bruce at First Avenue Middle 
School, Teresa Oakland at Holly Avenue 
Elementary School, Ben Acker at Foothills 
Middle School, and Lauren Leahy at Hugo 
Reid Elementary School. 

 “As leaders of our schools and our 
students, we approach the hiring of 
principals with the utmost importance 
here in Arcadia, and it’s a very lengthy 
and thorough process that involves many 
district representatives,” said Arcadia 
Unified School District Superintendent 
David Vannasdall. “We were fortunate 
to have received extremely impressive 
candidate pools for these positions with 
applicants from all over California and 
even some out of state.” 

 After seven years as Principal at Hugo 
Reid Elementary School, Tom Bruce 
takes over the top position at First Avenue 
Middle School. Bruce has nearly twenty 
years experience as a teacher, and over a 
decade as an administrator and principal. 
He has a Master’s Degree in Education 
from Marygrove College, and is currently 
pursuing his Doctoral Degree in Education 
at Azusa Pacific University. Bruce succeeds 
Jeff Wilson, who was recently promoted to 
Assistant Superintendent of Educational 
Services for Arcadia Unified. 

 Lauren Leahy takes over the principal 
position at Hugo Reid Elementary School. 
Leahy joins AUSD from San Marino 
Unified School District, where she was an 
Assistant Principal at Huntington Middle 
School. Out of the more than 300 middle 
schools in Los Angeles County, Huntington 
Middle School, along with Foothills Middle 
School, ranked highest on the Academic 
Performance Index (API) with an API of 
977 in the 2012-2013 school year. Leahy 
knows Arcadia and Hugo Reid Elementary 
School well. She was not only born and 
raised in Arcadia, but she was a student 
at the school she is now principal of. 
Leahy has her Bachelor of Arts Degree in 
Language and Literacy from Long Beach 
State University, and her Master’s Degree 
in Education from Cal Poly Pomona. 

 Ben Acker has been promoted to 
Principal of Foothills Middle School, 
where he has been the Assistant Principal 
since 2009. Acker is also a native of the 
San Gabriel Valley and lives with his wife 
and three children in Arcadia. His wife 
Brandy teaches first grade at Longley Way 
Elementary School, where their eldest child 
Nathanael is entering the first grade this 
year. Acker earned his Bachelor of Science 
Degree in Business Administration from 
University of Southern California, and 
his Master’s Degree in Education from 
Azusa Pacific University. Acker succeeds 
Nadia Hillman, who accepted a district-
level position at Santa Ana Unified School 
District as the Executive Director of 
Elementary Curriculum and Instruction. 

 Teresa Oakland takes over as Interim 
Principal at Holly Avenue Elementary 
School, where she has served as a Teacher 
on Special Assignment (TOSA) since 2007. 
Oakland has been teaching and working 
for Arcadia Unified since 2001. She has 
a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Master 
of Arts Degree in Human Development, 
both from Pacific Oaks College, and an 
Education Specialist Degree from Point 
Loma Nazarene University. Oakland 
succeeds longtime Principal Christine 
Blackstock, who has been promoted as 
the Interim Director of Curriculum and 
Instruction for Arcadia Unified School 
District. 

 “We are very excited about our 
extremely talented and dedicated new 
principals who will all add tremendous 
value to our students’ education and this 
community,” Vannasdall said. 

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) 396-5880 Principal: Gilbert Barraza

barraza.gilbert@pusd.us

website: www.phs.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) 396-3600 Website: www.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

ANNA MUNTER RECEIVES FULBRIGHT AWARD

 Anna Munter of Bates College has been 
awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program 
grant to Malaysia for an English Teaching 
Assistantship, the United States Department 
of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign 
Scholarship Board announced recently. 
Munter is one of over 1,800 U.S. citizens 
who will travel abroad for the 2014-2015 
academic year through the Fulbright U.S. 
Student Program. Recipients of Fulbright 
grants are selected on the basis of academic 
and professional achievement, as well 
as demonstrated leadership potential. 
The Fulbright Program is the flagship 
international educational exchange 
program sponsored by the U.S. government 
and is designed to increase mutual 
understanding between the people of 
the United States and the people of 
other countries. The primary source of 
funding for the Fulbright Program is 
an annual appropriation made by the 
U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of 
State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs. Participating governments and 
host institutions, corporations and 
foundations in foreign countries and 
in the United States also provide direct 
and indirect support. Recipients of 
Fulbright grants are selected on the basis 
of academic or professional achievement, 
as well as demonstrated leadership 
potential in their fields. The Program 
operates in over 155 countries worldwide. 
Since its establishment in 1946 under 
legislation introduced by the late U.S. 
Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the 
Fulbright Program has given approximately 
360,000 students, scholars, teachers, 
artists, and scientists the opportunity 
to study, teach and conduct research, 
exchange ideas and contribute to finding 
solutions to shared international concerns. 
Fulbright alumni have achieved 
distinction in government, science, the 
arts, business, philanthropy, education, 
and many other fields. Fifty-three Fulbright 
alumni from 12 countries have been 
awarded the Nobel Prize, and 78 alumni 
have received Pulitzer Prizes. Prominent 
Fulbright alumni include: Muhammad 
Yunus, founder, Grameen Bank, and 2006 
Nobel Peace Prize recipient; Juan Manuel 
Santos, President of Colombia; John Hope 
Franklin, noted American historian and 
Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient; 
Riccardo Giacconi, physicist and 2002 Nobel 
Laureate; Amar Gopal Bose, chairman 
and founder, Bose Corporation; Renée 
Fleming, soprano; Jonathan Franzen, 
writer; and Daniel Libeskind, architect. 
Fulbright recipients are among over 
50,000 individuals participating in 
U.S. Department of State exchange 
programs each year. The Fulbright U.S. 
Student Program is administered by the 
Institute of International Education. 


 For further information about the 
Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department 
of State’s Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, please visit our website 
at http://eca.state.gov/fulbright or contact 
Elaine Clayton, telephone 202-632-6445 or 
e-mail ECA-Press@state.gov.

DUARTE HIGH STUDENTS LEARN TO TAKE ACTION RESPONSIBLY BY 
ATTENDING S.T.A.R. EVENT HOSTED BY DUSD BOARD MEMBER KEN BELL 
AUGUST 12, 2014 AT MONROVIA CANYON PARK

Forty Duarte High School students will 
participate in the S.T.A.R. (Students Taking 
Action Responsibly) Event facilitated by 
DUSD School Board Member, Mr. Ken Bell. 
The event will also feature motivational 
speakers including Michael Conception 
and Yolanda Haro. This full day retreat 
held at Monrovia Canyon Park will focus 
on “value reinforcement.” During this time 
students will be able to work with adults in 
building their leadership skills and learn 
how to further enhance their ability to 
make positive choices. The training S.T.A.R. 
students will receive at the event will help 
to foster a safer school campus, community 
and environment. Topics for the training 
will include: daring to be different, how 
your habits affect you, how to stand alone, 
the danger of bullying/cyber bullying, 
dealing with conflict, communication and 
peer pressure. 

 The S.T.A.R. event is a new program 
created by Ken Bell that is an expansion 
of his mentoring program, Yes, We Can!, 
designed for 6th grade students that has 
succeeded to help them prepare for the 
transition to middle school so that they 
may all grow and thrive. The students 
participating in the S.T.A.R. event 
were selected based on their leadership 
skills, adeptness at problem solving and 
willingness to make a difference at home, 
in his/her school and in the community at 
large. 

“We are very excited about the new S.T.A.R. 
program,” said Ken Bell. “It is a motivational 
program that reflects the Duarte Unified 
School District’s mission to provide the 
knowledge, skills and inspiration for each 
student to be successful in career and in 
life. The motto of our program is everyone 
can be a STAR!” 


THE REEL DEAL: by Ben Show

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

 
When it comes to Marvel 
movies, they all make a ton 
of money, whether they 
are good or not. Generally, 
they are on the better side 
but there have been a few 
flops. From the trailers, 
‘Guardians’ looked like it 
could go either way: it had 
a massive, ‘Avengers’ sized 
cast. Yet, it looked to be a bit 
quirkier and was made to me 
more ‘family friendly’. Peter 
Quill (Chris Pratt) left Earth 
at a young age. He discovered 
a galaxy full of thugs, strange 
creatures, and backstabbing 
friends. After many years, he is sent on a mission to recover an 
item that will lead him all over the galaxy and throw him into a 
battle hundreds of years in the making.

 Marvel has done it again. What makes ‘Guardians’ so shocking is 
how it is able to introduce you to five, fully fleshed out characters, 
while maintaining a good pace and an interesting story, with a 
satisfying conclusion that leaves you wanting more, in just two 
hours. This is the next big franchise for the studio and I cannot wait 
for the next installment, which will hopefully be just as amazing as 
this film is.