Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, September 2, 2017

7

EDUCATION & YOUTH

Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 2, 2017 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

FOUR PASADENA UNIFIED HIGH SCHOOLS 
PLACED ON TOP HIGH SCHOOLS LIST

Washington Post Pasadena, CA -- 
All four of the Pasadena Unified 
School District’s comprehensive 
high schools - Blair School, John 
Muir High School, Marshall 
Fundamental, and Pasadena 
High School - have for the first 
time been placed on America’s 
Most Challenging High Schools 
2017 list by The Washington 
Post. The list annually ranks how 
successfully schools challenge 
their students to take advanced 
and college-level classes. Only 
12 percent of the nation’s high 
schools qualify for the honor.

 “This is a wonderful accomplishment for our 
high schools and our district, and I congratulate 
the students, faculty and staff, families, and 
supportive communities of each of these schools 
for their great work,” said Superintendent Brian 
McDonald. “To have all four PUSD comprehensive 
high schools named to the America’s Most 
Challenging High Schools list is a validation of the 
phenomenal programs and high quality education 
offered to all students in PUSD so that they can 
succeed in college and careers. Congratulations 
to everyone!”

 Schools are ranked by the number of Advanced 
Placement, International Baccalaureate, and 
Advanced International Certificate of Education 
tests given at a school each year, divided by the 
number of seniors who graduated that year. Public 
schools that achieved a ratio of at 
least 1.00, that had as many tests 
as they had graduates, were put 
on the national list. Schools are 
ranked in the order of that ratio.

 Marshall Fundamental 
ranked 318; Pasadena High 
School ranked 1,350; Blair 
High School, which offers the 
International Baccalaureate 
Programme, ranked 1,404. John 
Muir, new to the list in 2017, 
ranked 1,512.

 Pasadena Unified 
high schools offer college and 
career academies that link students’ passion with 
what they learn throughout their high school 
career. Themed academies include Engineering 
and Environmental Science, the App Academy, 
Creative Industries, and Health Careers. Students 
in the academies take courses that meet college 
admission requirements; develop plans for post-
secondary career and education; complete work-
based learning or capstone research projects; and 
obtain college credit and/or college credit and/or 
a nationally-recognized professional certification. 
For more information on Pasadena Unified’s 
college and career academies, visit www.pusd.us/
Domain/97

 The Washington Post’s Challenge Index is 
designed to identify schools that have done the best 
job in persuading average students to take college-
level courses and test.

ALVERNO HEIGHTS ACADEMY

200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3463 Head of School: Julia V. Fanara

E-mail address: jfanara@alvernoheights.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 

Preschool-TK-8th Grade

Principal: Dr. William Walner

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

Frostig School

971 N. Altadena Drive Pasadena, CA 91107

(626) 791-1255

Head of School: Jenny Janetzke

Email: jenny@frostig.org

The Gooden School

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

(626) 355-2410 

Head of School, Carl Parke 

website: www.goodenschool.org

High Point Academy

1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road Pasadena, Ca. 
91107 

Head of School: Gary Stern 626-798-8989

website: www.highpointacademy.org

La Salle High School

3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

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

Principal Mrs. Courtney Kassakhian

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: Roberto Hernandez

website: http://phs.pusd.us

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@pusd.us

rcadia 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


AN EVENING WITH BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY 

& CO-AUTHOR GREGORY MONE

Presentation/Booksigning for Jack and the Geniuses Book 2: In the Deep Blue Sea

La Cañada Flintridge, CA – On Thursday, 
September 14 at 7 PM, Flintridge Bookstore & 
Coffeehouse is thrilled to welcome BILL NYE the 
Science Guy and co-author GREGORY MONE for 
a presentation and signing of In the Deep Blue Sea, 
Book 2 in their New York Times bestselling Jack 
and the Geniuses series (for readers grades 3-7).

 THIS IS A TICKETED EVENT. Your pre-
ordered book purchase provides an entry ticket 
for one person. If you buy a book, $5 entry tickets 
are available to you for up to 4 additional people. 
Orders can be placed over the phone, but you must 
pick up your ticket by 3 PM on September 14th.

The Jack and the Geniuses series combines real-
world science along with a mysterious adventure 
that will leave kids guessing until the end, making 
the books ideal for STEM education.

 In the second installment, In the Deep Blue Sea, 
Jack, his genius siblings Ava and Matt, and inventor 
Dr. Hank Witherspoon travel to the Hawaiian 
island home of Ashley Hawking, a technology 
billionaire. Hawking and engineer Rosa Morris 
have built a revolutionary electricity plant that 
harvests energy from the deep ocean, but someone 
has been sabotaging the project.

 In their search for the culprit, Jack and crew 
navigate an unusual world of characters and 
suspects, including Hawking and her obnoxiously 
intelligent son, Steven; a family of surfers who 
accuse the billionaire of trespassing on sacred land; 
an ex–Navy SEAL with a fondness for cat photos; 
and a cigar-chomping man who calls himself the 
Air-Conditioning King of Hawaii.

 Readers will learn about the mysteries of the deep 
ocean, the scientific process, and the potential of 
green energy as Jack and his brilliant siblings use all 
their brainpower to survive. Integrating real science 
facts with humor and suspense and featuring a 
multiethnic cast of boy and girl characters, this 
engaging series is an irresistible combination for 
middle-grade readers.

 With easy-to-read language presented in a fun 
and accessible way, these books are great for both 
inquisitive kids and reluctant readers. In the Deep 
Blue Sea: Jack and the Geniuses Book 2 includes 
information about the science discussed and used 
to solve the mystery, as well as a cool project that 
kids can do at home or in the classroom. 

 Bill Nye is a scientist and media personality best 
known for his television show Bill Nye the Science 
Guy. He has appeared on numerous television 
programs, including Larry King Live and Real 
Time with Bill Maher. Nye’s new talk show series 
for Netflix, Bill Nye Saves the World, premiered 
on April 21, 2017. He splits his time between New 
York and Los Angeles. 

 Gregory Mone is a novelist and science journalist 
who has written several books for children. He lives 
in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

 

 For more information, contact Gail Mishkin 
at (818) 790-0717. Flintridge Bookstore and 
Coffeehouse is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd., La 
Canada, CA 91011, at the intersection of Foothill 
Blvd. and the Angeles Crest Hwy. Take the Angeles 
Crest exit off the 210, turn south, make a right onto 
Foothill Blvd., and turn left onto Chevy Chase. 
Parking is in the rear of the store.


NEW BOOK PROVIDES HELP FOR TODAY’S 
PARENTS & STUDENTS 


Fall brings the familiar sounds of children playing 
on the playground. The sounds of bells ringing as 
students head back to the place that they left a few 
short months ago. While parents hustle to take 
advantage of back-to-school sales. It Is rite of passage 
that goes back as far as anyone came remember—it’s 
the opening of school. 

 As the students traverse through the halls of the 
various types of school schools, one question is 
abound, does this school place my child in the best 
position to be successful? Moreover, what went into 
making the decision on deciding on a school is as 
varied as the different types of flowers that came be 
found on a Rose Parade float.

 “I have never met a parent that does not want 
to help their child,” said Kenneth Banks, author of 
the new book, Ask the Counselor: A Parent’s and 
Student’s Toolkit for Successfully Navigating through 
the K-12 Schools and Beyond. “Unfortunately,” he 
continued, “Most parents don’t know how to help 
their children when it comes to helping them achieve 
a quality education.”

 According to Banks, a retired guidance counselor, 
just about every parent is in search of a “good” school 
for their child. Exactly what constitutes a “good” is 
not easy to define. “Choosing a good preschool, 
primary or elementary school is not a science. 
Selecting a good secondary school, be it, middle 
school, intermediate school or junior high school, is 
equally important as finding a good high school. The 
term “good school” is a loaded one. There is good in 
every school. You just need to know where and for 
what to look. “Banks said.

 Helping parents at that question and many 
others was the motivation for Banks to write, Ask 
the Counselor: A Parent’s and Student’s Toolkit for 
Successfully Navigating through the K-12 Schools 
and Beyond. In the book, that will be available 
in early October, Banks points out that public 
education is an enormous bureaucracy. 

 “In California, where I reside, Californians 
have chosen to spend, by law, a minimum of 39% 
of the state’s budget on education. Public school 
funding is the largest program in the state budget, 
receiving more than 40 percent of the state’s general 
fund resources. “According to Banks, The 2012–13 
state budget included $38 billion for kindergarten 
through grade twelve (K–12) education. Overall 
spending for California public schools was about 
$68 billion in 2013 when federal funds and other 
funding sources were added. The amount of money 
spent on public education in California is more than 
the gross national product of many of the world’s 
industrialized countries. 

Transforming a gargantuan bureaucracy such as the 
public school system in the United States is not very 
practical Banks said he believes. He points out if a 
parent knows how to successfully navigate the school 
system, or work the system; it can be extremely 
advantageous for their children.

 “I am convinced that the educational system in the 
United States is too large to reform, although many 
have tried.” Banks writes. Some of the many ideas that 
have been tried by various educational reformers in 
the early 21st century include: Increasing the school 
day or school year: increased after-school tutoring: 
reduce class sizes; improved training for teachers: 
creation of publically funded charter schools; On-
Line Schools; and allow for school choice.

 In a parent’s quest to identify a “good” school 
for their child, Banks said, “In the parental quest 
to identify a “good” school, research has shown 
that parental expectations for children’s academic 
achievement predict educational outcomes more 
than do other measures of parental involvement, 
such as attending school events. It really isn’t the 
school that is the biggest factor in predicting student 
academic achievement. Parents’ expectations 
influence child outcomes through multiple pathways. 

 He points out that parental expectation are more 
likely to affect their children when parent-child 
relationships are characterized by closeness and 
warmth. Parental expectations directly affect student 
outcomes. In addition, families with high educational 
aspirations for their children provide more out-of-
school learning opportunities for them. Students 
who reported that their parents expected them 
to attend college had better attendance and more 
positive attitudes toward school, according to one 
study. Parental expectations also affect the child’s own 
aspirations and expectations; for instance, studies 
suggest that parent expectations for their children’s 
academic attainment have a moderate to strong 
influence on students’ own goals for postsecondary 
education. Further, both sets of expectations are 
moderated by characteristics of the parent, child, 
and community.


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