Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, April 18, 2020

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Mountain View News Saturday, April 18, 2020 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

MONROVIA UNIFIED MIDDLE SCHOOL NAMED 2020 
SCHOOL TO WATCH FOR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

MONROVIA – Clifton Middle School has been 
recognized as a 2020 School to Watch for its academic 
excellence, responsiveness to the needs of 
students, and commitment to helping every student 
achieve at a high level. 

The honor, conferred by the National Forum to 
Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform network, is 
Clifton’s second designation as a School to Watch. 
Clifton was previously recognized in 2017, the 
same year it was named a California Gold Ribbon 
School. 

“Clifton Middle School exemplifies Monrovia’s 
commitment to inspire and challenge our students 
to become lifelong learners and realize 
their dreams,” Board of Education President Rob 
Hammond said. “We are thrilled to see the hard 
work and dedication of Clifton educators recognized 
again. They truly deserve it.” 

Clifton maintains a focus on providing a safe and 
nurturing environment, encouraging students to 
share their voices, and contribute to the decision-
making process. Teachers collaborate and share 
data while placing an emphasis on high expectations 
to maximize student potential. 

Socio-emotional learning is embedded into lessons, 
aligning with Clifton’s Courteous, Polite, 
and Respectful campaign. Required and elective 
classes provide a rigorous path to high school 
that also caters to student interests. 

“Clifton does such a great job of preparing its 
students, which is a testament to the exceptional 
preparation and collaboration between administrators, 
faculty, and staff,” Superintendent Dr. 
Katherine Thorossian said. “Clifton students are 
friendly, passionate, and on their way to becoming 
future leaders." 

Clifton provides Honors classes in all core subjects, 
including an accelerated track that enables 
eighth-grade students to take a high school level 
course, Integrated Math I. Students can transition 
to Honors and AP classes at Monrovia High, including 
its Math and Science Academy (MASA). 

Clifton’s Spanish dual immersion program, 
launched in 2017, matriculated its first cohort 
in 2019. The program’s popularity has resulted 
in one new elective class, Spanish II, and an increase 
in Spanish language books in the Clifton 
library. 

Clifton’s science and technology lab is a hub of 
technological activity, with students building 
and coding personal websites, robots and video 
games, eventually graduating to more advanced 
concepts like Javascript and 3D games. Multi-
Tiered Systems of Support provide positive reinforcement, 
with students receiving Cub Cash for 
performing acts of kindness during the school 
day. 

Students with special needs are placed in co-collaborative 
classes with both general and special 
education teachers, allowing them the opportunity 
to study with grade-level peers. Students 
at risk of falling behind are identified before the 
school year and participate in Jump Start conferences 
throughout the year to monitor their 
progress. 

Clifton student leaders work to connect every 
student to the school community through the 
Renaissance Leadership program. Through a 
partnership with the Pasadena Humane Society 
and the SPCA, therapy dogs and their handlers 
regularly visit classrooms to provide students 
with a sense of calm. 

“We like to think of Clifton as one big family, 
with everybody working together to achieve the 
goal of equity in education,” Clifton Principal 
Jennifer Jackson said. “Being recognized as a 
School to Watch only motivates us to work even 
harder to provide the Monrovia community with 
the support and resources they need to ensure 
their children receive the high quality education 
they deserve.” Archived Photo


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 E. Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010

(626) 301-9809

Principal: Nancy Lopez

www.foothilloaksacademy.org

office@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, Jo-Anne Woolner

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 College Preparatory

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: Lindsay LUIS

E-mail address: LUIS.lindsay@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

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

Arcadia Christian School

1900 S. Santa Anita Avenue Arcadia, CA 91006

Preschool - and TK - 8th Grade

626-574-8229/626-574-0805

Email: inquiry@acslions.com

Principal: Cindy Harmon

website: www.acslions.com

YES YOU CAN HOMESCHOOL 
By Denise Soto, D.O.

 

Who could have predicted the impact of Corona Virus on education? 
Any preconceived ideas you had about homeschooling 
are now gone. Ready or not, you are now living it. Many 
parents are realizing the freedom in customizing a curriculum 
to uniquely cater to their child's needs. What a perfect opportunity 
to explore the plethora of options available through the 
internet!

Parent led education can come by many different names. For 
simplicity's sake, we will use the term homeschooling. There 
are so many excellent resources and programs that do most 
of the teaching for you, so you don’t have to know it all. There 
are two homeschool associations in California that will get 
you started: CheaofCA.org and CaliforniaHomeschool.net. 
Homeschool World (home-school.com) is another link that 
will simplify the process for you.

For those of you who would like to continue homeschooling once the quarantine is lifted, 
keep reading. It is important to understand the legally accepted models of education from 
which to choose from in California. Under the California Education Code 48200, all children 
between the ages of 6 to 18 must attend a public, full-time day school unless they are 
exempted. The most common alternatives are as follows:

 Option 1- Parents can legally establish private schools in their own homes. They just 
have to file a private school affidavit with the California Department of Education.

 Option 2- A Private School Program (PSP) is similar to other private schools when 
it comes to meeting the legal requirements. The difference between the two is that a PSP can 
be composed entirely of homeschoolers, or may be an extension program of a campus based 
private school.

 Option 3- Use a tutor. A credentialed California Teacher can be used as a tutor. Tutoring 
must be done for at least three hours a day for 175 days per year.

 Option 4- Enrolling in a charter school or public school Independent Study Program 
(ISP). This can allow your student to study at home, paid for with tax dollars.

The above options can be broken up into two financial categories. The first is funded by 
the parent, who pays out of pocket using their after-tax dollars. Options 1 through 3 fit this 
category. This provides the parent full autonomy over the curriculum. The second financial 
category is using state tax dollars to pay for Independent Study Programs. The difference 
between charter school ISPs and public school ISPs is that the charter ISPs operate independently 
from state schools. To learn more about publically funded K-12 schools, go to cde.
ca.gov/sp/ps/homeschool.asp.

Let’s dive a little deeper into Charter School Independent Study Programs. Some will give 
parents money to be used for curriculum, extracurricular activities, tutoring, etc. An educational 
specialist (teacher) is also provided to coach you through the academic year. Here 
are examples of such charter schools: iLeadExploration.org, ExcelAcademy.Education, SkyMountainCS.
org. To learn more go to cde.ca.gov/sp/ps/homeschool.asp.

How does a parent navigate the legalities once the decision to continue homeschooling is 
made? Fortunately, there are organizations founded by other like minded people. Here they 
are:

1. Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA.org)- They will defend your right 
to homeschool. Their offerings also include school consultants, special needs help, support 
groups, and so much more.

2. Family Protection Ministries (FPMCA.org)- Their purpose is in “Defending the freedom 
of parents to train, educate, and care for their children privately, without government 
interference.”

3. Pacific Justice Institute (PacificJustice.org)- They are a non-profit legal defense organization 
whose mission is to defend, without charge, the religious freedoms, parental rights, 
and other civil liberties of people who cannot defend themselves.

A great way to experience homeschooling from experts is to attend a convention. Homeschool 
conventions offer a full range of specialized workshops and exhibit halls with books, 
teaching aids, etc. that are designed to train and equip home educating parents. Here are 
some which are coming up:

1. Christian Home Educators Association of California (CheaofCA.org)- In Anaheim, 
May 28-30, 2020

2. Great Homeschool Conventions (GreatHomeschoolConventions.com)- In Ontario, 
June 18-20, 2020.

 Many Parents are saying yes to homeschooling, and there are so many creative ways 
in which this is happening. People from all different types of situations are doing it, from 
the two-parent working homes, to stay-at-home moms, and even single parents. It is as individual 
as the families who pursue it. The movement is exploding with resources and opportunities 
to support you. 


CITRUS COLLEGE FOUNDATION LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO 
SUPPORT STUDENTS DURING HEALTH CRISIS

Citrus College students negatively affected by 
the COVID.19 pandemic may be able to receive 
assistance with the help of a new initiative introduced 
at a recent meeting of the Citrus Community 
College District Board of Trustees.

Providing Assistance for Student Success (PASS) 
is designed to help Citrus College students who 
are unable to continue their education as a result 
of the public health crisis currently impacting 
the nation.

Supported by an initial $100,000 grant from the 
Citrus College Foundation, this initiative will 
provide resources and support that will enable 
struggling students to reach their educational 
goals.

The debut of the Citrus College PASS initiative 
comes on the heels of a March 26 announcement 
that the physical closure of the college 
campus, which began March 18, was being 
extended through June 12, 2020. As a result, 
students will receive remote instruction and 
student support services for the duration of the 
spring 2020 semester.

“We understand that this sudden transition to a 
remote learning environment has created nexpected 
challenges for some students. For this 
reason, the college is eager to announce the 
launch of Citrus

College PASS,” said Dr. Geraldine M. 
Perri,superintendent/president of Citrus College. 
“The goal of this initiative is to remove 
obstacles or barriers that may prevent students 
from completing their education.

This collaborative effort is made possible by 
partners, supporters and friends of the Citrus 
College

Foundation.”

The Citrus College Foundation, a 501(c)(3) 
nonprofit organization that provides resources 
to further the Citrus Community College District’s 
mission of advancing student success, is 
actively soliciting donors to

help provide financial support for Citrus College 
PASS. In fact, the Foundation’s board of directors 
meet regularly to organize and plan how 
to best address the needs of the college during 
the COVID.19 pandemic.

“The Foundation’s initial response was to begin 
providing technology support to those students 
who rely heavily on the college’s computer resources. 
However, we quickly realized that a lack 
of technology is only one challenge students are 
facing as a result of COVID.19,” said Christina 
M. Garcia, director of the Citrus College Foundation. 
“Therefore, in partnership with the college’s 
academic affairs and student services divisions, 
we have established Citrus College PASS 
as a means of financially supporting student

success efforts during these difficult times.”One 
way in which Citrus College PASS will immediately 
help students is by enabling the Foundation 
to distribute COVID.19 Technology Support 
Grants. These one.time funds are intended 
to help students make technology purchases 
that will allow them to continue their coursework 
remotely.

“I am very proud of the patience and resilience 
demonstrated by the students, faculty and staff 
of Citrus College during these unprecedented 
times. I am also incredibly grateful to the Citrus 
College Foundation and its supporters for diligently 
working to find solutions to the very real 
problems our students are

facing,” said Dr. Patricia A. Rasmussen, president 
of the Citrus Community College District 
Board of Trustees. “Although the days and 
months ahead are uncertain, I know that Citrus 
College and its students will successfully 
navigate these challenges, and that the lessons 
learned will pave the way for a

brighter future.”

For more information and to contribute to the 
Citrus College PASS initiative, contact the Citrus 
College Foundation at foundation@citruscollege.
edu.

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