Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, December 26, 2020

9

EDUCATION AND YOUTH

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 26, 2020 

SIERRA MADRE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ANNUAL TOY 
DRIVE NEEDS YOUR HELP!

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

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: Adela Solis (626) 355-6114 

solis@st-ritaschool.org

Website: www.st-ritaschool.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


Happy Holidays! Today Team One and the SMPD kicks off our annual toy drive. We have collection 
bins in the station lobby for the USMC’s Toys for Tots and Pasadena PD’s F.A.S.T. Air Support unit. 
Drop off an unwrapped toy of your choice in the bin of your choice during normal business hours. No 
stuffed animals please.

COMBATTING THE SERIOUS EFFECTS OF DIGITAL 
DEVICES DURING COVID-19

(StatePoint) Screen time among children and teens has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
In the cold-weather months, when families are more likely to be spending free time indoors, it’s especially 
important that parents and caregivers set schedules to help ensure safe, healthy and balanced use 
of digital devices, according to experts.

“Digital devices and the internet have become absolutely necessary tools for kids, not only for school, 
but for connecting and socializing with friends. Unfortunately, these tools can often be used in unhealthy 
ways to fill a void left by the loss of many typical school-year routines,” says Michele Havner, 
director of marketing, OurPact, a screen time monitoring app for parents.

Research has consistently shown that more screen time is often accompanied by health and wellness 
challenges like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, poor sleep and reduced physical activity. Havner 
says that parents can help kids build healthier relationships with digital devices in the following ways:

•Being good role models: Parents are in many cases relying on digital devices to work from home and
may also be facing some of the same issues as their children, including boredom and isolation. However, 
they can serve as good digital role models by setting aside screen-free time for other activities, like
art, cooking, music, exercise, crossword puzzles, reading and more.

•Avoiding being punitive: This extended situation has been stressful for parents and kids alike, so parents 
should try to take a compassionate approach to the situation. When engaging children on screen
use, they can start the conversation on the right foot by acknowledging the many challenges and stressors 
that the “new normal” has created for young people. This is also a good time to check in about what
exactly kids are doing online and whether the uptick in social media use has exposed them to negative
content or cyberbullying.

•Setting schedules: Screen use before bed is associated with poor sleep due to the blue light emitted by
digital devices, which can delay the release of sleep hormones. If possible, cap screen usage at least 30
minutes before bedtime. While many people like to keep devices on bedside tables, consider turning
bedrooms into screen-free zones.

•Making it happen: Devices have become so important to children, they may not realize the negative
effects they are having on their health, making getting kids to actually put down devices often easier said 
than done. In fact, kids will often defy verbal limitations and warnings. Fortunately, parents can get a little 
outside assistance in making rules stick. One solution is OurPact, a screen monitoring app that allows 
parents to set online schedules. Using the app, parents can limit app access automatically for recurring activities 
like school
or bedtime, and
can block or grant
internet access on
a child’s device.
They can even
view screenshots
of kids’ digital
activity, helping
them swiftly address 
usage issues
like unsafe content 
and cyberbullying. 
To learn more
or download, visit
OurPact.com.

While the new 
normal has meant 
an unavoidable 
uptick in screen 
time, parents can 
help kids strike a 
healthy balance.


EDUCATIONAL TOYS TO SUPPORT AT-HOME 
LEARNING THIS SCHOOL YEAR

(StatePoint) This fall semester is unlike any experienced in recent history, with some students learning 
at home, and teachers facing new challenges to keep students engaged.

For this reason, many parents are looking for extra support at home. Luckily, there are fun ways to infuse 
more learning into daytime schedules. Here are three learning toys which can keep kids engaged:

•Build the Fundamentals: Help lay the foundation for academic achievement while getting kids ages
2-7 excited about learning with the LeapStart Preschool Success interactive learning system. Touch-
and-talk activities such as games, puzzles and creative challenges enhance learning to help kids build
math, reading, problem-solving skills and more. The easy-to-hold stylus is comfortable for kids of all
ages and promotes proper writing grip. And because the activities build on one another, this is not just
a toy, but a learning system that can grow with your child. The expansive LeapStart library of books
(sold separately) covers a variety of preschool through first grade subjects with more than 30 activities
in every book.

•Explore the World: Young explorers can travel the world and see everything in it with the Magic Adventures 
Globe. Using the stylus, children can tap on the interactive learning globe and experience new
places, languages, cultures, animals, geography, habitats and more through high-quality BBC videos.
Featuring an integrated video screen, animations and live-action videos can supplement the school
curriculum to provide a deeper understanding of the world. Three built-in interactive games further
encourage kids to grow their geographical and cultural knowledge.

•Spark a Love of Literacy: Spark a love of reading and writing with the LeapReader Reading and Writing 
System, a tool which sounds out words, guides letter strokes and builds comprehension. LeapReader 
is also available with an accompanying book set that features interactive pages, lively character
voices and activities that help boost reading confidence by introducing vowel sounds, sight words, word 
blending, spelling skills and more. Young readers can continue their learning journey with additional
books advancing through four reading levels.

These learn-at-home toys are available on Amazon. For more information and school year ideas, visit 
www.leapfrog.com.

With educational toys that boost skills and spark a love of learning, families can embrace the school 
year with confidence.


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