EL SEGUNDO HERALD June 20, 2019 Page 3
School Spotlight
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Mark her graduation with the gift that
sparkles almost as much as her achievements.
Wiseburn School Board Honors
Retirees and Science Whizzes
By Duane Plank
The Wiseburn School Board members last
Thursday honored three retiring employees, as
well as a team of R.H. Dana Middle School
(DMS) science whizzes who captured first place
in the recent Aerospace Corporation-sponsored
Herndon Memorial Science competition.
The meeting began with a packed gallery,
including not only supporters of the retiring
employees and science champions, but community
members who gave their impassioned
and sometimes contentious thoughts regarding
a proposed realignment of Wiseburn Unified
School District’s (WUSD) Visual Arts (VA)
program.
Retiring teachers Mary Nies (DMS) and Karen
Rafalski-Fraser (Peter Burnett Elementary) were
recognized by the Board with a commendation
resolution, as was Juan de Anza Elementary
secretary Anita Collins.
Superintendent Dr. Blake Silvers said prior
to the meeting that Nies has recently served
as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA),
specializing in all things tech. “From my perspective,”
Silvers said, “she is one of those people
that never stops, who has an insatiable desire
to always be on the cutting edge of learning.
She is phenomenal in teaching adults, making
things manageable and comprehensible. She
also has a gift with kids. She is a well-rounded
educator who we will truly miss.”
Nies was hailed by DMS Assistant Principal
Lisa Wilberg as a “tremendous gift to Wiseburn,”
calling her a “constant force for positive
change.” Nies, who has served two stints at
DMS, emailed that “it has been my privilege
to work with students and teachers at all four
school sites and infuse technology into the
curriculum to enhance teaching and learning.”
Fraser emailed that teachers always want
to “make a difference, and I hope that I did
because I know that the kids made a difference
in me, and that is a very humble feeling.”
Collins had been recognized at a prior meeting
for her 25-years of service, filling multiple
positions, and being selected as Employee of
the Year (2011/12). Board President JoAnne
Kaneda lauded the efforts of the retirees. “Thank
you for your years of service,” she said. “Our
teachers and staff are so dedicated. We don’t
know what we are going to do without them.
See Wiseburn, page 10
Community Briefs
Mattel Store Celebrates
60 Years of Barbie®
Lost Cat
Devastated by loss of my cat Cassie;
went missing on 300 Blk of W Acacia.
Please call asap if seen. Heather.
310.640.1964.
DEADLINES
OBITUARIES: Monday at noon.
CALENDAR ITEMS: Monday at noon.
PEOPLE ITEMS: Monday at noon.
CLASSIFIEDS: Tuesday at noon.
LEGAL NOTICES: Wednesday at 11:00 am.
REAL ESTATE ADS: Monday at noon.
AD CANCELLATIONS: Prior Thursday.
LATE CANCELLATIONS WILL BE
CHARGED 50% OF AD
Burkley Brandlin
Swatik & Keesey LLP
AT T O R N E Y S AT L AW
Lifetime El Segundo Residents
Living Trusts/Wills, Probate, Employment Law, Personal Injury
Trust and Estates Litigation, Business Litigation, Civil Litigation
310-540-6000
*AV Rated (Highest) Martindale - Hubbell / **Certified Specialist Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law, State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization
Center Street School
Students of the Year
Five fifth grade students were awarded the
distinctive “Student of the Year” award. Photo
from left to right: Bridget Michel, Camden
L. Chen, Addison Chittick, Cara King and
Maxwell Keldorf. The class celebrated their
graduation on June 13 and will prepare for
middle school, which starts in the fall.
– Photo Provided by Cora Lee •
Please join the Mattel Toy Store as we
continue to celebrate 60 years of Barbie®!
Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
at Mattel’s Learning Center Building, 333
Continental Blvd., El Segundo. Enjoy a
special shopping experience, one-of-a-kind
photo ops, delicious treats and refreshments
and an exclusive tour of our Barbie® gallery
– which has never been open to the public!
Please call the Mattel Toy Store to sign up!
Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis.
– Content: Mattel
El Segundo Library Welcomes Derrick
Anderson, Manda Mosher
Los Angeles-based bassist Derrick Anderson
makes his El Segundo Art Walk photography
debut at the El Segundo Public Library on
Thursday, July 18 from 5-9 p.m. Anderson has
performed, toured and recorded with the Bangles,
the Kinks’ Dave Davies, the Smithereens,
Matthew Sweet, Psycho Sisters, Translator’s
Steve Barton, the Cowsills and others. His
widely-acclaimed solo debut A World of My
Own is out now on Omnivore Recordings and
will be available at the library. A multimedia
presentation will accompany Derrick as he and
compatriots Robbie Rist, Jim Laspesa and Rob
Bonfiglio perform songs from that album as
well as previous material.
Then during the August 15 Art Walk, singer/
songwriter Manda Mosher will host “The Art
of the Song.” She will be joined by several
other Southern California-based musicians in
a Songwriters in the Round performance at
the library from 5-9 p.m. Manda grew up in
a musical household, picking up her grandfather’s
Gibson ukulele at the age of five. Her
father played flamenco guitar and her mother
sang, so music was an integral part of her
daily family life. She has received multiple
Los Angeles Music Awards including “Female
Singer-Songwriter of the Year” and “National
Touring Artist of the Year”, has garnered
A New Look Coming
for Holly Valley Park
Holly Valley Park closed starting this past
Monday, June 10 for construction. The new
playground will include shade canopies,
a play structure geared towards ages 2-5,
swings, rubber surfacing, new benches and
an elevated sand table. Construction will take
approximately one month.
– Content: El Segundo Recreation & Parks See Community Briefs, page 4