EL SEGUNDO HERALD June 27, 2019 Page 3
School Spotlight
Stars Win Another Babe Ruth Title
Story and Photos by Gregg McMullin
The 64th El Segundo Babe Ruth League
season is in the books. With a series of storms
that canceled a number of games, there were
only two rounds instead of the customary
three. Normally the six teams would play
one another once in each round and then
at the end of the season in a playoff format
pitting the winners of each round. The Stars
ran the table and won the first round. Due
to the inclement weather, the second round
was canceled. The Oaks won the third round
by defeating the Stars 1-0 and going 5-0.
The Stars and Oaks faced each other in the
pivotal showdown in the third round. Both
teams had entered the game 4-0. A win by
the Stars would clinch the league title. The
Oaks had a different plan: defeat them and
force a one-game playoff. The two teams
went with their top pitchers. The Stars started
Lloyd Sapanza while the Oaks countered
with Brendan McAndrews. The only run
of the game came in the third inning when
McAndrews scored on an infield error.
In the one game playoff, the Oaks once
again started McAndrews while Sapanza was
on the hill for the Stars. This time around,
Sapanza would not be the hard-luck losing
pitcher. The crafty left-hander threw a complete
game seven-hitter and struck out seven
to help lead the Stars to a 7-2 win.
In the first inning, Conrad Bernstein singled
and stole second base and Maximo Martinez
was hit by a pitch. Sapanza singled to
centerfield scoring Bernstein. Then Trevor
Steele fielder’s choice scored Martinez. Adan
Barbosa’s RBI single scored Sapanza for a
Stars’ 3-0 first inning lead.
The Oaks had their opportunity to respond in
their half of the first inning. McAndrews beat
out a ball between third base and shortstop
and Alex Corvera followed with another infield
single. Sapanza survived the potential rally
by inducing an inning-ending double play. In
the second inning, the Oaks would score their
only run when Marquis Wright led the inning
off with a double to centerfield. Three batters
later, Dylan Immel delivered an RBI single
scoring Wright to cut the Stars lead to 3-1.
With two runners in scoring position, Sapanza
got a strikeout to end the threat and inning.
The Stars responded in the third inning by
scoring two runs. With one out, Brian Pham
Sports
Brendan McAndrews was a starting infielder for the Eagles. He’ll lead a talented 13-15 El Segundo Babe Ruth All-Star team.
ESUSD
See Sports, page 6
El Segundo School Board Makes
Plans for 2019/20 School Year
By Duane Plank
The El Segundo School Board met Tuesday
evening as it continues to button down vendor
agreements in preparation for the 2019/20
school year. The group also welcomed new
Richmond Street Elementary School Assistant
Principal Carie Oulashian. El Segundo Unified
School District (ESUSD) Superintendent Dr.
Melissa Moore said that while this will be
Oulashian’s first administrative position, she
has expertise in helping students who need
“extra” support and also brings experience in
the field of special education.
Oualshian, who most recently worked for the
neighboring Wiseburn Unified School District
(WUSD) will, according to Superintendent Dr.
Blake Silvers, be greatly missed. “A huge loss to
us,” Silvers said. “It is a gain for El Segundo.”
El Segundo resident Oulashian was in
attendance Tuesday evening, and briefly addressed
the Board, saying, “It is amazing to
me that [my career path] brought me to my
own backyard.”
District Director of Innovation and Student
Services Dr. Jack Plotkin presented a “Technology
and Innovation Update.” He and his team,
including Executive Director of Information
Technology Danny Gauna and Technology
Coach Sean Brandlin, drilled down on the
advancement of personalized learning tenets,
meaningful technology integration, and technology
infrastructure improvements in the ESUSD.
Plotkin said he was “excited” about the
progress the District has been making and
how the personalized learning program has
been a boon by “offering tools to students to
transform learning.” He spoke about the need
to focus on student-centered learning, stressing
“autonomy, mastery and purpose” to garner
student engagement.
The presentation began with a Digital Promise
League of Innovative Schools brief, which aims
to engage students with “relevant, inspiring
and challenging work while in school,” helping
them to develop “agency in their learning
-- the power to make choices and take action”
for the rest of their lives. It was posited that
the Digital Promise model dovetails with the
ESUSD graduate profile, which strives to develop
collaborative leaders; continuous learners;
responsible, self-directed, resilient individuals;
creative and critical thinkers; and competent
and confident communicators.
The next slide touted the benefits of personalized
student learning, helping students to
“develop a set of skills known as the deeper
learning competencies,” including critical thinking,
utilizing knowledge and information to solve
complex problems, working collaboratively,
communicating effectively, and learning how
to develop academic mindsets.
Plotkin next delved briefly into evaluation
metrics: achievement data, engagement data
(encompassing student and parent surveys
as well as discipline data) and data culled
to include teachers’ thoughts and “coaching
conversations.”
See ESUSD, page 10