Page 2 September 20, 2018 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Wiseburn Board Hears Calendar of Events
Concerns, Discusses
Funding Challenges
Deadline for Calendar items is the prior
Thursday by noon. Calendar items are $1
per word. Email listings to marketing@
heraldpublications.com. We accept Visa and
MasterCard.
THURSDAY, SEP. 20
• El Segundo Certified Farmer’s Market, 3:00
PM. – 7:00 PM., located on Main Street,
Downtown El Segundo.
• Evening Family Story Time, 6:30 PM. –
7:00 PM., children under 8 must be with an
adult, pajamas and stuffies are highly encouraged,
El Segundo Public Library, 111
W. Mariposa Ave., Call: 310-524-2728.
FRIDAY, SEP. 21
• Bingo, 1:00 PM. - 3:00 PM., 50 Plus, $3.00
minimum, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Diane: 310-640-9577.
• Excel Basics, 8:30 AM. – 10:00 AM., seating
is limited, registration is required, bring
your own laptop if available, El Segundo
Public Library, 111 W. Mariposa Ave.,
Call: 310-524-2728.
SATURDAY, SEP. 22
• Saturday Night Dance, 7:00 PM. – 9:45
PM., Cost: $3.00 Per Person, Adults of all
Ages Welcome, Senior Club of El Segundo,
339 Sheldon St., Call: 310-524-2705.
• The Fair on Richmond Street, 9:00 AM. –
5:00 PM., Sponsored By the El Segundo
Kiwanis, Downtown El Segundo, Food,
Games, Craft Booth, Kids Zone, Beer
Garden, Live Music, School Groups.
SUNDAY, SEP. 23
• Bridge & Pinochle Groups, 11:30 AM. –
3:45 PM, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Pam at: 310-318-2856.
MONDAY, SEP. 24
• Canasta Group, 12:00 PM. – 3:00 PM., 50
Plus, Free, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Pam at: 310-318-2856.
• Maker Monday: Fairy Jars, 12:00 PM. –
1:00 PM., for 18 yrs. and older, please
bring in your own personal memento
items for your project, El Segundo Public
Library, 111 W. Mariposa Ave., Call: 310-
524-2722.
TUESDAY, SEP. 25
• Pinochle, 11:30 AM. – 3:30 PM., Senior
Club of El Segundo, 339 Sheldon St., Call
Pam at: 310-318-2856.
• Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 PM.,
District Administrative Offices –Board
Room, 641 Sheldon Street
WEDNESDAY, SEP. 26
• Bowling, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 50 Plus,
Senior Club of El Segundo, Gable House
Bowl, 22501 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance,
Cost: $8.25 for 3 games, Call Joyce at:
310-322-7621.
• Book Discussion Group: A Place for Us,
6:30 PM., free, El Segundo Public Library,
111 W. Mariposa Ave., Call: 310-524-2728.
THURSDAY, SEP. 27
• El Segundo Certified Farmer’s Market, 3:00
PM. – 7:00 PM., located on Main Street,
Downtown El Segundo.
• Vaping & Tobacco Parent Presentation,
6:00 PM., ESHS Library, 640 Main Street,
Call: 310-615-2662.
FRIDAY, SEP. 28
• Bingo, 1:00 PM. - 3:00 PM., 50 Plus, $3.00
minimum, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Diane: 310-640-9577.
SATURDAY, SEP. 29
• Saturday Night Dance, 7:00 PM. – 9:45
PM., Cost: $3.00 Per Person, Adults of all
Ages Welcome, Senior Club of El Segundo,
339 Sheldon St., Call: 310-524-2705.
SUNDAY, SEP. 30
• Bridge & Pinochle Groups, 11:30 AM. –
3:45 PM, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Pam at: 310-318-2856.
MONDAY, OCT. 1
• Canasta Group, 12:00 PM. – 3:00 PM., 50
Plus, Free, Senior Club of El Segundo, 339
Sheldon St., Call Pam at: 310-318-2856.
By Duane Plank
With no special presentations on the agenda, the
Wiseburn) School Board meeting last Thursday
evening was expected to be relatively brief. It
didn’t turn out that way, though. Three concerned
citizens addressed the Board during the “from the
public” portion of the meeting, raising questions
and eliciting member comments and answers
for nearly 30 minutes. The public comment
portion of the meeting typically occurs after the
members return from an initial closed session.
The Board later in the meeting decided
-- after back-and-forth discussion with administrators
-- pull multiple spending items from
the agenda, as it continues to consider how to
allocate funds in the wake of the defeat of the
June 5 school bond Measure W.
Comments during the public hearings included
citizens giving their opinions on the increase
of school facilities developer fees, the Aviation
Boulevard interim site of the Success Learning
Center, and Wiseburn Unified School District’s
before-and-after-school program.
Members of the public also expressed that
they hoped to see the District increase its
social media presence and communication
about hot-button issues, although there are
parameters that preclude the Board from posting
certain information online.Board members
responded that they are working on increasing
communication avenues to concerned parties
and attempting to make all District actions as
transparent as possible.
During his comments, Superintendent Dr.
Blake Silvers commemorated the service
and passing of long-time District employee
custodian John Grady, who served for more
than 30 years and retired in October 2014.
Grady, who died on Aug. 22, worked at Juan
de Anza Elementary and at the District’s Alan
B. Shepard School. Silvers, prior to the meeting,
noted that Grady’s memorial service was
well-attended by Wiseburn employees and
called it “a nice tribute.”
Also before the meeting, Silvers talked about
his first couple of weeks on the job since school
restarted in late August for the District’s elementary
and middle schools. Silvers made his
inaugural State of the District address, captained
the employee start-of-school barbecue in late
August, and announced the 2017/18 classified
and credentialed Employees of the Year.
Marcos Chavez received the honors as
the Classified Employee of the Year. He has
worked for Wiseburn for more than a quarter
of a century, mainly at Dana Middle School.
He originally joined the District in October
1991, assigned to the maintenance and operations
department as a custodian.
Director of Educational Services Dr. Aileen
Harbeck said about Chavez that he “helps make
Dana tick. He is such an important ingredient
to the logistics and support that makes Dana
Middle School a great place.” Silvers added,
“I, as this individual’s supervisor, have shared
that [Chavez] has such a tough job. He always
answers with a positive attitude and shows up
to support the situation.”
The Certificated Employee of the Year
is Cabrillo Elementary’s Jennifer Williams.
Silvers, in his reveal of the employees of the
year, called first grade teacher Williams a
“cheerleader for collaboration with a passion
for great instruction.”
During reports, Board member Dr. Neil
Goldman talked about attending what he termed
“inspiring” District back-to-school nights, and
See Wiseburn, page 6 See Calendar of Events, page 4