EL SEGUNDO HERALD October 1, 2020 Page 5
By Gary Sanders
In the time of a global pandemic and racial
strife throughout the country, the death of a
little dog may not seem like much. But to our
family, the senseless violence that took Nova
out of our lives is a tragedy almost impossible
to comprehend.
Nova, a golden brown Pomeranian and toy
poodle mix, came into our lives in March of
2019, after years of begging by my daughter
Jade. Given to allergies and not wanting to
clean up after a dog, I ignored her pleas for as
long as I could before finally breaking down.
When we picked Nova up, she melted all of
our hearts with her bright brown eyes and the
fastest-wagging tail I’d ever seen.
She took to her training very well, quickly
becoming potty-trained and able to do several
common pet tricks, including sitting, staying in
place, shaking hands, and waiting to eat until given
approval. She loved having her belly rubbed
and would climb onto the sofa with her paws in
the air and a look of anticipation on her face.
Nova had a remarkable way of making
everything seem a little better whenever she
was around. In a year that saw the death of
my father and the illness of my wife’s father,
not to mention the disruption of the school
year, sports, and other activities caused by
COVID-19, Nova made us all a little happier
with her playful nature and boundless energy.
Then, in the blink of an eye on Tuesday,
Sept. 22, it all came crashing down. Jade was
walking Nova in the late afternoon, preparing
to turn the corner at Maple and Hillcrest, when
an unleashed pit bull burst through an open
gate and viciously attacked our tiny dog. The
animal clamped its powerful jaws on the narrow,
poodle-like midsection of Nova’s body,
destroying her intestines and pancreas. Jade
and the pit bull’s caretaker got it to let go,
but the mortal damage was done.
With help from a neighbor who happens to
be veterinarian and the ESFD paramedics, we
got Jade and Nova calmed down. We took Nova
to the Access animal hospital in Torrance and
Jade to an urgent care facility soon after. As
we returned from urgent care and picked up
the medications for Jade, I started getting calls
from Access telling me that the damage was
worse than they thought and that major surgery
was required. After weighing the costs and
probable outcomes, I authorized the surgery,
which was now going to cost almost $10,000.
Then another call came, telling us the surgery
was cancelled because Nova’s vital signs were
shutting down and she would not survive the
night. I rushed my three children to the facility
and had my wife, Yumiko, on Facetime from
Japan, where she is visiting her parents.
We got there in time to say our last goodbyes
before she finally succumbed. Our two boys,
Duke and Hawk, were stoically holding back
their tears, but Jade was crying incessantly,
blaming herself for taking Nova on that walk
on that street. And Yumiko was not only devastated
by Nova’s death but also because she
couldn’t be there for Jade.
Over the next few days, I kept expecting to
hear Nova’s pattering feet and see her jump up
on the bed or couch. Our house seems incredibly
empty without her and it’s hard to look at
her bed and her food and water bowls without
a lump developing in my throat.
For me the hardest part to deal with is my
daughter’s grief. She loved her little dog and it
will take a lot of time for her to understand that
it wasn’t her fault. At this point, we’re still waiting
for the police report so we can understand
why that vicious dog was loose. I’ve never
understood why people have these kinds of
dogs, but even worse, why they don’t train
or restrain them. After the attack, I looked up
attacks by pit bulls and was shocked to see
how many people had been maimed or killed
by this particular breed.
I’m alternately sad and angry over this incident
and I hope every dog owner can learn
some lessons. First, train your dog, in particular
if they are fighting dogs or other breeds with
violent tendencies. A well-trained dog becomes
more than a pet, it becomes a companion.
Second, be a good master by controlling and
cleaning up after your dogs. They don’t know
better, but you should. And third, never take
your dogs for granted. Even in the best of
circumstances they’re only going to be with
you for a brief part of your life.
So, goodbye Nova – we’ll miss you and
never forget you. •
ABC Doc
Da Vinci Schools Embrace the
Future of Education
By Dr. Don Brann
In my previous column titled “Charters
101,” I provided information about charter
schools in general and the role they play in
education reform. In this week’s column, I
wish to share detailed information about Da
Vinci Schools, where I am a founder and
president of the Da Vinci Schools Board of
Trustees. Da Vinci Schools are free, public
independent charter schools authorized by the
Wiseburn Unified School District (WUSD),
with the exception of Da Vinci RISE High.
(RISE is a countywide charter authorized
by the L.A. County Office of Education.)
Several of Da Vinci’s schools are located on
the commercial eastern border of El Segundo.
With five schools and a dual enrollment
college program serving close to 2,500
students, Da Vinci Schools are known for
developing innovative school models that
meet the unique needs and interests of a
variety of students and families.
The instructional delivery models vary,
yet all Da Vinci schools favor a combination
of project-based, real-world learning,
digital skills, and social-emotional learning.
A major focus at Da Vinci is to reduce the
opportunity gap, so all students reach their
full potential, secure the job of their dreams,
and lead happy independent lives.
Founded in 2008, Da Vinci serves students
from 113 zip codes, including neighborhoods
within WUSD—Hollyglen, Del Aire and
Wiseburn. WUSD entered into an agreement
with Da Vinci to run its high school
program, motivated because its students
were matriculating into the under-performing
Centinela Valley Union High School District,
which eventually, in 2014, WUSD withdrew
from when it unified. Da Vinci’s charter high
schools serve as the “home” high schools
for Wiseburn in a creative district-charter
partnership model.
Students who reside within the boundaries
of WUSD are guaranteed a spot at Da Vinci
Communications, Da Vinci Design, or Da
Vinci Science high school, located at 201
N. Douglas Street, El Segundo. The high
schools’ remaining spots are filled by lottery.
(In California, if the number of applications
exceeds the number of available spots, a lottery
is held). Additional enrollment priorities
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to attend Da Vinci high schools are given to
students who attend Da Vinci’s K-8, Wiseburn
schools on a permit, and siblings of currently
enrolled students.
Currently, just 21 students – less than 1%
of Da Vinci’s total student population – are
from El Segundo due to the competitive lottery
process and lengthy waiting list (approximately
1,250 at press time). El Segundo families do
not have the ability to attend Da Vinci any
more than a family from Santa Monica or
Palos Verdes. (A difference between charter
and traditional public schools is that charters
use a lottery to fill open spaces, whereas school
districts, like El Segundo, select from a pool
of permit applications.)
Innovative School Models and
Learning Environments
At the 210,000 square feet main campus at
201 N. Douglas Street, there are three high
schools co-located in a four-story building and
center atrium that looks less like a school and
more like a modern-day workplace. Each school
occupies a separate floor with 24 classrooms
per floor, specialized labs, lots of glass and
light, and a university vibe that emphasizes
teamwork and transparency. All the classrooms,
maker, and presentation spaces are designed
for hands-on, project-based learning where
students design, build and prototype their
ideas in a collaborative environment. Da Vinci
and Wiseburn’s administrative offices occupy
the first floor. There is also a theater, music
classroom/recording studios, conference center,
special education services, food services, and
security all on the first floor.
The 13-acre campus also features a worldclass
gym that can host multiple sports
and games simultaneously, and an adjacent
aquatics center operated by the City of El
Segundo Recreation & Parks Department.
Both El Segundo High’s aquatics teams and
Da Vinci’s schools get pool time for practices
and games. To date, more than $165 million
has been invested in the campus with major
funding coming from local school bonds, State
funds allocated for charter school facilities,
and private funders.
The Da Vinci campus is a destination for
visitors and professionals from across the
world. Indeed, more than 3,000 educators
See ABC Doc, page 6
Nova and Jade
Forever a Puppy