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Hawthorne Press Tribune
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 61, No. 35 - August 29, 2019
Inside
This Issue
Calendar of Events.............3
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................6
Classifieds............................2
Entertainment......................2
Hawthorne Happenings....3
Lawndale..............................4
Legals............................. 4,6,7
Pets........................................5
Real Estate...........................8
Weekend
Forecast
Friday
Sunny
78˚/67˚
Saturday
Sunny
76˚/66˚
Sunday
Sunny
79˚/68˚
The Weekly Newspaper of Hawthorne
Hawthorne Chosen for Dodger RBI
Out of 10 thousand Dodgers RBI participants and dozens of cities that have a partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, our City of Hawthorne was selected to send three of its participants to
Dodger Stadium on August 20 to represent the RBI program during the pre-game ceremony. Photo: City of Hawthorne
Wiseburn School Board Meets Briefly,
Looks Forward to the New School Year
By Duane Plank
Time flies when you are having fun, it is
said, and time has definitely flown for the
younger students in the Wiseburn Unified
School District (WUSD), who went back to
the classrooms two days ago, many gearedout
with the pre-requisite new and stylish
back-to-school attire.
For the long-time members of the WUSD
School Board, last Thursday evening’s very
short meeting (30-minutes), was probably a
welcome detour from the anticipated longer
meetings as the Board meets typically twice
monthly in regular session to guide the path
of the WUSD in 2019/20.
With no special presentations on the agenda
last Thursday evening, the assembled Board
members gave very brief reports, with Vice
president/Clerk Roger Banuelos noting how
he was “really looking forward to the new
school year,” but noting how his children were
“not so much” looking forward to spending
their days in the classroom. Banuelos referenced
“a lot of excitement” in the start of
the school year and shared the past successes
of the District’s robotics team, and how they
will be hosting a regional competition in the
District in 2020.
Board President JoAnne Kaneda acknowledged
the recent change in administrative
positions in the District, with two new principals
taking over since the conclusion of the
2018/19 school year. She called it a “huge
effort” to identify and qualify new personnel
and thanked all who have worked to make
that happen. “You have done a wonderful
job through a time of huge change,” she
said. She also noted how she “loves walking
the community” and hearing the calm and
optimistic vibes “about living and schooling
in Wiseburn.”
Chief Financial Officer Dave Wilson then
spoke, thanking all the team members who
have pitched in over the short summer to
make sure that there is a seamless transition
to 2019/20. Dr. Mary Ring touted the recent
efforts of the Counseling Care team, which
recently held meet-and-greet events at three
school sites. Ring also mentioned the “onboarding
activities” for District new hires that
have helped prepare them for the new school
year. President Kaneda interjected, mentioning
how the District is “not just replacing people
who left,” but seeing the creation and opportunities
of new positions in the District, citing
the opportunity for upward mobility in the
District for educators and District personnel.
Superintendent Dr. Blake Silvers then spoke
to the Board, noting the upcoming District
kick-off address was to be made by guest
speaker Dr. Luis Cruz, a well-respected motivational
speaker. Cruz was to speak about
the importance of data-informed decisionmaking,
and the necessity of collaboration
as school District’s attempt to make to take a
more holistic view on learning opportunities.
In his presentation, Cruz was slated to
share anecdotes, and inspiring stories about
the importance of the work educators do to
motivate District learners.
Dr. Silvers, in his comments last Thursday
evening, spoke about the District’s plan to
meet the need of all WUSD students. Earlier
this week, at back-to-school kickoff activities,
Silvers referenced that he was excited
to see the “bustle of our schools, echoing
the sounds of happy students, encouraged
parents, and our amazing staff,” noting that
“we have worked hard to make these transitions
just a little bit easier.”
In his beginning-of-the-school-year speech,
Silvers thanked the input from the new
leadership team, the Guiding Coalition, to
help address the needs of all District students.
He said that the Wiseburn staff is “compassionate,
caring, kind, and inclusive, which
makes for a solid foundation to begin our
work this year.”
Agenda items OK’d by the Board last
Thursday included multiple personnel items
including the ratifying of a new assistant
principal, Jennifer Williams, who will be
tasked to do double- duty as the assistant
principal at both Burnett and Cabrillo.
Williams has worked in the WUSD for 15
years, teaching first grade at Cabrillo, and
working as a Cotsen mentor and Mathematics
Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA). She
is eagerly anticipating her new assignment
in the WUSD. “I am so excited to begin this
journey into the role off assistant principal
for both Burnett and Cabrillo,” she said. “I
am looking forward to working with both the
principals and teachers to continue to pursue
my passion in creating a positive and successful
learning experience for the students.”
Prior to the meeting, Silvers stressed how
the WUSD is always attempting to meet
the needs of all students and is continuing
to steadfastly work to bolster campus security,
with the possible implementation of a
District-wide ID card.
Other personnel items addressed included
the retirement of 24-year employee and teacher
Michael Spiwak, which Silvers said was a
great loss to the WUSD community, and the
re-assignment of Kim Jones to the post of
administrator on special assignment, and the
naming of the new Dana School Secretary,
Sarah Moulton.
Upcoming District events include multiple
school-site open houses, with the next School
Board meeting set for Thursday, Sept. 12. •