Hawthorne Press Tribune
Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - October 5, 2017
SBBEC Hosts Hawthorne
Businesses at SEED Awards
Hawthorne’s AquaBio Environmental Technologies (with company representatives shown in the photo) won in the “Innovation” category at the 10th annual SEED Awards hosted by the South Bay Business
Environmental Coalition (SBBEC) on September 20. The event recognizes the extraordinary environmental efforts of local businesses, individuals and organizations. Photo by Adriana Prudencio
Wiseburn School Board Sees Math Improvements,
Over 35 Change Orders for New High School
By Duane Plank
cross-district programs; and an update to approve
working tirelessly on completing the high school
Change was in the air at last Thursday evenings
the contract with Leadership Associates--the
building project. “We are in the final stages of
meeting of the Wiseburn School Board. Vice
firm selected to perform the search for the new
working through the fire alarm testing, smoke
President/Clerk JoAnne Kaneda was unable to
superintendent with Johnstone retiring at the
evacuation system testing, final air balancing, and
attend because she was out of town, so Board
end of the school year. Leadership Associates
the building control programming through-out the
President Israel Mora and the remaining three
is slated to make a presentation on October 12
building and hope to be complete these tests by
members, plus District administrators, hunkered
to take direction from the Board and establish
the end of the month so final decisions can be
down to tackle the agenda.
a firm timeline. Johnstone said that a tentative
made on when to schedule the big move and
The California Assessment of Student
timeline has a selection going up for consideration
get to occupying the new state-of-the-art high
Performance and Progress (CAASP) edicts--
“the second Board meeting in March.” The new
school building,” he said. “Along with moving
school scorecards released from the state--noted
Superintendent would start somewhere around
into the new high school building, the District
that Wiseburn had the highest rate of growth of
May 15 and have about a six-week overlap
is considering some potential traffic studies
any district in the South Bay in Math with nearly
period with the retiring Johnstone, who will
to see if there may be a need for some new
nine percent on the sked tracking proficient or
show the ropes to the new hire before riding
traffic lights around the new high school to help
advanced jumps compared to the year before.
off into the retirement sunset.
with the flow of students, staff and community
“That is huge growth,” said Superintendent
Next up were more than 35 change orders
members traveling to our new high school and
Tom Johnstone, who also noted that Wiseburn
as the new edifice on Douglas Street nears
other campuses in the District.”
“dropped a little bit in English Language Arts,”
completion. The thought now is that students will
In other District news, beloved long-time
but saw “awesome growth at the middle school.
be moved into the new high school sometime
employee Pam Conde, who retired recently
He added, “As a district, we have been focusing
in early November. Johnstone said that there
from her tenure at Peter Burnett Elementary,
hardcore on Math.”
“probably” would be firm move-in dates unveiled
was feted by her co-workers, friends and
Deputy Superintendent Chris Jones, who spoke
at the second Board meeting in October.
family members at a raucous celebration at a
of the upswing in Math scores, emailed, “During
Change orders for Phase II, which includes
Lennox establishment last Friday. Johnstone
the three years of CAASP, Wiseburn has made
the new pool, the gym and the athletic field,
delivered a heartfelt farewell for Conde, who
significant progress in student achievement in
were next on the agenda. Most of the new
has worked for the District for 20 years. Conde,
both Language Arts (nine percent growth) and
changes revolve around the fickle soil in the
who went through the Manhattan Beach school
Math (16 percent). For 2017 we are pleased
Sunshine State. “All of this has to do with
system in her childhood schooldays, has been
with the nine percent overall annual growth in
soils,” Johnstone said. “Soils are a big issue
a pivotal cog in Wiseburn’s success. Johnstone
Math, which is the largest single-year growth
[in California].”
added that the two-decade veteran will be very
level for any district in the South Bay. The
Vince Madsen, the District Director, Facility
difficult to replace. “Pam is one of a kind and
results, particularly at the middle school level,
Planning, is usually in the Board member
a Burnett/Wiseburn treasure. We have been so
have been off the charts. Our goal is to have
crosshairs as the countdown begins for the
blessed to have her at the helm of Burnett for
continuous improvement at all levels and in all
first day of school on Douglas Street in hopes
20 years! Congratulations, Pam. You will be
curricular areas; these results indicate that we
of hitting the Board’s first day of instruction
greatly missed.”
are on the right track!”
date in the new facility. President Mora, who
The next Wiseburn School Board meeting,
Next on the agenda were what is termed
appeared to be a little exasperated about the
initially scheduled for October 14, has been
“general items,” including the agreement to
current timeline for the completion of the work
moved to Tuesday, October 12 to make sure
move forward with “Talking Teaching,” a deal
of Douglas Street, said, “You have to find a
all the members would be able to attend the
with a group from UCLA to increase District
way to get this done. I don’t like the math.
meeting where some of the discussion will revolve
educators’ professional development; an MOU
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally.”
around the expected presentation by Leadership
with the Da Vinci campuses to button-down
Madsen noted that he and his crew have been
Associates regarding the superintendent search. •
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................5
Classifieds............................3
Finance..................................2
Food.......................................5
Hawthorne Happenings....3
Legals............................... 3, 7
Looking Up...........................7
Pets........................................6
Seniors..................................2
Sports....................................4
Weekend
Forecast
Friday
Sunny
76˚/64˚
Saturday
Sunny
81˚/62˚
Sunday
Partly
Cloudy
74˚/62˚
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