Hawthorne Press Tribune
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 60, No. 51 - December 20, 2018
Inside
This Issue
Calendar of Events.............3
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................7
Classifieds............................3
Entertainment......................2
Food.......................................5
Hawthorne Happenings....3
Lawndale..............................4
Legals.................................4,6
Pets.....................................7,8
Weekend
Forecast
Friday
Partly
Cloudy
66˚/55˚
Saturday
Partly
Cloudy
66˚/54˚
Sunday
Partly
Cloudy
69˚/54˚
The Weekly Newspaper of Hawthorne
New Police Officers Get to Work
Meet our newest Hawthorne Police Department Officers! From Left to Right: Officer Gilmore, Officer Cardenas, Interim Chief Ishii, and Officer Weeks. They are looking forward to serving our community
and meeting all of you! Photo: Hawthorne PD
Wiseburn School Board Welcomes
Back Three of Its Veteran Members
By Duane Plank
In many school districts across the state, the
first, and for some, only board meeting in December
that follows an early November election
date will include the swearing in of newly elected
members, as well as a shuffling of duties. Not so
this time around in the Wiseburn Unified School
District (WUSD). The School Board returns
intact as it head towards 2019. Three Board
slots were up for grabs in the recent Nov. 6
election, but current members Roger Banuelos,
Israel Mora and Nelson Martinez ran unopposed
on the ballot, so all returned for another term.
JoAnne Kaneda returns as the president for
another year, with Banuelos continuing as the
vice president/clerk. The Board also selected
members to fill slots for the upcoming year
on multiple committees on which the District
serves. There were no special presentations on
the evening’s agenda, which Superintendent Dr.
Blake Silvers said is standard for the District’s
December meeting.
Members of the public approached the Board
at the beginning of the 80-minute meeting,
with topics including the successful synergy
achieved between the District K-8 campuses
and Da Vinci; the concern of some parents
regarding a perceived safety issue, specifically
at Anza Elementary; and the wish to improve
communication between the District and parents
regarding agendas at upcoming PTA meetings.
Siobhan Scott, representing the group Wiseburn
Watch, voiced her group’s concerns about
traffic safety issues that she said are currently
taking place surrounding District schools. Ms.
Scott cited multiple vehicle accidents that have
occurred during drop-off and pick-up times. She
said she will “form a committee in January” of
community members to “make sure we get a
light” at the intersection of Utah and Douglas
streets. “We are not going to wait for our kids
to be killed,” she said.
In member reports, Neil Goldman, a participant
at the recent California School Board
Association conference in San Francisco,
which he termed “very productive,” touted
new state-of-the art practices unpacked at the
conference. He mentioned best practices that
were articulated, including dealing with funding
issues that are paramount for districts to
continue to achieve financial solvency.
Mora encouraged all to attend tonight’s
(Dec. 20) District open house for the pool
and gym site on the Douglas property, and
highly recommended that interested folks avail
themselves of touring the Da Vinci facilities.
Banuelos echoed earlier member comments,
adding that “our students are getting one of the
best educations in the country.” Kaneda then
noted it was a “time to pause and look back,
but also time to look forward.” She said that
a lot of the same people are here, maybe in
different roles,” but added that “we make each
other better, together. I applaud all of you,
thanks for a wonderful set of years.”
Next to report was Chief Business Official
Dave Wilson, who noted a recent article published
by the Daily Breeze that spoke of alleged
financial woes that are or will be plaguing
California school districts, including Wiseburn.
Wilson disputed the findings of the article
author, saying that that the reporter had written
a piece that was “misleading and inaccurate
in its analysis.” He explained certain budget
numbers that the author had used were dubious,
calling the findings “completely inaccurate,
misleading and baseless.”
During his report, Silvers said this was “the
thanking time of year,” giving his regards to
school principals and mentioning how inspired
he had been during his recent trips to tour
elementary campuses. He also gave high praise
to his administrative assistant Wendy Tsubaki,
who, he said, “sits over there quietly [at the
meetings].” He noted how she has helped him
navigate the first five months of his tenure as
superintendent.
Silvers also mentioned that the District is
steadfastly working on developing its long-range
facility master plan, which includes working
with Actus Consulting and their expert David
Klug, an active police officer, who provides
threat assessment strategies and emergency
response options, Klug has walked all the sites
and provides recommendations concerning site
safety, with the District working in conjunction
with architects to make those “safer.”
Post the member and administration reports,
the Board then got down to the brass tacks of
the meeting, giving their qualified approval
to the twice-pulled from the agenda joint-use
agreement with the City of El Segundo regarding
the Aquatics Center. The Board approved the
agreement, with the stipulation that the final
verbiage was still to be negotiated.
Also approved was an agreement with planning
experts LPA to work with the District to develop
the long-term master facilities plan for a cost
not to exceed $137,500. Silvers explained how
LPA was selected, calling the firm “our best
fit” and reporting that a safety audit had been
performed, with Klug making recommendations
about improving safety barriers – with many
of them concerning entry and exit points at all
District sites. Silvers foresees the development
of a “very comprehensive master plan.”
Wilson later spoke about the positive certification
for the mandated filing of Wiseburn’s
first-interim financial report.
In other news, the District recognized and
appreciated the musical talents of students
earlier this week, with events including the
Wiseburn/Da Vinci Winter Concert featuring
the Dana Middle School Beginning and
Advanced Orchestras; the WUSD Elementary
Strings; the Da Vince Studio Orchestra; and Da
Vinci Rock Bands. The following evening, the
WUSD Winter Concert was presented at Dana
and featured the WUSD Elementary Band, the
Dana Concert Band, the Dana Symphonic Band,
and the Dana Singers choir. Silvers lauded the
efforts of all involved in the musical program:”
We have a phenomenal music program -- it is
great to see the kids on stage,” he said.
The winter break commences tomorrow as
the dismissal bell rings, with the next Wiseburn
School Board meeting set for Thursday
evening, Jan. 10. •