Educators honored for work with kids...

Educators honored for work with kids

When Delores Marshall first arrived in the United States at the

age of 5, she couldn’t speak the language and wanted desperately to

fit in. Now in her job as an English as a second language aide at Top

of the World Elementary School, Marshall works with students who

speak Russian or Spanish to help them feel more at home in their new

school.

At the Laguna Beach Unified School District’s meeting, Marshall

and Thurston Middle School teacher Christyne Byron were recognized

for appreciating cultural diversity and individual differences. Karen

Kuhn, Lisa Williams and David Dixon will receive their commendations

at a future meeting.

“Parents and kids love Delores because they see a sincere and

caring person,” Principal Ron La Motte said. He commended her for

providing students with Halloween costumes, special lunches and even

more important, a sense of belonging.

Byron was recognized for fostering inclusion and recognition of

individual differences both as the advisor to the Bridges Club at

Thurston Middle School and as a sixth-grade social studies and

English/Language Arts teacher.

“She was doing it before it became trendy,” Principal Chris Duddy

said.

Byron begins each school year by creating a Student Bill of Rights

and Constitution for her classes. Every voice is respected and no one

feels intimidated to speak up in her classroom, Duddy said.

Next August, Byron and Gail McClain will join a group of UC Irvine

Writing Project teachers and consultants who will travel to

Guangzhou, China to establish the first satellite campus of the Young

Writer’s Program.

Mary A. Castillo

Drivers reminded to follow bus rules

The Laguna Beach Police Department wants to send a strong reminder

to motorists about the rules of the road when it comes to school

buses.

Although no accidents have occurred involving school children,

traffic enforcement officers will be extra vigilant for drivers who

fail to stop behind a school bus when it displays flashing red lights

or the stop signal arm.

“We’re doing this to try to stop accidents before they occur,”

Sgt. Doris Higgins said. “Every two years we have to go back to

remind everyone that these laws exist.”

The California Vehicle Code states that drivers who are traveling

in the same direction as a school bus must stop behind it no matter

how many lanes of traffic are present. Drivers who are traveling in

the opposite direction don’t have to stop when there are two or more

lanes in both directions or they’re on a divided highway.

All traffic must come to a complete stop when there is only one

lane in each direction, though.

Police will monitor potential hot spots: Laguna Canyon Road east

of Canyon Acres, Park Avenue at Wendt Terrace and Forest Avenue near

2nd Street.

A first-time offense can cost a driver between $150 and $250.

Repeat offenders can be fined upward of $1,000 or have their license

suspended for one year by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

-- Mary A. Castillo