Enrollment up in local district The Laguna...

Enrollment up in local district

The Laguna Beach Unified School District 2005-2006 school year

begins with classes starting Tuesday for most students, and

enrollment is up at many schools, district officials said.

Laguna Beach High School principal Nancy Blade said enrollment is

up by 135 students as of Wednesday. The school has 13 new staff

members, nine of whom are teachers.

Enrollment is also up -- by 50 -- at Thurston Middle School, which

also has two new teachers.

Assistant principal Jenny Salberg said the school will be on a new

schedule this year, but students will still receive the same amount

of classroom instruction time.

El Morro Elementary School principal Chris Duddy said as of

Wednesday they will have 45 new students and expect more. The school

has the same number of staff and one new teacher in the music

program.

Top of the World Elementary School principal Ron La Motte said the

school has a new program on solar energy. It received a $146,000

grant from the state and has just finished implementing solar energy

at two campus buildings.

“It will generate 40% of our electrical needs,” La Motte said.

Library hosts art and writing contest

The Laguna Beach Library is inviting artists 12 and younger and

writers 12 to 18 to participate in two contests sponsored by book

distributor Baker & Taylor.

Winning entrants get $500 in books, as does the winner’s library.

Art participants will draw Baker & Taylor’s cat mascots in any

medium, no larger than 8 1/2-by-11. Art supplies are available at

the library.

Writers will pen a sequel, prequel or alternate ending to Laurie

Halse Anderson’s “Prom.”

All art entries should be turned in to the library by Sept. 30.

All essays should be turned in by Dec. 23. For more information,

contact Rebecca Porter at (949) 497-1733.