BRIEFLY IN EDUCATION

School board mulls superintendent search firms

The Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees narrowed down its list of possible search firms to four at its Dec. 20 special meeting. The firms will be interviewed in early January as the board seeks to hire a firm to administer the district’s search for a new superintendent.

Superintendent Theresa Daem plans to step down by the end of the current school year.

The district received seven proposals from firms around the country.

The four firms selected to proceed to the interview stage are 4 Administrators Executive Search Firm; Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd.; Leadership Associates and The Cosca Group.

Even Start students celebrate holidays

For the students of the Even Start Preschool Program at the Boys & Girls’ Club of Laguna Beach, the last week of school before the winter break was once again a busy time of holiday celebrations with the community of Laguna Beach.

The Even Start program is a free school-readiness program that exclusively serves 3- and 4-year-olds living in low-income households.

The festivities started on Dec. 12 with a visit from Santa Claus (Bob Strum) and his wife, who came bearing gifts and good cheer for the children in the Even Start Preschool program and the La Playa Center.

Dec. 14 found the children singing seasonal songs at the annual holiday luncheon for the seniors at Legion Hall. Organized by Patty Cost, Senior Center Coordinator for the city, this annual event features the children singing songs and giving original handmade cards to all the seniors.

This year, the children also distributed gift packages to all the seniors attending the celebration.

The children and their families then shared a luncheon with the seniors.

The week’s festivities culminated in the annual party with the Laguna Beach Police Department. Police officers bring gifts for each child, and the parents of the children bring food to share with the police.

This year, Police Chief Mike Sellers swore in the children as honorary police for the day and distributed badges for all the children.

Achievements for

Sparkuhl pair

Laguna Beach’s Sparkuhl family was given two extra reasons to celebrate this season as Pat and Heather’s children both shared exciting news in the same week.

Cory Sparkuhl, Laguna Beach High School class of 2002, finished his digital editing and motion graphics studies in Burbank.

Erin Sparkuhl, class of 1998, received the news that she passed the California State Bar on her first try.