BRIEFLY IN EDUCATION

Boys & Girls Clubs director steps down

The executive director of the Laguna Beach Boys & Girls Clubs has retired after 13 years, club Programs Director Susie Hird confirmed.

Kim Maxwell is credited for spearheading a fundraising effort several years ago that brought in $3 million to build new facilities for the clubs and expand its number of activities.

The clubs’ board of directors is currently embarking on an executive search for a new leader. Marketing and Development Director Pam Estes has stepped in as interim director, the club said.

Moms’ Group discusses ‘Queen of the Castle’

The Moms’ Group at Laguna Presbyterian Church is starting a new season of free weekly meetings beginning from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Sept. 28 in the church parlor, 415 Forest Ave. The group will discuss issues relevant to everyday lives as mothers, wives and individuals.

Throughout this year, the group will read and discuss Lynn Bowen Walker’s book, “Queen of the Castle: Encouragement for the Uninspired, Domestically Challenged or Just Plain Tired Homemaker.” Copies of the book are available for purchase; attendees may also just attend the discussions. Light brunch with juice and coffee will also be offered.

Infants may accompany their parent, and child care for older babies and preschoolers is available for a small donation. Child care scholarships are also available.

Space is limited; call Lisa Wilhelm at (949) 494-7555 or e-mail lwilhelm@laguna preschurch.org to reserve a place.

Clubs celebrate Day for Kids with quality time

On Sept. 15 at the Main Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Laguna Beach, more than 40 local families gathered to celebrate the national Boys & Girls Club Day for Kids, a day set aside each year to celebrate and honor children across the country by spending meaningful time with them.

Everyone in attendance enjoyed the chance to have fun and play together. Air hockey, bumper pool and ping pong were in high demand in the Club’s Games Room, where Nick Robitaille, the Club’s Games Room Director, handed out special Day for Kids balloons to all the participants.

Other activities for kids of all ages included face painting, hula hoop contests, hot dogs, sno-cones, and bubbles.

One of the highlights was the first annual Chalk Art Festival, for kids and parents to express their creativity.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Laguna Beach serve children and families living in Laguna Beach, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, and the surrounding area. The club is open every day after school for a membership fee of $140 a year. For more information, call (949) 494-2535, ext. 103.

LOCA plans family art sessions outdoors

Laguna Outreach Community Arts has planned two family outdoor art workshops for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 6 and 7.

In each session, Ocean Laguna Foundation docents will lead a tide pool exploration, followed by a hands-on watercolor art workshop taught by local artists. Participants will create a watercolor journal to capture their experiences.

The sessions will be at Treasure Island Park, near the Montage Resort & Spa.

The fee is $65 per adult or $35 per child per session, and includes a watercolor journal, art supplies, postcards, tote bag, refreshments and more.

For more information or to register, call (949) 363-4700.

SchoolPower dinner to benefit public schools

SchoolPower’s seventh-annual Claes Dinner will be starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 1 at Claes Restaurant in the Hotel Laguna.

This year’s event, “Beachfront with a Bunch of Friends,” will start with champagne cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by a three-course dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets are $70 per person, and all proceeds will benefit SchoolPower, which raises funds for Laguna Beach public schools.

For tickets, register online at www.lbschoolpower.org in the events section or call (949) 494-6811.

High school students pose with Stanley Cup

Laguna Beach High School students received a treat on Sept. 7 when the Stanley Cup, which was won this year by the Ducks, paid a visit to the campus.

Students, staff and board officials took turns posing with the trophy, which has been making the rounds through Orange County after the hockey team’s first leaguewide victory earlier this year.

Volunteers sought to work with kids

The American Assn. of University Women is looking for volunteers to work with children at El Morro Elementary School. Anyone who enjoys working with children — reading, helping with math or homework — is welcome and needed.

The Help a Child program is during school hours. Help a Child volunteers work in the school room with the teacher, often in small groups.

The Learning Club is after school on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

Both programs are rewarding for children and volunteers.

For information, call Peggie Thomas at (949) 499-1817 or e-mail pegthomas@cox.net.

District school gets technology boost

The Laguna Beach Unified School District is upgrading its network connections to at least 150 Mbps; it previously had a 1.5 Mbps connection, which was delivered via traditional copper telephone wires.

The increased speed and fiber connectivity was made possible by a fiber-optic based wide area network from Cox Communications.

Students and teachers will be able to download larger files faster, including educational video clips. Through a partnership with the Discovery Channel, teachers can access more than 7,000 educational titles on demand, up from 3,000 with the previous technology, using the Discovery UnitedStreaming application, an online teaching service.