Briefly In Education

El Morro classes back in session after mudslide

Fourth-grade classes at El Morro Elementary are back to learning in the classroom after a Jan. 19 mudslide flooded five classrooms, forcing teachers and students to hold lessons in the multipurpose room while the school underwent repairs.

An estimated $100,000 to $125,000 in repairs of damaged carpets, baseboards, walls and wallpaper, as well as environmental inspections, mold extractions and sanitization took place for four weeks, said Norma Shelton, assistant superintendent of business services.

“We have not received all invoices, but these are the estimated costs,” she said. “The rooms were cleared immediately after the flood and contractors were hired to being repairing the damage.”

The flood resulted from a faulty drainage system of the adjacent state park, which was still under development.

“The state park could not have been more proactive or helpful with resolving this issue,” Shelton said. “Since then, the drainage problem has been corrected.”

El Morro Principal Chris Duddy said he was pleased with the flexibility of both teachers and students during the repair process.

“I am so proud of the teachers and students for continuing to do an outstanding job of teaching and learning while they were temporarily housed in the multipurpose room,” he said. “They did an outstanding job moving forward without complaining.”

Library hosts college program Wednesday

Laguna Beach Library, along with Graeme Brown of Ivy West Test Prep and Kristin Thomas of Laguna College Counseling, will host a panel presentation, “Steps to College: Demystifying the College Application Process,” at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

A question-and-answer period will be included.

For more information, call the library at (949) 497-1733, or Brown at (949) 280-4518.

PTA plans parent mixer

Thurston Middle School’s PTA will host an “Out on the Town” event for parents at 6 p.m. March 10 as a way to mingle and sample fare from downtown eateries including Romeo Cucina, Lumberyard, Nick’s Laguna, Nirvana Grille, Sundried Tomato Café, Anastasia, Sorrento Grille and Zinc Café.

As many as 150 guests are invited to enjoy a progressive evening downtown, walking from venue to venue enjoying wine, beer, hors d’oeuvres and each other’s company.

Guests will visit two designated stops in small groups before all joining together at Romeo Cucina for a light buffet supper, deejay and desserts from Zinc Café.

Upon making a reservation, guests are randomly assigned to two different stops, the first from 6 to 6:45 p.m. and the second from 6:55 to 7:40 p.m., where they will socialize with fellow parents and some Thurston staff.

Cost is $65 per person; checks should be made payable to T.M.S. PTA and should include the names of the attendees.

Reservations may be dropped off at the school office or mailed to Kathleen Moore, 84 Emerald Bay, Laguna Beach.

For more information, call Moore at (949) 497-8455 or Melissa Cavanaugh at (949) 499-4893.

SchoolPower raises money for new devices

SchoolPower is trying to raise money through its Fund-a-Need initiative, in order to provide Student Response Systems, hand-held devices that allow immediate student feedback to teacher questions.

Asst. Supt of Instructional Services Nancy Hubbell advocates the device as a means of helping teachers to be aware of whether their students are understanding the instruction.

“Student Response Systems give teachers a highly effective tool to maintain optimum levels of student engagement,” she said. “Students are continually contributing to the lesson, collaborating in their responses, and using higher order thinking skills to solve complex problems.”

SchoolPower President Robin Rounaghi said she is enthusiastic about the initiative and hopes the Fund-a-Need effort will raise more than $32,000 seed money.

“District educators have done the research, worked with teachers and created an initial implementation plan. Now, its our turn to do our part,” she said.

Thurston Middle School teacher Andy Crisp created a video to help promote the initiative, which can be viewed at www.lbschoolpower.org.

Live bidding benefiting the Student Response Systems will also be featured at SchoolPower’s 25th Annual Dinner Dance on Saturday at Montage Laguna Beach.

To watch the video, donate to Fund-a-Need, buy opportunity drawing tickets or proxy bid on exciting auction items, visit the website or call (949) 494-6811.

LCAD student creates winning logo

Laguna College of Art & Design sophomore, Jordan Minardi, was honored by the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Laguna Beach Rotary Club recently for his winning logo design to represent this year’s Grapes for Grads event.

A $500 award was presented to Minardi during the Rotary luncheon at Aliso Creek Inn.

His design was chosen from more than 25 entries.

Grapes for Grads is a wine tasting and scholarship fundraiser that will be at Tivoli Too on May 2.

Proceeds from the event will benefit students of LCAD and Laguna Beach High School.

Event highlights include premiere local and regional wine tasting, heavy hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, live student painting demonstration and a silent auction.

Now in its fifth year, the Chamber and Rotary created the program with the vision to support local youth in their academic and creative endeavors by providing scholarships to four Laguna Beach students.

Event Co-chairman Jeff Redeker said the logo contest has become a great way to kick off the marketing for the event.

“What a great real world project when you look at the competing, the branding and receiving the award,” he said. “Jordan did a great job for us and we are excited with the work Jordan created.”

Perfect English SAT score logged by student

Parker Poche, a student at Laguna Beach High School, scored a perfect 800 on the English section of the SAT.

Principal Don Austin acknowledged Poche’s accomplishment as a “very big deal.”