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RB school visits attract educators
by George Wiley
Model site visits in the Redondo Beach Unified School District (RBUSD) drew dozens of educators from around the country last month to view accelerated school programs at work.
According to Linda Mangers, public relations associate for the RBUSD, both Madison and Washington Elementary Schools served as optional site visit schools for educators attending the Accelerated Schools Third National Conference Jan. 15-19 in downtown Los Angeles.
Mangers said Washington school offered a workshop on its family reading program. Principal Jeff Bordofsky told educators these four-times-a-year reading sessions turned into "real happenings" at the school, attracting as many as 200 students and parents. The evening reading sessions end with parents and families browsing through the school's lending library, Bordofsky added. Joining Bordofsky at the site visit workshop were fifth grade teacher Jennifer Ennis, school volunteer Alice Snyder and parent Susan Castro.
Mangers said the Redondo workshops were just two of many site visit schools that could be selected by conference goers. Of those at the conference, about 50 chose to visit the Redondo schools, Mangers said.
At Madison Elementary, site visitors were offered three different workshops. One dealt with transforming a school into an accelerated school; a second dealt with how to set up a school/town like Madison's Cometville as a model community for students to learn from, and the third, according to Mangers, told how to find parent volunteers.
Joining Madison principal Nancy Spence for these presentations were teachers Jan Barber, Nadine Broekman, Diane Miller, Amy Santa Cruz, Laurel Wade and Joanne Wedhoff, instructional aide Robin Rau and parents Martha Swigard and Susan Hatlen.
Mangers called the accelerated schools program "a very visionary partnership" between teachers and parents to let students reach their highest levels of achievement. "The philosophy is that all children with the proper encouragement and educational techniques can learn and exceed our highest expectations," said Mangers.
Prop. 26 endorsement
In other activity related to RBUSD, the school board last week voted unanimously to support the passage of Prop 26 on the March primary ballot. According to Mangers, Prop 26, which is being called the "Let's Fix Our Schools Initiative" would allow local school boards to pass bond issues with a simple majority vote rather than the two-thirds majority now required. Prop 26 would also hold school districts accountable for "prudent and responsible spending," Mangers added. She said Redondo has no plans for such a bond issue.
Last year, Mangers noted, California voters passed a proposition letting districts receive state bond funds if they can generate matching money through the passage of local bonds.ER