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‘Angst’ Documentary, Panel Discussion at LCHS Tackle Anxiety

Jim Cartnal, Melissa Johnson, Paul Royer and Rachel Zooi discuss anxiety as part of a small panel discussion
Photo by Wes Woods II / OUTLOOK
Jim Cartnal, Melissa Johnson, Paul Royer and Rachel Zooi discuss anxiety as part of a small panel discussion after a recent screening of the film “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety” at the La Cañada High School auditorium.

La Cañada High School senior Ashlyn Oh owns a laptop computer — but not a smartphone. Even so, she said, she experiences stress and escapism through technology just like other teenagers do.
Oh, who plans to double major in psychology and neuroscience at Williams College, is specifically interested in seeing how technology affects one’s mind and how that correlates with a rise in depression and anxiety. Continue reading “‘Angst’ Documentary, Panel Discussion at LCHS Tackle Anxiety”

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Meeting to Discuss Sagebrush Transfer on June 5 Canceled; No New Date Set

La Cañada Unified School District Superintendent Wendy Sinnette said it is unclear when a meeting might take place between school district officials and the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization to discuss the possible transfer of the Sagebrush territory into the LCUSD. A scheduled June 5 meeting has been canceled. Continue reading “Meeting to Discuss Sagebrush Transfer on June 5 Canceled; No New Date Set”

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Beloved St. Bede Principal, ‘Mr. V,’ Retires After 46 Years

St. Bede the Venerable School Principal Ralph Valente
OUTLOOK photo
St. Bede the Venerable School Principal Ralph Valente is set to retire at the end of this school year. He’s been at the school since 1973.

St. Bede the Venerable School Principal Ralph Valente, 69, started out his career in La Cañada Flintridge by sweeping floors and wiping windows.
“True story,” Valente laughed. “I like to say I started out as janitor and worked my way down.”
There’s a back story, of course, as there often is with Valente, whose much-loved, energetic charisma nourishes a reputation that precedes him in the community. But back in 1973, he’d just graduated from USC with a master’s degree in teaching during what was then one of worst recessions in modern history. He’d applied for jobs, all kinds of jobs, to no avail. Continue reading “Beloved St. Bede Principal, ‘Mr. V,’ Retires After 46 Years”

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LCHS Principals’ ‘Cartnal and Gold’ Podcast Debuts

La Cañada High School Principal Jim Cartnal and LCHS 7/8 Principal Jarrett Gold
OUTLOOK photo
La Cañada High School Principal Jim Cartnal and LCHS 7/8 Principal Jarrett Gold have a new podcast titled “Cartnal and Gold” available on the LCHS and LCHS 7/8 websites as well as Spotify.

La Cañada High School has officially joined the podcast craze with its new show, “Cartnal and Gold,” a tool to spread news about school activities and objectives as well as students’ accomplishments, using a medium with which youth are familiar.
LCHS Principal Jim Cartnal and LCHS 7/8 Principal Jarrett Gold’s podcast debuted recently on both schools’ websites and Spotify.
The show’s name, displayed in its logo over a crossed-out “Cardinal,” arose from La Cañada Unified School District webmaster Toby Lewsadder’s inspiration.
“The school colors are cardinal and gold,” Cartnal said in a recent interview. “That was Toby’s idea. We have heard positive feedback so far.” Continue reading “LCHS Principals’ ‘Cartnal and Gold’ Podcast Debuts”

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LCHS Is Losing Two Assistant Principals, Will Hire Just One

Jonathan Lyons and Kip Glazer
OUTLOOK photo
Jonathan Lyons and Kip Glazer are leaving La Cañada High School to become principals in Carmel and the Santa Barbara area, respectively.

With some big administrative changes already undertaken this school year, La Cañada High School is prepping for yet another.
Assistant principals Jonathan Lyons and Kip Glazer are set to leave, having accepted jobs in other districts, and the district will look to fill the vacancies with just one person, administrators said.
“Historically, the LCHS team is two assistant principals and one principal,” said LCHS Principal Jim Cartnal, who was confirmed in his role in March after briefly serving on an interim basis. Former Principal Ian McFeat has left the district since reaching a settlement of a dispute with the school system. Continue reading “LCHS Is Losing Two Assistant Principals, Will Hire Just One”

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LCUSD Hires New Executive Director of Special Education

Photo by Wes Woods II / OUTLOOK La Cañada Unified School District Superintendent Wendy Sinnette shares a smile with Derek Ihori, newly named executive director of special education and psychological services, at a May 2 special LCUSD Governing Board meeting.
Photo by Wes Woods II / OUTLOOK
La Cañada Unified School District Superintendent Wendy Sinnette shares a smile with Derek Ihori, newly named executive director of special education and psychological services, at a May 2 special LCUSD Governing Board meeting.

In a unanimous vote, the La Cañada Unified School District Governing Board named a new executive director of special education and psychological services during a special meeting last week.
“I’m really excited for this opportunity and I want to thank you,” Derek Ihori told the board after he was voted in last Thursday. Ihori’s salary will be $151,080, said Debra Cradduck, executive director of personnel services.
Ihori replaces Tamara Jackson, who is set to retire on June 30. Jackson has been with the LCUSD since 2003, always as special education director, she said in a previous statement.
District Superintendent Wendy Sinnette said Ihori, who has been the director of pupil services for the Las Virgenes Unified School District, was selected out of a strong candidate pool. He oversees 120 special education teachers and specialists for Las Virgenes. Continue reading “LCUSD Hires New Executive Director of Special Education”

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STEAM Night Energized by Robotics, Lego Fun

La Cañada Flintridge resident Brandon Cipes, his son Everett and STEM World’s Joe Huprich listen to LCHS student Nathan Yun talk about his robot. Yun belongs to the Golden Gears robotics team.
Photo by Wes Woods II / OUTLOOK
La Cañada Flintridge resident Brandon Cipes, his son Everett and STEM World’s Joe Huprich listen to LCHS student Nathan Yun talk about his robot. Yun belongs to the Golden Gears robotics team.

Robotics took over the final STEAM night of the La Cañada Unified School District’s academic year.
A district-sponsored event at Palm Crest Elementary on Monday featured hands-on activities with robotics at two of several stations. STEAM, the educational concept that stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math, is aimed at giving students the tools to succeed in all of those disciplines, and some of the stations showed how they sometimes overlap.
“We’re super big on recruiting or giving a lot of younger kids opportunities in robotics,” said Nathan Yun, a 16-year-old junior at La Cañada High School, who is on the Golden Gears 9881 robotics team made up of LCHS students.
His Golden Gears teammate Ethan Cohen added that the squad, which recently competed in Houston in an event that included two other LCHS robotics teams, composed almost entirely of juniors with a few sophomores and seniors, and is looking for new blood. Continue reading “STEAM Night Energized by Robotics, Lego Fun”

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LCE Students Learn Mindfulness Techniques

Photos by Wes Woods II / OUTLOOK Instructor Beth Lynch leads La Cañada Unified School District students in learning about mindfulness at La Cañada Elementary School.
Photos by Wes Woods II / OUTLOOK
Instructor Beth Lynch leads La Cañada Unified School District students in learning about mindfulness at La Cañada Elementary School.

Peter Wilkinson, a 12-year-old in 6th grade at La Cañada Elementary School, said he thought the topic of mindfulness “sounded kind of boring” but changed his mind after going through a one-hour class that featured exercises, sounds and even chocolate.
“I play piano and whenever I play a song, if I play it too many times my mind kind of wanders,” Wilkinson said after the hour class. “I might try to use [mindfulness techniques] to focus more.” Continue reading “LCE Students Learn Mindfulness Techniques”