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Pasadena Unified School District Details Proactive Response to Coronavirus

Brian McDonald

The unprecedented impact of the coronavirus has warranted an equally unprecedented response, and the Pasadena Unified School District is proud to be on the forefront of educational and institutional leadership during this time.
We have worked hard to prepare, act quickly in response to a fluid and ever-changing situation, and to bring together resources to ensure that teachers in the district have the support they need to teach effectively. We have also made sure that children have the tools they need to continue to learn and thrive with as little interruption as possible.

Here’s how it all happened:

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Prep, Poly, Westridge Ranked Among Top County High Schools

A trio of Pasadena-area high schools scored in the top five among private schools in Los Angeles County, while eight San Gabriel Valley campuses were ranked among the top 20 Catholic schools by the review website Niche.com.
Out of the 2019 top private high schools in the county, Flintridge Prep of La Cañada Flintridge won the No. 2 spot, Polytechnic School came in at No. 3, and Westridge School garnered No. 5. By comparison, under the 2018 ranking for all of Southern California, Polytechnic ranked fourth, Flint­ridge Prep fifth and Westridge seventh.


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St. Francis Edges Saugus, 17-13

Photo courtesy Eric Danielson
Darius Perrantes completed 10 of 26 passes for 152 yards in the Golden Knights’ 17-13 victory over Saugus.

The St. Francis varsity football team came away with a 17-13 victory in a back-and-forth affair against visiting Saugus last Friday.
The Golden Knights (2-2 overall record) found themselves trailing 7-0 in the first quarter following two turnovers, including a controversial fumble recovery that was ruled a lateral by the officiating crew.
Senior quarterback Darius Perrantes, who completed 10 of 26 for 152 yards, was held scoreless until the 10:27 mark in the second quarter when kicker Jake Smith put the home squad on the board with a 38-yard field goal.
St. Francis got into a rhythm offensively and took a 10-7 lead following a 2-yard touchdown run from Max Garrison with 4:04 remaining in the second quarter.
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Minutemen Win Big in Homecoming Game, 62-0

Photo courtesy David Thomas
Isaac Fields caught four touchdown passes and helped Maranatha clobber visiting Maywood CES of Los Angeles, 62-0, last Friday.

The Maranatha High School varsity football team turned in a flawless performance in its homecoming game and cruised to a 62-0 victory over Maywood CES of Los Angeles last Friday.
The Minutemen (3-2 overall record) had plenty of highlights, the biggest one coming from wide receiver Isaac Fields. The junior caught a screen pass and scored from 23 yards out by hurdling over a defender and stiff-arming another two en route to the end zone. Fields finished with four scores in the contest, including a 97-yard touchdown reception with only 2 seconds remaining in the first half.
Junior quarterback Enrique Garza had an efficient game, completing eight of nine passes for 300 yards and seven touchdowns. Zack McClendon was one of his favorite targets with three receiving touchdowns.
On defense, Zachary Hall forced a fumble and senior Ethan Zhou recovered the football. Junior Jacob Moreno was solid on special teams with 104 return yards and a touchdown on a punt return in the first half.
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Boys & Girls Club Lends Love, Training to Shelter Dogs

Photo courtesy Boys & Girls Club A Boys & Girls Club member displays his dog-training skills at an obstacle course with a shelter dog named Dodger. The K9 Youth Alliance nonprofit provides the dogs for students to train in a vocational program.
Photo courtesy Boys & Girls Club
A Boys & Girls Club member displays his dog-training skills at an obstacle course with a shelter dog named Dodger. The K9 Youth Alliance nonprofit provides the dogs for students to train in a vocational program.

After 80 years of delivering tried-and-true programs to local youth, the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena has recently hit another home run program for its members, one that is particularly hard to resist: helping shelter dogs.
The collaboration with the K9 Youth Alliance nonprofit is “kids helping dogs helping kids,” a program to connect teens with furry friends from Los Angeles Animal Services. They establish a working, loving relationship with shelter dogs through an intense, three-week vocational training program. Continue reading “Boys & Girls Club Lends Love, Training to Shelter Dogs”

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Rose City High Paves New Pathways for Success

OUTLOOK photo Rose City High School Principal Brian Stanley has strengthened support services for his students with the help of dedicated, highly trained staff, including teacher Kathleen Saxton.
OUTLOOK photo
Rose City High School Principal Brian Stanley has strengthened support services for his students with the help of dedicated, highly trained staff, including teacher Kathleen Saxton.

“We do things differently here.”
That’s not a statement heard often from a public school principal, but then again, Rose City High School Principal Brian Stanley is not a typical school head, nor is Rose City a typical public school. Continue reading “Rose City High Paves New Pathways for Success”

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Clairbourn Headmaster to Step Down, But Never Away

Robert Nafie, Clairbourn School Headmaster
Robert Nafie, Clairbourn School Headmaster

Following nearly four decades as headmaster at Clairbourn School, Robert Nafie has seen a lot of changes in education and the way students dress, talk and even absorb information, but the children themselves have remained largely the same.
Along with their innate sense of wonder, imagination, joyfulness and innocence, he said, the children still all really want to succeed.
“Over the years, the kids from the ’70s and ’80s were vastly different than the kids today, the Pokémon era and all, but they all have those same elements. They all want to feel success,” said Nafie, whose life’s work has been to inspire and lead the children at Clairbourn School. Continue reading “Clairbourn Headmaster to Step Down, But Never Away”

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Westridge Grads Return for College Conversations

Photo courtesy Westridge School Rebecca Wang, Sarah Binns, Christie Huang, Ella Prebel-Jackert, Vivienne Li, Alexandra Langer and Anabel Shuckhart
Photo courtesy Westridge School
Rebecca Wang, Sarah Binns, Christie Huang, Ella Prebel-Jackert, Vivienne Li, Alexandra Langer and Anabel Shuckhart

Westridge School graduates from the class of 2017 (as well as one student from the class of 2013) recently kicked off the school’s Homecoming festivities with the seventh annual College Conversations luncheon for the senior class. The event’s series of individual speakers and panel discussions provided an opportunity for current students to hear firsthand about the experiences of alumnae, now on the other side of the college application process, in an effort to alleviate stress and pressure current seniors feel this time of year.

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FSHA Students Awarded Grants for Research Program

Photo courtesy FSHAAmelia Andrews, Genevieve Spiotto, Michelle Liu, Cate Doud, Ellis DeJardin, Darcy Michero, Claire Villegas and Lauren Risha
Photo courtesy FSHA
Amelia Andrews, Genevieve Spiotto, Michelle Liu, Cate Doud, Ellis DeJardin, Darcy Michero, Claire Villegas and Lauren Risha

Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy students in honors scientific research (aka SciSearch) have been awarded three Archer STEM Research Grants, a STEM initiative sponsored by the Archer School for Girls. Grant recipients include Amelia Andrews, Ellis DeJardin, Cate Doud, Michelle Liu, Darcy Michero, Lauren Risha, Genevieve Spiotto and Claire Villegas.
More than $20,000 was available through the merit-based application process; all of FSHA’s students who submitted proposals received funding, for a total of $5,500.
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