Redondo Schools on CBEE's Honor Roll

Eight schools in Redondo Beach are recognized as Honor Roll Schools by California Business for Education Excellence.

Eight schools in the Redondo Beach Unified School District were selected as 2011 Honor Roll Schools by California Business for Education Excellence, the district said in a news release Monday. Washington Elementary School was deemed a SBEE Star School, defined as a school with "socio-economically disadvantaged students that have shown a significant increase in grade-level proficiency over time," according to the news release. Alta Vista, Beryl Heights, Birney, Jefferson, Lincoln and Tulita elementary schools, as well as Redondo Union High School, were recognized as CBEE Scholar Schools, which show significant levels of academic achievement but don't have a significant percentage of socio-economically disadvantaged students. Of the 1,614 …

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Board Approves Drug Dog Agreement

The Redondo Beach Board of Education approves a memorandum of understanding with the city to bring drug-sniffing dogs to Redondo Union High School.

With a 3-2 vote, the Redondo Beach Board of Education approved a memorandum of understanding with the city of Redondo Beach on Tuesday night that paves the way to bring drug-sniffing dogs to Redondo Union High School. Board members Drew Gamet and Todd Loewenstein dissented. According to Assistant Superintendent Frank DeSena, the Redondo Beach Unified School District has been ready to have the drug dogs at the high school since the beginning of the year; however, City Manager Bill Workman recommended the district and the city sign a memorandum of understanding. "The initial plan was in January of 2012 we would start using the drug-sniffing dogs at Redondo Union High School, and we were ready to proceed," DeSena said. "It just took a long …

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Marine Corps Pyramid Gets New Plaque

The Redondo Union High School Marine Corps JROTC cadets place their plaque on the Redondo Beach Veterans Memorial Marine Corps pyramid.

The Redondo Union High School Marine Corps JROTC raised more than $7,000 to sponsor the U.S. Marine Corps Pyramid at Veterans Park, and on Thursday, the cadets added their plaque to the pyramid. JROTC cadets, Principal Nicole Wesley, Veterans Memorial Task Force members Ernie O'Dell and Tom Lasser, as well as other officials, attended the informal ceremony. The memorial at Veterans Park, which was completed in 2011, includes five pyramids representing the five branches of the U.S. military—the Army, sponsored by Northrop Grumman; Navy, sponsored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe; Air Force, sponsored by the Air Force Association; Coast Guard, sponsored by the Kimose Family; and Marine Corps, now sponsored by Redondo Union. …

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School Board Awards Knob Hill Lease

Fountain Square Development West, which envisions an assisted-living facility on the property, is the highest bidder for 320 Knob Hill Ave.

With a unanimous vote, the Redondo Beach Board of Education decided Tuesday to award a lease of the school district’s surplus property at 320 Knob Hill Ave. in South Redondo Beach to the highest bidder. Fountain Square Development West, unanimously approved as the highest responsible bidder by the school board members, plans to build an assisted-living facility on the property. Last week, the developers outbid Via Almar Properties, another group of developers whose plan proposed a boutique hotel and condos with recreational facilities, with an offer of $614,250 annually. The school board members adjourned that meeting until Tuesday night to give them an opportunity to go over the bids in greater detail. A few residents at the meeting …

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Blossom Chronicles

Orozco: 'Desire Is Secret to Success'

Redondo Union senior Jose Orozco—the latest person to be named a Greatest Person on Redondo Beach Patch—says a turning point in his life came three summers ago.

Jovan Orozco, 17, has been accepted to the University of Southern California, Notre Dame and the University of Pennsylvania. He's on the waiting list at Harvard. Nearly four years ago, the Redondo Union High School senior, a straight-A student since the start of his junior year, made a life-changing decision to take the hardest classes after he saved a girl from drowning. While catching some rays on the beach three summers ago, Jovan heard a girl screaming for help. “She was drowning,” Jovan, who tried to attract the life guard’s attention, told Patch during an interview last week. “He was doing pull-ups and too far away, so I ran in and saved her.” One problem: “I never learned how to swim.” That technicality aside, he managed to dog …

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Knob Hill Lease to be Awarded Tuesday

The lease for the property at 320 Knob Hill Ave. will be awarded next Tuesday, pending examination of the two bids.

The Redondo Beach Board of Education will choose which developer will be awarded the lease of the school district's property at the corner of Knob Hill and Pacific Coast Highway during a special meeting next Tuesday. During its most recent Tuesday meeting, the board opened sealed bids for the property. Fountain Square Development West—whose plans call for an assisted-living facility on the site—submitted an initial bid of $505,000 annually. Via Almar Properties proposed a boutique hotel and condos with recreational facilities open to the public; the company's initial bid of $450,000 annually was the minimum allowed. Once the bids were announced, a short bidding war between the two developers ensued, with Fountain Square bidding the highest…

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Jefferson Wins Trash-Free Challenge

Jefferson Elementary School wins a $1,000 grant from Grades of Green for its trash-free lunch program. Coast Christian School in North Redondo is also a finalist.

This year, about a dozen schools across Los Angeles County attempted to go trash-free at lunch in hopes of winning a $1,000 grant from Manhattan Beach-based Grades of Green, an organization dedicated to making schools more environmentally aware. The participants were narrowed down to three finalists—Jefferson Elementary School and Coast Christian School in North Redondo Beach and Trinity Lutheran School in Whittier—with Jefferson ultimately taking the top prize. Judges from Grades of Green visited the three schools Monday to evaluate their programs. Representatives at both Redondo schools said getting the students involved was an integral part of their program. "It's been really helpful … you know, there's nothing like peer pressure," …

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MB Resident Dies in SUV Rollover on Interstate

College freshman Rachel Kekauoha, whose parents and brother live in Manhattan Beach, was on her way to Lake Havasu when the SUV she was riding in rolled over several times and she was ejected.

Rachel Kekauoha, a Manhattan Beach resident, 2011 graduate of Mira Costa High School and freshman at Brigham Young University, Idaho, died Friday, April 6 around 3:27 a.m. when she was ejected from the vehicle she was riding in, Manhattan Beach Patch has confirmed. According to Dave Carter of the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office, Rachel was a front seat passenger in a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder SUV whose driver "over-corrected" after the vehicle began to drift off the road. She was not wearing a seat belt, he said. The rollover occurred on Interstate 40 in rural Ludlow, according to Carter. Rachel's father Kelland told MB Patch she was on her way to Lake Havasu. Rice Mortuary, 5310 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, will be the site of a public …

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Washington Is 'Distinguished School'

Washington Elementary School is recognized as one of 387 California Distinguished Schools this year.

Washington Elementary School in North Redondo Beach is a California Distinguished School, the state Department of Education announced in a news release Friday. "Our community is thrilled," said Washington Principal Jackie O'Sullivan. No other school in Redondo Beach Unified School District was eligible to apply for the honor, O'Sullivan said. In all, 387 schools were recognized in California. In order to apply for the program, schools must meet designated federal and state accountability measures based on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Academic Performance Index (API) requirements, among other criteria. Schools must also include in their application a "comprehensive description of two of the school's successful …

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JV Girls Lacrosse Shines in Tournament

The Redondo Union High School girls junior varsity lacrosse team sweeps its bracket at an Orange County tournament.

When it comes to prep sports, the varsity team is usually the one in the spotlight. With its 6-2 overall record—5-1 in the Bay League—as of Thursday evening, the Redondo Union High School girls varsity lacrosse team is deserving of the limelight. But the junior varsity girls lacrosse team is shining, too. Under the direction of  coaches and Redondo alums Meesha Robinson and Tully Tampakes, the team took home top honors in the Silver bracket at the Sticks and Stones Tournament in Orange County last weekend. The team, which went undefeated over the past two years against Los Angeles-area teams, beat Esperanza, 4-3; Aliso Nigel, 6-3; and Carlsbad, 6-5. The leading scorers were Maddie Farmer (five goals), Jessica Veliz (four goals), Allison …

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