Briefly In Education

La Playa Center starts its school year

The La Playa Center, an English as a second language school, recently opened its doors for the academic year.

La Playa has been part of Laguna Beach for 16 years. It operates inside the Boys & Girls Club and is partnered with Even Start preschool. The school offers English classes for non-native speakers and free child care.

The school is open from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday. It follows the Laguna Beach Unified School District calendar and offers three levels of ESL instruction and a pronunciation class.

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Free screenings at Boys & Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach is offering free developmental screenings for Orange County children younger than 5 from 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 14.

The comprehensive screening can give parents insight into how their child is maturing developmentally, cognitively and socially.

The Family Support Network is conducting the screenings and has done so for the past five years at the club.

“This is one of the most important events we offer families in our community,” Terry Anne Barman, director of Early Childhood and Family Services at the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, said in a statement. “Early detection and intervention for development delays are essential school readiness components for children. Family Support Network and their team of specialists are the best. This year we hope to see an increase in the number of families taking advantage of this important opportunity for their children.”

Parents and children are urged to arrive early since screenings are on a first come, first serve basis. If a child cannot be screened on Oct. 14, they can be placed on a wait list for an upcoming screening.

For more information, contact Margaret Lewis of Family Support Network at (714) 854-7762 or Barman at (949) 494-2535 ext. 107.

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Claes Ovation hosts SchoolPower dinner

The Andersen family hosted its ninth annual Claes Dinner and SchoolPower fundraiser Sept. 26.

About 200 supporters of SchoolPower came to the dinner at Claes Ovation at Hotel Laguna, and 100% of the proceeds went to the nonprofit that supports Laguna Beach schools.

The event raised nearly $18,000 for SchoolPower, according to a press release.

“SchoolPower is so honored to continue to benefit from the tradition and legacy left by Claes Andersen,” SchoolPower President Marcus Skenderian said in a statement. “We can’t thank Georgia Andersen, the Andersen Family, and the Hotel Laguna enough for their continued support of our schools, our district and our community.”

The yearly event kicks off SchoolPower’s Community Campaign, which asks SchoolPower volunteers to approach school families in the community for donations. Last year SchoolPower was able to donate about $697,000 to Laguna schools and the SchoolPower endowment due to the campaign and events such as the Claes Dinner.

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Thurston students talk futures at Career Day

Thurston Middle School students had the chance to hear from more than 25 professionals on Career Day on Sept. 21.

“Career Day was a great example of how this community gives back to Thurston students,” Thurston counselor Nance Morrissey said in a statement. “The speakers inspired the students to think about their futures and to realize that the personal qualities of being conscientious, diligent and friendly combine to create success. Our students were polite and engaging and asked relevant questions. The day was great fun for the adults as well as the students.”

Speakers included an airline pilot, skateboard manufacturer, pediatrician, aesthetician, film director and environmentalist among others.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students completed a Google survey to sign up for career speakers and then were rotated through presentations.

“Not only did students get to explore areas of interest, but they were also exposed to fields they didn’t even know existed,” counselor Jennifer DeMark said in a statement.

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Thurston sixth-graders learn science

While seventh- and eighth-graders learned about future careers back on the mainland, sixth-graders got to escape to Catalina for four days for Outdoor Science School from Sept. 20 to 23.

“Catalina was amazing. What an opportunity for our students to learn and grow in so many ways! We had students who had never camped, snorkeled or kayaked before Outdoor Science School,” Assistant Principal Mike Modeer said in a statement. “They left with a sense of pride and accomplishment that they had risen to the challenges presented. The Outdoor Science School did an amazing job of connecting the lessons students learned in labs to the world around them. We definitely have a group of world changers at Thurston thanks to the Catalina experience our sixth-graders are offered.”

—Joanna Clay