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VOLUME 27 NUMBER 35
Sept. 1, 2011
API scores rise at high school district; Canyon Crest tops 900 BY MARSHA SUTTON SENIOR EDUCATION WRITER Academic Performance Index numbers were released this week by the California Department of Education, and the San Dieguito Union High School District reported significant increases over last year at nearly every school. Canyon Crest Academy, in Pacific Highlands Ranch, gained 18 points, to pass the 900 mark. CCA’s 910 API makes it the highest-scoring comprehensive public high school in the county and one of the highest in the state. CCA’s enrollment is about 1,875 students in grades 9-12. Carmel Valley’s Torrey Pines High School, with about 2,700 students in grades 9-12, also made gains this year, scoring 880, nine points higher than last year. Carmel Valley Middle School scored 971, up four points from last year, while Earl Warren Middle School in Solana Beach, the only school in the district to see a lower API this year, dropped four points, to 925. Both are grades 7-8 schools. The district’s two middle schools in the north – Diegueno and Oak Crest – increased their API scores, Diegueno up 19 points to 908 and Oak Crest up 13 points to 902. Scores also climbed for San Dieguito’s high schools in the north. San Dieguito Academy in Encinitas scored 854, up nine points over last year, and the API for La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad came in three points higher than last year, scoring 818. Of the district’s eight comprehensive middle and high schools, five scored APIs over 900 – all four middle schools, See API, page 6
DM school board addresses concerns over cash incentives decision BY KAREN BILLING STAFF WRITER In response to some emails from parents voicing concern, Del Mar Union School District Board President Comischell Rodriguez requested that the board discuss the allocation of Federal Education Job Funds, approved in December, at its Aug. 24 meeting. The board voted to use its Federal Education Jobs Funds, which is federal money intended to save or create jobs, to give $1,000 in cash incentives to all employees, amounting to a total of about $500,000. At the meeting, parent David Wojtkowski said he
questioned the board’s rationale in approving the allotment. He said he is always very supportive of teachers but thought that the bonus was “irresponsible in these times.” On average, there was a 14 percent increase in health insurance costs and the board said money given helped to offset the rising costs. “I know that you can slice up the dollars a lot of different ways and I looked at every aspect,” Peabody said. “Every board can do it in a lot of different ways. I think what we did was a
See BOARD, page 6
Back to School in Carmel Valley
After enjoying the summer, Carmel Valley students were ready to hit the books Aug. 29. Students (accompanied by their parents) heading back to class on the first day of school included: (Above left) Hannah, Cathy and Hailey Dewey at Ashley Falls school, and (above right) Raymond, Alex, Yun and Wei Zhang at Solana Highlands school. Look for more back-to-school photos next issue. PHOTOS: JON CLARK
Adjustments made to help Ocean Air with student influx BY KAREN BILLING STAFF WRITER After lotteries, some creative uses of space and small class size increases, Ocean Air School has found ways to accommodate the influx of kindergarten students. But not everyone was able to go to their neighborhood school—at the Wednesday, Aug. 24, meeting two children had still been left out. By Thursday morning another student had dropped out and one more new kindergartner was able to squeak into the school. That left one student behind, who will now attend Sage Canyon. Ocean Air has 123 kindergartners, decided by a lottery system. Last month See OCEAN, page 15
Del Mar Highlands Town Center to hold grand re-opening festivities, promotions Del Mar Highlands Town Center is celebrating its grand re-opening with two jam-packed days of festivities and promotions on Friday, Sept. 9, and Saturday, Sept. 10. The event will feature live music, fashion shows, a pet parade, free face painting, cooking demonstrations, food samplings, prizes, giveaways and much more. Nearly every Del Mar Highlands merchant is offering up fun, free or discounted deals. The re-opening festivities kick off on Friday, Sept. 9 with a fashion show featuring the latest trends from center merchants in the plaza from 4-5 p.m. The show will be followed by soft jazz live music performance by Forecast. On the upper plaza, food samplings from the
The newly renovated Del Mar Highlands Town Center. Photo/Jon Clark center’s eateries will be offered and dogs can grab a bite at “Yappy Hour” at Pet People from 3-7 p.m. Pet People will be serving up Sweet Spots doggie ice cream samples with biscuit toppings. On Saturday, there will be free caricature drawings, face painting and balloon twisting for the kids as well as a Ronald McDonald magic show in the plaza from 12:30 p.m. to
1:30 p.m. Prize drawings will be held every hour from noon to 6 p.m. in the plaza, with the grand prize being a $500 shopping spree. The pet parade contest will also be held Saturday. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. and the parade and judging begins at 11 a.m. in the lower level plaza. The winner receives a $100 gift certificate to Pet People. Local radio stations will be doing live remotes from the center: KyXy 96.5 will be by Rite Aid from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sophie 103.7 will broadcast from 1-3 p.m. by Tilly’s. Bring a $25 or more receipt from a Del Mar Highlands Town Center merchant to any of the live See CENTER Page 6