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News from Laguna Beach Unified School District, its teachers, students, staff and Board of Education. | |
LBUSD highlights Class of 2024 achievements, strategic summer initiatives, and new preschool in 2024-25 Opening of Schools Report | |
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In the 2024-25 Opening of Schools Report presented to the Board of Education, Superintendent Jason Viloria, and leadership staff provided an overview of key updates for the upcoming school year. The report highlighted the Class of 2024's accomplishments, including a 99% graduation rate, with 81 percent of students earning early college credit through CTE articulated courses, AP exams, or dual/concurrent enrollment. Additionally, 79 percent of graduates met UC/CSU A-G requirements, and demonstrated strong AP exam performance, with 88 percent of students scoring a 3 or higher.
The report highlights the district's summer strategic planning efforts to deliver high-quality and valuable professional development for teachers and staff, supporting key focus areas: college and career readiness, safe, equitable, and inclusive schools, and enhanced social-emotional competencies. The report includes an update on early learning programs and the fall opening of Laguna Beach Preschool, which provides an inclusive space that supports school readiness for LBUSD's youngest learners.
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LBUSD partners with LCAD to expand visual arts opportunities for high school students |  | |
On Thursday evening, the Board of Education approved a formal partnership with Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) to expand visual arts opportunities for high school students. This partnership will offer a variety of initiatives aimed at enhancing college and career readiness in the arts. LCAD students and faculty will engage directly with LBHS students through classroom visits, mentorship programs, and collaborative design projects. LBHS students will also have the chance to tour LCAD's facilities, attend guest speaker sessions, and participate in design competitions and industry forums hosted by LCAD.
A key aspect of this collaboration is the alignment of the LBHS design curriculum with LCAD’s, where possible, to ensure students are well-prepared for college-level coursework and beyond. LCAD faculty will work closely with LBHS educators to share insights on design trends and best practices and explore opportunities for scholarships and funding for students pursuing further education at LCAD.
| LBUSD advances sustainability efforts with student-led waste diversion initiatives and campus-wide waste sorting |  | |
LBUSD is dedicated to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 through a range of sustainability efforts across the district. A key focus of this plan is enhancing environmental literacy through student-driven waste diversion initiatives, with student Green Teams leading efforts to increase awareness and education around proper waste sorting. Students are encouraged to properly dispose of their waste using color-coded bins available on all campuses.
Each campus has three types of waste bins:
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Gray: For landfill waste, including styrofoam containers, plastic bags, plastic film, soiled paper, coffee cups, plastic wrappers, and tissues.
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Blue: For recyclable materials, such as glass, metal, plastic containers, paper, and cardboard.
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Yellow: For food scraps (excluding fruit stickers), paper tea bags, coffee grounds, napkins, and paper towels.
In addition, each campus features shared baskets where students can place unopened, edible food to help reduce food waste. These collective actions are part of LBUSD’s broader strategy to minimize waste and promote sustainability on a daily basis.
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LBUSD shares High-Achieving Student Research, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement |  | |
LBUSD, in partnership with the Learner-Centered Collaborative, presented findings from its High-Achieving Student Research, offering a comprehensive look into the experiences of high-achieving students. The report highlights both strengths and challenges within the district. Students expressed appreciation for supportive relationships with teachers and opportunities to showcase their talents through electives, including arts, career and technical education, and extracurricular activities. However, many students reported feeling overwhelmed by heavy workloads, especially in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and cited pressure to maintain high GPAs.
The research is intended to serve as the foundation for ongoing efforts to balance academic rigor with student well-being, driving future improvements in how LBUSD supports its high-achieving students. The findings will guide future discussions and actions aimed at refining practices to create a more balanced, meaningful, and supportive learning environment.
| Families celebrate creativity at El Morro's Art Night, inspired by the vibrant world of Marc Chagall | |
At El Morro's Family Art Night, families came together to explore the vibrant, imaginative world of artist Marc Chagall and his captivating use of color. Known for blending realism with dreamlike elements, Chagall often used color symbolically—green to express joy, with other colors representing various emotions. His artwork is filled with symbolic, sometimes humorous elements that can be challenging to interpret.
During the event, families learned about Chagall’s unique painting style and then created their own artwork using oil pastels. Guided by instructors from Art Masters, participants expressed emotions like joy, passion, and concerns through bold, expressive colors. The room was filled with smiles as families enjoyed the opportunity to be creative together, in a collaborative setting where they shared a fun, hands-on experience.
| The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 26, 2024, at 6 p.m. Visit lbusd.org/board for more information. | | | | | |
