In Arcadia, 8 schools increased their Academic Performance Index (API) scores and two declined. Dana Middle School and First Avenue Middle School were the schools that showed declines in API scores.
The California State Department of Education has released test scores and rankings. Every spring the state gives each public school two rankings from 1 to 10. A "statewide" rank compares each school in the state and the "similar schools" rank compares schools with similar demographics and populations. Oak Avenue Intermediate in Temple City Unified School District and Huntington Middle School and San Marino High School in San Marino Unified all got 10s in both categories. All schools in the Arcadia Unified School District earned a rank of 10 in the "statewide" category, but ranks varied in the "similar schools" category.
Survivors of a bus crash on Santa Anita Avenue that happened 50 years ago, on July 14, 1959, recall the accident. The bus had been carrying a group of boys from a Catholic summer camp at Chantry Flat. Brakes failed coming down the steep grade of Santa Anita Avenue. The crash killed 3-year-old Cory Matson. The driver was Brady Bolt. Ken Kramer shares his story of the crash in a separate, related article on p. A4.
Two Arcadia residents were killed in an early morning auto accident when their Toyota Camry was broadsided by a Cadillac. Kevin Bruggeman and an unidentified female were the victims.
Sixty-four year old Fuzhi Ji and his two-year-old grandson died after a hit and run accident at Santa Anita Avenue and Bonita Street left them with fatal injuries.
A tour bus with 53 Arcadia school children from First Avenue Middle School was involved in a five-vehicle wreck on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway. They were coming back to school from a science camp.