Arcadia High School reported CIF-SS rules violation before firing coach James O'Brien. CIF-SS spokesman Thom Simmons declined to elaborate on the notification. O'Brien's supporters have begun a recall campaign targeting Arcadia Unified School District board members Cung Nguyen, Lori Phillipi, and Kay Kinsler.
Arcadia school board members shed light on the reasons for firing Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien. They wrote an open letter to the Arcadia community that will be published Sunday in this paper as a paid campaign advertisement. The controversy continues.
A message supporting embattled former Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien, sent by a concerned parent named Michael Yamane, was forwarded to the police by a school board member. Yamane's email urged the district to reconsider its firing of O'Brien, accuses district officials of abusing employees, lying about a CIF-SS investigation into O'Brien's program, and suggested officials might be breaking state law. Yamane is concerned about his constitutional right to free speech, after his email was forwarded to police. Yamane is also a proponent of the "Recall Arcadia" campaign, which seeks to recall three school board members.
Arcadia High School boys cross country team's coach Jim O'Brien is profiled and is shown in photos with runners Esmond Wei, William Tsai, Ryan Vargas, Allen Leung, Francis Lee, Sergio Gonzalez and Eric Garibay.
A video created by three Arcadia High School graduates went viral and brought people to a school board meeting alst week, in support of fired cross country coach James O'Brien. The creators of the video are Esmond Wei, Ben Hsueh, and Sergio Rodriguez. The video was posted on YouTube.com and had more than 10,000 views in three days. A week later, it had more than 16,000 views.
Arcadia High School boys Sergio Gonzalez (Runner of the Year), Ryan Vargas, Mitchell Pratt and Estevan DeLaRosa, have been named to 2011 All-Area Cross Country boys first team. James O'Brien of Arcadia High School, is named Coach of the Year. Francis Lee of Arcadia High School, is on the second team.
Arcadia High School senior Sergio Gonzalez won the CIF State Division I championship race with the second fastest time of 15:05. His team, the Apaches, finished second, behind Trabuco Hills.
Veronica Yamane, an Arcadia High School sophomore star of track and field, is CIF Athlete of the Week for being the Apaches' second-fastest girl in the 3,200 meter race after running at 11:08.48 in the rated portion of the Arcadia Invitational last Friday. Sergio Gonzalez of Arcadia High School is on the CIF "Honor Roll" for his run time of 9:05.33 in the 3,200 meter race.
Fired Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien questions reason for dismissal. The Arcadia Unified School District's Board of Education upholds its decision to not reappoint Mr. O'Brien as head coach for the 2013-2014 year. He will continue to teach at Arcadia High School.
Two articles recapping Arcadia 44th Annual Invitational. Arcadia High School's Ammar Moussa celebrates victory in the 3,200 meters. He ran the nation's fastest high school time this season, at 8:49.59.
A letter from Arcadia High School Principal Brent Forsee to CIF lists recruiting and practice rule violations allegedly committed by fired Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien. Forsee sent the undated letter to the Southern Section offices of the California Interscholastic Federation sometime after firing James O'Brien on June 17.
Arcadia High School boys Eric Garibay, Sergio Gonzalez, Allen Leung and Ryan Vargas, are on the 2010 All-Area Cross Country boys team. Arcadia High School freshman Veronica Yamane and junior Alejandra Quintero are on the 2010 All-Area Cross Country girls team. James O'Brien of Arcadia High School, is named Coach of the Year for the boys. Ammar Moussa and Catrina McAlister, both from Arcadia High School, were named Star News Runners of the Year. All preceding people are photographed. Also chosen (not photographed) were on the second team: Arcadia High School senior boy William Tsai and Arcadia High School girl Glyndie Mancia.
Arcadia High School Apaches boys cross country team runs an impressive race at 63rd Annual Mt. SAC Invitational. The Arcadia High School team consists of Ammar Moussa, Allen Leung, Ryan Vargas, Francis Lee, William Tsai and Esmond Wei. Their run times are given.
Arcadia High School Apaches boys cross country team, running as the Arcadia Cross Country Club, completed its undefeated season by winning the Nike National Championship meet in Portland, Oregon.
Letter to CIF-SS detailed fired Arcadia High School coach James O'Brien's alleged rule violations. The violations include "hundreds of instances" of the coach recruiting middle school students, punishments for athletes who did not participate in illegal Sunday practices and an attempt to place illegal flags on a course to gain a competitive advantage. The undated letter, sent by Arcadia High School Principal Brent Forsee to the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section sometime in late June or July, was publicly released for the first time under a Public Records Act request filed with the school district by this newspaper.
Arcadia Unified School District's Board of Education took no action to reinstate fired coach James O'Brien as head cross country coach of Arcadia High School.
Arcadia local Roni Yamane is on the All-Area Track and Field first girls team. Alex McElwee and Sergio Gonzalez of Arcadia, are on the 2012 All-Area Track and Field first boys team.
Gerardo Cortez, 26, of Monrovia was arrested for allegedly making telephone threats to shoot adults and children with an AK-47 at schools (including Arcadia High School), a mall, and hospitals in the San Gabriel Valley last week. See also Mountain Views News, September 14, 2013, p. 1.