2011 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) scores show a majority of area schools are progressing. California's STAR program assesses public school students' knowledge of the math, English and science in grades 2 through 11. At Arcadia Unified School District, these are the percentage of students who scored proficient or advanced in core subjects: English-Language Arts 83.9%; History 76%; Mathematics 82.4%; Science 84.7%; Science end of course 80.4%. STAR scores from other area schools are given.
The ad (open letter to the Arcadia community) that was paid for by the three members of the Arcadia Unified School District Board of Education who are targeted for recall--Cung Nguyen, lori Phillipi, and Kay Kinsler--was printed in the Pasadena Star News August 11, 2013. Fired Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien and his supporters say the letter was a public relations bid to derail the recall effort. See hard copy of the letter in VF "Arcadia High School." See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1 and 27, August 15, 2013.
After 21 years with the Arcadia Unified School District, superintendent Mimi Hennessy, 63, is retiring. Her last day will be July 1, 2008, and Joel Shawn will take her place.
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.
Arcadia Unified 'lip-dubs spirit of its middle schools. Some 2,200 Arcadia Unified School District middle school students and adults are featured in a four minute YouTube video featuring Jason Derulo's "Undefeated," to show their school spirit and pride. A lip-dub video is music played over a lip-sync video, filmed in one continuous shot.
The Arcadia Unified school board has agreed to terms with mall developer Rick Caruso, who is offering free office space to the district inside his proposed Shops at Santa Anita. Caruso is offering 22,000 square feet of office space, plus 88 dedicated parking spots, for 40 years, at no charge.
Arcadia Unified School District Board elections next week. At issue are dual enrollment and transparency. There are four candidates runnings for two seats.
Arcadia Unified School District hires four new principals. They are Tom Bruce (First Avenue Middle School), Teresa Oakdale (Holly Avenue Elementary School), Ben Acker (Foothills Middle School), and Lauren Leahy (Hugo Reid Elementary School). The new hires come soon after David Vannasdall became the district superintendent in May.
Arcadia Unified School District releases records of two teacher misconduct investigations that resulted in dismissals. The first was 48-year-old Robert Harbicht, a substitute teacher who was found drunk at work. The second was Phillip Sutliff, dismissed from the district in 2007 and sentenced to 12 years in state prison for sexual misconduct (rape) with a girl at Arcadia High School.
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 Unified School District's Board of Education upholds its decision of having fired cross country coach James O'Brien. There were no details about the reasons of his dismissal.
The Arcadia Unified School District's second annual Robotics Expo involved students with the district's pilot robotics classes. Next year all schools will teach about robotics.
Arcadia Unified School District's superintendent Joel Shawn writes a column bragging about the many notable accomplishments and achievements of Arcadia High School students during the 2009-2010 school year.
Arcadia Unified School District superintendent David Vannasdall will be paid $205,000 annually, agreed to for a 3-year contract. Vannasdall, 45, was named the district's new chief after Joel Shawn retired. Vannasdall had been deputy superintendent and previously principal of Arcadia High School from 2005 through 2012. His car allowance is $850/month, $150/month for expenses, and a $1,000 annual salary increase if he completes his doctorate degree.
Arcadia Unified School District's vehicle policy is coming under fire after a city owned car was totaled in a crash while being used for a personal vacation.
Area school districts did better than average on the 2004 California English Language Development Test of English learning students. Sixty-six percent of students tested in Arcadia Unified School District scored in the advanced categories.