Monte Vista

Monte Vista and Mountain Avenue elementary schools held their annual Halloween carnivals last Saturday on their school campuses. Booths and food were set up around the playgrounds and cafeteria areas. Kids had the chance to get doused with Silly String, rained on at Hit The Showers and scared at the haunted houses. Korean and traditional barbecue food was also for sale. The carnivals are fundraisers organized by the PTA, but ticket prices are kept low to encourage attendance and to make the event affordable for all participants, said Vera Miro, Monte Vista secretary.

Erik Boal ALHAMBRA -- You know things weren't meant to be when your fans can't even win one of six prizes given away in the 50/50 raffle drawing. Such was the case for the Foothill-Tujunga Little League 9- and 10-year-old All-Star Softball team and its loyal contingent of supporters Wednesday night at Granada Park. No matter how hard the District 16 representatives tried to swing a little luck in their favor in the Section 2 Tournament championship game, things just never materialized as Monte Vista posted a 12-0 win. Led by Grace Scott's 15 strikeouts, Monte Vista (10-0)

Judy Seckler GLENDALE -- Every year the State Department of Education singles out a percentage of its public schools as Distinguished Schools which advance a positive learning environment and high standards in education. Monte Vista and Verdugo Woodlands Elementary Schools have been given the honor of being among 34 Distinguished Schools in Los Angeles County and 233 statewide this year. The schools were chosen in a field of 600 applications, the most ever.

Tiger Den from pack 302 of La Crescenta visited the offices of the Valley Sun newspapers on Saturday, Nov. 15. The reason for their visit was to learn about newspapers and how they’re made. The Valley Sun visit helped them to learn more about communication and to earn a “Go See It” bead. Once they get their bead they will put it on their Tiger Totem. When they’ve completed all their achievements, they will have earned their Tiger badge. Six boys visited the office.

Students in many Crescenta Valley schools are "paying it forward" by collecting and sending books to the victims of the Katrina hurricane. Many schools had fundraising immediately after the hurricane, sending much needed money to the devastated area. Now almost eight months after the storm, schools still need help. "I found it on the internet," said Monte Vista Elementary Principal Susan Hoge. She spear headed this donation drive by contacting other principals to join. "I won't have a tally of how many books we have all sent for awhile," Hoge added She had been downloading activities through the National Education Association when she came across this Books Across America benefit.

Tim Willert GLENDALE -- Monte Vista and Verdugo Woodlands elementary schools joined a select group Monday when they were named 2000 Distinguished Schools by the state department of education. The schools become the 14th and 15th from the Glendale Unified School District to be recognized by the state for academic achievemnt and overall excellence. Monte Vista and Verdugo Woodlands are among 34 distinguished schools in Los Angeles County and 233 statewide in what State Superintendent of Public Education Delaine Eastin called "the most rigorous competition in the program's history."

Some city kids got a lesson in country life Monday at Monte Vista Elementary School in La Crescenta. Dottie the cow and Cookie the calf paid a visit, along with a representative from the Dairy Council of California for an explanation of where milk comes from. Students learned about the anatomy of a cow in the council's Mobile Dairy Classroom, a program that travels throughout the state teaching elementary school students about how the food they eat and drink gets from the farm to the dinner table.

Darleene Barrientos New faces at school this fall won't be limited to students. Glendale Unified School District board members approved the appointment of new principals Tuesday night for Monte Vista Elementary School and Glendale High School. Katherine Fundukian, who has worked as assistant principal at Diamond Bar High School since 1998, will begin at Glendale High School on July 1 as its new principal. Her work in curriculum and instruction led to Diamond Bar's selection as a California Distinguished School.

La Crescenta homeowner Bill Ryburn takes pride in his backyard. A pretty expanse of grass is followed by a terraced garden, rustic wood fence, trees and lots of blue sky. But the agrarian setting, which abuts Monte Vista Elementary School, is about to gain what Ryburn and his neighbors are describing as an unwanted shadow. The Glendale Unified School District broke ground last week on a $7.2-million project that will see solar panels installed at seven schools, including Monte Vista.

Hoover High School's gymnasium was the site for this year's annual Elks Hoop Shoot Free Throw Competition, drawing boys and girls from Glendale's elementary and middle schools. Winners of the lodge competition were: boys ages 8 to 9: Michael Malicdem (St. Dominic), first place; Viadimir Centeno (Franklin), second place; and Jalen Miguel (Holy Family), third place. Girls 8 to 9: Clara Georges (Glenoaks), first place; Mary Marutyuian (Muir), second place; and Marylu Eapen (Holy Family)

Two men today were charged with murder in connection with a police chase last week that ended with the death of a 6-year-old Monte Vista Elementary School student who was playing in her front yard. The alleged driver of the fleeing car, Aaron Esqueda Rojas, 32, and Juaquin Hiriarte, 24, were charged with out count each of murder and evading an officer causing death, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. They were also charged with two felony counts related to illegally possessing firearms.

A 6-year-old girl who was struck and killed by a vehicle at the end of a Los Angeles police pursuit Thursday evening in Lake View Terrace was a Monte Vista Elementary School student, officials said. Grief counselors were at the La Crescenta school today to help students and administrators cope with the death of Kayla Woods. Kayla had been playing with children near her home Thursday evening when she was struck by the fleeing suspect’s vehicle and pinned against a wall, police said.

LA CRESCENTA ? Efforts to create a student drop-off zone at Two Strike Park for Monte Vista Elementary School could come closer to materializing after local representatives meet with county parks officials Thursday to discuss the proposal. The plan is to have two drop-off areas for Monte Vista students, one in front of the school and the second one at Two Strike Park about two blocks away. ?It is a lovely park with a great drive-through parking lot,? said Robbyn Battles, alternate Crescenta Valley Town Council member and Monte Vista mom. The new system would not only relieve some of the traffic congestion at the school, but also promote a healthy walking lifestyle, she added.

Grant Ackerman Ani Aghazarian Matthew Aguilar Brianna Aguilar Andrew Ahn Anthony Avellano Reem Bakir Morgan Beck Sean Bloks Teagan Borgeson-Leake Jake Brewer William Brookey Amanda Brooks Scott Bush Mariana Cermeli Sophia Chang Albert Chang Matt Chmait Paul Chu Kevin Chung Jake Conder Mira Coobtee Alexa Cosfol Katie Davis Tiffany Duarte...

Violins were in position, bows were at the ready, and, with instruments angling off shoulders and heads craning toward a teacher, a group of students started making music. Their bows slid and instruments slipped, but a uniform tone still emerged from the beginning strings music class, reverberating off the walls of the Monte Vista Elementary School auditorium Wednesday. The children started with musical scales, playing the rising notes as the morning sunshine poured into the airy room from a side window.

The Glendale High School gymnasium was the site for this year’s annual Elks Hoop Shoot Free Throw Competition, drawing boys and girls from Glendale’s elementary schools. The contest was open to youngsters from ages 8 to 13. Winners of the lodge competition in boys, ages 8-9 were: Andrew Ginkel of Monte Vista who took first place; Trey Ballard of Valley View nabbed second place; and David Lewis from Dunsmore took third place. Girls ages 8-9 division winners were: Nariseh Haratounian of John Muir who captured first place; Alana Hipolito of John Marshal took second place; and Jessica Yzaguirre from Dunsmore was third place winner.

Monte Vista Elementary students proved that charity begins at home by donated 3,000 cans of food on Nov. 25 to the Crescenta Valley Sheriff Volunteers Toy and Food Drive. For eight years the school has been a strong supporter of the drive that helps feed families in need throughout the foothills. The large donation was collected in only 10 days, with each classroom participating. ?It is pretty impressive that such young kids take advantage of the opportunity to help other kids,?

Tiger Den from pack 302 of La Crescenta visited the offices of the Valley Sun newspapers on Saturday, Nov. 15. The reason for their visit was to learn about newspapers and how they’re made. The Valley Sun visit helped them to learn more about communication and to earn a “Go See It” bead. Once they get their bead they will put it on their Tiger Totem. When they’ve completed all their achievements, they will have earned their Tiger badge. Six boys visited the office.