John Muir

Burbank Unified School District principals returned to work on Monday to get ready for the new school year, which begins Sept. 1. Among them were Anita Schackmann, the new principal at Luther Middle School, and Heather Haug, the new assistant principal of discipline at Burbank High School. "I'm kind of old, but new," said Haug, who previously taught science to Burroughs High School students. "The district is familiar with me, I've worked with a lot of people, but Burbank High School is brand new. Meeting the staff and the new students will be the best part of the job."

Neala Yde Sullivan Looking back on my teaching career, all 38 years spent at John Muir Middle School, my reflections are memorable ones that I take with me as I retire this month. I could write a book about all of the changes in curriculum, personnel and students at Muir since I started teaching in 1962. For 20 years, I taught home economics, which has virtually disappeared in its original form. My last 18 years have been spent teaching math and algebra in grades 6 to 9. When I started at Muir, then called a junior high school, I taught grades 7 to 9. In the early years, seventh-grade girls were required to take one semester of Foods and their measure of success was how well their "Eggs a la Goldenrod" turned out. Boys in the same grade had to complete one semester of shop, wood or drafting.

Karen S. Kim BURBANK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT The California Department of Education released Stanford 9 test scores for Burbank schools Wednesday. Scores from 2000 and 2001 reflect a percentile rank, with 50 being the national average. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Reading 00 01 Language 00 01 Math 00 01 Spelling 00 01 DISNEY Grade 2 53 68 58 73 60 78 58 74 Grade 3 45 47 55 55 59 67 55 59 Grade 4 49 57 53 62 55 68 48 48 Grade 5 43 54 47 69 50 75 43 52 EDISON Grade 2 59 61 66 69 58 63 52 59 Grade 3 62 59 65 67 68 73 58 60 Grade 4 55 63 57 62 56 67 52 58 Grade 5 51 60 53 61 50 61 46 54 EMERSON Grade 2 55 50 61 57 62 60 53 53 Grade 3 53 61 58 69 57 73 53 63 Grade 4 58 59 62 63 64 58 52 51 Grade 5 49 63 54 72 46 73 46 59 HARTE Grade 2 50 55 57 60 52 57 50 54 Grade 3 51 59 58 65 64 70 49 59 Grade 4 55 60 56 66 60 74 50 57 Grade 5 54 62 56 70 50 67 57 67 JEFFERSON Grade 2 58 71 63 73 65 77 59 65 Grade 3 59 64 63 68 63 70 57 66 Grade 4 63 65 64 71 67 74 56 64 Grade 5 60 61 64 72 68 75 56 59 MCKINLEY Grade 2 48 50 51 55 53 67 47 54 Grade 3 39 48 44 49 47 66 46 50 Grade 4 41 47 45 50 49 55 44 43 Grade 5 41 50 48 60 49 67 39 51 MILLER Grade 2 52 49 52 44 54 54 51 53 Grade 3 48 49 33 59 60 75 51 55 Grade 4 50 57 57 65 61 68 49 45 Grade 5 44 40 54 59 50 64 45 44 ...

JEFF TULLY A group of athletes made a statement last weekend at Memorial Field. Just by their participation in the Burbank Middle Schools' Track Meet, the young boys and girls are extolling all that is good with today's youngsters. Instead of sitting at home spending hours absorbed in mind-numbing PlayStation games, or hanging out at the mall, those athletes from John Muir, Jordan and Luther were hard at work, engulfed in competition, at the event.

TODAY The students of American Lutheran Elementary School, in an effort to raise funds for the school, are jogging laps around the Burroughs High School track from 8 a.m. to noon. The high school is at 1920 W. Clark Ave. For more information, call 846-0295. A Los Angeles County household hazardous-waste roundup is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Glendale Water and Power Yard, 800 Air Way, Glendale. Materials accepted include paints, turpentine, acid and lye-based cleansers, household and car batteries, automobile fluids, pesticides, herbicides, computer items and TV sets.

Jeff Tully LUTHER BURBANK MIDDLE SCHOOL -- Back in the 1980s, the local middle school track and field athletes got a chance to show their skills at an annual meet held just for them. But over time, the meet died out and the young athletes had to wait until they were in high school to experience competition against other schools. However Saturday, with the help of come concerned individuals, the event is back, as the Tri-School All-City Meet was held at Luther Burbank Middle School.

Jeff Tully A group of anxious youth track and field athletes were poised and ready to compete in the annual Burbank Middle Schools' Track Meet. However, rain washed out the originally scheduled competition March 19 at Memorial Field, forcing the athletes to wait. Although it was a week late, the athletes got their chance to shine Saturday at a rescheduled meet that featured boys and girls from John Muir, Jordan and Luther middle schools. The meet was held in boys' and girls' divisions and broken down in grades six, seven and eight.

BEST BET Gifted students from Luther Burbank, David Starr, Jordan and John Muir Middle schools present "Autumn Readings," a special presentation of poetry and prose. Each student will recite his or her favorite, or original, piece of literature or prose at Barnes & Noble Night for Burbank Gate Students from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at 731 N. San Fernando Blvd. For information, call 558-1383. TODAY Join the Burbank Walkers for a free presentation on how to pick the right workout shoe at 9 a.m. in Macy's Court, Media City Center Mall, 201 E. Magnolia Blvd.

Burbank’s high school show choirs are more than used to competition. But this weekend’s Burbank Blast Show Choir Festival, where six of Southern California’s top show choir groups will sing on the same stage, is not about winning. About 500 students of different skill levels from five high schools and one Burbank middle school, John Muir, will run through their competition material and receive critiques from three nationally known judges. The festival, which precedes the choirs’ competition season, will be an opportunity for the students to hone their skills, learn new ones and get friendly with their soon-to-be rivals.

Students flooded onto the lower playing field of John Muir Middle School on Thursday to watch a grudge match, 12 years in the making, unfold. Blue sky and sunshine saturated the scene at this year's Muir Bowl, the annual flag-football game that pits teachers against students on the last day of finals. "It's a muddy field today," teacher and announcer-for-the-day Stephen James said over the loud-speakers. "This could be the students' opportunity to get some of the teachers a little bit dirty."