Monterey High School

G raduating senior Erika Munoz welcomed the sold-out crowd to the Monterey High School's commencement ceremony Wednesday, thanking the teachers and staff at the Burbank Unified's alternative high school who made her presence on stage possible. Without them, Munoz said she might not have graduated, let alone further her education at Glendale Community College. "Here, teachers are close to the students, there's friendship," she said in an interview. "I was more involved with clubs and Associated Student Body because of that."

Josue Lopez did not let a few credits get in his way of receiving his high school degree. ?I was told by a counselor last year at Burbank High that I didn?t have enough credits to graduate,? he said. ?I was ready to give up .?.?. but now I am graduating and heading to college.? Lopez, 18, made the comments moments before receiving his diploma on Wednesday night from Monterey High School. An aspiring film editor, he will start classes this fall at Video Symphony in Burbank.

Logan Hovestreydt looked across a long table covered in scratched and slightly sullied cardboard, took a deep breath and smiled. It was the first time the 17-year-old Monterey High School student had worked on a large-scale group art project with his peers at the continuation school, and he was happy. ?I love this class,? Logan said. He and his classmates were taking part in the fifth installment of The HeArt Project, a Los Angeles-based program that puts working artists in classrooms at alternative high schools.

Josue Lopez did not let a few credits get in his way of receiving his high school degree. “I was told by a counselor last year at Burbank High that I didn’t have enough credits to graduate,” he said. “I was ready to give up . . . but now I am graduating and heading to college.” Lopez, 18, made the comments moments before receiving his diploma on Wednesday night from Monterey High School. An aspiring film editor, he will start classes this fall at Video Symphony in Burbank.

Gary Moskowitz BURBANK -- The school board officially recognized seven Burbank teachers as Teachers of the Year at the board's Oct. 18 meeting. The seven teachers, who were selected by their peers, were awarded for their exceptional service, teaching excellence and dedication to children and the profession during the 2001-02 school year. Pictured is Joe Peterson of Monterey High School, Randy Badders of Magnolia Park School, Carol Flesher of John Muir Middle School, Valerie Beidelman of Burbank High School, Joanne Naus of David Starr Jordan Middle School and Lisa Raluy of Luther Burbank Middle School.

Irma Lemus BURBANK -- Now that the city's private school students have had their moment in the spotlight, it's time for Burbank's public school seniors to have their turn. Beginning tonight with Monterey High School, Burbank Unified School District students will take part in that traditional rite of passage known as high school graduation. Check the following boxes for information on Burbank Unified's three high school graduation ceremonies. Monterey High School Graduation Ceremony WHEN: 6 p.m., Tonight WHERE: Walt Disney Studios, 500 South Buena Vista St. SPEAKERS: School and district officials DETAILS: Admission is free but tickets are required.

Here are some of the items the Burbank Unified School District Board will discuss on Thursday: MODERNIZATION PROJECTS The board will review the remaining funding for the modernization of Luther Burbank Middle School, Monterey High School and William McKinley and Providencia elementary schools. WHAT TO EXPECT No action will be taken since this is an informational report. BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE The district will report to the board concerning the Bond Oversight Committee's roles and responsibilities on the current state of modernization.

BURBANK - Luther Burbank Middle School is nearing completion of the first phase of its modernization process, and it's doing so on schedule, officials said. The first phase, which includes four renovated science rooms, three classrooms, a new culinary-arts room, locker rooms and gymnasium, is scheduled to be completed in November, the district's Chief Facilities Officer Craig Jellison said. The school will also have a 20-year maintenance-free roof for every building, and underground infrastructure complete with electrical, sewer and water lines, he said.

The following items were taken from Burbank Police Department reports : 100 block of East Magnolia Boulevard: A male juvenile from Burbank was arrested on Monday on suspicion of petty theft. Store security allegedly recovered two video games and two DVDs. 1500 block of North Sparks Street: A Burbank man was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine. 700 block of South Lake Street: A Burbank man was arrested on Friday on suspicion of driving under the influence.

G raduating senior Erika Munoz welcomed the sold-out crowd to the Monterey High School's commencement ceremony Wednesday, thanking the teachers and staff at the Burbank Unified's alternative high school who made her presence on stage possible. Without them, Munoz said she might not have graduated, let alone further her education at Glendale Community College. "Here, teachers are close to the students, there's friendship," she said in an interview. "I was more involved with clubs and Associated Student Body because of that."

Tykara Ferguson, a shock of black hair peering from beneath her Monterey High School graduation cap, stood at the microphone and began to serenade the class of 2009 with a hushed rendition of Vitamin C’s “Graduation (Friends Forever).” “And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives/Where we’re gonna be when we turn 25/I keep thinking times will never change/Keep on thinking things will always be the same.” Suddenly, she stopped.

POOL USE MEMORANDUM The Burbank Unified School District Board of Education will consider a memorandum of understanding that would allow the city to use pools at Burbank and John Burroughs high schools during the summer. The city?s pools at McCambridge Recreation Center and Verdugo Recreation Center are damaged and will undergo repairs over the summer months, displacing regular summer swimming lessons that have been offered to residents in the past. Under the memorandum, the city would be allowed to use the high school pools during hours when student athletic teams are not using them for practices.

Josue Lopez did not let a few credits get in his way of receiving his high school degree. ?I was told by a counselor last year at Burbank High that I didn?t have enough credits to graduate,? he said. ?I was ready to give up .?.?. but now I am graduating and heading to college.? Lopez, 18, made the comments moments before receiving his diploma on Wednesday night from Monterey High School. An aspiring film editor, he will start classes this fall at Video Symphony in Burbank.

Josue Lopez did not let a few credits get in his way of receiving his high school degree. “I was told by a counselor last year at Burbank High that I didn’t have enough credits to graduate,” he said. “I was ready to give up . . . but now I am graduating and heading to college.” Lopez, 18, made the comments moments before receiving his diploma on Wednesday night from Monterey High School. An aspiring film editor, he will start classes this fall at Video Symphony in Burbank.

Monterey High School student Lisa Navarro moved side to side and waved her hands in the air on Monday with her classmates. They were moments away from premiering their choreographed dance in front of a packed audience at UCLA’s Glorya Kaufman Hall. “The dance was a great thing to do because it was something new,” said Navarro, who enrolled at Monterey High after falling behind in credits at Burbank High School. “I never thought I would be interested in dance until I got involved in the program.

Masonry program makes a lot of sense I was pleasantly surprised to read ?Dugout of Dreams? in Wednesday?s Burbank Leader. Wow, what a brilliant concept ? a masonry class at Monterey High School that helps to build a baseball dugout for Burroughs High School. Finally the school district does something that makes sense. The kids get a real world, bankable experience, both schools come out ahead, and the community wins all the way around. Well done, indeed. RICHARD J. TAFILAW Burbank Hillsides need better public transportation Once again, the Metropolitan Transit Authority is planning on largely eliminating its Burbank wing of the No. 183 bus line, the route that now goes from East Glendale to Van Nuys.

Block-by-block, six students from Monterey High School are building a legacy at John Burroughs High. Students are building a new dugout on the baseball diamond at Burroughs as part of their masonry class, taking their skills learned in the classroom onto a real-life construction site. Burbank Unified School District officials had to tear down the old dugout, after it was found to be noncompliant with the district’s structural standards, said Craig Jellison, senior director of facilities for the district.