Newsweek ranks MV-LA high schools

Newsweek magazine ranked Los Altos and Mountain View high schools among the top schools in the nation, according to a study published in May.

Mountain View High School ranked 258 and Los Altos High School ranked 299 out of 1,200 public schools around the nation.

Brigitte Sarraf, associate superintendent for educational services at Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, said the original list printed in early May was inaccurate - it reported that Los Altos High had dropped off the list. She submitted her own calculations for the schools in the district, proving that the schools ranked in the top 25 percent of schools nationwide.

“We are very, very happy with the results,” Sarraf said. “We think we are doing quite well.”

The schools are ranked according to a formula derived from the number of advanced placement and/or international baccalaureate tests taken by all students at a school in 2005 divided by the number of graduating seniors. Newsweek reported that this is the best way to determine which schools do the best job of preparing their students for college.

LAH recreation department offers lacrosse camps

The Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Department is offering two sessions of lacrosse camp for boys and girls ages 6-12 interested in learning the fundamentals or improving skills.

The first session is scheduled June 26-29, the second July 24-27. Both sessions will take place at the Purissima Little League fields. The camp costs $175 for residents, $185 for nonresidents.

Register online at http://losaltoshills.ca.gov/recreation.

For additional information, call the recreation department at 941-7222, ext. 241.

Cupertino district hires new superintendent

The Cupertino Union School District Board of Education has selected Phil Quon as new superintendent for the district starting July 1. Quon replaces Dr. William E. Bragg, who is scheduled to retire June 30 after nine years as superintendent.

Quon has more than 30 years of experience in the education field. He served as superintendent of the Union School District in San Jose for the past 12 years. He was on the statewide superintendents’ council and has lobbied Sacramento on behalf of public education. He was recently honored as Superintendent of the Year for the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 8. Quon has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from UCLA and a master’s degree in educational administration from California State University, Los Angeles.

EPA Kids Foundation hits $1 million mark

The East Palo Alto Kids Foundation, a regular recipient of the annual Town Crier Holiday Fund, was recognized last month by the Ravenswood City School District Board of Trustees for reaching the $1 million milestone in funding.

All foundation funding goes straight to teachers for classroom needs. The foundation was founded in 1993.

Flamingos flock retiring superintendent

Rich Fischer, retiring Mountain View-Los Altos High School District superintendent, arrived at his farewell gathering last week to discover 24 bright-pink plastic flamingos adorning the grounds of Cuesta Park. A sign nearby proclaimed, “Congratulations! You’ve been flocked by the LAHS Marching Band!”

For three years, the Los Altos High School Marching Band and Instrumental Music Department have been “flocking” homes and businesses in the community as a fund-raiser to help support the band’s activities. Under the cover of darkness, band members place the flamingo flock, a sign and a customized card to surprise the honored recipient. Friends and family members have ordered flamingo flockings to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and even a candidate’s election. The flamingos grace their destination for 48 hours and then disappear.

To order a flocking to celebrate graduation, the end of the school year or any other occasion, e-mail LAHSflamingos@hotmail.com.

Flockings cost $45, and all proceeds benefit instruments, competitions, travel, uniforms and music for the band.

Foothill hosts girls’ basketball league

Foothill College is sponsoring a six-week competitive basketball league for incoming 9th-12th graders Monday through July 31. The league is scheduled to meet Monday and Wednesday evenings, with game times between 4-9 p.m. Groups must register as a team with a coach. There are two divisions: Varsity 2005 and Junior Varsity 2005. Teams must supply their own reversible uniforms with numbers and equipment. Teams will play approximately eight games.

For more information, call Foothill College women’s basketball coach Jody Craig at 949-7356.