Take it from the mayor: ‘It’s the small stuff’
September 4, 2014
Steve Aspel
Our guest columnist remarks that "nothing says 'good morning!' like a marching band." Steve Aspel recently attended RBUSD's Welcome Back rally.
Photo by Herb Ho
…After my weekend “duties,” Monday began bright and early. And, nothing says “good morning!” like a marching band. The talented Sea Hawk Marching Band beat the drums for Redondo Beach Unified School District’s “Welcome Back Rally.”
Sometimes as a mayor, you show up, give a speech and head for the exits. This was not one of those times. There were the usual speeches, including mine. Dr. Steven Keller, our head school dude, demanded that we keep our speeches to ONE minute. Believe it or not, I actually don’t like confrontations, so I kept it short. Don’t mess with Dr. Keller!
Thanks to the generosity of the citizens of Redondo Beach, our campuses are newly renovated and are second to none. Our schools are wonderful sanctuaries for our students. And, I am proud to say, they are the most diverse schools in the South Bay. Now, you may say, “Of course we are diverse; we have so many ‘permit kids.’” That is simply not the case! This year brings in 9,038 students, of which only 1,029 are on permits. Folks, we a diverse city and I am very proud of that. The fact that parents will go to great lengths to send their kids to our schools is a feather in our cap.
I mentioned the new buildings on campuses. But, buildings don’t make schools, teachers make schools!
Our talented and enthusiastic RBUSD teachers were showcased in a real life dance contest. You would never find mayors or council members dancing on stage in front of hundreds of their peers. (Well, you may late in the evening, but never at 8 a.m.) After a wildly entertaining “Dancing with the Teachers,” the newly crowned dance king was Arond Schonberg. He is the coolest guy I have ever met. Arond is a teacher, counselor, head wrestling coach and student advocate extraordinaire. No wonder our kids turn out so well.