MAGNET APPEAL: It’s time for Valley schools...

MAGNET APPEAL: It’s time for Valley schools to apply to become magnet schools, and you can bet they’ll be standing in line. Why not? Principals say they get lower absenteeism and higher staff morale. (A1) . . . It can also be a great recruiting tool for coaches. Cleveland High and North Hollywood High became hoop powerhouses after going magnet.

RESPECT: CalArts might be going through some tough times these days, holding classes off campus while recovering from quake damage. But that doesn’t stop the Valencia school from getting some pretty good national ink. The latest issue of Rolling Stone spotlights CalArts as one of the nation’s top art schools. “We were delighted to be included,” said a school spokeswoman, adding classes should resume on campus in August.

FRIZ IS FIRST: OK, maybe this isn’t Oscar night, but it’s still pretty impressive. Isadore (Friz) Freleng, the animator (above) who gave us Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester and the Pink Panther, will receive the lifetime achievement award Saturday at the first Santa Clarita Valley International Film Festival. . . . The festival runs today through Thursday. See Valley Life! Page 3.

BOOKS R US: Looking for that obscure novel you can’t wait to consume, or that rare collector’s item the major book chains don’t carry? Well, look no further. The Valley can probably help you. . . . From Glendale to the West Valley, there’s a surprising range of used-book stores offering everything from L. Frank Baum to back issues of Collier’s magazine. See Valley Life! Page 10.

SAFE SCHOOLS: L.A. schools aren’t the only ones with a security problem. In the Antelope Valley, 116 high school students have been recommended for expulsion this school year. . . . Some administrators suggest surveillance cameras, telephones in every classroom, and a 10-foot high wrought-iron fence. (B8)