HERE!: Some Valley schools have discovered it...

HERE!: Some Valley schools have discovered it pays to be present. Frost Middle School in Granada Hills was among six schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District with top attendance records for the 1994-95 school year. Two other Valley schools--Blythe Street Elementary and Granada Hills High School--got honors for most improvement in attendance. Schools with the best overall attendance received trophies during a special ceremony last month.

RIDE SMART: Southern California Rideshare Week starts Monday, and commuter tips were offered at fairs last week at the Panorama Mall and Sherman Oaks Galleria. . . . In addition to getting tidbits on bicycling, car-pooling and telecommuting, fair-goers learned that by 2000 they’ll be driving 7 m.p.h. during rush hour. “We’re hoping this will get people to car-pool more often,” said Monica Hall of the Mid Valley Chamber of Commerce, which organized the Rideshare Fair. About 3,500 people in the Valley ride-share each week.

MOVING UP: More women are breaking into the top ranks of college and university administrators. The trend is particularly evident in the San Fernando Valley area, where women now lead four of the seven public institutions of higher education. In addition to Blenda J. Wilson, president of Cal State Northridge, women are in charge at Pierce College, Valley College and College of the Canyons. . . . Despite gains, women still head just 16% of campuses in the United States. (B1)

YEAR OF THE FAN: Like many baseball buffs, columnist Scott Harris is pleased to see empty seats and the salaries of players falling (B1).

PITCHING IN: Wielding brushes and mops, about 1,000 volunteers fanned out Saturday through the Valley for the fifth annual United Way Community Care Day (B3).