Teacher Turns Students on to Meditation

Francisco Arnone’s physical education classes at Holy Family Elementary School in Glendale don’t begin with jumping jacks or sit-ups, but with meditation. After several moments of reflection, the students--all 150 at a time--then turn into dragons, cranes and tigers, martial-arts positions even the 6-year-olds have mastered.

“I teach them martial arts for educational purposes,” the kick-boxing champion said. “This is not for competition or fighting, or to make movie stars. It is to help the children concentrate and to develop skills for life.”

Apparently it’s paying off. School Principal Marian Heintz reports that the students have achieved a greater measure of self-discipline and display a greater respect for others.

Arnone introduced the non-contact martial-arts program to Holy Family two years ago to promote discipline, concentration and self-control. Three additional schools have incorporated his unusual program into their physical education curriculum, with 10 more slated to sign on this fall.

PROGRAM NOTES

Winning Authors: Move over, Chaucer. Canterbury Elementary and Gifted Magnet Schools, inspired by the 17th-century author, celebrated the art of storytelling recently at Family Book Night on the Arleta campus.

The students, teachers and parents attended an awards assembly at which 70 students received prizes for their original illustrated stories submitted to a school-wide contest.

Principal Santa Calderon was presented with a copy of “Journey Through the Ages,” a compilation of the teachers’ recollections of people and events associated with the school.

Cleanup: La Crescenta’s Mountain Avenue Elementary School gathered up the troops, including local Boy and Girl Scouts, for its annual Beautification and Sparkle Day recently. Glendale Unified School District Superintendent James Brown and Glendale Mayor Larry Zarian pitched in at the campus cleanup, where 75 birch trees were also planted.

EVENTS

Dancing Feet: If you’re tired of hanging out at the Valley’s malls, take a quick trip over to “42nd Street.”

Louisville High School performing arts students will sing and dance to the music from the popular Al Dubin and Harry Warren show.

Performances begin Thursday and will run March 27, 28 and April 2, 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Woodland Hills campus, 22300 Mulholland Drive.

Tall Tales: Celebrated storyteller Nailah Malik will bring her tales from Africa, Vietnam and India to a joint gathering of Valley Alternative Magnet and Anatola Avenue Elementary Schools’ fourth- and fifth-graders today.

Sponsored by the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, Malik will narrate the South African story of “Abiyoyo,” about a father and son who team up to defeat a man-eating monster.

“I was a late bloomer,” Malik said. “When I learned to read at 11 it was like a geyser opened up a new world for me. I want every child to enjoy books. Life is impoverished without reading.”

END NOTE

Confused about the school-repair and construction bonds? Representatives of the Los Angeles Unified School District will be on hand to answer questions about Bond BB at Porter Middle School in Granada Hills at 7 tonight.

Class Notes appears every Wednesday. Send news about schools to the Valley Edition, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Or fax it to (818) 772-3338. Or e-mail them to diane.wedner@latimes.com