Briefly In Education

Boys & Girls Club hosts annual breakfast

The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach hosts its third annual Community Partners Breakfast on March 24.

Held at [seven-degrees], the event will include a discussion of the Boys & Girls Club work in the city, what they see for the coming year and the relationships they hope to foster in the community.

The breakfast starts at 8 a.m. Guests are welcome to tour the main clubhouse after the breakfast and see what it’s like to be involved.

To RSVP, contact Pam Estes at (949) 494 2535, ext. 101. All guests are asked to RSVP by March 17.

Laguna Unified addresses cyber bullying

Laguna Unified School District plans to discuss cyber bullying and social media during a parent workshop on March 10.

“Social media has created opportunities for kids to interact in new and meaningful ways online,” Victor Guthrie, LBUSD director of technology, said in a press statement. “However, parents have an active role and responsibility in this new environment. Many families have found that a ‘Family Policy,’ or an ‘Internet Use Agreement,’ can go a long way toward helping kids have a safe and constructive experience online.”

During the workshop, school officials, including Guthrie, Laguna Beach High School Assistant Principal Bob Billinger and Thurston Middle School Principal Joanne Culverhouse, will discuss the importance of parents actively monitoring their children’s social media use and instilling a sense of conduct in the way they communicate on public domains.

“Social networking sites have become very popular among our youth as they seek to explore and define who they are and connect with others like themselves,” Irene White, director of special education/student services at LBUSD, said in a prepared statement. “Parents must set up clear, explicit guidelines with their children so that they understand the risks involved in placing personal information online. We keep hearing more and more stories of youth who have been cyber bullied using information found on social networking websites.”

They will also discuss common questions regarding social media, such as the privacy of photos, chat rooms and what to do if one is offended by something seen on a social networking site.

The workshop starts at 6 p.m. in the Thurston Middle School library, 2100 Park Ave., Laguna Beach.

For more information, call Irene White at (949) 497 7700 ext. 5208.

LBHS student recognized by Rotary

Tim Young, a Laguna Beach High School student, was recently recognized by the Laguna Beach Rotary Club as Rotary Student of the Month for his excellence in social studies. Tim accepted the award alongside his teacher, Kristen Parker.

Every month, the school nominates a new student to be recognized in eight different categories of academics, such as math, science, social studies and English.

The 17-year-old hopes to attend American University in Washington, D.C. He recently applied and is waiting to hear back, according to a Rotary press statement.

The Rotary Club presented him with a recognition certificate and he will be awarded a scholarship at the Honors Convocation in June.

For more information about the Laguna Beach Rotary, visit lagunabeachrotary.com.

Thurston to go ‘Out on the Town’

Thurston Middle School is hosting an evening of restaurant-hopping on March 16 for their “Out on the Town” fundraiser.

Faculty and parents are invited to enjoy appetizers and drinks at various restaurants in the city — such as Nirvana Grille, Sundried Tomato Café, Lumberyard, Nick’s Laguna Beach and Tommy Bahama Bar & Grill — followed by dinner and dancing at Romeo Cucina.

Guests will be assigned two restaurants, where they will be able to meet PTA and staff, then will all meet up at the final destination.

Tickets are $65 and proceeds go to Thurston PTA. To RSVP, visit https://tms.lbusd.org and click PTA. Anyone interested in donating to the PTA can e-mail Christy Addis at tstaddis@aol.com.

—Compiled by Joanna Clay