HBCSD Holding Steady: 1991 to 2001

September 25, 1993 – New Superintendent explains needs for second Hermosa Beach school, by Michael Macdonald, Easy Reader Newspaper (TL-1993Feb25 article View School reopening)

1. …”Superintendent Dr. Gwen Gross, explaining the school board’s recent decision to move the kindergarten through second-grade classes from Hermosa Valley to Hermosa View School.”

2. “Dr. Gwen Gross a Wisconsin native, became Hermosa’s superintendent in December [1992]. Formerly on the faculty of Kent State University in Ohio, Gross was a kindergarten-sixth grade principal for 14 years in Palos Verdes and Laguna Beach.”

3. “Approximately 300 children will be transferred to the grammar school on Prospect Avenue, east of Pacific Coast Highway in September. There are a total of 800 students in the district.”

4. “Our only other choice was two more portable classrooms at Hermosa Valley, at a cost of over $100,000,”…

5. “Gross said Hermosa View, which until recently was leased to a Japanese school, will require about $100,000 in paint, windows and cosmetic improvements, and an additional $150,000 in furnishings, carpets, and lighting.”

6. “The North School site, while still owned by the district, is currently in the second year of a ten-year lease as a pre-school.”

NOTE: In the early 1990’s HBCSD had no problem reopening View School for very little cost before Valley School became egregiously overcrowded. Why did it take so long for school board members to recognize that Valley and View schools were overcrowded in 2010 before they acted to solve the overcrowding problem by reopening North School or using Pier Avenue School? Were certain school board members holding out for a brand-new campus at North School instead of making the campus ready with existing funds or passing an inexpensive facilities bond that was guaranteed to be used to renovate North School? See the June 2002 Facilities Master Plan information. (Exhibit TL-2002Jun26 FMP future growth)

June 1994 – District reserves* are 33%. (TL-2002Dec16 Budget Committee meeting)

Available reserves* consist of all undesignated fund balances and all funds designated for economic uncertainty contained within the General Fund.

July 20, 1996 – District Veteran to Head Hermosa Schools, Los Angeles Times (TL-1996Jul20 article Rasmussen HBCSD super)

1. “After a three-month search that drew nearly 30 applicants, a Huntington Beach administrator has been named to the top job in the Hermosa Beach City School District.”

2. “Alan Rasmussen, assistant superintendent of personnel and educational services in the Huntington Beach City School District, has been appointed superintendent of the 900-student district. He replaces Gwen Gross, who left earlier this month to head Ventura County’s Ojai Unified School District.”

3. “For the last 5 ½ years I’ve been preparing for a superintendent position.” Rasmussen said.

4. “During the past 24 years, Rasmussen, 49, has served as a teacher and principal of elementary and middle schools in Huntington Beach. He was appointed assistant superintendent five years ago.”

November 14, 1997 – City Council members:

1. Sam Edgerton - Mayor

2. Robert Benz – Mayor Pro Tem

3. John Bowler

4. Julie Oakes

5. J.R. Reviczky

6. Steve Burrell – City Manager

June 16, 2000 – Hermosa Beach District Selects New Superintendent, Los Angeles Times Archives (TL-2000Jun16 Super Duffy Clark)

1. “An assistant superintendent of the Las Virgenes Unified School District will take the helm of the 1,000-student Hermosa Beach City School District next month, …” “M. Robert “Duffy” Clark, 52 of Orange…”

2. “Clark, who has more than 30 years’ teaching and administrative experience in Southern California Schools,…”

3. “He holds a master’s degree in history from Loyola Marymount University and a doctorate in education from USC. He began his career as an elementary school teacher in Orange County and was principal for two high schools – Tustin, then Mission Viejo—before moving to Las Virgenes district in Calabasas three years ago.”