New Hires Support Students, Staff
Three new staff members have joined the school district’s support team.
Johnathan Rastello joins Laguna Beach High School as a school counselor. He earned an undergraduate degree in film and television from Chapman University and his master’s in counseling from Loyola Marymount University.
New Thurston Middle School Assistant Principal Joseph Vidal previously worked at Irvine’s Vista Verde School in the same position. He earned degrees in psychology and special education, from California State University, Long Beach and from UCLA.
Robert Aristo has been selected as the district’s new school psychologist, assigned to Thurston Middle School. He has earned degrees from Cal State Los Angeles and Cal State Long Beach.
Coffee-Break Introduces School Leaders
PTA’s Coffee Break will kick-off the school year with its annual Meet the Leaders forum at 8:30 a.m. at the Aliso Creek Inn on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
Parents are invited to come meet administrators, including the newly named assistant superintendent, and hear about the district’s plans for the school year. Highlighted will be the transition plan to the Common Core standards, with each principal discussing what that will look like at each school. A suggested $10 donation is asked.
Spirit Award Honoree Named
The school district’s human resource technician Melinda Grace received the sixth annual Spirit of LBUSD award during a staff breakfast preceding the school year’s opening day.
Board President William Landsiedel stated, “Melinda has been an invaluable employee, who has always gone above and beyond. At a time when we have been short staffed, she took on many hats, always ready to help out and go beyond the job requirements. Melinda is one of those employees who arrives early, leaves late, and will always volunteer with a smile on her face. Melinda is very deserving of the employee spirit award.”
Grace expressed disbelief at her selection. She joined the district in 2001 as a payroll clerk and was promoted in 2005.
In her free time, she enjoys crafts, feeding ducks near her home and spending time with her son, Max, a Laguna Beach High School graduate.
