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Muir's Leadership
is in Good Hands |
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©2012 PASADENA WEEKLY |
Members
of the Alumni Association's executive board met
with Tim Sippel on Thursday to welcome him back
to Muir as its principal. It was very clear that
Mr. Sippel understands the environment that is
Muir. He expressed that he truly wants to make
meaningful improvements to the school; to
provide better opportunities for the students to
improve not just their test scores, but to
actually learn.
During
that meeting many issues were not only
discussed, but agreements were made on issues
the Alumni Association felt were important. "Mr.
Sippel seems to be exactly what Muir needs and I
hope that he will be able to accomplish his
goals for the school and the students," stated
Jim Henderson, JMHSAA president. |
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"Even
though it was my first conversation with Mr.
Sippel, I was very impressed with his candor and
the sincerity in his voice. Jim stated, "we, the
Association, want it to be clear to Mr. Sippel
that the Association is ready to support him in
every way possible."
Mr.
Sippel was the assistant principal at Muir in
2008 when the reinvention process began and by
taking this leadership role, he wants to be sure
that program continues and improves.
The
Pasadena Weekly recently interviewed Mr. Sippel
for their publication. Later he learned that the
journalist that interviewed him is Muir student,
Christina Anaya. He was very impressed with her
skills as a journalist and with the article that
she wrote. Mr. Sippel stated that Andre
Coleman, Muir alum ('82), Hall of Fame member,
and a writer/photographer for the Pasadena
Weekly, plans to provide classes to the
journalism students at Muir. Jim Henderson hopes
that these classes will not only provide lessons
that will greatly improve student writing
skills, but he hopes that it will give the
school a greater voice in the press. Perhaps
this will provide an opportunity to read about
some of the overwhelming number of positive
things that happen at Muir.
Welcome,
Mr. Sippel, we're glad you stepped up to take
the reins of this Spirited Mustang. The Alumni
Association stands at-the-ready.
Go
Mustangs!
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Muir Documentary
(Editor's note: This goal
has been met, Pablo and everyone involved sends a big
"Thank You" out to the Muir Community for their support.
However, donations are still being accepted for this
project. If you wish to donate, please contact Pablo at
the number below)
Dear Mustangs!
My name is Pablo Miralles, Class of 1982 and I need your
help!
 Almost
a year ago I read a note written by Cameron Turner
(Class of 1981) reminiscing about how truly blessed he
was to have gone to John Muir High School. He wrote,
"With all the mess going on in the news today around
race relations, I am more grateful than ever that I grew
up in Pasadena in the 1970s. We had a unique opportunity
to LIVE the beautiful truth of integration and our
generation knows first hand that understanding, harmony,
friendship and love can blossom among people of
different racial and ethnic backgrounds if we just all
take
the opportunity..." From that short note, I made a
little no-budget film for the Class of 1981's 30th
reunion, viewed over a 1000 times online and picked up
by LA Times columnist Hector Tobar.
Soon I was being contacted by alumni from
other classes. People who wanted to tell me
what a profound experience going to Muir
was, in the 50s, the 60's all the way
through to the 90s. I did a little research
and realized that the story of John Muir
High School is the story of our country.
That within the people who attended, there
is the seed of what is possible in our city,
state and nation. Now I need your help to
make this film a reality.
Film Donation Website
Taking a break from my other projects I
decided to make this feature, PBS-quality
documentary, not only covering the
desegregated years, but looking at the truly
unique history of John Muir High since it's
creation as Pasadena's "other school". An
integrated campus long
before Brown vs. Board of Education all the
way to the tough years of "resegregation"
and the public's disaffection with it's own
schools.
I truly feel that the history of John Muir
High School, it's alumni, teachers,
administrators and parents and their belief
in the promise of a diverse and excellent
public education are important stories to
tell for the present and future John Muir
High School community and the world at
large.
Please help! This $35,000 represents a
bare-bones no frills HD production, made
possible by a committed and experienced team
of filmmakers and volunteers, most of whom
are JMHS alumni from the 1960s, 70s and 80s.
If I do not raise the full $35,000 then I
will receive nothing and the film will not
get made. That is the nature of internet
crowd funding. So please forward the link to
all your family and friends and ask them to
give! Every dollar counts!
Thank you. And please feel free to contact
me with your thoughts and comments.
Pablo Miralles
Producer/Director, Arroyo Seco Films
213.321.9287
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PUSD TEACHER SURPRISED WITH NATIONAL
MILKEN EDUCATOR AWARD
"Oscar of
Teaching" goes to John Muir's Manuel
Rustin, along with $25,000 Prize
Pasadena, CA, January 31, 2012
- John
Muir High School teacher Manuel Rustin
got the
 surprise
of a lifetime today at a school wide
assembly, where he was honored with the
National Milken Educator Award, one of
the most prestigious honors in teaching.
The Milken Family Foundation (MFF)
honored-and stunned-Manuel Rustin, a
social studies teacher at John Muir High
School, with the award, which comes with
a no-strings-attached cash prize of
$25,000. Among the leaders participating
in the ceremony were California
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom
Torlakson and Pasadena Unified School
District Superintendent Jon R. Gundry.
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 Target
Stores Support Schools
"Take Charge of Education"
How
the Program Works
You shop, Muir benefits. It's that simple.
And your REDcardSM makes it
possible.
Here's how to
participate:
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Apply and get approved for a REDcard.
- Enroll in Take Charge
of Education and designate a K-12
school.
- Start shopping with
your REDcard.
Donations to Schools
We'll track purchases made
by participating REDcard holders, then send
a no-strings-attached donation check
directly to the school principal.
Checks are distributed
once a year. If the total of accumulated
donations is less than $25, the amount
carries over to the next payment period. You
can track your school's progress at
Target.com/tcoe |
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Attention
Ralphs' Shoppers!
John Muir High School is now signed up with
Ralphs Market. If you have a Ralphs Reward
card please visit the Ralphs website and
register your card, then when you shop at
Ralphs they will make a donation to Muir.
It's that easy! If you don't have a Ralphs
Reward card then visit your neighborhood
Ralphs and get one - they're free and you'll
earn savings too.
Once you have your Rewards Card go to
www.ralphs.com and create an account so
that you can sign up to get rewards for
Muir.
After you create the account sign in and
look for the "Edit Community Contribution"
information and input the 5-digit code for
Muir which is "92027."
From then on every time you shop use your
rewards card and know that you helping Muir! |
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