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“ Our Town , Our Paper ” lagunabeachindy . com NOVEMBER 18 , 2022 | Volume XIX , Issue 46
Iseman Honored For 24 Years of Public Service
Retiring Councilmember Receives Tributes from Dozens of Residents
By Clara Beard
The Laguna Beach City Chambers was standing room only , with some left to only peer through the outside windows , as many residents gathered to honor Councilmember Toni Iseman ’ s extraordinary 24 years of public service to the City of Laguna Beach during Tuesday ’ s council meeting .
Iseman made history as the longest running Laguna Beach Councilmember and , in that time , was City mayor four times : 2003 , 2007 , 2011 . Among Iseman ’ s many accomplishments was requesting the Laguna Beach Trolley system be changed to free rideship , recommending traffic controllers downtown , developing the Community and Susi Q Center , preserving the City ’ s open spaces , supporting historic heritage , working a
PUBLIC SERVICE , PAGE 3
By Clara Beard
The Sunshine School has a new campus . The school is now located in South Laguna in the Laguna Beach United Methodist Church on 21632 Wesley Drive and look forward to welcoming new students into their unique program .
The school has a Monday , Wednesday and Friday program for 4-year-olds , and a Tuesday , Thursday program for 3-yearolds . They also have a five-day transitional kindergarten ( TK ) program .
“ Our preschool and TK programs support students as they build self-confidence , compassion for others , and the academic tools needed for kindergarten and elementary school success ,” Director and school psychologist Dr . Elizabeth
Retiring Laguna Beach Councilmember Toni Iseman ( center ) stands with Laguna Beach residents after hearing dozens of tributes to her time in public service . Photo / Clara Beard
THE SUNSHINE SCHOOL MOVES TO SOUTH LAGUNA
Plumb said . “ While our philosophy is developmental , we are intentional in the activities we offer each day . Academic concepts are strategically integrated into meaningful play experiences , to ensure that all areas of kindergarten readiness are included .”
At the Sunshine School , which has been open in its new location since Sept . 6 , they create “ purposeful play ” centers in which students have opportunities to run their own restaurants , bakeries , and fire stations . Budding veterinarians treat sick animals , and paleontologists conduct dinosaur fossil excavations . Students often come up with their own ideas for dramatic play centers based on their specific interests .
The school provides frequent opportunities for work with play dough , clay , sand , ice , water and many other sensory materials . Students strengthen their hand muscles by transferring and pouring liquids and molding soft materials , such as sand and play dough .
“ We really believe in developing their fine motor skills in terms of just increasing their hand strength through working with tools through interactive craft projects ,” Plumb said . “ So when they do start writing , their hands are ready for it . They ’ re starting and ready . So we do lots of fun things , tweezers and tongs . And we ’ ve been hammering golf tees into
SCHOOL , PAGE 22
City-wide Love Laguna Beach Volunteer Event This Saturday
By Clara Beard Love Laguna Beach organizers are gearing up for a city-wide volunteer day this Saturday , when residents , businesses , City government , faith-based organizations , and non-profits will unite to make Laguna Beach a better place . Sponsored by Laguna Presbyterian and organized by the Rotary Club , the event started in Modesto , California and has since caught on by Orange County cities like Fullerton and Anaheim . This is the first year Laguna will host the event .
The event ’ s goal is to provide project opportunities scattered all around the City of Laguna Beach for people of all ages to participate and make a difference . There is no other local event designed to collectively bring people together like Love Laguna Beach and , next year , Rotary Community Representative Gail Duncan said they hope to make the volunteer day even bigger .
“ It ’ s an event based on doing volunteer projects for the city ,” Duncan said “ I love it . I love that we ’ re able to do a couple of
LOVE LAGUNA , PAGE 22
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