[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6661909,"mediaKeyId","2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133","parentId",2404541,"title","Beverly Hills High academic decathlon advances to state; four students named National Merit finalists","audioSeconds",817,"startMs",341000,"endMs",1158000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133&start=341&end=1158","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133/thumbnail_341000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6661909/California/Beverly-Hills-High-academic-decathlon-advances-to-state-four-students-named-National-Merit-finalists","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661909-07255ba78a700acf3e30927cb02f9c1e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945028&Signature=HJonV13njwMMUghbASihRgBRZ8rjTdkZ5Etc1VKMHp9P83uty9~Rd5Igpb~DO~X9hryZdEBzLeL~off2QUJhS7lAXTPAukhcaixy~SaXB2t3xRPQOKKalpU1vESwCJXmv9i1Lpjn93-zZkuCPUW1BkWfzFR6CZKHYFLv5DrJ6plyYjFa6BshSzqnol2udTg4WM2IK9VmpuYI2g7S4TmUpQ9bYHHVSaZAolAz7VZl~Ky2w-hxQWuU-MLCEPPD2rGbJXRR5YPcYIKPJOhuCjNUtbYYJzbEuhaue5HUPewgWCpsc88l3bh9Rr1ep5hPhUuKF8dtJrlk0qq6nCIxf8wGyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-26T06:43:14Z","article","The Beverly Hills Unified School District Board of Education honored Beverly Hills High School’s academic decathlon team and four National Merit Scholarship Program finalists at the Feb. 25 meeting.

Teacher and coach Marie Fine and Principal Drew Stewart introduced the academic decathlon team after the board’s opening ceremonies. The team placed fifth out of 55 teams in the Los Angeles County regional competition and will advance to the California state contest. Principal Stewart and Fine listed individual medals earned by team members: Jacob Treiman earned golds and perfect scores in speech and interview; Sarah Zhang was named the top scoring team decathlete; Karina Kruger, Nicholas Lau, Leah Levy, Alicia Reed, Peter Kang and Lindsay Jada Moreno also earned medals in events including essay, speech, interview, math and art. The team’s next events include an on‑campus state essay test and an in‑person state competition in Santa Clara.

Separately, Principal Stewart announced four BHHS students who had advanced to the National Merit Scholarship finalist stage: Benjamin Bakshian, Tali Goldkorn, AJ Smiler and Sarah Zhang. Stewart noted the program narrows an initial field of more than 1.5 million entrants to roughly 15,000 finalists nationwide.

Board members praised the student achievements and coaches. “You guys are what’s right about Beverly,” Board Member Russell Stewart told students. Several board members encouraged seniors to mentor freshmen and younger students to help sustain programs.

Why it matters: Academic decathlon and National Merit honors reflect schoolwide academic programs and provide public recognition of student achievement. The decathlon’s state qualification and finalist recognitions are milestones for participating students and the district’s reputation for academic achievement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BHUSD Regular Board of Education Meeting | February 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the Feb. 25 board meeting BHHS academic decathlon team members were honored for placing among the top regional teams and advancing to state; four students were also recognized as National Merit Scholarship Program finalists.","taxTitle","Beverly Hills Unified, School Districts, California","taxId",46623,"location","California","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6661913,"Board approves $200,000‑plus amendment for BHHS structural testing after DSA comments",584,13786000,14370000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133&start=13786&end=14370","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133/thumbnail_13786000.jpg","/articles/6661913/California/Board-approves-200000plus-amendment-for-BHHS-structural-testing-after-DSA-comments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661913-ab71c454e6b02cd6aa2dceda0f5df458/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945028&Signature=FDSikC2oZrRwhKST0rtf7VvxI16mOr6PLaCtUDOXb5wYM5P~5W3JRhnu004sPZ7-2iORp-wJ46m97~iIaWsl~stl2cUn1~NU82f~WNPTyH1TH88kYLQvBxa9QakHEIu9jTR4AESI17i2rJ57d9hcf1AKYCb6~KyyVDUykh-Bo89yUP0B4bWkGG4~QlnBae8wxfK4gOzOs~DMy0xTzZO7PT5k0XMlJOjc0w3TYnFVmjtwSrXKi9l76ybvBfkAwGyaeiYoratniktCYHl3apbmM5-5DD~HRdLTV43l84xUtPJ3BiMj2CUCScp-4q01l2q8m6Ou~q-2~Mn~RxgdJ7bDhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Beverly Hills Unified School District board approved Amendment No. 7 to its testing and inspection contract with RMA Group for work at Beverly Hills High School’s B‑3/B‑4 projects during the Feb. 25 meeting.

Staff said the amendment covers additional special inspections and testing of structural steel, fasteners and post‑installed anchors that became necessary after further review by Division of the State Architect (DSA) comments and field discovery of structural complications. The staff rationale added the work is required to complete the project within the current timeline.

During discussion trustees asked for procurement documentation and proposals from alternative firms in future cases, noting the amendment amount is substantial. Board members were advised the procurement thresholds and prior contract work were within the district’s procurement practices; staff said they would provide prior proposals and a procurement memo to the board for review.

The amendment passed by roll call vote 5‑0. Trustees expressed a desire to receive procurement backup materials before similar amendments are presented and for staff to return with a memo explaining the procurement path and any options that were considered.

Why it matters: The amendment funds inspections and testing required to confirm structural repairs and ensure the safety and code compliance of a major high‑school construction project. Board members sought transparency about vendor selection and cost control for future change orders and testing amendments.","Trustees approved Amendment No. 7 to a construction testing and inspection contract for Beverly Hills High School (B 3/B 4), citing additional tests required by state reviewers and field discoveries; the board asked procurement staff to provide comparative proposals for future amendments.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6661918,"Board approves Swing Education substitute services contract; trustees seek subject matching and quality controls",298,1867000,2165000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133&start=1867&end=2165","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133/thumbnail_1867000.jpg","/articles/6661918/California/Board-approves-Swing-Education-substitute-services-contract-trustees-seek-subject-matching-and-quality-controls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661918-9db67cb0a9de3d11498c85e79f0b7459/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945028&Signature=VjKfQPT7D0bCEC0e7nX9gQcDIxt0mmRjdo9dZh30tjb5aN36UHPJweQqP6c-qj-qaJJWQSQVR3mwGL6CLpIC-C3C3ZlZRVNMIQY31Mv7lWnmuEgZEkE1sjKnV2aJGZKwZxKqCYWnBiQhX5yrw4JKtEosblKvvzFGydZOXDsuopD~8w1BO3w6pkYjoRjMvRDKtVI9TDwgbMfBM820yARi4s~60DVeLvt7mohIAhKChjNfwxAeOO1leLlgDZ6vvek1ouVKZC5mfoWCmp6iJHY-0wZpFYTwGLUBOyYVk3Xxjc~XKDwe~Q~wHoSsMP7KIbqAOZ~8GyBBxd8mpo~VRf91-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Beverly Hills Unified School District board approved an agreement with Swing Education, a private substitute staffing vendor, at its Feb. 25 regular meeting after a period of discussion about implementation details and controls.

Board members asked for assurances that Swing Education would be able to provide credential‑appropriate substitutes, and for the vendor to work with the district to deliver pools focused by subject area and grade level. “In my negotiations with them they’re very open to flexibility and we can definitely work on that,” Assistant Superintendent Dustin Seaman said during the presentation.

The staff presentation explained the contract would allow the district to request pools of credentialed and non‑credentialed substitutes, and that the vendor offers a percentage‑based fee structure tied to pay rates for credentialed, long‑term and other classifications (the contract exhibit shows credentialed substitute rates and percentage splits). A board member asked that staff return with more granular matching (for example, English teachers for English classes) and to confirm the pay tables in the executed contract.

Trustees voted to approve the agreement after discussion about training, start date and how the vendor will be held to performance metrics. The item was carried by an oral Aye vote in open session; the transcript records the motion and the board’s affirmative vote.

Why it matters: Substitute coverage affects daily instruction and continuity for students. The board sought to balance a broad vendor pool and cost control with the desire to have substitutes who can continue lessons and remain familiar with curriculum and grade‑level expectations.

Contract details and next steps: Staff said the service would begin after a signed contract and vendor onboarding/training with district staff. Trustees asked for follow‑up reporting on the vendor’s ability to provide subject‑appropriate matches and on realized costs compared with current substitute spending.","The Beverly Hills Unified School District board approved a contract with Swing Education for substitute teacher services Feb. 25. Board members asked staff to return with options for subject‑ and credential‑level matching and to report on implementation and substitute pay structures.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6661923,"Public speakers press board for answers as KBEV teacher remains on leave and superintendent exit draws scrutiny",2329,14871000,17200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133&start=14871&end=17200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133/thumbnail_14871000.jpg","/articles/6661923/California/Public-speakers-press-board-for-answers-as-KBEV-teacher-remains-on-leave-and-superintendent-exit-draws-scrutiny","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661923-1e37f0c3918acd5714a07bcf4cb0baa4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945028&Signature=PPcoU1DlgCmQ~~hQsjkN6G6fTU9bV1UueTBJINeKv8JHn7NBnnSg5v-HYAoxHz3GjbD-48lk-ZTirQV-3M18BtkRze4j0MbMuS870YqqyIE36h6VN8yc8yjrKzBM3WxMh7XjMsSJTU4WZp3WXepNgANOjFYbf35TFsne049PhxPsr80yqJRWTXm4Kcml8fZn67-UZ-OhaEOHFngmnXAvo~gmHntoJJQZKd0ckY4gj9qzXLJW8QS~rZ2Rn1X420Y1LTMpYAkwU0XLOYKD3ECbEpyOYwwHsOfpV1PuNVafn~cJIdCfJRqGTZgvDXoYWwstSUXbFxDvCWbahLHNWjnwnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Scores of students, parents and community members used the Feb. 25 public‑comment period to press the Beverly Hills Unified School District board for answers about an ongoing investigation and the administrative leave of longtime KBEV adviser Romeo Carey. Speakers also criticized the district’s handling of Superintendent Michael Breggi’s announced resignation earlier in the month.

Several students said KBEV — the student‑run television program and extracurricular laboratory — has deteriorated in Carey’s absence and urged board action. “Mr. Carey helped me get immersed into a new environment,” student Gunnar Warmsley told the board. “If it wasn’t for him, my English wouldn’t be like this.”

Parent and longtime KBEV advocate Michael Rizzoli read an apology to students on behalf of the board: “On behalf of this board and all who represent them, to the KBEV students, I’m sorry for the disrespect you have been shown by this administration,” he said, citing what he called a period of “interrogation” of students. Others questioned whether the investigation had been prolonged for months without publicly disclosed findings.

Multiple speakers raised free‑speech concerns after a sequence in which program volunteers were restricted from studio access and district staff requested passwords for student accounts. Media‑center founder and longtime technician Dusty Stiles — who said he has worked on the district studio for 55 years — said the station’s operations had been interrupted and urged restoration of normal access.

Students said the disruption affected competitive and curricular activities. “It’s been impeding students’ ability to complete their work,” one student told the board about SkillsUSA and other CTE activities. Several parents said they believed the district had not been sufficiently transparent about the investigation and urged the board to complete and release findings or reinstate staff if no credible evidence exists.

The public‑comment speakers repeatedly urged an immediate resolution. “We will keep speaking. We will keep fighting because we refuse to accept this injustice,” said student Deborah Cohen. Another student, Veil Wiseman, urged the board to “fix what you broke.”

Why it matters: KBEV is a long‑running district extracurricular program that students say functions as an applied journalism and career‑technical education pathway. Community members say months without the program’s lead advisor have disrupted learning and competition readiness; the dispute has also surfaced broader concerns about district governance and communication.

What the board said: Board members listening during public comment did not disclose personnel details (state and federal privacy rules and pending investigations typically limit public disclosure). Several board members later said they were working to clarify process and would return with next steps; President Marcus and other trustees reiterated constraints about what they can legally disclose about personnel investigations and asked for civility and time to complete administrative processes.","Multiple public commenters demanded the board reinstate KBEV adviser Romeo Carey and called for transparency after Superintendent Michael Breggi’s resignation announcement. Speakers said the prolonged administrative leave disrupted student programs and cited First Amendment and student‑journalism concerns.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6661928,"BHUSD presents midyear strategic-plan updates as principals report I‑Ready gains and ongoing reading gaps",7819,3000000,10819000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133&start=3000&end=10819","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2404541-726a9b0b579209c923159b8e5eec3133/thumbnail_3000000.jpg","/articles/6661928/California/BHUSD-presents-midyear-strategic-plan-updates-as-principals-report-IReady-gains-and-ongoing-reading-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6661928-23be17321c3379e3ca59776985aba5c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945028&Signature=lrInh2vQUMYpCfytKeunPOq9ObvjtERSgf1sweWOhh6caRIpkSYtIGFGGpUiwkKm2Be8yGluycpDS2YogFFPSFkJxj9B7jaSCKDqak33VN5yL1GP69CS3uqEGiSYXLGLlD2MnKErKZh5jrh71KEfEjqwiP5Yz7oOl8UHV4yjtYfFFIjlU2DR5mjdcONzEQHlmZEStqWN8rk7vMSXl5yf4t3HJm1bwhkz1KZp7XwF2Wsdfm7e4VWTsTkSVJtOBjvG1i0phRGoncCZRVac6h2IroeB47hhdR38iCPIZLFhzYYCgdHtASqmGG~Rw7UMeN5-h6raDzJdMWDUtmU1Np4jpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Beverly Hills Unified School District officials presented a midyear strategic‑plan update at the Feb. 25 Board of Education meeting, and principals from the district’s four main campuses summarized progress on the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and school‑level goals.

The update, led by Superintendent Michael Hasty and Assistant Superintendent Dustin Seaman, emphasized gains on interim diagnostics and described targeted next steps for math, reading and behavior supports across elementary, middle and high school sites.

Principal Ellery of Horace Mann Elementary told the board the school’s second I‑Ready diagnostic showed marked growth: “Diagnostic 1, 46 percent of our students were at or above grade level. When we gave them the second assessment in December, that number increased to 66 percent,” she said, adding that math rose from 37 percent to 57 percent. Ellery said Horace Mann had restructured PLCs, aligned interventions with essential standards and limited time on adaptive lessons to an average of about 1 hour 18 minutes a week per student.

Principal Caber at El Rodeo Elementary reported similar progress, telling the board that schoolwide I‑Ready pass rates were high and that DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) checks and targeted fact‑fluency work had produced gains. She said the school had 91 percent of math lessons passed and 85 percent of reading lessons passed across the year so far, and that teachers were using common assessments and small‑group interventions to accelerate students near grade level.

Beverly Vista Middle School Principal Waters said his site’s NWEA growth‑and‑achievement quadrant showed high achievement and high growth overall, with a notable 8‑percent gain in math. Waters described expanded counseling lessons on resilience, a 566‑student conduct record free of negative marks for the quarter, and “Bulldog Days” and other culture initiatives aimed at preventing behavior problems.

At Beverly Hills High School, Principal Russell summarized performance and college‑readiness work, including AP successes, a new AP Research capstone to be offered next year and a career/job fair run with the counseling and CTE teams. He noted that schoolwide NWEA achievement remained strong but flagged lower growth metrics in reading. “Reading is an issue, and it’s a national trend,” he told the board; he said academic coaches had compiled discipline‑by‑discipline literacy toolkits for classroom teachers and that a districtwide CAST preparedness campaign would begin in the coming weeks.

District leaders and principals repeatedly framed the work through the strategic plan’s three pillars — engaging students in learning, supporting positive student behavior, and growing professionally — and emphasized teacher PLCs (professional learning communities) and RTI (response to intervention) as the mechanisms to sustain gains and address gaps.

Assistant Superintendent Seaman told the board the district would return with more detailed 30/60/90 day action steps for instruction and interventions. Board members asked for grade‑level breakdowns of I‑Ready time‑on‑task and for a follow‑up showing how interim gains translate into CAASPP results later in the year.

Why it matters: District officials described measurable midyear gains but acknowledged persistent work is needed on reading and on translating diagnostic progress to state summative outcomes. The presentations set the district’s immediate instructional priorities and signaled additional supports and accountability checks for the rest of the school year.","District leaders presented a midyear strategic‑plan update and site reports Feb. 25, with principals from Horace Mann, El Rodeo, Beverly Vista and Beverly Hills High School highlighting gains on I‑Ready diagnostics and plans to address reading and behavior needs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Beverly Hills High academic decathlon advances to state; four students named National Merit finalists

Board approves $200,000‑plus amendment for BHHS structural testing after DSA comments

Board approves Swing Education substitute services contract; trustees seek subject matching and quality controls

Public speakers press board for answers as KBEV teacher remains on leave and superintendent exit draws scrutiny

BHUSD presents midyear strategic-plan updates as principals report I‑Ready gains and ongoing reading gaps