Noteworthy news and events from Mission Bay and Pacific Beach-area schools:
Mission Bay Cluster School’s police officer Ivan Picazo is the San Diego Unified School District Police Officer of the Year. The schools of Mission Bay Cluster are fortunate to have Ivan overseeing their campuses. Officer Picazo’s office is based at Mission Bay High School (his car is always visible), where he supports the administration with campus rules and teaches students about safety and enforcing the law. He is well-known in the community, because he visits all schools throughout the cluster, including Sessions Elementary, Pacific Beach Elementary, Crown Point Elementary, Bayview Terrace Elementary and Pacific Beach Middle School. All high schools in the San Diego Unified School District are assigned an officer to oversee their campuses. Officer Picazo will be honored at the 20th annual San Diego Peace Officer of the Year award ceremony at the Prado in Balboa Park on April 29. For more information, contaact Lt. Reuben Littlejohn at (619) 725-7000, or e-mail  [email protected]. Congratulations to Ivan Picazo! The next Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools meeting will be on Wednesday, April 27 at 6 p.m. in the MBHS Library. Please join the principals, staff and parents from Pacific Beach Middle School and Mission Bay High and learn about the great opportunities that the students have had this year and the exciting programs on the agenda for the next school year. A pancake breakfast is scheduled for Saturday, April 23 from 8 to 11 a.m. at Pacific Beach Middle School. This tasty fundraiser, sponsored by the PBMS Music Department, will help raise funds for orchestra and advanced band participation in the Forum Festival in Orange County later this school year. The tickets are $6 and include pancakes, sausage, orange juice, milk and coffee. Come out and support the musicians of PB Middle School With budget cuts looming, the Pacific Beach Cluster of schools are holding some exciting fundraising events in the coming weeks: El Kate Sessions Elementary School annual spring silent auction will be held on Friday, April 29 at the Soledad Club. This event will help raise money for the students of Kate Sessions Elementary, ensuring an enriched learning environment for the next school year. Join the Sessions Supporters and enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres, drinks, live music and terrific company. For more information, call (858) 273-3111, or email [email protected]. The Friends of Pacific Beach Elementary will host its 2011 Mixer and Silent Auction on Saturday, May 14 at 6 p.m. at Andrew’s Hall, 1050 Thomas Ave. All money raised directly benefits the students of Pacific Beach Elementary School. Advance tickets are available by calling (858) 488-8316. Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools’ silent auction, “Blues By the Bay,” will be held  Sunday, May 22 at the Mission Beach Women’s Club from 5 to 9 p.m. ($10 at the door). FOPBSS is a nonprofit organization supporting Pacific Beach Middle School and Mission Bay High School. This event is our largest fundraiser of the year and funds many programs which enhance the educational experience of our students. Each year, FOPBSS strives to offer excellent auction packages to our guests and appreciate donations of services, certificates, merchandise or funds to the auction.  No donation is too small. E-mail [email protected].