Page 6 September 14, 2017 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Seniors Art of Organizing from page 3
Take Precautions In
The Heat - Lifesaving Tips
(BPT) - From tornadoes and floods
to hail and lightning storms, the United
States experiences a broad array of extreme
weather. Fatalities do occur, but many people
are surprised to learn that the weather event
that causes the greatest number of deaths
is heat.
According to the National Weather Service,
heat causes the greatest number of
weather-related fatalities each year. In fact,
an average of 130 people a year lost their
lives as a result of heat from 1986-2015. This
is a higher number than all other weather
events, including hurricanes.
From coast to coast, many regions are experiencing
heat waves and extreme temperatures
this summer. The toll the heat can take on
the body should not be underestimated. It’s
important to take precautions to ensure safety
in the heat when exercising, entertaining or
working outdoors or in non-air-conditioned
areas like the garage.
Hydration: The top tip for giving your body
the power to beat the heat is to stay hydrated.
You need water to sweat, which cools the
body. When sweat evaporates, it cools the
air around the skin so you can maintain a
comfortable body temperature. Be certain to
avoid sugar or caffeinated drinks, as they are
not as effective as plain old H2O.
Rest: Whether at work or play, be sure to
take breaks from the heat. Heat exhaustion
can lead to heat stroke, both of which are
dangerous conditions caused by too much
time in hot temperatures. Frequent breaks
from strenuous activity allow the body to
rest and cool down.
Shade: High temperatures paired with the
UV rays of the sun can be a dangerous combination.
If you must spend time outdoors, try
to do so in the shade. Shaded surfaces, for
example, may be 20-45 degrees cooler than
the peak temperatures of unshaded surfaces,
according to the United States Environmental
Protection Agency.
Cooling: While air conditioning is not an
option for open areas like the patio, deck or
garage, consider achieving cooling in these
spaces with a portable evaporative cooler.
Using the ambient air and the natural process
of evaporation, these coolers produce chilled
air to create a comfortably cool environment.
Portacool portable evaporative coolers offer
a variety of sizes to accommodate spaces
from 1,000 to 6,000 square feet. They operate
with a standard 110-V, are energy-efficient
and are equipped with heavy-duty castors
for easy mobility.
Clothing: Loose-fitting clothing made
from lightweight materials can help keep
your body cool during hot temperatures
while shielding you from sunburn. This type
of clothing can breathe, meaning that air
can easily circulate to your body and keep
you cool. Be selective when it comes to
colors. Choosing light-colored attire is wise
because it can reflect heat more efficiently
than darker tones.
Peak hours: While it’s not always possible,
it’s wise to avoid being outdoors during peak
heat periods of the day. This is typically noon
to 5 p.m. So if you must work in your garage
or plan to exercise outdoors, start early in the
morning. Consider planning family cookouts
for later in the evening when the sun lowers
and temperatures start to drop. •
Five Investment Strategies That
Can Outlast Market Spikes
(BPT) - You’re familiar with the saying “If
it seems too good to be true, it probably is”?
Just like any other scheme to “get rich
quick,” attempting to buy low and sell high
based on intermittent fluctuations in the stock
market-also known as “market timing”-is
almost always a losing proposition over
the long term for the investor. Studies have
repeatedly shown that those who attempt
to align their investments with short-term
fluctuations earn less than those who stay
in over the long haul.
“Once again, market fluctuations are messing
with average investors’ minds,” says J.D.
Roth, author of “Your Money: The Missing
Manual” in Entrepreneur. The truth is that
even the most stellar investment advisor lacks
a crystal ball into the future, and can only
make recommendations based on historical
research, industry guidelines, and experience.
So what are some better guidelines for
investing in the stock market? Consider
the following sound strategies, built on the
mounds of evidence saying market timing
doesn’t work as a long-term strategy:
Set clear goals and objectives such as
funding children’s college educations or
investing for your own retirement. Instead
of trading when you think it’s the right
time, the principle of dollar-cost averaging
(DCA) says to invest a fixed dollar amount
at predetermined intervals.
The advantage of dollar-cost averaging
is that you put your money into the market
earlier-increasing the likelihood of price
change-rather than holding onto cash until
you think prices are low.
Trying to achieve alpha-i.e., beating the
market with price returns-isn’t necessarily
the most evidence-based way of getting the
highest returns over time, especially looking
at your returns net of costs and taxes.
By investing in funds that largely track a
market index (index funds), historical results
show that the lower fees typical of index funds
and the long-term gains often outperform
actively managed funds with higher fees.
A major reason why investors should lean
on professional support in today’s world is
so that they can optimize their investments
to lower taxes. Specifically, how assets are
located within tax-advantaged and taxable
accounts can be managed to lower your
tax liability.
Finally, any time you want to reinvest dividends
or have reason to switch to a different
investment, there are ways to make regular
transactions as tax-efficient as possible.
When it comes to outlasting a spike in the
market, any investor should be aware of their
own biases and behaviors. Pay little attention
to financial TV shows and other media reports
that hype short-term fluctuations. And be
cognizant of the speaker’s motivation. Those
who think they have a real get-rich-quick
scheme are unlikely to share it with others.
Above all, don’t let uncertainty stop you
from investing. If you look back all the
way to 1926, keeping your money in cash/
cash equivalents has underperformed both
bonds and stocks. The key thing is to just
get invested.
Betterment optimizes its technology and
experience to help you make informed decisions
in your investment strategy. Founded
in 2008, the company manages $9 billion
in assets. Investing in securities involves
risks, and there is always the potential of
losing money when you invest in securities.
Before investing, consider your investment
objectives and Betterment’s charges and
expenses. Betterment distributed this article
through Brandpoint. Visit Betterment.com
for more information. •
Finance
things are. If someone cleans up, I am lost.”
Maxwell Johnston, age 15, said, “I try
and stay organized most of the time, but
I live with a little brother and he’s 13. It
is kinda difficult because he usually leaves
everything around and I have to pick up after
him sometimes. We have kinda found this
balance finally, and it is nice because now I
know where everything is. It is much easier
now.” Maxwell told me he tells his younger
brother to pick up after himself and it seems
to be working. “You have to keep reassuring
them as to what to do because they never
listen the first time. It is repetition,” added
Maxwell. Wise words from a 15-year old!
Next I spoke with Elissa Nakano, age 15,
who told me, “I like to say I am organized,
but I am not really sure--it is relative. I mean,
I think in my household I am organized, but
that is just because my parents are kind of
unorganized.”
Mia Hasenmayer, age 15, said, “I feel
that I am pretty organized ‘cuz for me, I
get annoyed and anxious if things are out
of place or if my room is a mess. I have to
clean it up that second.” Sitting next to Mia
was her best friend from preschool, Abby
Howell, age 15, visiting from San Jose,
who attends Leland High School. Abby told
me, “I think for me, I like coming home to
a really organized room and waking up to
an organized house and it is really nice. I
think when you get into the habit of being
organized, it just makes you feel better and
cleaner as a person. It gets you in the habit
of being organized not just in your house or
room, but in everything else.”
After speaking with the young adults and
teenagers, I realized they have very good
habits. And they were very open with advice
on how staying organized leads to an
organized life. Although confessing I don’t
color-coordinate my clothing, or have them
all hanging on matching hangers, I do okay.
And I try and not let things get out of hand.
Most of the teenagers I spoke with had a
clear handle on their rooms. All of them
knew how to organize their world. Listening
to them gave me a sense of pride in our
young American teenagers. Not only were
they articulate, responsive and forthcoming,
but they took time and shared their knowledge
of what works for them. I was impressed.
Inspired about organizing yet? •
School Board from front page
Rabiei’s presentation noted how the
District is trying to gather information
about the challenges certain students face in
making it to school day-in-and day-out,
and showing up on time ready to tackle
the day’s learning tasks. He cited an analysis
that took place at the Middle School
which produced data showing that administrator
home visits addressing chronic
absenteeism were linked to “a decrease in
absenteeism by as much as 50 percentage
for the remaining schooldays.”
Rabiei also produced stats that showed
the District’s chronic absenteeism rate was
static during the 2016-17 schoolyear, at 6.4
percent. Grade-level chronic absenteeism last
schoolyear showed 13.1 percent at the 12th
grade level, 13.0 at the 11th grade level,
8.9 for the 10th graders, and 5.6 for fourth
grade students. Center Street Elementary
fourth graders tallied a 7.63 absentee rate.
The lowest percent of chronic absenteeism in
the District, achieved by the second graders,
was 1.6 percent, followed closely by the 1.8
percent tallied by first graders.
Rabiei noted key changes between the
2015-16 and 2016-17 chronic absenteeism
rates, with 11th graders increasing 4.1
percent, and fourth graders ratcheting
up 3.2 percent. These increases were
mitigated by a drop-in absenteeism of 4.2
percent for the El Segundo High School
sophomore class.
Rabiei stressed the importance of student
attendance as a key indicator towards high
school graduation rates. His presentation
noted that the month of September has
been deemed “National School Attendance
Awareness Month,” and that the District is
taking part in an “attendance counts” messaging
campaign; implementing after-school
attendance recovery programs at all school
sites; continuing the successful home visit
program with District counselors and administrators;
as well as keeping a watchful eye
on attendance data as the new schoolyear
moves forward; and launching an attendance
incentive campaign.
Said Board President Bill Watkins:
“Student attendance is primarily essential
for students to learn. Missing a lecture or
activity can directly affect what the student
gains from that class. And student attendance
is also essential with our current state
funding formula, since the District literally
is paid for every day a student is in school.
For these reasons, we ask our parents to
work with us to make sure that if a student
is not ill, that the student is in school ready
to learn.”
Rabiei noted that “every month is attendance
awareness month,” and that while
some of the District’s attendance numbers are
improving, “we can do better.” He pointed
out that chronic absenteeism tends to start
early for some families. Board member
Nancy Cobb broached her thoughts after
the presentation, mentioning that there is a
different perceived culture about school attendance
amongst students, parents, and school
faculty and administration. Watkins added
his thoughts of the tantamount importance
of engaging parents about the attendance issue
in the early stages of elementary school.
Prior to Rabiei’s presentation, assembled
Board members heard a quick presentation
from student representative Jake Nichols,
and the monthly information from Ed!
Foundation CEO Carol Pirsztuk regarding the
important fundraising goals that her group
aims to hit in the 2017-18 schoolyear along
with upcoming community events that they
are sponsoring. The Ed! Foundation hopes to
grant $1.5 million to the District this schoolyear,
with an “ask” of $600 per student. Ed!
is currently at about the 30 percent level to
hitting this goal.
Consent agenda items on Tuesday
night included dealing with classified and
certificated personnel issues, and entering
into an agreement with Wolf Trap
Foundation geared towards the District’s
youngest learners to “teach arts integrated
experiences.” The program comes to the
District at no cost, with the $3,850 bill
covered by a grant from the Northrop
Grumman Foundation.
Action items included a nice-sized grant
from Chevron, in conjunction with the Rotary
Club, to the District’s elementary schools for
the purchase of Chromebooks; approval of
the statewide resolution declaring September
as School Attendance Awareness Month;
and renewal of the Gann Limit, an annual
resolution that affects California district
school funding.
The only information pending action on
Tuesday evening’s agenda involved the pending
approval of a physical science course at
the High School. That item will be brought
back to the Board at its next meeting on
September 26.
Board member reports followed, with Vice
President Emilee Layne reminding listeners
and viewers of the ongoing dealings with El
Segundo City Council about the District’s
“proportional support to the City” regarding
the in-construction aquatics facility taking
shape on Douglas Street.
Superintendent Melissa Moore then wrapped
up the meeting with her report to the Board
members, including her excitement about the
“digital learning opportunities” being afforded
District students. •