McAuliffe teacher Mrs. Sherry Tanaka received the Orange County Music and Arts Educators Award for Visual Arts Teacher of the Year in a May 9th ceremony at Segerstrom Center. She was also recognized as one of the county's Outstanding Arts Educators. Photo by Sherry Kropp shows Donna Chinn (Los Al Arts organizer), Ann Allen (McAuliffe principal), Sherry Tanaka (OCMAA Visual Arts Teacher Award), Jeannine Ball ((OCMAA Outstanding Arts Educator), Diana Hill (LAUSD school board), David Moellenkamp (LAHS Director of Arts). Mrs. Tanaka's teaching prowess was described in detail by McAuliffe Principal Mrs. Ann Allen:
Sherry Tanaka is an exemplary Art instructor. In teaching the language of visual communication, she challenges her students to use their brains to see, to think and to express themselves in innovative ways. As examples, when delivering instruction to sixth grade students., Mrs. Tanaka teaches Betty Edward’s “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” exercises and observation techniques to assist students in creating their self portraits. In addition students study and use the Principles of Design and Composition to create their own diagonal line design, circular design and symmetrical square/rectangle and line/shape designs. In grades seven and eight students complete units in drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking. For example, to begin the unit on drawing and painting, students study Leonardo DaVinci, viewing his drawings and paintings of figures as models. Then they create along with the teacher, practicing how to draw a person from head to toe using measuring by comparison, by drawing full face and profile portraits, and by digging deeper by focusing on drawing hands, arms and feet. Students also study printmakers (Kathe Kollowitz and Hokusai), study Picassoand abstract art, and create linoleum block prints to apply what they have learned. To prepare for the unit on sculpture, students study Louise Nevelson to view examples of monumental, 3 story high pieces and
The Orange County Music and Arts Administrators recognized LAHS Photography teacher Mrs. Jeannine Ball as an Outstanding Arts Educator for this year. The awards ceremony took place on May 9th at Samueli Theatre at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Photo shows Mrs. Ball (left) with fellow OCMAA honoree Mrs. Sherry Tanaka (right). This is how LAHS Principal Dr. Brandon Martinez describes Mrs. Ball's exemplary teaching:
Congratulations to all Los Al students who participated in the Fourth District PTA Reflections Gallery, and to these 8 who received specific recognition:
Tom Plunkett has been the Director of Bands at Los Alamitos High School since 2012. He began his teaching career in 2002 at Damien HS in La Verne, CA, and has served as an adjudicator for the Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association. Under his leadership, the symphonic and marching programs have gained local, regional, and national acclaim while emphasizing student growth and leadership. Mr. Plunkett earned the City of La Verne Teacher of the Year Award in 2008, the Los Alamitos HS Golden Apple Award in 2015, and the Los Alamitos USD Cabinet Award in 2015, and was a member of the World Champion Concord Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps in 1994. Tom married his high school sweetheart Lucia and they have two children, Oliver and Luna. 
of outstanding musicianship at Santa Barbara High School, he was the solo trumpet chair in the Monday Madness Big Band, and he played bass professionally in local jazz groups and in the pit orchestra for several theater companies. He moved to Southern California for his undergraduate studies at Biola University. During his time at Biola he was a integral part of the music department, playing trumpet in the jazz ensemble, symphonic winds, brass ensemble, and brass quintet. He played both upright and electric bass for the jazz combo and vocal jazz group. He was the president and student conductor of the symphonic winds at Biola University, and he graduated in the Spring of 2015 with a bachelor's degree in Music Education, and then went on to complete his teaching credential that fall.
