Southdown School Still a Treasure
In the early 1950’s the Huntington School District purchased an eight acre tract of land located at the northwest corner of Southdown and Browns Roads, a short walk from Huntington Harbor. In 1954 the district erected Southdown Elementary School on the plot and added an additional wing to the structure in 1958 to deal with a boom in enrollment.
At one time or another, Southdown has housed students in grades kindergarten through sixth grade. Today it educates youngsters in grades K-3. The school sits in a lovely area of the town, nestled in a quiet neighborhood just down the road from the Gold Coast estate of Coindre Hall and not far from Gold Star Battalion Beach.
Southdown’s enrollment is projected to be 356 students during the 2008/09 school year. Michelle Marino serves as the school’s principal, providing faculty, students and staff with educational leadership and guidance.
In addition to regular education classrooms, instructional spaces are also used for special education, ESL, reading, math, academic intervention programs, speech, occupational and physical therapy and social worker and psychological services. The gym, which contains a large stage, also doubles as an auditorium for large meetings and performances. There is a full service cafeteria, which offers breakfast and lunch to students. The roomy library-media center is outfitted with hundreds of books and numerous computers, which are available to classes.
The grounds surrounding the building include many lush garden areas with some featuring attractive benches and tables. There are many shade trees on the property, along with two playground areas and spacious athletic fields. Southdown has been well-maintained through the years and the one story structure’s exterior features attractive red brick. Southdown is almost identical to its sister schools, Washington and Flower Hill and it was built at the same time.
“Southdown’s beautiful grounds are just a glimpse of the life and energy you feel as you walk through the front doors,” Mrs. Marino said. “From the colorful and welcoming lobby to the wonderful hallways adorned with hand painted murals of sea creatures living in the arctic to the coral reef, it's a special place that sends a strong message that children are valued and celebrated here.”
In 2004, Southdown threw itself a festive 50th anniversary party. The event saw the return of several former principals and many retired teachers and support staff. More than a few got teary eyed upon returning to the building in which they spent so many years working with the children of the community.
“The Southdown faculty and staff are among the best,” Mrs. Marino said. “They take great pride in assuring that all children are challenged and supported. Southdown is very proud of its positive learning environment and the steps taken to ensure that all children understand and demonstrate the behaviors that are safe, respectful and responsible. Monthly Splash assemblies are held to celebrate ‘star students’ and to teach a new social skill. The expectations are presented in a fun and meaningful way and then supported and practiced throughout the month. As a result of this school initiative, the children are free to learn in an environment that is emotionally, socially and academically safe - safe to ask questions, safe to step outside their comfort zones and safe to make a mistake.”
With an energetic faculty and staff, a supportive group of parents and enthusiastic students, Southdown appears well-positioned to flourish far into the future. “Our children are thriving academically, socially and emotionally and we plan on continuing the rich history of the Huntington schools for many more years,” Mrs. Marino said.
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