LA PUENTE – Bassett High School will be one of 15 area schools to partner with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) to pilot the Community Schools Initiative, a program designed to boost student learning and attendance, school and community engagement, family involvement and academic success.

The Community School Initiative will provide Bassett High School with a full-time program specialist to coordinate student services and a full-time educational community worker to coordinate parent engagement for the 2019-20 school year.

“The Community Schools Initiative is our way of fighting poverty and addressing longstanding inequities,” said Debra Duardo, Los Angeles County superintendent of schools. “The goal is to ensure that all students receive the services and resources they need to succeed, and that those services are accessible right at school where they feel safe.”

Arin McDonald, Bassett High School’s assistant principal of athletics, activities and attendance, met with Duardo during the Community Schools Initiative kick-off event on Sept. 4 at LACOE in Downey.

“The Community Schools Initiative is going to enable Bassett High School to be a place where we can provide opportunities for our young people to take care of not only their academics but their spiritual health, their mental health and their physical health,” McDonald said.

LACOE staff will begin training for the positions in October.

“Bassett Unified is thrilled to be a part of this pilot initiative because we want to give our students every opportunity to succeed and to graduate them prepared for college and for their future career,” Superintendent Debra French said.

PHOTOS:

09-04-19_BASSETT_LACOE: Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo (middle) met with Bassett High School Assistant Principal Arin McDonald (right) and Bassett High parent Elsy Gordillo (left) during the Community Schools Initiative kick-off event on Sept. 4.