COVINA, CA – Rain eased up across the San Gabriel Valley just in time for Covina-Valley Unified School District’s first day of school on Aug. 21, where more than 11,000 students were welcomed back to campuses with smiling faces, warm embraces, and colorful decorations.

Covina-Valley Unified’s 19 school sites serve the areas of Covina, West Covina, Glendora, San Dimas, Irwindale, Glendora, and unincorporated parts of LA County, providing students with innovative and award-winning programs at all grade levels.

“It is so great to have our students back on campus,” Ben Lomond Elementary School Principal Alayna Effinger said. “It is neat to see how much our students have grown over the summer, and I am excited to get back to the great work we do here at Covina-Valley Unified.”

Cousins and incoming Ben Lomond fifth graders Jayce and Juan Beltran were all smiles when they spotted each other in front of the school. For the first time ever, Jayce and Juan will be in the same class after attending different schools.
“It is good to be back, and I am looking forward to learning new things this school year,” Jayce said. “It is going to be so much fun going to the same school as Juan for the first time.”

At South Hills High School, Principal Terry Abernathy greeted students at the front gate, shaking hands and welcoming Huskies to the new year, celebrating their new theme to “Ignite ALL!” The campus was buzzing with activity, from staff helping new students find their way to classrooms to longtime friends reuniting after the summer break.

“I was a little nervous to start high school at first,” South Hills freshman Ryan Games said. “But I felt so welcomed as I entered campus this morning and got such great energy when I attended the freshman rally that now I’m just excited for the year and to meet new people!”

Campus improvements were also visible across Covina-Valley Unified. The District installed the CENTEGIX CrisisAlert System, an incident response technology, over the summer to ensure the safety of students and staff at every District facility.

Traweek Middle School students will enjoy new concrete basketball and volleyball courts. Covina and Northview high school cafeterias were upgraded with new flooring, and medical pathway classrooms at South Hills and Covina high schools were modernized. Roof repairs and upgraded HVAC systems were also installed throughout the District.

“There is so much work that goes into preparing for the first day of school each year, and the energy across the District today was sensational,” Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Eminhizer said. “Covina-Valley Unified remains committed to providing educational excellence for every student every day, and that is clear through the hard work of our dedicated staff in preparation for this new school year. Welcome back to all our students!”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

CVUSD_FIRSTDAY1: Las Palmas Middle School Principal Dr. Roy Umana greets eighth graders Mia Moreno-Galindo (left) and Miah Estrada Velasquez (right) as they walk onto campus for the first day of the 2023-24 school year on Aug. 21. Schools across Covina-Valley Unified welcomed their students back to school with smiles, balloons, posters, and more.

CVUSD_FIRSTDAY2: Cousins Jayce (left) and Juan Beltran (right) celebrate the start of the 2023-24 school year on Aug. 21 and head into their first day of fifth grade at Ben Lomond Elementary School. Spirits were high at all District sites as students reunited with old friends, sharing their excitement for the new school year.
CVUSD_FIRSTDAY3: Workman Elementary School transitional kindergartener Ethan Johnson works on a coloring page in Lisa Bausa’s class, welcoming him to the first day of transitional kindergarten on Aug. 21. Covina-Valley Unified offers innovative and award-winning programs at every grade level, preparing students for a life of success at an early age.