CITY OF INDUSTRY – The Hacienda La Puente Unified School District community gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking at Wedgeworth Elementary School on Feb. 22, applauding the District’s first shovels of dirt and supporting the launch of construction for the school’s new campus.

The Board of Education approved the Wedgeworth Construction Project in June 2020 and the District issued Certificates of Participation (COP) in Feb. 2021, in an amount not to exceed $55 million, to fund the project.

The project will provide a mix of single and two-story modern buildings with high-quality learning environments that support student achievement for Wedgeworth students who are currently learning in portable classrooms. The school is expected to unveil the new campus in Fall 2024.

“Hacienda La Puente Unified is dedicated to providing our students with resources that inspire excellence,” Board President Jeffrey De La Torre said. “We remain focused on building strong foundations for our community and look forward to the future success of the new home for our Wedgeworth Warriors.”

Hacienda La Puente Unified will work closely with the architecture firm PBK and construction team Balfour Beatty, holding monthly check-in meetings and receiving construction reports from Balfour Beatty, including project updates to share with the neighborhood. Wedgeworth Elementary School and the Highlander Little League Baseball Complex will remain open during construction.

The Wedgeworth Construction Project ceremony was attended by Hacienda La Puente administrators, HLPUSD Board members and Wedgeworth alumni, teachers and staff. The District was presented with a certificate of commendation from the office of California State Senator Bob Archuleta, recognizing Hacienda La Puente Unified’s efforts to rebuild the award-winning school.

“Thank you to our Board of Education, project partners, Associate Superintendent of Business Services Manoj Roychowdhury and Director of Purchasing Joel Duarte for their support and ongoing commitment to this process,” Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jiménez said. “With over 50 years of academic achievement and active parent and community involvement, our District is thrilled to provide our Wedgeworth students with a neighborhood school that will match their academic endeavors.”

PHOTO CAPTION:

HLPUSD_GROUNDBREAKING1: From left to right: Balfour Beatty Senior Vice President Gil Fullen, Wedgeworth Principal Paulina Cho, Board Clerk Dr. Joseph K. Chang, Board President Jeffrey De La Torre, Board Vice President Christine H. Salazar, Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jiménez, Associate Superintendent of Business Services Manoj Roychowdhury and PBK President Gilbert Baez took the first shovels of dirt as part of a groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 22, celebrating the Wedgeworth Construction Project.

HLPUSD_GROUNDBREAKING2: Wedgeworth’s updated campus will feature a modernized two-story building, a central courtyard, and a new playground for kindergarten through fifth-grade students. The Hacienda La Puente Unified community celebrated the project with a groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 22.

HLPUSD_GROUNDBREAKING3: From left to right: Board Vice President Christine H. Salazar, Board President Jeffrey De La Torre, California State Senator Bob Archuleta’s District Representative Misty Cota, Board Clerk Dr. Joseph K. Chang and Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jiménez accept a certificate of commendation from the office of California State Senator Bob Archuleta, recognizing the District for its continuing work in providing a robust learning environment for its students.