Jurupa Hills High School seniors Danielle Turner, Kaitlin Cervantes and Daniela Garcia were selected to feature their art in the City of Fontana’s High School Artist Showcase, recognizing their creative talent, technique and conceptual skills. The students were selected for the showcase – which runs through Sunday, Jan. 8 – by Aubry Grosso, who teaches International Baccalaureate (IB) Art at Jurupa Hills High School. The exhibition features more than 50 artworks of high school students throughout the city.
Hacienda La Puente Unified’s new Board of Education members, Gino Kwok and Nancy Loera, as well as returning Board member Jeffrey De La Torre, took the Oath of Office during the Board meeting on Dec. 13. State Senator Bob Archuleta swore in Kwok and Loera, while De La Torre was sworn in by daughter Anna Maria De La Torre, mother Maria De La Torre and wife Elena De La Torre. During the meeting, the Board reorganized for one-year terms, electing Christine H. Salazar as Board president, Stephanie Serrano as vice president and Jeffrey De La Torre as clerk, with Leora and Kwok serving the community as Board members.
Cheered on by family, friends and community members, re-elected Fontana Unified Board of Education members Adam Perez, Mary Sandoval and Marcelino “Mars” Serna took the oath of office during the Board’s organizational meeting on Dec. 14. The District participated in its first by-trustee area election in 2022, which saw the community vote to keep intact the Board of Education that has served Fontana Unified since 2020. The Board of Education also held its annual organization of officers during the meeting, selecting Serna to serve as president and Perez as its vice president/clerk for 2023. Fontana Unified alumni Dr. Jennifer Quezada and Joe Armendarez complete the Board of Education.
Baldwin Park Unified held its annual Board reorganization meeting and Oath of Office ceremony on Dec. 13, recognizing returning Board of Education member Deanna Coronado Robles and newly elected member John Bernard de Leon. Before the reorganization, outgoing Board President Betsabel Lara was celebrated for her four years of service and for helping lead the District over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the organizational meeting, the Board selected member Diana E. Miranda-Dzib to serve as Board president and Christina Lucero to serve as clerk/vice president.
Buena Park School District is revamping its curriculum and bolstering support through a partnership with University of California, Irvine that puts doctoral students into classrooms to observe and share feedback for improving instruction, and through its popular Math Academy, which challenges students to apply real-world scenarios to boost understanding. Now in its second year, the Math Academy focuses on small group breakout sessions and fun activity-driven lessons in grades three through five, providing individual coaching and Cognitively Guided Instruction for student-centered teaching.
Hacienda La Puente Unified’s Board of Education celebrated two of its longest-standing Board members, honoring the contributions of clerk Dr. Joseph K. Chang and member Anthony Duarte during a ceremony on Dec. 7. During the ceremony, the retiring members were recognized with Certificates of Recognition from La Puente Mayor Charlie Klinakis, words of appreciation from dignitaries and community applause.
Almeria Middle School Principal Felix Jones was named the IACUE 2022-23 Administrator of the Year, celebrating his vision to provide equity and social justice to all students through technology. Jones will receive his award during the IACUE Reimagine EDU Conference in January 2023. Jones, who grew up in Fontana and became Almeria’s principal in 2021, is an advocate of blended learning – a combination of in-person and computer-based learning – and making educators the facilitators of the learning experience. For Jones, the IACUE award reflects the hard work and dedication of the Almeria faculty and staff.
Covina-Valley Unified School District welcomed new Board of Education member Simon Wright and returning member Rachael Robles during the Board’s reorganization meeting on Dec. 12. Wright and Robles took the Oath of Office during a ceremony prior to the meeting affirming that they will fulfill the duties of a Board member and uphold the values of the District throughout the next four years. The Board selected Maria Caceres to serve as president; Maria Cruz was named vice president and Simon Wright was named clerk. Members Rachael Robles and Sue Maulucci complete the Board.
Banning Unified School District's Board of Trustees welcomed Leslie Novalis and Shelly Ruiz as new members to the Board during an Oath of Office ceremony on Dec. 9, which featured a welcome message from Superintendent Terrence Davis, congratulatory speeches and applause from dozens of community members. Novalis and Ruiz were sworn in during the ceremony at Banning High School’s library, where they made a promise to fulfill the duties of a Board member and uphold the values of the District throughout the next four years.
Las Palmas Middle School students are building lasting relationships and benefitting from a positive campus culture thanks to the Best Buddies program, which aims to foster connections between those with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. Best Buddies, an international nonprofit that pairs students in one-on-one friendships, has had a home at Las Palmas for nearly five years. This school year, the program has grown to more than 50 general education students who work alongside the school’s 16 Life-Skills Education Advancement Program (LEAP) students with mild to moderate learning disabilities.
