Covina-Valley Unified School District was named a returning member of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools for their commitment to promoting educational equity, establishing innovative school-wide programs, infusing technology in all aspects of learning, and advancing positive change in public education. The District was previously named a member of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools’ 2017-2018 cohort and re-selected after a year of transitional leadership. Examples of innovation can be seen throughout the District—including their seamless transition to online learning amid school closures, cutting-edge career technical education pathways, National SAT Day participation and dual enrollment programs.
El Monte Union High School Applauds Dedication of ASB Students
South El Monte High School celebrated current and former Associated Student Body (ASB) members at an induction ceremony held in December. The ceremony emphasized their hard work and dedication during the challenges faced by distance learning in the 2020-21 school year. Despite spending the majority of their 2021 term online, student leaders came together and planned opportunities for students to stay engaged and have fun while following COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Whittier Union Students Learn Real World Skills in Biomedical Class
Whittier High School science students are receiving hands-on knowledge of biology through the lens of the medical field thanks to a new Project Lead the Way (PLTW) biomedical science class. Launched in fall of 2021, the class gives Whittier High students a life science option and encourages a broader scope in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. The PLTW biomedical science class is designed to inspire students to consider careers in the medical and forensics fields. The PLTW biomedical science class is a college prep and honors level course and is open to all students. Additionally, the class serves as the Specifically Designed Academic Instruction in English biology class for Whittier High’s English learner students.
Summit High School’s annual yearbook, Meraki, has been selected as a featured national sample by the yearbook publisher Balfour, which will employ samples of the Summit High annual at yearbook training workshops across the country. Less than three percent of yearbooks published by Balfour each year are selected as national samples. The recognition comes just two years after the debut of Meraki, which published its first edition during the 2019-20 school year. The 2022 edition of Meraki will be the first to be distributed in-person to students at the end of the year.
Bonita Unified School District has been recognized as a 2022 Inland Empire Top Workplace by the Inland Valley News Group, reflecting the District’s ongoing commitment to providing a culture of success that embodies its values of equity, mastery and a focus on results. This is the third year in a row that Bonita Unified has been named a Top Workplace by the Inland Valley News Group, which surveys more than 800 organizations and 30,000 employees annually about workplace culture.
Baldwin Park Unified, BP Medical Clinic Provide COVID-19 Vaccines
Baldwin Park Unified and BP Medical Clinic are partnering to sponsor a free COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine clinic for students ages five and older from 9 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 29, at Jones Middle School, 14250 E. Merced Ave., Baldwin Park. Booster shots are available for students ages 12 and older.
Covina-Valley Unified’s Covina and South Hills high schools are each searching for qualified candidates for their next head football coach. Both schools are looking for coaches who will help coordinate all aspects of their football program and foster the development of student-athletes. Covina High School has an outstanding football team—winning the Sierra League Championship and reaching the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) quarterfinals in 2021.
South Hills High School also follows in a strong football tradition, winning five CIF titles – most recently in 2018.
El Monte Union High School District has selected Kirk McGinnis as the District’s new Director of Curriculum and Instruction. A key focus for McGinnis will be to provide leadership and expertise in developing career technical education (CTE) pathways within the District. With a history of building and maintaining positive school environments, McGinnis brings more than 20 years of experience in education to the role, as well as deep knowledge in how to build and expand programs such as dual enrollment for college credit, and CTE pathways that provide training in fields such as automotive technology, engineering, video production and sports medicine.
Seven Covina-Valley Unified elementary schools have been recognized among the top-performing public schools in California, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best K-8 Schools rankings. Mesa Elementary School and Barranca Elementary School ranked in the top 15 percent of elementary schools in the state, while Merwin Elementary School, Grovecenter Elementary School and Rowland Avenue Elementary School all ranked within the top 20 percent. Workman Elementary School and Ben Lomond Elementary School also ranked in the top 25 percent. U.S. News & World Report’s inaugural K-8 rankings draw from U.S. Department of Education data on student proficiency and performance in mathematics and reading.
Río Hondo College has been awarded a nearly $1 million grant to fund the Hope Scholars Program, a basic needs assistance project that provides holistic support services for unhoused and transitionally unhoused students. The College was one of five schools nationally to be recognized with the Basic Needs in Postsecondary Education award by the Federal Department of Education. On Dec. 29, Río Hondo College received notification of the award, which will be used for the continued support of unhoused and transitionally unhoused students. The total funds, amounting $989,798, will increase staffing for the Hope Scholars Program.
