Whittier Union Adult School Graduate Lands Position at District
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Renan Mota da Silva enrolled in Whittier Union Adult School’s English as a Second Language (ESL) online program, hoping to improve his language skills. A former special education teacher in Brazil, Mota de Silva longed to become a credentialed teacher in the U.S. Today, Mota de Silva is employed as an Instructional Vocational Specialist in the Transition Program at Whittier Union. His new position allows him to apply his experience as a special education teacher in Brazil and help Whittier Union transition students prepare for careers, find potential job sites, and learn to live independently.
Baldwin Park Unified Students to Showcase Art, Musical Talents
Baldwin Park High School students will deliver a special music performance for the local community at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 25 at the City of Baldwin Park’s Arts and Recreation Center (ARC). The Visual and Performing Arts program performance will feature the talents of the Braves’ band, orchestra and choir, and follows the grand opening of the City’s “Canvases, etc.” art exhibit, which features mixed media artwork from Baldwin Park High students. The grand opening begins at 4 p.m. The exhibit runs through Saturday, April 9. The ARC is located at 14403 E. Pacific Ave., Baldwin Park.
Río Hondo College and the Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Marilyn Flores as its new Superintendent/President to continue leading the College on the path of prosperity, achievement and success. The Board unanimously appointed Flores on March 24. Flores will succeed Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss, who retires on June 30, 2022. Flores is currently the vice president of academic affairs at Santiago Canyon College in Orange County and previously served as interim president for Santa Ana College.
Baldwin Park Unified Launches ParentSquare for Families
Baldwin Park Unified is launching ParentSquare, a secure, all-in-one tool that will streamline communications with families to keep them more connected to their children’s teachers, schools, and District news. The first phase of the launch will begin Monday, March 21, with all Baldwin Park Unified communications coming from the two-way platform. ParentSquare will be fully implemented at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.
Sierra Vista High School Class of 2022 graduate Julio Zermeno has been recognized with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees for his resolve, effective use of time and determination. When Zermeno was a junior at Pioneer High School, he was reeling academically due to COVID-related school closures and the additional responsibilities of caring for his ailing father. Behind in school credits, Zermeno transferred to Sierra Vista High School, finding its independent study program ideal for dealing with the peaks and valleys of his life. As a mid-year graduate, Zermeno remains connected to Sierra Vista, taking advantage of the school’s new College and Career Center and exploring the variety of career pathways at local community colleges.
South El Monte High School held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new quad renovation project on March 16, with the El Monte Union High School District community celebrating the first shovels of dirt and launch of construction for a wide range of improvements – including a concrete stage, seat walls and walkways, trees and landscaping, audio connections, and outdoor furnishings. The El Monte Union Board of Trustees has approved a new round of funding to support facilities upgrades at every EMUHSD campus.
Río Hondo College has announced four finalists for the position of superintendent/president after an extensive national search by the College’s Presidential Search Committee, which considered the applications of many professionals from across the country. The final four candidates are Marilyn Flores, Ph.D., Don Miller, Ph.D., Cynthia Olivo, Ph.D. and Tammy Robinson, Ed.D. The search for the new superintendent/president started in November 2021 with a series of virtual open forums to solicit feedback from students, faculty, staff, and community members. An employment profile was created by the Search Committee and the Association of Community College Trustees. Upon their selection, Río Hondo College’s new leader will succeed Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss when she finishes her contract in June 2022. The College will begin its final selection process, in which Flores, Miller, Olivo and Robinson will participate in a virtual public forum from 1 – 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22. The event, which will be held via Zoom, will provide 60 minutes to each of the finalists as they introduce themselves and their future goals.
Fontana High School Bio Animatronic and Neuro Prosthetic students got a glimpse of what is possible when imagination meets science on March 13 after receiving a visit from a children’s author whose life changed when animatronics specialists at Garner Holt Productions created a realistic, fully functional prosthetic arm for her. June Durr, a former San Bernardino-based marketing consultant, told her story accompanied by Garner Holt, the founder of the animatronics firm, relaying how a chance visit to the studio 19 years ago netted her a new arm and a new lease on life. Holt designed the arm for Durr in 2003, using techniques that FOHI students are currently learning in their bio animatronics lab.
Glen A. Wilson High School robotics team "AlphaGenesis" will advance to the 2022 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) World Championships after ranking first in robot performance and earning strong overall scores at the Southern California FTC Regional Championship on March 12. More than 150 Southern California high schools participated in the FTC program this season, which included six qualifying tournaments, with 36 teams advancing to regionals and the top three teams progressing to the World Championships. The program is run by For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), an international science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) non-profit organization.
Lynwood Unified School District and St. Anne’s Family Services leaders joined LUSD Board members, elected officials, and educators to celebrate a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 14 that commemorated a new early learning center that was two years in the making. The facility, which features newly modeled classrooms with state-of-the-art learning tools, as well as kitchen and laundry areas, is the result of a partnership between the District, St. Anne’s, and the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Five classrooms, serving a total of 164 children, have been added at Lugo and Abbott elementary schools.
