The Whittier Union High School District Board of Trustees selected Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Monica Oviedo, who has served the District as a teacher and administrator for 25 years, as its next superintendent during a Board meeting on Feb. 22. Oviedo was carefully chosen for her long record of achievement at Whittier Union, the enthusiasm with which she has implemented the District’s vision of doing “whatever it takes” to ensure student success, and her embrace of the ethnic and cultural diversity of the students, parents and community she serves. The decision follows extensive discussions by the Board of Trustees and widespread outreach that engaged District stakeholders and community members. The District received input utilizing an online survey and two input sessions – one virtual meeting for District staff, and a second meeting held in-person for the public. Feedback focused on the qualities, skills and abilities desired in a superintendent.
Río Hondo College has established a Universal Articulation agreement with Arizona State University (ASU), providing students with a reliable and rigorous academic preparedness transfer program to guide them toward earning bachelor’s degrees. Approved in the fall of 2021, the program, called MyPath2ASU™, provides students with course-by-course guided pathways, course applicability for transferable credits, personalized communications with ASU and guaranteed admission to ASU if all requirements are fulfilled.
Buena Park School District students matched wits and spelling acumen on difficult words such as Darwinism, coronation, and brocade during its annual Spelling Bee, held Feb. 10 at Buena Park Middle School. The competition was held in the middle school’s new performing arts center and welcomed 20 fourth-graders, 20 fifth-graders and 14 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders for a chance to prove their mental fortitude.
The Hacienda La Puente Unified School District community celebrated the installation of solar panels throughout the District with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Los Altos High School on Feb. 16, which featured a performance from the school’s jazz band and solar panel information and displays.The Board of Education approved the 4 MW Solar Project and the Solar Energy Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in October 2019, which funded the design, installation, operation and maintenance of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems at the District Office, Willow Adult Education Center and the District’s four comprehensive high schools.
Mountain View High School’s Teacher Preparation Academy (TPA) has returned for the spring semester, during which students are tutoring and providing one-on-one instruction to transitional kindergarten through sixth-grade students while focusing on the development of their teaching skills. Co-Directors Amy Minick and Mary Boutté lead the group of junior and senior students in TPA –– a Golden Bell Award-winning program that provides aspiring educators a pathway toward pursuing a teaching career –– as they offer weekly tutoring sessions at Maxson Elementary School and Payne Elementary School in the nearby Mountain View School District.
Whittier Union Cybersecurity Team Recognized as Top Competitor
Pioneer High School’s Cybersecurity Club reached a milestone by placing in the state semi-finals of the National Youth Cyber Defense CyberPatriot competition, held in January, placing the school in the top echelon of anti-hacking teams in California. Working in teams, Pioneer’s cyber sleuths scoured computer operating systems to prevent hacking and identify vulnerabilities in existing software. Many of the club’s members have been active in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs since middle school.
Lynwood Unified Partners with Graduate School for Residency Program
With a goal of providing more equity and diversity among its educators, Lynwood Unified has partnered with the Alder Graduate School of Education to create a teacher residency program that pairs students working toward master's degrees and teaching credentials with LUSD teachers who serve as mentors in the classroom. Led by Lynwood Unified Assistant Director of Human Resources Geraldine Rescinito, the residency program is in its second year with 11 residents paired with mentors throughout the District. The inaugural cohort from the 2020-21 school year produced 11 Alder graduates, with five being hired as full-time teachers in Lynwood.
Covina-Valley Unified’s Mesa Elementary Celebrates Lunar New Year
More than 700 Covina-Valley Unified students, staff and families gathered at Mesa Elementary School to celebrate the Year of the Tiger by enjoying Chinese cuisine, gifts, and entertainment, bringing forth tidings of good fortune, wealth and longevity. Held on Feb. 4 and Feb. 9, the festivities brought the District community together to honor the history and tradition of Lunar New Year on a campus adorned with red lanterns and artwork.
Sierra Vista High School senior Kiara Aparicio was recognized as the high school first-place award winner for the National Association for Bilingual Education's (NABE) 2022 National Essay Writing Contest, earning her a $500 reward, a NABE certificate and the highly coveted NABE Shining Star Trophy. Aparicio presented her award-winning essay to more than 1,000 attendees on Feb. 9 during the annual NABE 2022 Conference and Awards Ceremony, held in New York.
Lynwood Unified Hosts HBCU Caravan, Students Receive Scholarships
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caravan visited Firebaugh and Lynwood high schools on Feb. 14, with more than 25 colleges and universities giving students the opportunity to earn on-the-spot acceptances. Students came prepared with transcripts and test scores and were offered scholarships that reached as high as $35,000. Participating HBCU universities included Tuskegee University, Shaw University and Alabama A&M.
