Whittier Union High School District to Close Vaccine Clinic
Whittier Union will conclude its COVID-19 vaccine clinic for students, staff and the Whittier community on Wednesday, March 16. The clinics, which started in September 2021 in partnership with Paramount Family Pharmacy and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, have given out more than 3,000 doses to the community. The clinics are open to all residents ages five and up and operate from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Whitter Union Board Room, 9401 Painter Ave., Whittier. Residents who are interested in receiving a vaccine are encouraged to visit MyTurn.ca.gov and register using the zip code 90605.
Hacienda La Puente Unified School District’s Valley Alternative High School has been named a 2022 Model Continuation High School by the California Department of Education, one of 36 schools to receive the recognition. The model schools will retain their designation for three years and will be recognized at the California Continuation Education Association Plus 2022 State Conference in Long Beach in May.
Celebrating the success of its cultural exchange program, Río Hondo College received an award from the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) and the mayor of New Taipei City during a ceremony on Feb. 18. Río Hondo College and TECO will adopt a plan for the Taipei-California International Cultural Exchange Project, with both parties signing a memorandum of understanding to mark a new year of international education.
El Monte High School freshman Elizabeth Gonzalez Canales was recognized with a full scholarship to the prestigious Ryman Arts Program, which will enable her to receive supplementary art instruction, enrichment, and support during the spring 2022 semester. Canales grew up watching her uncle create works of art, which ignited her passion and talent for the arts at an early age. In fifth grade, she began teaching herself how to draw, using the environment around her as inspiration.
Gordon H. Beatty Middle School English teacher Kelly Harris lives to motivate her students and strives to foster a lifelong love of literacy in them – ambitions that have earned her a place on Parenting OC’s Top 25 Teachers of 2022 list and the Teacher of the Year award at her school. Harris has taught English within the Buena Park School District for 23 years. She currently teaches English and Honors English to seventh graders, is the advisor for the school’s Chess Team and has held many leadership positions in various programs throughout the District.
Lynwood Unified High School students will have the opportunity to earn on-the-spot acceptance to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and get their college application fees waived when a caravan of college recruiters and admission counselors visit District campuses on Monday, Feb. 14. The Caravan will visit Lynwood High School, 12124 Bullis Rd, Lynwood, from 10 a.m. to noon, and Firebaugh High School, 5246 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Lynwood, from 1 to 3 p.m. The Lynwood Unified Equity Department has worked with seniors to ensure they have prepared transcripts and test scores for the caravan.
Lynwood Unified Board of Education members joined Congresswoman Nanette Barragán and District personnel for a walkthrough of the Lynwood Imperial campus, formerly Lynwood High School, on Feb. 15. The walkthrough with Barragán aimed to raise awareness of the finances required to move forward with the necessary repairs to ensure the campus is a safe learning environment for future students. The District has taken steps to raise awareness regarding the need for repairs on the campus, reaching out to community leaders and elected officials to receive more support.
The Hacienda La Puente Unified School District Board of Education adopted map scenario two during its Board meeting on Feb. 10, a process that included extensive community input and demographic analysis of the proposed map scenarios. The District will provide this executed resolution, approved scenario map and electronic files to the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization and the Los Angeles County Registrar to implement the authorized trustee area boundary adjustments not later than Feb. 28.
Buena Park School District celebrated National School Counseling Week, recognizing the impact counselors have on academic and personal success, and expanding its counseling services to provide additional resources and support to students and families. Since the start of 2021-22 school year, the District has augmented its counseling services, employing an on-site counselor at each of its schools to ensure students are healthy in their bodies and minds.
South Hills High School has named Jacob Calderon as their next head football coach, an alumnus who brings years of experience and success as both a player and a coach to his new position. Calderon returns to South Hills following coaching stints at Chaffey College, El Monte High School and most recently, Bishop Amat Memorial High School.
