El Monte High School teacher Joel Whisler has been named the 2021-22 recipient of the Bobby Salcedo Esperanza Award, a distinction given to educators who exemplify Bobby Salcedo’s commitment to education. Whisler, who has taught music at El Monte High School for 27 years, was honored with the award during the El Monte Promise Foundation’s 18th Annual Tamalada on Dec. 9.
Buena Park School District’s Board of Education selected Jerry Frutos to lead as president and Rhodia Shead to serve as clerk and president pro tem during its annual organizational meeting on Dec. 13. During the same meeting, held via Zoom and in-person at the District office, outgoing President Jason Chong congratulated Frutos and wished him luck for the coming year.
Fontana Unified freshman Matthew Barrera was recently honored at the statewide Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Leadership Summit, celebrating his commitment to academic success and leadership in and out of the classroom. Barrera’s recognition at the statewide summit in November follows his selection as the 2021 Every Student Succeeding Award recipient, an honor bestowed by the ACSA Region 12 Board of Directors in early 2021, when Barrera was in eighth grade at Sequoia Middle School. The award also came with a $1,000 scholarship.
Bonita Unified School District’s Board of Education held its annual reorganization meeting on Dec. 8, voting members into new leadership roles. The Board selected Derek Bahmanou as president, Glenn Creiman as vice president and Greg Palatto as clerk. Members Chuck Coyne and Jim Elliot round out the Board.
Hacienda La Puente Unified School District has partnered with Scholastic Inc. to provide free, carefully curated book packs to students before winter break, supporting the District’s inaugural Holiday Reading Campaign beginning Dec. 17. Hacienda La Puente Unified’s new District Librarian, Lesley Jarrett, has played an integral part in the campaign, selecting and distributing the reading material for every HLPUSD student in transitional kindergarten through grade 12. The Holiday Reading Campaign aims to foster a reading culture in the home and promote the skills and knowledge that lead to longtime academic advantages.
El Monte Union Recognizes Special Education Day Across Campuses The El Monte Union High School District Board of Trustees passed a resolution to recognize Special Education Day across campuses on Dec. 2, an initiative that celebrated students, special education programs and the dedication of teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators to ensure all students are successful. The Special Education Day celebrations will continue throughout December, as school site staff hand out bracelets, shirts, and awareness activity packets, aimed at minimizing the stigma of students with disabilities.
Bonita High School advanced auto shop students are getting a glimpse of La Verne’s past as they learn skills for the future, working in partnership with the La Verne Historical Society to restore a 1938 International D-35 pickup truck in time for the city’s 2022 Fourth of July parade. Under the guidance of Bonita High auto shop teacher Rob Zamboni, students are working toward a full restoration of the truck throughout the school year, rebuilding the engine and transmission, adding new tires and brakes, and refurbishing the interior and flatbed. The truck’s rustic exterior will be preserved to retain its authenticity. The restoration is a full one-year project.
Río Hondo College welcomed Assemblymember Lisa Calderon onto campus, acknowledging her ongoing efforts to boost funding for education and her work to improve surrounding communities. Calderon, who represents the 57th State Assembly District, has been a key figure for allocating additional state funds to schools and community colleges, which Río Hondo College plans to use for capital construction projects. During her visit, Calderon delivered a check for $6.6 million.
Fontana Unified School District is expanding its ongoing COVID-19 testing clinics to be available to the greater community at no cost. Testing clinics are available at all high school sites from 12:15 to 6:15 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 12:35 to 4:15 p.m. on Fridays; at middle school sites from 7:35 to 11:15 a.m. on Fridays; and at District office from 7 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 12:35 to 4:15 p.m. on Fridays. Appointments are available, but not required. Community members who are not Fontana Unified students or employees may register for testing at https://www.covidclinic.org/fusd/.
When Whittier Union Adult School electrician student Ruben Alaniz was a child, he kept busy with building and fixing things around the house, loving the feeling he got after a job well done. As a general maintenance worker specializing in logistics for Tri-West Flooring in Santa Fe Springs, Alaniz has proven to be an indispensable employee looking to expand his skill set. When Tri-West offered to pay for training to become a certified electrician, Alaniz leapt at the chance, enrolling in Whittier Union Adult School’s Electrician I and Math/Electrician classes with the goal of passing his apprenticeship application and pursuing a career as an electrician.
