Almeria Middle School Principal Kim Bente will retire at the end of the 2020-21 year after 25 years of service in the District, all at the same campus. Felix Jones will serve as Almeria Middle School’s principal in 2021-22, bringing nearly 20 years of education experience to the role. Bente came to Almeria Middle School in 1995 and has worked there ever since, serving as a seventh- and eighth-grade math and science teacher, then as assistant principal and principal. Jones, a Fontana Unified alumnus and resident, began his education career in 2002, working as a special education teacher and then as a math intervention teacher in the District. He returned to Fontana Unified in 2018 as the assistant principal of instruction at Henry J. Kaiser High School.
Further investigation of Lynwood High School buildings revealed extensive construction issues that extend beyond those initially discovered, with egregious construction defects that threaten the basic structural integrity of the buildings, and the Board of Education is reviewing their options to litigate and recuperate construction costs associated with fixing Lynwood High School’s classroom building. The review was launched out of an abundance of caution after the unexpected failure of exterior ceiling panels, called soffits, in one of the high school’s buildings in June 2020. LUSD’s Board of Education immediately initiated an independent engineering review of all campus structures in June to ensure the integrity of the buildings.
El Monte Union High School District has been awarded a $9.8 million grant by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to fund a menu of Clean Mobility measures to promote the use of zero-emission vehicles and clean transportation options for students, parents and staff with the added benefit of a pilot Career Technical Education (CTE) curriculum to engage students in clean energy career pathways. CARB awarded grants for the new two-year Clean Mobility in Schools Pilot Project, which is a part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment.
School Psychology Club students organized the Gratitude Project, distributing goodie bags full of snacks and a handwritten letter of appreciation to nurses at Kaiser Permanente in Downey. Santa Fe’s Psychology Club, led by Santa Fe seniors Elizabeth Serna and Jessika Suos and guided by AP Psychology teacher Michele Jones, has flourished into a community for students who have a passion for serving others, providing a fun environment where they can talk about a broad range of psychology-related matters.
More than 150 El Monte Union High School District parents received guidance on how best to support their children during distance learning, as well as advice on how the children can be successful in school during the 25th Annual Parent Involvement Academy (PIA) – held virtually this year. Celebrating its silver anniversary, the PIA offered multi-lingual workshops focusing on social-emotional support, planning for college and providing resources for students with special needs. Parents received a certificate of participation from Superintendent Dr. Edward A. Zuniga on March 18.
Buena Park Educator Receives Women’s History Month Spotlight
Career Technical Educator Shelley Andros has been honored with the 2021 Fourth District Women’s History Month Spotlight for encouraging her students to become high-achieving scholars, pursuing careers as engineers and horticulturalists. Andros was recognized by Supervisor Doug Chaffee for inspiring her students and preparing them for college and the work force. Andros has taught horticulture, robotics and computer science at Buena Park and Beatty middle schools since 2017.
Whittier Union High School District’s Class of 2021 will be celebrated during in-person commencement ceremonies at District stadiums, held from Tuesday, June 1 to Thursday June 3. Capacity will be limited, and health and safety measures will be enforced. Face coverings and social distancing will be required during the duration of the ceremonies, and directional signs and floor markers will be in place to ensure proper management of movement in the stadiums. The District will share more information regarding capacity and ceremony logistics as it becomes available.
Whittier Union to Offer In-Person Instruction Two Days a Week
The Whittier Union High School District Board of Trustees approved a move to Stage Three reopening – with students receiving in-person instruction two days a week – beginning Monday, April 27. Under Stage Three, students in Cohorts A1 and A2 will be combined and attend school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Students in Cohorts B1 and B2 will be combined and attend school on Thursdays and Fridays. Families have the option of continuing 100% remote learning for the remainder of the school year. Students and staff will continue participating in daily health screenings and temperature checks.
El Monte Union High School District is partnering with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to community members ages 16 and up through drive-thru clinics. Additional clinics are being held Saturday, May 8, with second doses to be administered Saturday, May 29 at South El Monte High, 1001 Durfee Ave., South El Monte. The clinics will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Photos are available.
Summit High School senior Emilio Ovando and A.B. Miller High School junior Jazmin Gonzalez both see the world through an artistic lens, allowing them to express themselves in creative ways. Their talent was recently recognized at the Young Artists’ Gallery, where both students received first place in the film and animation and drawing categories, respectively. The Young Artists’ Gallery is a juried exhibition for visual arts students in middle and high school that allows them to exercise their creativity and explore the expression of ideas through various mediums. Ovando and Gonzalez were honored by San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre during an awards ceremony in March.
