West Covina Unified Elementary Named i-Ready Distinguished School
Orangewood Elementary School has been named a 2020 i-Ready Distinguished School, recognizing the school’s usage of i-Ready and diagnostic data during distance learning in spring 2020. i-Ready provides educators with actionable and intuitive data for students in math and reading, revealing students’ strengths and identifying where they need further assistance. Orangewood educators have used i-Ready to provide more targeted instruction to students and ensure continued success during distance learning.
Buena Park School District provided its community with another means to stay healthy as it administered 247 flu vaccinations to students in pre-school through eighth grade during its first drive-thru flu clinic. The District teamed with the Orange County Health Agency, Kaiser Permanente and Cal State Fullerton’s School of Nursing to deliver vaccinations to families who lined a parking lot and surrounding area of Buena Park Middle School. Students, staff, parents and volunteers wore masks and followed social distancing rules to maintain safety
Río Hondo College will host a Vote Center in the Campus Inn from Friday, Oct. 30 through Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3 as part of a program designed to ensure maximum community access to voting opportunities. Río Hondo College is one of multiple community partners hosting the centers as part of the Voting Solutions for All People (VSAP) program. VSAP enables voters to cast ballots with new, accessible ballot marking devices.
Longtime educator Nicasio “Nick" Salerno has been selected as Fontana Unified’s interim associate superintendent of teaching and learning, bringing 38 years of public education experience to the role. Salerno was selected by Fontana Unified’s Board of Education during a special meeting on Sept. 30. He has spent much of his education career serving high school students in El Monte, working as a teacher, coach, counselor and mentor teacher before stepping into administration as an assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent.
Whittier Union’s Whittier High and Frontier High School students are benefiting from Spirit Awakening, an after-school program that helps students build confidence and raise self-awareness, using creative writing, visual arts, mentorship, service and leadership training. Its facilitating artists and teaching assistants connect with students through empathy and authenticity. The after-school program has adapted to COVID-19 restrictions by replacing in-person lessons with Zoom conferences three days a week. From 20 to 50 Whittier High and five to 10 Frontier High students participate. Click HERE for more information about the program.
Wendy Payan, a Sierra Vista High School history teacher for 16 years, enriches her students’ lives academically and personally – an achievement that has earned her the title of 2020 Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year. Payan was recognized as one of 10 Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year during a virtual celebration on Oct. 1, paying tribute to educators who transcended challenges during the pandemic and distance learning.
Martina Rodriguez used to cringe at the thought of schools reopening. She has a daughter currently receiving distance learning in the District, and the idea of them returning to the classroom brought about more anxious questions than answers. The road to return has now become more clear for Rodriguez, who is a member of the District’s COVID-19 Parent Task Force which helps identify potential issues and concerns that come with reopening. The group of parents joins District staff and community partners in visiting school sites twice per month to ensure safety protocols are being followed that will safeguard the health and well-being of the District.
When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted school closures in March, Fontana Unified’s Food Services department, led by director Trieste Huey, immediately sprang into action, establishing a food distribution network that has served nearly six million free meals and provided a crucial lifeline of nourishment and support to the Fontana community. Huey’s leadership skills, organizational acumen and ability to gather resources and bring diverse District departments together as a team has been recognized by the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), which has bestowed Huey with its 2020 Spotlight on Excellence Award.
Whittier Union High School Hosts Virtual Weekly Announcements
La Serna High School’s Associate Student Body (ASB) has found a way to keep its school community connected and informed by releasing weekly YouTube videos, known as La Serna’s Friday Announcements. With the guidance of ASB Teacher Jenna George, students come together weekly via Zoom after extensive planning, collaboration and work completed outside of class to film the weekly announcements. The video announcements highlight upcoming events, elections and fundraisers, and also include a “Flashback Friday” portion, which highlights an event that took place last school year.
El Monte City Students Receive Backpacks, Supplies, New Clothes
A steady flow of Shirpser School families – spaced to ensure safety – visited a series of booths at the campus on Sept. 21 to collect much-needed backpacks, school supplies, new clothes and even teddy bears during a special walk-through donation event hosted by L.A. nonprofit Baby2Baby. Some 550 students received supplies, which included diapers and baby wipes for families needing additional supplies. L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis presented Shirpser School Principal Veronica Ortiz with an official commendation for staging the socially distanced event.
