Cheered on by city officials and District administrators, West Covina Unified Board of Education members on Sept. 8 cut a ribbon strung across the gates to Edgewood IB Schools, welcoming the community to tour the new Edgewood Event Center. The Event Center features a 350-seat auditorium and freestanding seats for District and school stage events and meetings, and houses Edgewood IB Schools’ career technical education programs, offering studios and classrooms for gaming design, video production, International Baccalaureate dance, and theater production.
Monrovia Unified Hosts Virtual 2020-21 State of the Schools Address
Monrovia Unified School District hosted its 2020-21 State of the Schools Address virtually on Facebook and YouTube on Oct. 21. The virtual event, presented by the District’s Board of Education, featured an overview of the District’s successes during the 2019-20 academic year, the transition to a digital environment and distance learning, steps taken to navigate the pandemic, finances and the District’s plans for future instruction.
West Covina Unified high school athletes dove into a new Olympic-size pool on Sept. 22 to celebrate the completion of a state-of-the-art sports complex as West Covina Unified Board of Education members, administrators and community leaders cheered. The latest of the District’s Measure ES-funded projects hosts an Olympic-size swimming pool, thermal shade structures that will reduce pool heating costs and bleachers that can accommodate 350 people. The complex also includes four locker rooms, two digital scoreboards capable of video playback, a high-quality sound system, and updated basketball courts.
Sen. Rubio to Donate 250 Backpacks to Baldwin Park Unified K-6 Students
Baldwin Park Unified elementary school students will receive new backpacks and school supplies from Sen. Susan Rubio during a drive-through distribution even from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 16 at Sierra Vista High School, 3600 N. Frazier St., Baldwin Park. The donations will provide 250 backpacks to students in kindergarten through sixth grade from all BPUSD K-6 schools. Students receiving backpacks were identified by the District, with parents notified by email and direct mail of the date, time, and location of the distribution.
Baldwin Park Unified is joining the nation in recognizing Sept. 6 through Sept. 12 as National Suicide Prevention Week to help erase stigmas associated with mental health and raise awareness about suicide prevention. BPUSD built into its distance learning model a designated time on Wednesdays for teachers and students to engage with social-emotional learning, and school psychologists and counselors are checking in with students to provide academic, social and emotional support.
Río Hondo College this fall kicked off a Student Success Teams initiative to assist students as they pursue their academic goals, including access to online Career Coach and Programs of Study sites. The Career Coach offers a self-paced personal survey to help students make choices about academic and career choices that align with their strengths and interests. The Programs of Study site provides information about the array of certificates and degrees offered at Río Hondo. The Student Success Teams are trained to support students in making decisions about class schedules, financial aid, transfer applications, work readiness and counseling support.
West Covina High School alumni captured the top prizes at the Film It West Covina Virtual Film Festival, showcasing skills learned as video production students and impressing judges with their interpretations of the theme “Together at Home.” Best-friend duo Joleen Jimenez and Angel Kuo – both Class of 2019 graduates – earned first place for their short film titled “Home,” as well as the award for Best Cinematography. Ko narrates the film, reciting an original poem that reflects on the many meanings of home. Her narration is paired with ideas of what one’s home can look like, featuring footage of Jimenez’s and Ko’s friends, family and community members.
Fernando R. Ledesma High School Opportunity teacher Patty Autran’s love for teaching began as a third-grade student when she – the only Spanish-speaking student in class – was asked by her teacher to help an English learner who had just joined the class. Autran, however, put her teaching dreams on hold after high school to serve in the United States Air Force, an experience that has greatly shaped her teaching philosophy. There, she learned the importance of structure and discipline, how strength comes through unity, and to never leave anyone behind – values that Autran brings to her classroom every day.
Baldwin Park Unified, Foothill Family to Host Family Wellness Workshop
Baldwin Park Unified is hosting a Family Well-being Workshop for caregivers who want to learn practical tips on how to manage family stress during COVID-19, with the first session in Spanish at 10:30 a.m. and the second session in English at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10 via a WebEx webinar. Foothill Family partners with Baldwin Park Unified to provide mental health support and resources to students, families and staff.
West Covina Unified Alumni Take Top Prizes at Film It West Covina Festival
West Covina High School alumni who captured top prizes at the Film It West Covina Virtual Film Festival will be honored alongside other winners and participants during a drive-thru ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4 at Hurst Ranch, 1227 S. Orange Ave., West Covina. Class of 2019 graduates Joleen Jimenez and Angel Kuo earned first place for their short film, titled “Home,” as well as the award for Best Cinematography. WCHS Class of 2019 alumnus Moises Vera wowed judges with his short film “On The Clock,” earning the second-place prize, Best Editing and Best Visual Effects. Class of 2018 graduate Cristian Villenueva and filmmaking partner Alonzo Soto were also named Staff Pick winners for their film “Watchful Eye.” Jimenez, Kuo, Vera and Villanueva, who earned cash prizes for their films.
