Bedecked in Titan white, blue and orange, Jurupa Hills High School senior Sophia Guevara brought her childhood dream to life with a flourish of a pen, signing her letter of intent for Cal State Fullerton as family cheered her on during a Nov. 11 ceremony. Guevara, who received a full athletic scholarship, will play catcher for the Titans softball team as she pursues a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.
Río Hondo College Vote Center Serves 400-plus during Presidential Election
Río Hondo College served 222 individuals who cast their ballots at its Whittier hilltop Vote Center from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3, as well as 200 voters who dropped off absentee ballots. The Vote Center was one of 11 in the community hosted as part of the Voting Solutions for All People (VSAP) program. VSAP enables voters to cast ballots with new, accessible ballot marking devices.
Geddes and Margaret Heath elementary school students are building on their English language skills through an academic curriculum that infuses dance, visual arts, music and theater – made possible through a partnership between Teaching English Learners through the Arts and the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Now in its third year at BPUSD, the five-year pilot program aims to create an effective and equitable arts-based education that can be used as a template for schools across the country.
Baldwin Park Unified Announces Extension of Distance Learning
Baldwin Park Unified School District announced that distance learning will continue for K-12 students after winter break. Following guidance from state and county health officials, BPUSD will remain in remote learning until further notice. District officials released a parent survey on Nov. 12 to gauge whether or not families are open to a hybrid model of learning for the spring semester, should health data make it safe to do so.
Whitter Union Announces Extension of Remote Learning
Whittier Union High School District announced on Nov. 12 the extension of remote learning to the end of December 2020. Whittier Union will remain in Stage 1 of the District’s 4-Stage Back to School Plan until the end of December and reevaluate health data when spring semester begins in January. In the meantime, the District continues to check in with individual schools to ensure all sites have the resources needed to keep students and staff safe for their return to classrooms.
Whittier Union High School Hosts Mental Health Drive-thru
Whittier High School will host a mental health drive-thru for students from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday Dec. 11, to strengthen student well-being. Counselors and administrators will greet families, distributing stress balls, fidget spinners, snacks and office supplies. The drive-thru event is one of several mental wellness interventions Whittier High is offering as part of a focus on well-being.
Fontana Adult School to Provide Free Workshop for Computer Skills
Fontana Unified’s Fontana Adult School is offering District students and families a free five-session workshop on “Getting Started with Computers,” beginning Monday, Nov. 16. Attendees can choose from two sessions, 9 a.m. to noon, or 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Workshops will be offered in-person and cover topics such as using Microsoft Teams, using QR codes, PowerPoint presentations and the basics of Microsoft Excel. To register, call (909) 357-5490. Fontana Adult School is at 10755 Oleander Ave., Fontana.
Buena Park School District buzzed with excitement as 1,454 students reunited with old friends and favorite teachers for the first day of in-person instruction for the 2020-21 school year. Students were welcomed to the District’s eight schools by teachers and administrators eager to have them back after nearly eight months of virtual instruction. Each campus was fortified with protections against COVID-19, including hand washing stations, hand sanitizer stations, transparent desk shields, physical distancing markers and temperature checks.
over Fontana Unified’s Division of Teaching and Learning on Nov. 23. Fontana Unified’s Board of Education on Nov. 4 hired Dr. Monica Makiewicz to head the division as the new associate superintendent of teaching and learning. In her new role, Makiewicz will oversee the planning, organization and administration of curriculum development to ensure a comprehensive, articulated curriculum and instructional program.
An engineering review of Lynwood High School buildings launched after a collapse of exterior soffit ceiling panels in June has yielded preliminary findings that indicate more extensive construction issues may exist at the 22-year-old facility, Lynwood Unified officials announced Monday. The review, which is still in progress, was launched out of an abundance of caution after the unexpected failure of a section of the exterior panels, called soffits, in one of the high school’s buildings during summer break. LUSD’s Board of Education initiated an independent engineering review by Peter Sarkis-Petra Structural Engineers of all campus structures.
