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.
Río Hondo College’s Board of Trustees on Oct. 14 passed a resolution authorizing an election on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 to fill its open Trustee Area Seat 1. The seat became vacant in July when Norma Edith García stepped down.
Monrovia Superintendent Participates in Bobcat Fire Community Forum
Monrovia Unified School District’s Superintendent Dr. Katherine Thorossian joined state Sen. Susan Rubio, the U.S Forest Service, Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management and the American Red Cross during a Bobcat Fire Virtual Community Forum on Sept. 23. The forum briefed the Monrovia and Arcadia community about the status of the fire, the school district and its response plan, and an overview of evacuation preparedness.
Baldwin Park Unified Alumna Hosts Empowerment Workshop
Baldwin Park Unified alumna Emily Solano, a graduate from Baldwin Park High School and licensed social worker, is running a virtual workshop for students ages 13 to 16 who are interested in strengthening their relationships and gaining a deeper understanding of self. Project Elevate is a free program and safe space for students to learn better ways to communicate, recognize red flags in relationships and develop skills to foster strong connections.
El Monte Union High Schools Host Virtual Back to School Nights
El Monte Union high schools held virtual back to school nights, inviting students and parents to learn more about their campuses, teachers and distance learning. To enhance the virtual experience, El Monte High School and Mountain View High School created YouTube presentations with welcome messages from principals, teachers and the Associate Student Body. To view El Monte High School’s Back to School video, click HERE. For Mountain View High School’s video, click HERE.
Buena Park Learning Center Principal Mary Beckelheimer loves taking care of people – she exudes cheerfulness and positivity when connecting with parents, families and students to create a comfortable atmosphere wherever she goes. Her new role as principal for the Buena Park Learning Center, which includes the Buena Park Early Learning program and the recently launched Academy for Accelerated Learning, gives her the opportunity to build relationships with parents of young students and parents who want an additional level of safety in regard to COVID-19.
West Covina Unified’s Signature Programs Shift to Distance Learning
West Covina Unified’s signature academic offerings – including Mandarin and Spanish Dual Language Immersion programs, TK-12 IB continuum and its dual enrollment high school, Mt. SAC Early College Academy – have shifted to distance learning, ensuring students can continue to customize their learning experiences in 2020-21. The District’s robust programs afford students the opportunity to develop bilingualism and biliteracy, receive a globally focused education or gain college credit while they earn their high school diploma. Students interested in Dual Language Immersion or Mt. SAC Early College Academy may still apply for 2020-21 enrollment.
Fontana High School senior Fatima Kamara will serve as Fontana Unified’s 2020-21 Board of Education student representative. Since arriving from Sierra Leone three years ago, Kamara has embraced Fontana Unified’s learning opportunities and extracurriculars, maintaining a strong GPA and earning multiple Jerry Dison Awards, Student of the Month and Most Outstanding AVID Student. She has served as the student representative to Fontana High’s School Site Council, highlighting the academic and social needs of her peers; worked to establish a wellness center and meditation garden as part of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) team; and served as a peer mentor in Link Crew, helping incoming freshmen transition smoothly into high school. Kamara is also a member of the California Scholarship Federation, a 2019 junior honor attendant, and a regular volunteer at the Lewis Library and Technology Center.
