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.
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.
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 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 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 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.
