Red and gold lights and decorations filled Plymouth Elementary’s cafeteria as students, dressed in traditional Chinese clothing, captivated families and friends with songs, dances, and skits during a Lunar Near Year Family Night Celebration. PTA sponsored the school-wide celebration that drew scores of students, siblings, parents, and grandparents to watch student performances, build paper lanterns, craft fire-breathing dragons out of paper cups, streamers and pompoms, and design a Lunar New Year calendar.
Two Fontana Unified elementary schools will receive combined grants totaling more than $100,000 to expand after-school programs that increase access to computer coding classes and enhance science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum.
Oleander and North Tamarind elementary schools will receive $65,000 and $50,000 in grants, respectively, from the California Department of Education’s (CDE) After School Education and Safety (ASES) Kids Code pilot program.
Freedom Writers Founder Brings Message to Monrovia Unified
Erin Gruwell, the educator whose transformative teaching was featured in the 2007 movie “Freedom Writers,” inspired an assembly of over 600 students, teachers, and district staff at Clifton Middle School on Feb. 14. The presentation about the power of education garnered a standing ovation, as educators wiped away tears and students gathered to hug and thank the Freedom Writers founder for encouraging them to find their voice.
Families from across the San Gabriel Valley are invited to Orangewood Elementary’s Parent Information Night at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 11 to learn about the school’s new Mandarin Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program, now enrolling for its 2019-20 kindergarten class. Parents can meet Orangewood’s principal and learn how the school provides a global education pathway through dual language immersion and International Baccalaureate programs. Orangewood Elementary is at 1440 S. Orange Ave., West Covina.
Paramount Unified Students Visit UC Irvine to Explore College Experience
Seventh-graders at Paramount Unified’s Hollydale K-8 School visited dorm rooms, classrooms and facilities during a Feb. 13 trip to the University of California, Irvine to learn about the college experience. Hollydale emphasizes college awareness with a weekly College Day that encourages students to wear the gear of their favorite universities and provides monthly reports on colleges around the country.
University President Speaks with Inglewood Unified H.S. Students
Dr. Thomas Parham, president of California State University, Dominguez Hills, discussed college opportunities on Feb. 12 with students at Morningside and Inglewood high schools. Parham dropped in on several classrooms to discuss the acceptance process, scholarships and tuition as the District prepares students to pursue their college dreams.
Baldwin Park High School Hosts 8th Annual Film Festival
Baldwin Park and Sierra Vista high school students celebrated cinematic arts on Feb. 8 at Baldwin Park High School’s eighth annual Youth Film Festival, where seven short films and five experimental films were screened to students, family and community members. Baldwin Park High School’s Kayla Nguyen earned first place for her short film “Last Words of a Fisherman.”
Baldwin Park Unified Students Showcase Think Together Program
Students at Baldwin Park Unified’s Foster Elementary School were joined by Michael Funk, director of the state Department of Education Expanded Learning Division, and Think Together Founder and CEO Randy Barth on Feb. 7 as they explored the many options available to students through the school’s Think Together program. Student leaders in the after-school program led a tour through transitional kindergarten and kindergarten classes, and culinary arts and physical education courses.
Canyon Crest Elementary School will celebrate its status as a 21st Century Learning Exemplar School – recognizing its commitment to prepare students to meet the challenges of the future – with a ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16. Canyon Crest is at 11851 Cherry Ave., Fontana.
Two Monrovia Unified teams from Monrovia High School and Clifton Middle School are advancing to the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) World Championships in Houston, Texas after dominating head-to-head challenges that included simulating space rover actions at the Regional Championships at Monrovia High School on March 9. The Kings and Queens from Monrovia High and the Hippie Bots from Clifton Middle School landed the win after forming an alliance with a third team. Photos are available.
