Gabrielino High School students hand-painted 24 Christmas ornaments to decorate a tree in the 2018 National Christmas Tree experience – the only California school selected and one of just 56 across the country. Gabrielino High was chosen to represent California in the display, in which the 6-foot trees surround the 48-foot National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse in President’s Park in Washington D.C.
Chaparral and Dorothy Grant elementary school students demonstrated their skill at coding games and creating avatars for parents and community members at recent EPIC Build showcase events, highlighting student achievement under new Code to the Future programs. Code to the Future is the nation’s leading creator of immersive computer science curricula, which engages students in technology- and coding-based lessons integrated into daily instruction and core subjects.
Fontana Unified School District was honored by the American Heart Association with a Bronze Workplace Health Solutions Award, which recognizes district efforts to cultivate a workplace culture of wellness. Fontana Unified’s wellness program includes a series of smaller health challenges and an annual wellness fair, which provides staff with health and wellness information, medical, dental and vision screenings, raffle prizes, and more.
Foster Elementary School students from transitional kindergarten through second grade danced, dressed up with silly masks and hats, and practiced their beatboxing skills on Nov. 9 alongside YouTuber and youth motivational speaker Josh Drean, who urged them to create a positive environment to eliminate bullying at school and on social media. Foster Elementary was stop No. 14 on Drean’s tour of Baldwin Park Unified campuses.
Monrovia Unified will expand its highly popular dual-language immersion program to Wild Rose School of Creative Arts in fall 2019 for transitional kindergarteners and kindergarteners. Parents interested in the Spanish/English program can enroll at either Wild Rose or the District’s original site at Monroe Elementary, depending on where they reside. Parent information sessions will be held at 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5 at Wild Rose School of Creative Arts, 232 Jasmine Ave., Monrovia. Both sessions will be presented in English and Spanish; child care will be available.
Bassett High School students took a much-needed break from the stress of finals with puppy play during lunch on Dec. 12, visiting with about 15 Dachshund, Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese puppies. The event was staged by Bassett Connects, a new club focused on supporting student social and mental well-being. It capped a week of anti-stress activities that included aromatherapy, yoga and meditation.
El Monte City School District’s Wright School will host two assemblies for students to meet author and literacy advocate Alane Adams, creator of “The Legends of Orkney” fantasy mythology series and “The Santa Thief,” at 11 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 11317 E. McGirk St., El Monte. Adams will speak to students about her books and career as a novelist.
Fontana Unified will offer its third Parent University workshop of the year, continuing its efforts to boost family engagement in the educational process. The first free session, “Parenting in a Digital World,” will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27 at Fontana Adult School, 10755 Oleander Ave.; and from 6 to 8 p.m. at the John D. Piazza Center, 9680 Citrus Ave. Translation services will be available.
Bonita Unified celebrated retiring Board of Education Vice President Patti Latourelle on Nov. 27 during an evening filled with moving testimonials from community and District leaders who spoke about the tremendous impact Latourelle had on the school community over her 17 years of service. Latourelle, who was elected in November 2001, championed the expansion of career technical courses and programs.
