Palmetto Elementary School commemorated its 60th anniversary with a schoolwide celebration on Sept. 27. Fontana Unified parents, students, staff and community members perused student displays about the school’s and district’s history, watched performances from Kaiser High School’s band and cheer squad and enjoyed family-friendly activities.
Gabrielino High School is promoting civic engagement and education – and preparing students for the Nov. 6 election – by taking part in the state’s High School Voter Education Weeks, which run through Sept. 28. The two weeks of activities – which launched on Sept. 17 – include voter registration and pre-registration for Gabrielino juniors and seniors in U.S. history and government/economics classes. By pre-registering, students will automatically become active voters once they turn 18.
Gabrielino High School seniors Kevin Quach and Carlos Pondevida have been named 2019 National Merit Scholarship finalists, placing them in the running for the prestigious award and financial aid. National Merit Scholarship participants are selected based on how they score on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), taken during their junior year. Of the 1.6 million students who take the exam, fewer than 15,000 are named finalists.
El Monte Union High School District is supporting the state’s High School Voter Education Week by promoting civic engagement and education at its schools, which will serve as early voter registration sites for 16- and 17-year-old students in September. The Board of Trustees declared Sept. 17-28, 2018 as EMUHSD High School Voter Education Week. Students can pre-register to vote at their high school campus, automatically becoming active voters when they turn 18. The District has partnered with advocacy group OCA-Greater Los Angeles to provide voter registration support and training to select student leaders who will promote civic engagement in the schools and classrooms.
San Gabriel Unified special education teacher Kenna McRae was recognized on Sept. 11 as the 2017-18 Exceptional Special Education Teacher by the West San Gabriel Valley Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) consortium. McRae was honored for her tireless advocacy on behalf of special education and for her dedication to her students’ academic and socioemotional success. Photos are available.
Shadow Hills Elementary School held a Patriot Day ceremony on Sept. 11 to recognize Fontana’s military and first responders and honor those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. Students and staff gave certificates of recognition to family members and community members who are in the military or working as first responders in Fontana. The ceremony also featured a performance from Kaiser High Schools JROTC students. Photos are available.
Rio Hondo College launched an expansion of its Rio Promise program on Sept. 25, offering free tuition for first- and second-year students who start their college journeys at Rio Hondo College and enroll full time. More than 2,500 students are participating in the program in 2018-19. In addition to financial benefits, Rio Promise Scholars receive ongoing support to foster success.
Plymouth Elementary families peered through telescopes, made LED circuits on postcards and sampled Chinese mooncakes during the school’s second annual Moon and Stars Night on Sept. 21. Families and students also tested Monrovia High’s robotics team’s robots as an example of coding skills. Plymouth offers programs in Mandarin Dual Immersion and coding through Code to the Future.
Whittier Union High School District hosted its annual District College Fair on Sept. 20. Sessions offered students and parents firsthand information about the application process and financial aid. The fair featured more than 50 college representatives from UC and Cal State campuses, private schools and community colleges.
Bassett Unified hosted its first State of the District event on Sept. 20, outlining the District’s goals for the 2018-19 school year. Superintendent Debra French highlighted the District’s rigorous programs and initiatives to further the success of students. She also reviewed accomplishments, including improved campus safety measures and a Digital Learning Initiative that will provide a laptop for every student.