El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) has selected Arroyo High School mathematics teacher Catherine Flores as the District’s 2023-24 Teacher of the Year, recognizing her dedication to giving back to the same school and District that helped shape her as a student. The EMUHSD Board of Trustees recognized Flores with an award and her name on the District’s Teacher of the Year honoree display plaque at its Oct. 4 Board meeting. Each Board Member praised Flores’ accomplishments as a classroom teacher and for the impact she has on her students. Flores was also honored by the Los Angeles County Office of Education during a luncheon on Sept. 22.
Almeria Middle School eighth-grade science teacher Jean Yoo was one of 13 science educators nationwide to be recognized as a 2023-24 Society for Science Lead Advocate, reflecting her commitment to science education and passion for encouraging young students to be problem solvers and critical thinkers. The honor comes with a $5,000 stipend, which will go toward facilitating Almeria science projects and acquiring the necessary materials that will allow students to succeed.
Covina-Valley Unified School District’s efforts to continue prioritizing the wellness of students and offering mental health services that go beyond the classroom are receiving a significant boost thanks to the help of a $7.2 million California Community Schools Partnership Program grant, casting a light on the District’s commitment to serving the whole child. The grant funds will be used to expand the health and wellness support available to students across the District, including allowing the District Health and Wellness Center to remain open full-time.
Fontana Unified will showcase student talents throughout the event by displaying student art that centers around their celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and through cultural performances from nine different schools. Students from Hemlock Elementary, Dolores Huerta International Academy and Summit High School will provide musical performances, while students from Redwood Elementary; Fontana and Southridge Tech middle Schools; and Fontana, Jurupa Hills and Henry J. Kaiser high schools will perform dances. Local group Mariachi Tierra Caliente will also perform during the event. Fontana Unified’s Global Studies Department provides students with opportunities to explore the contributions, opinions, stories and daily lives of people from diverse backgrounds throughout history year-round. The District hosts celebrations for Native American Indigenous Peoples Month in November, Black History Month in February, Arab American Heritage Month in April and Asian American-Native Hawaiian-Pacific Island Heritage Month in May.
El Monte Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools are being celebrated for their academic excellence and commitment to college and career, receiving recognition among the top-performing public high schools in the state and nation, according to the 2023-24 Best High Schools rankings by U.S. News and World Report. This is the third consecutive year that all five El Monte Union high schools were recognized in the Best High Schools rankings. Arroyo, El Monte, Mountain View, Rosemead and South El Monte high schools each earned high rankings among nearly 1,603 high schools in California and boast a graduation rate of 90% or higher.
Bonita Unified Board Appoints New San Dimas High School Principal
The Bonita Unified Board of Education appointed Omar Mayen as the new principal of San Dimas High School during its Oct. 4 meeting. Mayen is an experienced high school educator; prior to coming to San Dimas High, he spent six years as an assistant principal and an additional 12 years as a high school special education teacher in Corona-Norco Unified School District. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Redlands, teaching inclusive practices to credential and master’s degree candidates.
El Monte Union Welcomes Four New Assistant Principals
The top administrative positions at three El Monte Union High School District campuses have a new look for the 2023-24 school year, with four new assistant principals joining El Monte, Mountain View and Rosemead high schools. The new administrators are Sarah McLarty and Brian Covey at El Monte High School; Sandra Salge at Rosemead High School; and Anh Ligutom at Mountain View High School. Covey, Salge and Ligutom are all new to El Monte Union, while McLarty most recently served as El Monte High’s athletic director.
Bonita High School senior Andrew Watson, Chaparral-Vista High School senior Riley Koscielski and San Dimas High School senior Beatrice See stepped up to the podium – and into new leadership roles – before the Bonita Unified Board of Education on Oct. 4, receiving applause and cheers of encouragement as they took the oath of office to serve as the Board’s student representatives for the 2023-24 school year. Watson, Koscielski and See will serve as the voices and advocates of their peers throughout the school year, attending all regular monthly Board meetings to provide school reports and share feedback and concerns. All three students also serve in leadership positions on their campuses.
Fontana Unified Named Semifinalist in National Career Z Challenge
Fontana Unified School District’s plan to expand its work-based learning opportunities through the Future Shapers Academy (FSA) secured it a semifinalist spot in the U.S. Department of Education’s Career Z Challenge. Fontana Unified is one of two school districts in California and 81 nationwide to be named a semifinalist in the $2.5 million multi-phase prize competition. The District will receive assistance and a monetary prize from the federal government for launching the FSA, a systemic work-based learning ecosystem within its career technical education program, in 2023-24.
Río Hondo College Library to Host First-Ever Zine Fest
Río Hondo College Library will host its first-ever Zine Fest over two days, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10 and from noon to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Zine creators and enthusiasts will be on hand to share their zines in hopes of educating the community about zines and inspiring them to create their own self-made zines. Both days will be hosted at the Learning Resource Center, located on the second floor of the campus library. The event will kick off the Río Hondo College Library Outreach Project, where participants can contribute their zine to be included in a printed publication of the Río Hondo College Library Zines. Río Hondo College is located at 3600 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier.
