Covina-Valley Unified School District welcomed new Board of Education member Simon Wright and returning member Rachael Robles during the Board’s reorganization meeting on Dec. 12. Wright and Robles took the Oath of Office during a ceremony prior to the meeting affirming that they will fulfill the duties of a Board member and uphold the values of the District throughout the next four years. The Board selected Maria Caceres to serve as president; Maria Cruz was named vice president and Simon Wright was named clerk. Members Rachael Robles and Sue Maulucci complete the Board.
Banning Unified School District's Board of Trustees welcomed Leslie Novalis and Shelly Ruiz as new members to the Board during an Oath of Office ceremony on Dec. 9, which featured a welcome message from Superintendent Terrence Davis, congratulatory speeches and applause from dozens of community members. Novalis and Ruiz were sworn in during the ceremony at Banning High School’s library, where they made a promise to fulfill the duties of a Board member and uphold the values of the District throughout the next four years.
Las Palmas Middle School students are building lasting relationships and benefitting from a positive campus culture thanks to the Best Buddies program, which aims to foster connections between those with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. Best Buddies, an international nonprofit that pairs students in one-on-one friendships, has had a home at Las Palmas for nearly five years. This school year, the program has grown to more than 50 general education students who work alongside the school’s 16 Life-Skills Education Advancement Program (LEAP) students with mild to moderate learning disabilities.
Baldwin Park Adult and Community Education Offers Virtual ESL Class
Baldwin Park Unified’s Adult and Community Education (BPACE) is offering a free, Vocational English as a Second Language (V-ESL) class, presented by ESL and career technical education instructors, that teaches students computer literacy and proficiency. Classes are from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays in Room 21 at the BPACE main campus, located at 4640 Maine Ave. To register, call 626-939-4456 or visit bpace.bpusd.net.
Bonita Unified School District celebrated the retirement of Board of Education President Chuck Coyne on Dec. 8, bringing together Bonita Unified families, community members and District leaders for an evening of humorous anecdotes and heartfelt speeches that summarized his 17 years of service on the Board. Coyne, who was first elected in 2005, is one of the longest-serving Board of Education members in Bonita Unified history. During his time on the Board, Coyne helped pass two bond measures that funded the construction of the Bonita Center for the Arts, expansion and modernization of four school gymnasiums, upgrades to two athletic stadiums, the installation of solar panels across the District and more.
Hacienda La Puente School Celebrates Tradition, Sportsmanship
The holiday spirit was in high gear as Hemmerling Elementary School continued its decades-old tradition of celebrating its fastest students during the 73rd annual Turkey Trot race, held Nov. 18. Nearly 150 Hemmerling K-5 students participated in the Turkey Trot, with the first-place winners receiving a gift certificate for a free turkey, while the runners-up received grocery store gift cards. After the main races had concluded, members of the Hemmerling faculty surprised students by donning turkey costumes for their competition, inspiring many students to join in.
Baldwin Park Unified ‘Santa Clothes’ Provides Gift Cards for Students
Baldwin Park Unified students spent the early morning hours on Dec. 6 at Walmart, eagerly shopping for cold-weather clothes, shoes, and even a few toys, during the 25th Annual Santa Clothes Project. This year, 404 students from Early Childhood Education to high school received $80 gift cards. The Santa Clothes Project is made possible through a partnership between the District, the City of Baldwin Park, the Baldwin Park Charitable Relief Organization, the Baldwin Park Police Department and other local organizations.
The El Monte Union community gathered for a lively ribbon-cutting ceremony in celebration of the completion of Fernando R. Ledesma High School’s newly built Multipurpose Building and Gymnasium on Dec. 8. As the first major construction project of a sweeping modernization program funded by Measures D & HS, the FLHS Multipurpose Building and Gymnasium promotes healthy living, collaboration, sustainability and will serve as a gathering place for health and wellness instruction, physical fitness activities, athletic events, performances and functions. The site now houses a performance space with grandstand seating, basketball court, an outdoor weightlifting area, snack bar, concession and lobby areas, restrooms, classrooms and a learning garden.
Canyon Crest Elementary School has been awarded a $9,200 Cultivating Innovation in STEM Schools (CISS) grant by San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools’ Alliance for Education, which will enable the school to add virtual reality to the STEM learning opportunities available in its Innovation Space. Canyon Crest Elementary is one of just 10 schools in the county to receive the grant. The CISS project, supported by funding from San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, provided the grants to elementary schools to help them create or enhance a STEM learning space that strengthens STEM instruction at the K-6 grade levels, as well as promote STEM career exploration.
Baldwin Park Unified’s North Park Named Model Continuation School
Baldwin Park Unified’s North Park Continuation High School has been redesignated as a Model Continuation High School by the California Department of Education during a verification visit on Dec. 6. North Park was recognized for creating and nurturing strong teacher and student mentorships, as well as ensuring students succeed academically and personally in a supportive school environment. North Park Continuation was last honored as a 2020 Model Continuation High School. The redesignation ensures North Park retains its model school status for the next three years.
