Baldwin Park Unified Opens New Year with Enhanced Learning Programs
Baldwin Park Unified School District will kick off the 2023-24 school year on Thursday, Aug. 17, welcoming students from Early Childhood Education to Adult School with new administrators to lead campuses, enhanced academic programs and enrichment opportunities. BPUSD students will also receive additional support through the District’s bolstered mental health services, including onsite wellness rooms, therapists and guidance counselors.
Baldwin Park Unified Welcomes New and Veteran Administrators
Long-time educators in Baldwin Park Unified and new hires will start the 2023-24 school year in administrative roles for the District, including leadership positions at BPUSD elementary, middle and high schools. Dr. Maria D. Alonso, former Margaret Heath Elementary Principal, will serve as Coordinator of Expanded Learning Opportunities in the District’s support services department, and Nancy Rodriguez was promoted to Director of Risk Management and Safety Response. Ofelia Romero will serve as principal at Bursch Elementary, Pamela Cruz will lead as principal at Olive Middle School, Julio C. Nunez will lead Sierra Vista Middle School, Raquel Gonzalez will serve as assistant principal at Kenmore Elementary, Vanessa Rivas will helm Jones Middle as assistant principal and Alyflor B. Navalta will be assistant principal at Baldwin Park High School.
Baldwin Park Unified Graduates Earn Business Association Scholarships
Baldwin Park Unified Class of 2023 graduates earned Baldwin Park Business Association (BPBA) Scholarship Awards and were recognized during the BPBA meeting on July 19. North Park graduate Serenity Martinez, Baldwin Park High School Class of 2023 valedictorian Jayden Than and Sierra Vista High School grad Jeffrey D. Torres were celebrated for their achievements in education.
Baldwin Park Unified Community to Join in Hub City Nature Walk
Baldwin Park Unified families will enjoy a one-mile nature walk and explore the Walnut Creek Nature Park at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, July 28. The Hub City Wellness and Nature Walk is hosted in collaboration with the City of Baldwin Park, Kaiser Permanente and Baldwin Park Unified. Participants will begin the walk at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, located at 1011 Baldwin Park Blvd.
Baldwin Park Unified Students Explore Through Expanded Learning
Baldwin Park Unified Think Together students spent their summer touring SoFi Stadium, where they ran football drills, enjoyed field days complete with games and sports, and explored the Natural History Museum as part of the District’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P). ELO-P provides funding for after-school and summer enrichment activities and incorporates community partnerships to provide student-centered opportunities that complement the curriculum taught during the school day. ELO-P is a six-week program that runs Monday to Friday and includes academic enrichment in English language arts and mathematics.
Baldwin Park Unified Awarded Second $10,000 It Gets Better Grant
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Clubs at Baldwin Park Unified’s Baldwin Park High School were awarded a $10,000 grant from the It Gets Better Project, the second grant the clubs have received from the organization. The grant will go toward the school’s Peace, Pride and Produce Garden to continue fostering a safe environment where students in the LGBTQ+ community can learn about queer history, culture and art. The It Gets Better Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth.
Baldwin Park Think Together Students to Attend Angel-White Sox Game
Baldwin Park Unified students in Think Together’s elementary and middle school summer program will enjoy a day at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Thursday, June 29 to cheer on the Angels as they play against the Chicago White Sox, while a lucky BPUSD student will be selected to announce the start of the game. More than 700 Baldwin Park Unified students will attend the baseball game as part of the Think Together summer program, which aims to keep students engaged and having fun.
Baldwin Park Unified, City Host Collaborative Committee Meeting
Baldwin Park Unified and the City of Baldwin Park held its first Community Collaborative Committee meeting on June 12 to present partnership goals and opportunities that are available to students and residents, including the NextGen Youth Workforce Development that connects students with industry jobs. The Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Los Angeles joined to review potential opportunities for students in the city, and the evening’s discussion focused on the District’s School Closures, Consolidation and Revitalization plan as well as the District’s Asset Management Committee, which will propose future uses for the closed campuses.
Set to the backdrop of cheering families, Baldwin Park Unified School District celebrated more than 1,000 graduates in the Class of 2023 for their hard work and accomplishments during commencement ceremonies for the District’s adult school, continuation high school and two comprehensive high schools. The Baldwin Park Adult and Community Education (BPACE) program kicked off the festivities on June 1 at the Baldwin Park Performing Arts Center, with more than 230 graduates receiving career technical education certificates, diplomas and high school equivalency certificates in front of families, friends, educators and administrators. North Park Continuation High School recognized 126 graduating seniors during an intimate ceremony on June 7, featuring powerful student speeches and an emotional special presentation. During the ceremony, North Park graduates turned the focus from the Class of 2023 to the parents, mentors and guardians who helped them reach this milestone by bestowing beaded necklaces on those who supported them most.
Two Baldwin Park Unified Seniors Receive 2023 Dell Scholarships
Sierra Vista High School seniors Briana Gaona and Jose Luis Parra will pursue higher education with the help of a $20,000 scholarship from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. Gaona and Parra were named 2023 Dell Scholars this spring and the seniors were recognized during the school’s graduation ceremony on June 8. The scholarship will be distributed over the course of the students’ academic careers, and the graduates will receive a laptop, personalized academic, financial support and more. Gaona will attend University of California, San Diego, and Parra will go to California Polytechnic University, Pomona.
