Baldwin Park Unified officials have announced 20 openings in an innovative independent study program launched this fall that personalizes instruction for students who seek alternative educational approaches or who face challenges in a traditional school setting. The Independent Learning Center (ILC) at Baldwin Park High School provides a rigorous, blended online learning program with flexible hours to ensure students meet graduation requirements. The ILC provides career exploration and preparation as well as social-emotional support. For information, call (626) 960-5431, x3205.
Area School Districts Remain Open on Dec. 15, 2015
While there has been an action taken by Los Angeles Unified School District leaders to close schools out of an abundance of caution based on a threat made specifically to LAUSD schools, the following school districts are in session and are urging parents to send their students to school to maintain instructional continuity: Azusa Unified; Baldwin Park Unified; Bassett Unified; Bellflower Unified; Little Lake City; Lynwood Unified; Montebello Unified; Norwalk-La Mirada Unified; Pomona Unified; Santa Monica-Malibu Unified; Whittier Union High. As always, student safety is the first priority and all standard safety measures will be employed by school personnel.
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center of Baldwin Park is collaborating with the Baldwin Park Unified School District for its annual holiday season Adopt-a-Family program.
This year, the Medical Center’s Leadership Administration team and 11 departments will adopt 13 families from Baldwin Park and Sierra Vista high schools. Each family will receive personalized gifts, including clothing, shoes, toys and educational items from a wish list. Each family will be invited to the respective department at the Kaiser Medical Center in Baldwin Park for a breakfast where they will be presented with their holiday gifts. Kaiser Leadership Administration has planned its breakfast for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15 in the Kaiser Administration Conference Room.
Baldwin Park Unified School District will promote holiday-time mental health and wellness during a special event called "Keeping the Happy in Holidays!" on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at Sierra Vista High School. The event, held in collaboration with the World Boxing Council, will feature world champion boxers, referees, announcers, radio show hosts, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman and special guest U.S. Rep. Grace Napolitano. Pre-event activities begin at 3:30 p.m. and include health awareness vendors and food booths. The main event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Sierra Vista gymnasium, 3600 N. Frazier St., Baldwin Park Tickets, which are free, must be picked up in advance at the school.
Baldwin Park Unified Board Honors Retiring Board Member Jack White
Baldwin Park Unified will host a reception from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8 to honor Board of Education member Jack White, who is retiring after 22 years. Community members are invited to join the Board of Education and District faculty and staff at the BPUSD Administration Center Board Room, 3699 N. Holly Ave., Baldwin Park. White is credited with helping to guide the District through the Great Recession without compromising on class-size reduction goals and boosting student achievement. During his stewardship, the District obtained more than $145 million in state and federal funds.
Central Elementary School’s 508 students will join the largest learning event in history on Monday, Dec. 7 when the Baldwin Park Unified campus hosts an Hour of Code – a computer science campaign that has been sweeping the globe. Central Elementary has been preparing for the event for months, holding a special training in October and inviting teachers from across Baldwin Park Unified School District to learn how to host the event. Central Elementary – at 14741 Central Ave, Baldwin Park – will launch its Hour of Code with two school assemblies, followed by coding in classrooms.
Baldwin Park Adult School Hosts Day of Pampering for Shelter Residents
Follow-up Story: Twenty women from area shelters have been treated to a Day of Pampering courtesy of the Baldwin Park Unified School District Adult and Community Education Cosmetology Department as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month activities sponsored by Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center and U.S. Reps. Grace Napolitano and Judy Chu. The guests started the day with breakfast before receiving complimentary facials, haircuts and style, facials, pedicures and manicures and a finishing touch with makeup. The day concluded with a buffet lunch at the Baldwin Park Performing Arts Center.
Baldwin Park Unified, the City of Baldwin Park and community partners will provide 300 K-12 students in need with a $50 shopping trip to Walmart to purchase winter clothes at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8 as part of their 19th annual Santa Clothes Project. Students are chosen from Baldwin Park Unified schools based on financial need; they will be matched with volunteer shoppers at Walmart, 3250 Big Dalton Ave., Baldwin Park.
Baldwin Park Unified has cut water use nearly in half since initiating the first stage of a water conservation plan, and officials are pursuing new efforts that could drop usage levels even lower. The District achieved its water savings by centralizing irrigation operations with a computerized control system, reducing water days and times. In some areas, watering was terminated altogether during the summer months. Water usage dropped 47.1 percent for summer 2015.
Baldwin Park Unified will receive a 2015 Golden Bell Award – the highest honor possible for a California school district – during a special ceremony at noon Saturday, Dec. 5 in San Diego. The honor, given by the California School Boards Association, honors Holland Middle School for the effectiveness of its “Focused Science through Lesson Study” teaching approach. The approach brings together teachers to design lessons, observe students, analyze effectiveness and collaborate on ways to strengthen lesson delivery. Lesson Study has propelled students in high-needs groups past their peers on state science tests since 2012.
