In partnership with Foothill Family Service, El Monte Union is hosting Spanish-language workshops to provide parents with information, resources and guidance on such issues as bullying, goal setting, drug use and anxiety. The parent-child workshops run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. once a month on Wednesdays. Upcoming workshops will be on April 18 at El Monte High School and May 9 at South El Monte High School.
Follow-up Story: Nearly 100 El Monte-Rosemead Adult School students completed their respective programs and celebrated with end-of-year ceremonies in December. A dozen students lit candles and devoted themselves to the care of others with the Nightingale Pledge as part of the vocational nursing program's pinning ceremony on Dec. 15. The program prepares students to take state nursing board exams, which qualify them to work in the field or continue their studies in a college-level registered nursing program. On Dec. 21, 80 English as a Second Language (ESL) students received certificates of completion, providing them the opportunity to pursue a career technical education program at EMRAS or advance in their careers.
The Sugar Plum Fairy and her flock of snowflakes were among the more than 70 international ballet dancers who delicately waltzed, leaped and pirouetted during a magical performance of holiday favorite, “The Nutcracker,” in front of a sold-out crowd of students and families at El Monte High School’s auditorium on Dec. 10. Hidden from the audience, those staging the elaborate production – 14 El Monte Union theater technicians who bustled backstage to ensure that the countless props were in place, lighting and sound were precise, and transitions between scenes were seamless.
Follow-up Story: South El Monte High School English teacher Cesar Castellanos received the Bobby Salcedo Esperanza Award at the 14th annual Tamalada, a scholarship fundraising event hosted by two El Monte-based education nonprofits. The award is named for Roberto “Bobby” Salcedo, a respected El Monte Union educator killed in 2009. The honor goes to educators who exemplify Salcedo’s tireless commitment to education.
Follow-up Story: El Monte High School educator Elisa Perez has served El Monte and San Gabriel Valley families in many capacities since graduating from El Monte High in 2001: as a community liaison for the Migrant Education Program; as an instructor for the Harvey Mudd Upward Bound program; as a presenter for the Parent Involvement Academy and as an Inspire Women’s Conference Steering Committee member. Foothill Credit Union recognized Perez’s commitment to community outreach with its inaugural Education Advancement Scholarship, a $3,000 award designed for educators looking to further their careers in education. The gift, presented during Foothill’s Ambassador Breakfast on Nov. 30, will go to help Perez complete her doctoral degree at UCLA.
Follow-up Story: El Monte Union High School District has installed 21 electric vehicle charging stations at three campuses. In partnership with Southern California Edison, the District constructed seven charging stations each at Rosemead, Arroyo and Mountain View high schools. The District plans to build 18 more stations at El Monte and South El Monte high schools. The stations are available to EMUHSD staff and students.
Follow-up Story: Two of El Monte’s longest-running businesses recently opened their doors to El Monte Union students interested in pursuing highly-skilled vocational employment, part of a series of field trips organized by El Monte Union’s Career Technical Education (CTE) division to offer students a real-life glimpse into the subjects they are studying. Longo Toyota and Precision Coil Spring – both in operation for over 50 years – provided students with tours of their facilities and reviewed the variety of high-paying technical and administrative positions available. Students also met with former El Monte Union students who are now employed by the companies, including a Ledesma High School graduate who started as a car wash valet and worked his way through the ranks to become Longo’s Used Car Service Manager. Photos are available
Follow-up Story: The El Monte Union High School District kicked off Red Ribbon Week on Oct. 23 with a drug-free pledge and awareness program symbolizing its deep commitment to fostering safe, drug-free campuses to ensure student success. The anti-drug campaign follows a recent move by the EMUHSD Board of Trustees to pass a resolution opposing cannabis retailers, dispensaries and commercial businesses from setting up establishments within the City of El Monte. The City of El Monte is proposing to adopt an ordinance that would prohibit recreational marijuana businesses, but allow cultivation, distribution and research of medical marijuana. The District resolution also calls for the city to conduct more outreach to EMUHSD families and stakeholders ahead of any vote and action to adopt the ordinance.
Follow-up Story: Arroyo High School senior Michael Nguyen is making waves at El Monte Union High School District as one of 16,000 students across the nation to be named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists for 2018. The distinction places him in an elite group of students who make up less than 1 percent of seniors who received the highest scores in their state. Nguyen, who scored a nearly perfect 1490 on his PSAT and holds a 4.34 GPA, is a member of the California Scholarship Federation, the National Honor Society, Speech and Debate, and the Key Club. Photos are available
Follow-up Story: Mountain View High School's Teacher Preparation Academy – which targets the state's teacher shortage and motivates at-risk students to continue their path toward higher education – has been nominated for a California School Boards Association Golden Bell Award, a recognition earned by school districts that promote excellence and increase student achievement through outstanding programs and practices. The academy, established in 2000, has helped boost college-going rates, academic achievement and school attendance.
