Members of South El Monte High School’s inaugural Early College Academy – conducted in partnership with Rio Hondo College – will tour the Whittier campus, visit career technical education classes, participate in a time management workshop and meet staff on Sept. 7. Under the Early College plan, SEMHS students can earn a high school diploma and up to two years of college credit in four years, or about 40 credits, which are transferable to UCs or CSUs. Students can take the college-level general education courses for free at South El Monte High or at the Rio Hondo College campus, reducing the cost of attaining a college degree.
English teacher and Advancement Via Individual Determination coordinator Cesar Castellanos’ reputation for empowering students to realize their dreams of attaining a college education has earned him El Monte Union High School District’s highest honor: 2018-19 Teacher of the Year.
AVID Coordinator Named El Monte Union 2018-19 Teacher of the Year
South El Monte High School Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) teacher Cesar Castellanos has dedicated his teaching career to encouraging students to follow their dreams. Castellanos, who has been a member of the El Monte Union family since 2011, was selected as the District's 2018-19 Teacher of the Year. AVID is an elective class designed to help traditionally underrepresented students forge a path to college by boosting their study skills and offering academic, social and emotional support.
El Monte Union’s Mountain View High School launched its new Zoo Crew: Engineers Gone Wild! career technical education pathway on the first day of school on Aug. 20 with a surprise guest courtesy of the Wildlife Learning Center – a long-legged, long-eared African wildcat, the serval. Zoo Crew will provide students with the opportunity to study the health and well-being of animals in the wild. Wildlife Learning Center representatives gave a formal presentation on the serval to more than 50 students in two sessions.
El Monte Union High School students explored colleges and other post-secondary opportunities during the District’s annual College Night and Career Resource Fair on Sept. 17 at South El Monte High School. Colleges and universities that participated included UC Berkeley, UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, Rio Hondo College and the University of La Verne. The event also featured representatives from various student support services and college access programs.
El Monte Union’s high schools will host back-to-school nights for students and their families, enabling parents to connect with teachers and staff and learn about goals for each class. Events will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the following comprehensive high schools: Thursday, Aug. 23 at South El Monte High School; Tuesday, Aug. 28 at Rosemead High School; Thursday, Aug. 30 at El Monte High School; Wednesday, Sept. 12 at Arroyo High School; and Thursday, Sept. 13 at Mountain View High School. Fernando R. Ledesma High School will hold its event from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20.
El Monte Union High School District welcomed thousands of students for the new school year on Aug. 20. Students have the opportunity take part in a variety of award-winning academic programs, including the Teacher Preparation Academy at Mountain View or join the new Early College Academy at South El Monte High School in partnership with Rio Hondo College.
Protecting wildlife and preserving natural resources for future generations is the focus of a new architectural design and engineering pathway expected to launch this fall at El Monte Union’s Mountain View High School. The science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) program, “Zoo Crew: Engineers Gone Wild,” will allow students the opportunity to study how urban sprawl affects the welfare of animals in the wild. The course will also challenge students to create solutions that promote environmental sustainability while maintaining the delicate balance between developing metropolitan areas and adjoining natural habitats.
The El Monte Union High School District will invest nearly $24 million to increase technology access, incorporate online math programs, increase after-school enrichment programs, increase hours for community liaisons, increase support for mental health services and provide more student motivational incentives in 2018-19 as part of its Local Control and Accountability Plan. The programs are aimed at boosting the academic performance of high-needs students, who include English learners, students in foster care and those from low-income homes.
El Monte Union Board Takes Position on Family Separations at Border
The El Monte Union High School District Board of Trustees on June 20 unanimously passed a resolution opposing the separation of children and families at the U.S.-Mexico border, a federal policy being enforced by the current administration. The policy has since been reversed through an executive order signed by the president on June 20. The resolution cites examples of migrant children being separated from their parents after being detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and demands action from the government to end the practice.
