Hacienda La Puente Unified celebrated the completion of a series of renovations at La Puente High School with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 14. The renovations include a state-of-the-art swimming pool and a modernized kitchen and locker room facilities. The upgrades are designed to provide meal service efficiency, expand engagement in aquatic activities and promote school pride.
Hacienda La Puente Unified will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at La Puente High School to celebrate the completion of a newly built pool capable of holding CIF-sanctioned events, a 4,350 square foot kitchen and renovated locker rooms. The event will begin at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 15615 Nelson Ave., La Puente.
The Hacienda La Puente Adult Education (HLPAE) Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) program puts adult learners on the path to lucrative careers in the dental industry. The year-long program readies students to take the California RDA exam with a thorough curriculum accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Available at HLPAE’s Willow campus, the RDA program does more than provide a pathway to a career in the medical profession – it also doubles as a working dental clinic for the Hacienda La Puente community, with District partners Western Dental and the San Gabriel Valley Foundation for Dental Health providing low-cost dental care on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Hacienda La Puente Unified Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jiménez introduced Dr. Marci Chavez as Nelson Elementary School’s new principal during its board meeting on Aug. 11. Dr. Chavez, who has been with the District for more than 15 years, most recently serving as Nelson Elementary’s interim principal, is known for providing her students with a safe and nurturing learning environment, while focusing on improving school culture with positivity.
Hacienda La Puente Unified students were greeted by balloon arches and red carpets that led them toward teachers and staff during the first day of school on Aug. 3, which also included band performances, hand-painted banners across campus and dancing school mascots. This year, students will have expanded access to programs designed to inspire excellence and boost student achievement, like C-STEM and Transitional Kindergarten.
Hacienda La Puente Unified middle school students sharpened their communication skills and gained confidence as public speakers during a two-week Speech and Debate Summer Camp, held July 11 to 22 at Newton Middle School. The speech and debate summer camp is designed to develop future community leaders, encourage creativity and prepare the students for the rigors of speech competitions. The camp was attended by more than 100 Hacienda La Puente Unified sixth- to eighth-grade students and led by District partner Advantage Communications, which provided the coaches and staff under the leadership of Advantage HLPUSD District Director Joel Anguiano. Hacienda La Puente Unified has offered the speech and debate program since 2020.
Hacienda La Puente Unified students learned the fundamentals of filmmaking in the Youth Cinema Project (YCP), a summer pilot program hosted at Lassalette School. The program, which concluded on June 30, taught young filmmakers graduate-level concepts under the guidance of industry professionals, with the goal of producing short student-created videos based on real-world social and community issues to be shared on YouTube. The District held a YCP summer video showcase on June 29 at Lassalette School to celebrate the success of the student films. The program, which runs through June 30, teaches young filmmakers graduate-level concepts under the guidance of industry professionals, with the goal of producing short student-created videos based on real-world social and community issues that will be shared on YouTube. Two YCP morning classes are offered at Lassalette, one for fifth-grade through sixth-grade students and one for seventh-grade through eighth-grade, where students are learning the basics of scriptwriting, cinematography, sound mixing and post-production editing.
Two Hacienda La Puente Unified teachers on special assignment (TOSA) have been providing educators throughout the District with tips and guidance on technology tools that can be used to engage students and support equity in the classroom through their lived-streamed professional development webinar, “TRansformational Tech.” Teresa Magpayo Castro and Ricardo Recinos co-host the webinar, which covers subject areas such as social-emotional learning, student engagement, design-based learning and virtual reality, while placing a strong emphasis on using tech to support underrepresented students, including English learners and students with exceptionalities. The tech TOSAs enthusiasm and rapport have garnered many admirers and expanded the program beyond HLPUSD to reach tech fans across the country and internationally.
Celebratory spirit filled the gymnasiums of Hacienda La Puente Unified’s four comprehensive high schools during the District’s annual Senior Awards presentations, held May 10 and 12. Graduating seniors who achieved academic, athletic, artistic and philanthropic excellence received certificates and scholarships from teachers, principals, HLPUSD Board members and District sponsors as audience members cheered.
Hacienda La Puente Unified honored nearly 1,300 Class of 2022 graduates from its four comprehensive high schools and alternative high school. Valley High, William Workman High and La Puente High held festivities on May 17, followed by Glen A. Wilson High and Los Altos High, which concluded the celebrations on May 19. The ceremonies featured choir and band performances, chants, alma mater support, salutes, and heartfelt speeches from exceptional students.
