Lynwood Unified Elementary School Celebrates Return of Venus Williams
Mark Twain Elementary School students welcomed professional tennis player and Mark Twain alumna Venus Williams on March 18, one of the many activities the school staged to celebrate Women’s History Month. Williams visited the campus to connect with the students, share information on the importance of Women’s History Month, and inspire them to keep following their dreams. Mark Twain students also participated in an empowerment march on March 24, carrying handmade signs with slogans that advocated for women’s rights and celebrated women’s contributions to society.
Lynwood Unified Finalizes New Strategic Planning Process
Lynwood Unified is fostering student and community success through its Strategic Planning Process, a collaborative project that aims to address the needs of the District community and students over the next five years. The Strategic Planning Committee will hold a series of meetings covering topics, such as global and local education trends, that will help the district align its goals and develop a strong vision for the future, receiving input from students, teachers, staff, families, and community partners.
Lynwood Unified School District and St. Anne’s Family Services leaders joined LUSD Board members, elected officials, and educators to celebrate a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 14 that commemorated a new early learning center that was two years in the making. The facility, which features newly modeled classrooms with state-of-the-art learning tools, as well as kitchen and laundry areas, is the result of a partnership between the District, St. Anne’s, and the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Five classrooms, serving a total of 164 children, have been added at Lugo and Abbott elementary schools.
St. Anne’s Family Services will celebrate the opening of its ninth Early Learning Center at Lugo Elementary in Lynwood, California on Monday, March 14, 2022 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In partnership with Lynwood Unified School District and the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), St. Anne’s will deliver comprehensive resources for infants and toddlers along with supportive services for their families at Lugo and Abbot Elementary School campuses respectively. With nearly 20 percent of the Lynwood population living below the poverty line, St. Anne’s will address a critical need by providing educational and social services to help families thrive.
Lynwood Unified Joins Diversity and Leadership Fellowship Program
Lynwood Unified has partnered with Loyola Marymount University to bring additional administrative opportunities to Black and Latino educators in Los Angeles County through their Diversity and Leadership Institute Fellowship program. Inspired by the vision of Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL), participants will explore their cultural identity and how it affects their leadership. The program will begin in the fall of 2022 and take place over 16 months through a combination of virtual and in-person sessions held in Los Angeles by local and national leaders in education. Directors of the program will select 20 participants across Los Angeles to join the program, five of which will be from Lynwood Unified.
Lynwood Unified Students Explore Art Through artworxLA Partnership
Lynwood Unified students are embracing their artistic talents through a partnership with artworxLA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing extensive art education for the professional development, cultural awareness, and personal expression of students. The program was introduced to Vista High School in 2016 to provide students with instruction from professional artists as well as opportunities for scholarships and internships. After benefiting from the influence of artist-led workshops, Vista students have also received career and college opportunities through artworxLA.
Lynwood Unified to Host Community Campaign Art Contest for Students
Lynwood Unified is inviting all Lynwood students to enter its Community Campaign Art Contest. On a blank piece of paper, students must express the meaning of what “Together We are Lynwood" signifies to them. Students can submit a variety of art that suits their talents, including paintings, drawings, collages, prints, digital illustrations, photography, and poems. Three winners will be announced via social media on Thursday, March 31, with their work displayed as a billboard in front of the District Office, located at 11232 Bullis Rd., Lynwood.
Lynwood Unified Unveils Art Murals at Rosa Parks, Will Rogers Schools
Lynwood Unified celebrated the unveiling of new art murals at Rosa Parks and Will Rogers elementary schools on Feb.22. Artist Eric “Cre8” Walker created the mural at Rosa Parks, which features the words “Prepare, Inspire, Empower.” Artist Lilia Ramirez produced the social justice themed piece at Will Rogers, titled “Another World Is Possible.”
Lynwood Unified Partners with Graduate School for Residency Program
With a goal of providing more equity and diversity among its educators, Lynwood Unified has partnered with the Alder Graduate School of Education to create a teacher residency program that pairs students working toward master's degrees and teaching credentials with LUSD teachers who serve as mentors in the classroom. Led by Lynwood Unified Assistant Director of Human Resources Geraldine Rescinito, the residency program is in its second year with 11 residents paired with mentors throughout the District. The inaugural cohort from the 2020-21 school year produced 11 Alder graduates, with five being hired as full-time teachers in Lynwood.
Lynwood Unified Hosts HBCU Caravan, Students Receive Scholarships
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caravan visited Firebaugh and Lynwood high schools on Feb. 14, with more than 25 colleges and universities giving students the opportunity to earn on-the-spot acceptances. Students came prepared with transcripts and test scores and were offered scholarships that reached as high as $35,000. Participating HBCU universities included Tuskegee University, Shaw University and Alabama A&M.
