Lynwood High School Earns Gold Recognition on the 2024 College Board AP Honor Roll
From her childhood days of teaching Cabbage Patch Kids to more than two decades of inspiring students in English and theatre at Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School, Kathleen Thomas Butiu has always been driven by a love for education. Lynwood Unified School District named Thomas Butiu its 2024-25 Teacher of the Year on May 8, recognizing her exceptional teaching, community involvement and dedication to student-centered learning.
Lynwood Unified School District is teaming up with SLA Inc. to transform 10 school sites and campuses into sustainable green spaces in which to learn and grow through The Lynwood Greening Initiative, a project funded by nearly $2 million in CAL FIRE grants. The initiative, which will roll out over the next three years, will revamp 10 sites – Firebaugh High School, Hosler Middle School and Mark Twain, Helen Keller, Lincoln, Lugo, Roosevelt and Washington elementary schools, and the Early Childhood Education (ECE) centers at Lindbergh and Will Rogers elementary schools – into eco-friendly hubs that reflect the community’s vision while providing students with hands-on environmental learning experiences.
It is with profound sadness that Lynwood Unified School District announces the death of Deputy Superintendent Shawna Dinkins, Ed.D., who passed away on Saturday, March 1, following a sudden and courageous battle with cancer. Her passing is a heartbreaking loss for Lynwood Unified and the many lives she touched throughout her extraordinary career. Dinkins’ unwavering commitment to student success and nearly seven years of leadership at Lynwood Unified have elevated the District to new heights, establishing it as a model for equity and excellence.
The SoCal Honda Dealers’ Helpful People in Blue spread Random Acts of Helpfulness by bringing a special surprise on Sept. 13 to over 340 Lugo Elementary School students, who received their very own book to ignite a love for reading and support their academic success. The excited students, ranging from transitional kindergarten to sixth grade, were greeted by Helpful Honda People who distributed books by grade level, allowing the Lions to personalize their books during the special experience. The books were carefully selected in partnership with the school, ensuring they align with students' reading levels and interests.
Welcomed by red, white and blue balloons, U.S. flags and banners representing their countries of origin, more than 100 Lynwood Unified students who recently arrived in the United States received an opportunity to bond with peers and connect with District leaders during the second annual Newcomers event on Aug. 30. The event, designed for English learners who have been in America for three years or less, aims to help students ease their anxiety about attending school in a new country, learn what is expected of them to graduate high school and befriend classmates who share their nationality.
Lynwood Unified School District will celebrate the grand opening of its state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Classroom and Lab at Lynwood High School, providing students in the career technical education program the opportunity to engage in hands-on cooking experiences.
Lynwood Unified School District kicked off the 2024-25 school year with a new Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program at Mark Twain Elementary School, providing students in Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten with the opportunity to build their bilingual, biliteracy and bicultural skills from an early age.
Lynwood Unified School District recognized 24 graduating seniors from Firebaugh, Lynwood, and Vista high schools for their hard work and perseverance during a milestone summer commencement ceremony on July 17. Denzel Enciso and Rebecca Sanchez from Vista High represented their school with grace as they thanked their families, Lynwood Unified support staff, teachers and principals, and praised the graduates for their determination to succeed.
Fifteen graduates from Lynwood High School achieved a historic milestone by graduating from college while simultaneously receiving their high school diplomas as part of Lynwood Unified’s tuition-free dual enrollment program in partnership with Compton College. Proudly wearing their Compton College caps and gowns, the first cohort of students in the District’s dual enrollment program participated in the June 7 commencement ceremony, earning their associate degrees alongside their college peers while garnering praise from Lynwood Unified administrators and college professors.
The Lynwood Unified School District Board of Education unanimously voted during its July 18 special board meeting to pass a resolution that authorizes the Los Angeles County Registrar to place an $80 million facilities bond measure on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. The bond measure would provide funding to further upgrade Lynwood Unified facilities, make structural repairs, remove hazardous materials, upgrade safety codes and security systems, and reduce reliance on portable classrooms, allowing the District to better support student achievement.
Students enrolled in Lynwood Unified School District’s computer science, engineering and health science pathways will soon benefit from an enriched curriculum, advanced learning resources and expanded internship opportunities. These enhancements are made possible thanks to a $2.2 million Golden State Pathways Program Implementation Grant. The grant aims to elevate educational experiences and career readiness for Lynwood students, and will support the District’s dynamic, hands-on career technical education pathway programs that explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
During its annual Scholarship Reception on June 13, the Lynwood Partners Educational Foundation (LPEF) awarded 102 graduating seniors with $101,000 in scholarships – an increase of $14,000 from last year – to support students' pursuit of higher education at trade schools, community colleges or four-year universities. This year’s scholarship recipients will attend prestigious universities and colleges such as Yale, Stanford, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach City College.