Lynwood Parents Invited to Learn about Kindergarten, Transitional Kindergarten
Lynwood Unified School District will host a Countdown to Kindergarten session to give Lynwood parents a chance to meet with LUSD principals and teachers to discuss educational opportunities and learn more about the kindergarten, transitional kindergarten and dual-language immersion classes offered in the fall. Parents will also be able to enroll their children and ask questions about Lynwood Unified’s early learning programs. The meeting runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 12 at the District office, 11321 Bullis Road, Lynwood.
Lynwood Unified School District came prepared to the Black College Expo, held Jan. 31 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with four students walking away with more than $10,000 in scholarships. The event followed a “Mini” College Expo held on the Lynwood High campus the previous Thursday, when 30 students from LUSD’s high schools were conditionally accepted into a number of participating colleges. The Expo unites 100 national colleges and universities under one roof and offers an assortment of resources for college-bound students: information on scholarships, financial aid and student-athlete assistance, along with educational seminars and roundtable discussions.
Lynwood Unified Recognizes Students on Probation for Art Display
Follow-up Story: Ruben Nazario isn’t accustomed to standing out for the positive things he’s doing. In fact, a special recognition he received at a recent Lynwood Unified board meeting in front of dozens of educators and community members and students represented a one-of-a-kind experience for the 17-year-old. He is one of several students from Lynwood Unified’s AdvancePath program to be recognized for having their artwork displayed at Los Angeles’ Chinese History Museum. The art program is a new addition to AdvancePath, a unique partnership between the District and the Los Angeles County Probation Department that helps students on probation recover credits and provides on-site services in line with their terms of probation. Photos are available.
Two Lynwood High Students Earn Scholarships through Posse Foundation
Follow-up Story: Two Lynwood High School students are headed to the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Michigan’s Kalamazoo College after earning full academic scholarships through the Posse Foundation. The foundation identifies students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes and provides full-tuition scholarships to its partner universities. Eduardo Guerro and Evelyn Salina were among 10 Lynwood High students, and thousands more across the nation, recommended for Posse scholarships. Ultimately, just 10 students are selected for scholarships to each of the organization’s 50 partner universities, which include Dartmouth College, Cornell University, UCLA and UC Berkeley.
A coalition of Lynwood leaders – including the city, schools and religious community – are banding together to launch a program to provide guidance to local youths of color in response to President Obama’s plea to increase opportunities for underrepresented communities. The Village Project will provide mentorships, job and life skills and other resources and support to help local youths achieve their goals. The project is led by Lynwood Unified Board of Education Vice President Gary Hardie, Jr., the City of Lynwood and community organizations. The launch, held in conjunction with the second annual Black Teen Summit, takes place at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25 at the City of Lynwood’s Bateman Hall, 11330 Bullis Road, Lynwood. It will be followed at 10 a.m. by a roundtable discussion.
Eduardo Zuniga is just 11 years old, but this month he is serving in a very important position – the City of Lynwood’s first “Kid Mayor.” Out of nearly 200 of his peers, the fifth-grader at Lincoln Elementary was recommended for the position by his teachers. He has spent the last few weeks attending special events, City Council meetings, doing interviews with the media, making recommendations on new city programs and meeting new people. He was also awarded a $400 scholarship, which was deposited in a fund designed for him to access when he’s ready to go to college. Photos are available.
International Baccalaureate participation at Firebaugh High is soaring to all-time levels, with 162 students taking nearly 400 exams in multiple subjects. The numbers represent the highest participation in the program’s history at the Lynwood Unified campus. Fourteen students are slated to earn IB diplomas this year, double the number from 2014. The rigorous, two-year college- and career-preparatory curriculum for juniors and seniors is based on promoting intercultural understanding, critical thinking and independent learning.
Former Lynwood Unified Students Return for Alumni College Conference
More than 50 Lynwood Unified alumni are returning to their hometown to provide college-going support and inspiration for hundreds of students during the 15th annual Alumni College Conference from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10 at Lynwood High School. The event, themed “Preparing Today for a Brighter Tomorrow,” will feature a college fair, parent resources and more than 30 workshops covering topics such as the admissions process, scholarships and grants and more. Lynwood High is at 4050 Imperial Highway, Lynwood. M
During its annual reorganization meeting on Dec. 9, the Lynwood Unified School District Board of Education appointed Maria G. Lopez as President, Gary Hardie as Vice President and Briseida Gonzalez as Clerk. The District also celebrated Lynwood Unified’s accomplishments under the leadership of Gonzalez, who served as Board President for the last year.
Follow-up Story: Rising test scores, higher graduation rates and fewer dropouts are among the dramatic gains in student achievement by Lynwood Unified School District that Superintendent Paul Gothold presented present at a Dec. 15 training program organized by the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA). The Equity Leadership Institutes, CAAASA’s new professional development series, showcased best policies and practices for improving academic achievement of African-American and other underserved students in California schools. The training is part of a four-part series in San Francisco.
